Rome....sweet Rome

I've had a lot of people tell me how magical Italy is and how the city of Rome is unlike any other. After being there for 5 days, I totally agree! I am in love with this city. It all started after the Romania fiesta... a 6 day journey that took us on a whirlwind tour of Translyvania. Now, I enjoyed Romania, but at this point I was looking for some pampering and a hotel with electricity.

We left Bucharest on a full flight to Rome. No worries, it was 2 hours and the 1 st flight out that morning. Dave and I were a little tired from waking up early but were ready to move on to the next leg of our journey. I used to complain about America's standard for boarding a plane. In fact, often times I felt like Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents when he is the only one left standing in the terminal and the flight attendent won't let him board the plane yet because she hadn't called his row..... Aghhhhhhhhhhh....the frustration! After experiencing the European way for boarding a plane, I will never complain again. Anyone who has flown Southwest knows what I am about to say..... MOOOOO....VVEE....it! Cattlecall central! But in Europe people have a tendency to push... And I mean even sweet blue haired old ladies with walkers... "get out of the way whipper snapper!" (but in some foreign language that sounds like..Ich Fluven heiss wicken snackay). I thought, "two can play that game" so I proceeded to push everyone out of the way and mumbled, "O facha dun a Luna " which are the only words I remember from a high school chorus song. No way was I going to let them think we Americans are pushy.... Blame it on the Italians!

We boarded the bpplane, both Dave and I across from each other (aisle seats.... We're so smart) and next to me was some woman from Romania. She seemed nice enough. She started speaking to me and I nodded and smiled... Said "thank you" (mudzelmesk...or smthg like that) in Romanian and ignored her the rest of the journey because I didn't want to have to do the hand signal translation game. About 35 minutes in the air it was breakfast time. I've always liked plane food, it's like hospital food. Everything is over processed and sustainable for 30 or more years....so you know it tastes good! Tarom Airlines though had a delicious breakfast. In fact, I think the people at the farmhouse in Siebiel made it! It was eggs with fresh tomato, a roll with sweet butter, 2 plums and I think something else? Anyway, I wad enjoying my delicious breakfast until 2 rows up, a little girl decided to barf in the aisle.... again and again and again! I thanked God I was not seated directly behind her... 1 more row away spared me from having puke cover my pants like the dude in front of me. What a way to start the day I thought! The stewardess finally came along and handed then parent a plastic bag.... A CLEAR plastic bag...so that everyone could watch the girl puke not on the floor, but into her very own barf bag filled with joy! Now anyone that has known me since grammar school knows that I have sympathy for people that vomit on local transportation. In 5th grade I Became I'll at school, had to wait the entire day until it was time to go home because my mom couldn't get me. The bus ride home was all of 10 minutes. I'm not sure what it was, the bouncing of the bus, the smell of fumes, the left over beefarino I had in my stomach.... But coming around the corner from my stop I 1, 2, 3....... RALPHED! Now luckily the school nurse knew I was in bad shape, so she provided me with a brown paper bag. As the bus pulled to my stop and I was about to get off, I planned on leaving my goodie bag in the bus trash can.... the bus driver though had another idea! "you're not leaving that here...take it with you," she yelled. From that time on, til the end of 5th grade, I was called Barf in the Bag. The pride still carries with me till this day! (to be continued) .....