Cool Girl & Crazy Mom do the Med-Venice: A (very delayed) review of a Serenade voyage

[SURRY GENT]

Melissa

I have really enjoyed your review. I have learned two or three things. One how to subscribe, which I did, that you can get skype for $2.99 a month and use from Europe to the US. I just came purchased my first tablet a Kindle Fire HDX which I purchased for our trip Scotland later this year, but didn't know you could place phone calls with it. COOL. Third that going by something in a bus, such as Rome’s Spanish Steps, doesn't mean you feel it. Your lunch watching the clean up of the market is feeling something. Fourth you Ladies looked really hot for Formal Night.

[crvng4mr]

The 3rd Ring tour would allow us access, with a guide, to areas of the Coliseum that the “regular” ticket wouldn’t. This included the 3rd ring (obviously) which is the top most level, the platform that juts out over the sub-level and the subterranean level (where they housed the animals and gladiators before they were to “perform”). Plus, it enables you to experience this awesome structure without so many people crowding you (since the tours are limited in size).

 

Loved the 3rd ring/underground tour!

 

Our tour wasn’t scheduled until 1p, so we had plenty of time to explore around the area. First things first though, we wanted to exchange the voucher I had printed for the “real” tickets. The other great thing about buying your tickets ahead of time, is that you get to by-pass the crazy, insane line full of people who don’t plan so well and get in a super short line for people with reservations.

 

 

Don't waste an hour or more of your time standing in this line to buy a ticket!!!

 

 

TIP – if you accidently lose your mind and forget to buy your ticket ahead of time, do NOT buy it at the Coliseum. Instead, go across the street and buy it at the entrance to the Forum or Palentine Hill…. The lines at either of these places are CONSIDERABLY shorter.

 

We handed the voucher to the person at the window in exchange for the tickets (which had a magnetic strip) and a sticker to wear on our shirts to identify us as part of a tour. We were then instructed to meet our tour at the designated time at the section labeled #3. Here’s what the sign looked like:

 

 

If you're part of a tour, you will go to a sign that looks like this (make sure you ask the person at the window what your number is or check the sticker you were given... see below that it says m.p.3? That's for Meeting Place 3). Notice how it's a lot more crowded now? This photo was taken about 3 hours later than the previous one... it's about 12:45p in this photo.

 

 

 

 

Now that we had figured out exactly where we needed to be at 1p, we headed off to find a restroom (remember, there was double coffee that morning). There are no facilities in the Coliseum, so we headed across the street and up some stairs to a coffee shop. We were soooooo confused here as to the process. We kept doing it wrong to the point that I was laughing at us (although the lady behind the counter did not look amused). Let me just tell you the “correct” way to purchase and drink a coffee in Rome. Go directly to the cashier upon entering, tell him/her what you will be having and pay for it. You will get a receipt. Take the receipt to the counter where everyone is crowded around like they have never had coffee in their life. Do not go to a section of the counter that looks a good deal quieter…. That won’t be the area where you order coffee… that section might be for sandwiches or something. Next, push your way (politely) to the counter and give the person behind it your receipt. They will put your espresso or cappuccino in front of you. You will then proceed to drink it in less than 10 seconds. If you are going to take longer than 10 seconds to consume this scalding hot beverage, then you should plan on getting a table and paying more. Do not dilly-dally at the counter or you will get looks from all the people trying to make their way to the front to exchange their receipt for their shot of java. For those of you that have watched Seinfeld, think of the Soup **** and you will understand. For a people that love to linger for hours over lunch or a glass of wine, they sure aren’t interested in actually tasting their coffee. Nope. Just suck it down as quickly as possible and be on your merry way.

 

Disclaimer #15: OK, not alllll of the places we got coffee from in Rome were quite as extreme as this one, but this particular place definitely afforded us quite the unique coffee buying/drinking experience.

 

For 6E we got 2 cappuccinos (which I think were good, but since I wasn’t allowed to spend much time actually tasting them, I can’t be 100% sure). More importantly though, our 6E also allowed us to use the ladies’ room before we went to the Forum since I had no clue if there would facilities there.

 

NOTE – If you can’t tell, CM and I NEVER pass up an opportunity to make use of a restroom if we are unsure when we will find one again. You would be wise to do the same…. Just saying. Oh, and it turns out, there are clean restrooms within the Forum (and yes, they have “real” toilets…. I think I am still traumatized by the experience at the Cinque Terra train station!)

Now, when you get a ticket for the Coliseum (whether it’s a “special” ticket like we had, or just the “regular” ticket), you will also be able to use it to get into the Forum and Palentine Hill. Keep in mind, although the ticket is good for the entire day, it doesn’t allow for in/out privileges. In other words, if you start at the Coliseum, then go to the Forum, you can’t later decide to re-enter the Coliseum.

 

By now, it was about 10a, so we had 3 hours before our tour would start. We had decided to check out the Forum which is right across the street from to Coliseum. Now, I had spent 2 days in Rome in 1996 and had seen a few things, but I had never been to the Forum and didn’t really know what to expect. We figured we would just wander around to pass the time… we really weren’t expecting to be awed. Oh, how wrong we were!!!!

 

The Forum was fabulous!!! Truth be told, I enjoyed it more than the Coliseum. There was so much to see and so many interesting facts to learn. Not knowing anything about the Forum, I had decided to use Rick Steves’ free audio-tour as our guide. Now remember, I didn’t get an international plan on my phone, so I had to make sure I downloaded this prior to leaving home so we could listen to it (you download the app first and then download the specific guides or topics you want). It was my first experience using one of his audio-guides and I have to say, it was fabulous! Not only does it explain what you are seeing, but it even comes with a map so you know where you are and where you will be walking to next. It was super user-friendly and I can’t recommend his free audio-guides (as well as his actual guidebooks) strongly enough.

 

The Forum is simply magnificent. It was the heart of the city in the days of Julius Caesar and the Senate (yes, the same Senate whose members would later assassinate poor Julius…. Et tu Brute!!!!!). Basically, it was where all the “important” action took place. When it was all said and done, we ended up spending 2.5 hours there and I easily could have spent even more time. The best way to really give you a feel of the Forum is just to show you some pics, so here you go….

 

This is the main entrance... just head towards the Arch of Titus

 

If you need to fill up your water bottom, there are numerous fountains all over Rome that provide VERY good water that is perfectly safe to drink. This one is right by the Arch of Titus

 

There are facilities in the Coliseum once you are inside. There are in a portable or mobile unit, clean and free. :)

[crvng4mr]

I'm going to offer a different opinion. I had a couple of people try to talk me out of going to Pisa and I thought it was AMAZING! So much so, that is one of the few places we went back to on our second trip. If you get the chance go into the Bapistry when the guard is singing.

 

Pickpockets and theives are a fact of life in the touristy areas of Europe. I saw more in Florence then I did in Pisa.

 

 

I agree! I really enjoyed Pisa. Maybe we were there so early but I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary but it could have been the time of day or an off day.

[crvng4mr]

"Cast of Characters"... I LOVE IT!!!!:D:D

 

 

 

See, this is one of the things I love about Cruise Critic. You get to share different opinions about the same places so people get a different view. For example, my mom and I spent 4 days on Rome after this cruise.... we LOVED Rome. Two of my best friends just did a land tour of Italy where they spent about 2.5 days in Rome and they HATED it. Said they had no desire to go back. I love that people can feel ok about sharing differing opinions about the same city!!!!

 

Very, very true!

[windjamming]

My review is the cool after party... you make me blush :o

 

It's true! It's like when everyone's had a great time at a party, and when it's over, nobody wants the evening to end. So the entire crew heads over to somewhere else, and the party gets bigger! Not that this has happened to me before. More than once. Or twice. Anyway, that's the kind of blast I'm having reading your review. :)

 

And OMG, I am reading this on a train and trying to stifle my giggles. There needs to be another disclaimer - not responsible for spontaneous laughter on public transportation that may make you laugh like a lunatic.

 

The randy dog, the thought of your sweet mom stealing someone's coffee as they walk past your door, the coffee purchasing "experience" (did it in Amalfi - you described it to a tee), the bathrooms ... Oh the bathrooms, the laundry. This review needs to be made into a movie!!

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[kirian]

Melissa

I have really enjoyed your review. I have learned two or three things. One how to subscribe, which I did, that you can get skype for $2.99 a month and use from Europe to the US. I just came purchased my first tablet a Kindle Fire HDX which I purchased for our trip Scotland later this year, but didn't know you could place phone calls with it. COOL. Third that going by something in a bus, such as Rome’s Spanish Steps, doesn't mean you feel it. Your lunch watching the clean up of the market is feeling something. Fourth you Ladies looked really hot for Formal Night.

 

Awwww.. shucks Surry Gent... you're making Cool Girl blush :o:D

 

It's true! It's like when everyone's had a great time at a party, and when it's over, nobody wants the evening to end. So the entire crew heads over to somewhere else, and the party gets bigger! Not that this has happened to me before. More than once. Or twice. Anyway, that's the kind of blast I'm having reading your review. :)

 

And OMG, I am reading this on a train and trying to stifle my giggles. There needs to be another disclaimer - not responsible for spontaneous laughter on public transportation that may make you laugh like a lunatic.

 

The randy dog, the thought of your sweet mom stealing someone's coffee as they walk past your door, the coffee purchasing "experience" (did it in Amalfi - you described it to a tee), the bathrooms ... Oh the bathrooms, the laundry. This review needs to be made into a movie!!

 

 

Hahahahahahaha!!!!! Too funny!

 

Hey, if any movie producers or book editors are reading this.... feel free to contact me. I'm sure we can work out something... I'm reasonable :D

[kirian]

OK, let’s get on over to this little place they call The Coliseum… perhaps you’ve heard of it????

 

After spending 2.5 glorious hours wandering through the Forum, we headed across the street to the Coliseum around 12:30p for our 1p tour (we were told to arrive 15 minutes prior). As you will recall, we already exchanged our vouchers for our pre-purchased tickets, so with those in hand, we strolled right on in, past an insane line of people who either: a) didn’t plan ahead of time, b) did no research ahead of time and therefore didn’t know you could save the lifetime of a fruit fly simply by walking across the street to buy your ticket for the Coliseum at the Forum or Palentine Hill, or c) else they just lovvvvvvvvve standing in line in various European cities. Anyway, I didn’t feel bad for them… in fact, I felt quite smug, if I do say so myself (and with much thanks to lots of folks who posted good tips here on CC that told me all this beforehand).

 

Seriously, have I stressed enough how much you simply MUST buy your ticket online in advance or buy it at one of the other two historical sites next door?!

 

So, past the lonnnnnnnnnng line of people, through the turn style and on to Meeting Place #3 we went (we just followed the signs…. Super easy). Here we are just hanging out in The Coliseum waiting for our tour to begin:

 

 

How cool is this… we are just chillin’ in the Coliseum!!!

 

 

Francesco, our guide, arrives promptly at 1p. Sadly, one of the first things he does is to inform us that we won’t be able to visit the underground portion of the Coliseum. What?! Turns out, a couple of days prior, a portion of the interior wall leading to the center of the Coliseum had collapsed sending a large chunk of travertine to the ground (no one was hurt, thankfully!), so they needed to keep that area closed until they could make it safe and secure. Needless to say, we were bummed that we wouldn’t be able to visit the underground, but you know what? We didn’t need to be bummed after all, because even though we couldn’t tour that part, the rest of what we saw was fabulous and still well worth it.

 

Disclaimer #16 – CM and I are somewhat annoyingly “Glass Half Full” people. We always see the bright side of things. The entire Coliseum could have collapsed and we probably would have said, “Oh that’s a shame, but look at how cool that giant pile of rubble is! Rubble in Rome sure is different than rubble in North Carolina. Wow!”

 

First we went to the “floor” portion of the Coliseum. This is the wooden, half circle section that was built (fairly recently… it’s not original) over the underground area in the middle. From here, you can get a feel for what it must have been like for the gladiators. The other thing that is wonderful here is that you have to be part of a special tour to get to this location, so there are only a handful of people there at a time.

 

 

 

 

 

Next, we went up to a “quiet” area of level two. The “normal” ticket allows you access to this level, but again, you are jammed packed against other people. With this tour, we were led through a locked gate to a section that only held our group of 12 or so.

 

 

These are the crowds you will have to battle on level 2 if you have the regular admission ticket

 

Finally, we headed up… and up….and up. Through a bunch of locked gates, up lots and lots of VERY steep stairways and finally, there we were. At the top of the Coliseum. The views were amazing!!! You could really start to understand the “colossal” size of the Coliseum (pun intended). To think, that this was built between 70-80AD, is simply mind boggling. Did you know, that the Coliseum could hold between 50-80,000 people, yet it could be emptied in minutes???? I dare say that most, if not all of our current stadiums would have a hard time doing that.

 

OK, enough history… that’s what Wikipedia is for. Back to the views….

 

Not only were the views of the Coliseum fabulous from here, but the views out across the city were spectacular as well. Here is a glimpse of how things looked from the 3rd level:

 

 

 

Those columnson the right side lead to the Forum... like I said, it is literally right across the street

 

The tour lasted an hour and then we had time to explore the “public” areas on our own (those that people who purchased the regular ticket were able to access). We wondered around for just a few minutes and then headed back to the Metro station across the street at 2:20p.

 

Now, we are about to find out what caused Cool Girl to have her second “melt down” of the trip. As a reminder, the first melt down occurred on Day 1 in Barcelona trying to figure out which tram line to take to get to Sagrada Familia. If you thought that was bad, wait until you hear how I freaked when I thought we were going to be late to the ship (AKA "miss the boat") because they up and moved an entire train station since the time I went through it earlier that morning and now it was nowhere to be found…..

[kirian]

The flat level above the people on the left side is where I took the photos at the end of the last post. My Dad would have freaked being that high.... it's considerably higher than it looks in this photo and the railing is a bit sketchy, if you know what I mean

 

Folks outside just lazing about on some ancient columns... no biggie! I don't know why this amazes me so much (maybe it's similar to the laundry thing) but the fact that you can touch these ancient artifacts let alone sit on them blows my mind away.... which leads me to my next photo.....

 

OMG!!!! Is she not just the cutest thing EVER?! Look at those mini-legs.... they barely touch the ground while she sits atop that ancient column capital. And that expression, it's right out of an Olin Mills portrait setting (some of you from the States might remember this company that used to take family photos in the 70s-80s.... are they still around?????) Seriously.... this photo of CM is so gosh darn adorable that I can hardly stand it!!!!

 

Yeah... she's gonna kill me when she reads this post. Lucky for me, she hasn't figured out how to add a post of her own on here, so we're safe from her wrath... for now....:eek::D

Edited July 22, 2014 by kirian
typo...can't have that!

[crvng4mr]

You too are adorable!!!! I love the picture of the 2 of you on the platform. You need to frame that! And your mom is so adorable!

 

I do think Olin Mills is still around, well maybe.

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

oh my God, what a cliffhanger---What happened at the train station????

 

I'm a nervous wreck by now.

 

Stef

[grab007]

The suspense is killing me!!!!

 

This is like waiting for the next Harry Potter book:

"Harry Potter and the Revenge of the Munchkin!"

 

Stay tuned to find out what happens to our intrepid heroes as they await the Hogwarts Express in Rome!!:eek:

 

Coming to a Cruise Critic thread near you!!

[kirian]

You too are adorable!!!! I love the picture of the 2 of you on the platform. You need to frame that! And your mom is so adorable!

 

I do think Olin Mills is still around, well maybe.

 

My mom was laughing and yelling at me at the same time after she saw I posted that photo. I told her you said she was adorable and that seemed to calm her down a bit....:D

[kirian]

oh my God, what a cliffhanger---What happened at the train station????

 

I'm a nervous wreck by now.

 

Stef

 

I'm just paying you back for when you left us all in suspense waiting to find out if Tarik had fallen into the mouth of Vesuvius or not :p:D

 

The suspense is killing me!!!!

 

This is like waiting for the next Harry Potter book:

"Harry Potter and the Revenge of the Munchkin!"

 

Stay tuned to find out what happens to our intrepid heroes as they await the Hogwarts Express in Rome!!:eek:

 

Coming to a Cruise Critic thread near you!!

 

Hahahahaha! That was funny!!!!! :D:D

 

I am going to try my best to put the suspense to rest this evening. Hopefully I will have time after work to get the rest of the story pieced together.... stay tuned!

[denisey]

For some reason, my company decide Cruise Critic is a subversive website and must be blocked!

 

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!

 

How am I to find out if Cool Girl and Crazy Mom made it out of Rome or if the were thrown to the lions by a fake gladiator?

 

I had to take desperate measures and try to get CC on my phone!

 

I guess the good news is that I am on the West Coast and might have something exciting to read on the bus ride home....let's hope!

[EmpressofPurple]

If you need to fill up your water bottom, there are numerous fountains all over Rome that provide VERY good water that is perfectly safe to drink. This one is right by the Arch of Titus

 

Um, usually I don't require high colonics while traveling, but thank you for the suggestion:D

 

Seriously, I thought I had missed most of this review, can't believe it's still going on!! I particularly enjoy the photos of you and your mom, it's really clear how much fun you have traveling together. I don't dare say "bless your heart," and if I say "bless you" I might as well say Gesundheit (at which point you'll probably think I'm quoting from your favorite reviewer)...

 

...so I'll just say THANKS for making me laugh, and sharing such beautiful photos of sites I've never seen, and describing events such as drinking coffee in Rome (or meeting up with your tour, or validating your train ticket) all of which really make me feel like I am there with you.

 

(And may I say, I'm thrilled to read that you still have time and energy to participate in shipboard entertainment despite your demanding and stair-laden shore excursion schedule! One of the reasons I've been "afraid" to cruise a port-heavy itinerary... didn't want to miss all the onboard fun preparing for or recovering from touring all those once-in-a-lifetime sights...)

[kirian]

Denise #1 - in your honor, I have hurriedly typed up the next post... hopefully it will make it online in time for your bus ride home :)

Denise #2 (Aka EmpressofPurple) - Oh my! I can't believe I didn't catch that major mispell.... wait, yes I can, I am the world's WORST proofreader (especially of my own writing):eek: That one, I must say though, was pretty funny....Water Bottom....hahahahaha!!!! :D Edited July 24, 2014 by kirian

[kirian]

After a fun-filled day touring the Forum and the Coliseum, we started our journey back to Civi….Civita….Civitave….. Oh, the place where they ship was docked!

We crossed the street from the Coliseum and used our BIRG ticket to get on the Metro. Here, you want to take a tram in the opposite direction of Rebbebia…. I don’t have the town name, but it starts with an “L.” Anyway, we got on the Metro, in the correct direct, no problem. We exited the train at the Piramida station (this is the same station as what is Ostencia on the train… be sure to note the difference since you won’t see “Ostencia” listed as a Metro stop)

Unlike when we departed the train and saw lots of signs with a big “M” indicating the way to the Metro (where we followed people movers), here, I saw no obvious signs for the direction of the train station. Nor did I see any people movers. WEIRD!

So, remembering that when we exited the train in the morning, the majority of the people were headed to the Metro, I assumed the opposite would be true now and if we just followed the masses, we would end up at the train station. WRONG!!!!

We went up some stairs, through some doors and found ourselves outside. OUTSIDE!!! We were not outside at any point on our earlier journey from the train to the Metro. It was all underground. [B]WHERE WERE THE PEOPLE MOVERS?! WHERE WAS MY TRAIN STATION?! OMG – WE ARE GOING TO MISS THE SHIP!!!!!!!!![/B]:eek:

OK, calm down…. It’s over…. You survived (I’m typing to myself right now…. Just writing up that portion of the story made me break out in a cold sweat…. Let me take a sip of wine and calm down…..Ah, there… that’s better. Let’s continue on with the Saga of the Moving Train Station…. :cool:)

So, we are now outside of the Metro station and there is no train station in sight. We go back inside and ask some people where the station is. They tell us to just go to the right. So, back outside we go and we head right…. But all we see is a junky, open air market… nothing that resembles a train station. [B]WHERE IS IT?!?!?![/B]

By now, in case you can’t tell, I was in full meltdown mode. I was on the verge of tears. How could I have failed this part of the journey so epically? I was felt like I was totally letting down my DIY travel guru, Kreuzfahrtnueling (Stef).

Back inside we go where we found another couple and asked them for help. No sooner did they start trying to help than this small lady jumps in and takes over. Whatever… just someone get me to the train station!!!!

She didn’t really speak any English, but I guess she gathered what we wanted. She led back us outside (we had now gone back and forth from inside to outside three times). Here, she pointed to a building about 150 meters away to the right. She kept saying something about 5 minutes. 5 minutes what? 5 minutes to get to the station? 5 minutes before the train to Civi-Town leaves? I left my secret decoder ring at home and I had no clue what her cryptic charade meant. UGH!!!!!

Then, she asked for money. Of course she did! Why would I think she was just trying to be helpful out of the kindness of her heart? Whatever…. I was too frazzled to argue and just wanted to be on my way to the station, so I gave her some coins (it was 2 Euros, I think). Don’t get me wrong, I was truly grateful for her help, but seriously, it’s just wrong to ask people for money simply because you gave them directions. :mad:

So, off to the right, towards the building she pointed to, we went. You should have seen Crazy Mom’s mini legs move. They were practically a blur (I always say she has Sandpiper legs because when she walks fast, her legs remind me of the sandpiper birds on our local beaches when they dart across the sand in a blue).

We get to the station and saw that our train was scheduled to leave in a couple of minutes. We high-tailed it on over to the correct bin (platform)…. Then find out the train is delayed 5 minutes. All that rushing and we still had a leisurely 5 minutes to spare (I’m being sarcastic of course… I would never want to cut it that close…. I like having at least 15 minutes to spare).

The train arrived; we boarded and had an uneventful hour long ride back to C-Town.

NOTE – When taking the train back to C-Town, the stop right before the one you want is S.Marella (it’s a pretty, resort-looking town). Once the train stops there, you know that your stop will be next.

On our walk back to the port, we ran into two of our tablemates, Andrew & Jenny. It was nice to stroll back with them and recount the adventures of our day with each other.

So, what did we learn in this post:

1. Train stations in Rome just up and move when you least expect it
2. Don’t just follow a crowd of people when exiting a Metro assuming they are going to the same place as you
3. Don’t ever plan to take the last train back to the port. In our case, truth be told, had we missed that train, there was still another one after it we could have taken. Worst case, we could have gotten a taxi and still been back on time.
4. Don’t think all strangers are helping you out of the kindness of their heart like a normal person would… GRRRRRRRR.
5. Taking the time to spell out Civitavecchia is just silly… C-Town it is from now on. (You’ll notice, the spelling got shorter and shorter as the post went along and I got lazier)

So, what [I]didn’t[/I] we learn in this post:

1. Exactly what is was that I did wrong in the Metro station at Piramida. I still don’t know. Did I get off at the wrong Metro stop? I don’t think so, since the train station looked the same as the one we were at earlier. Did I miss the people movers? I seriously didn’t think that earlier in the day we took the people movers a distance of 150 meters underground between the train station and the Metro, but distance is hard to judge on those things when you are underground with no landmarks. Where did we go wrong???

Stay tuned…. We have one more post to complete Day 5 of our adventure about the Serenade. Up next, the Crown & Anchor party!

[denisey]

Oh Phew! You made it! And you made it in time for my bus ride too!

We mostly stuck to the Termini station and I'm glad now. We had a "very helpful" old man in Naples who wanted a 50 Euro tip. Not happening!

My coworker just got back from a cruise where they took a cab from the ship to Rome (Mom, Dad, 14 yr old, 9 yr old) and then they couldn't find an ATM to take their debit card. Yikes! She said it was a rather expensive cab ride!

BTW Civitavecchia I have down, don't ask me to pronounce San Gimognano! It becomes that place with the towers in my stories!

[windjamming]

Gak, Melissa, that would have stressed me out totally!! You handled it like a champ. Was the metro station large enough for it to have two entrances? Perhaps in the morning you used one that was open only during rush hour? I know some subway stations in NYC are HUGE with multiple entrances.

And phooey on that little old lady. Don't worry. If she ever comes to New York and asks me for directions, I'll shake her down and insist on 2 EUR. I got your back, Melissa!


Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[kirian]

[quote name='denisey']Oh Phew! You made it! And you made it in time for my bus ride too!

......

BTW Civitavecchia I have down, don't ask me to pronounce San Gimognano! It becomes that place with the towers in my stories![/QUOTE]

Whew!!! So glad I got that posted in time for your bus-riding enjoyment :D Truth be told, I can actually pronounce C-Town pretty well now.... I just had to practice for a couple of months before the cruise to make sure I had it down pat!!!

[quote name='windjamming']Gak, Melissa, that would have stressed me out totally!! You handled it like a champ. Was the metro station large enough for it to have two entrances? Perhaps in the morning you used one that was open only during rush hour? I know some subway stations in NYC are HUGE with multiple entrances.
[QUOTE]

It's possible there were two entrances. I am a public transportation idiot in the States. For some reason, I am always brave enough to risk it when traveling abroad, but I wouldn't know the first thing about taking a bus in my home town, let alone where I could even catch the train....lol! (PS - I really did try to get the above little section in a quote box, but things weren't cooperating with me :cool:)

[quote name='windjamming'] And phooey on that little old lady. Don't worry. If she ever comes to New York and asks me for directions, [COLOR="Red"]I'll shake her down and insist on 2 EUR. I got your back, Melissa![/COLOR]

[/QUOTE]

Now [COLOR="Black"]THAT[/COLOR] was hysterical.... I can just you doing that (BTW - your post really called for one of those "disclaimers" we discussed earlier.... my poor keyboard almost bit the dust again :D)

[crvng4mr]

Love it!!!! I was going to harass you tonight for the suspense lasting so long.....but I didn't have to, lol! Glad you guys made it!

[NS Girl]

Oh my goodness Melissa, my heart was pounding the entire time. That is why I insist on the ship recursions. They are more expensive but I would have had a gigantic melt down if I experienced what you did. You were on the verge of tears? I would have caused major flooding from my tears. I can see the headlines now.... city is partially submerged from the tears of a lost tourist. 😢😢😢 Note to self... wear waterproof mascara when travelling.

[crvng4mr]

[quote name='NS Girl']Oh my goodness Melissa, my heart was pounding the entire time. That is why I insist on the ship recursions. They are more expensive but I would have had a gigantic melt down if I experienced what you did. You were on the verge of tears? I would have caused major flooding from my tears. I can see the headlines now.... city is partially submerged from the tears of a lost tourist. 😢😢😢 Note to self... wear waterproof mascara when travelling.[/QUOTE]
NS that is funny! It wouldn't be then but it is now.

[celebrity]

[quote name='kirian']After a fun-filled day touring the Forum and the Coliseum, we started our journey back to Civi….Civita….Civitave….. Oh, the place where they ship was docked!

We crossed the street from the Coliseum and used our BIRG ticket to get on the Metro. Here, you want to take a tram in the opposite direction of Rebbebia…. I don’t have the town name, but it starts with an “L.” Anyway, we got on the Metro, in the correct direct, no problem. We exited the train at the Piramida station (this is the same station as what is Ostencia on the train… be sure to note the difference since you won’t see “Ostencia” listed as a Metro stop)

Unlike when we departed the train and saw lots of signs with a big “M” indicating the way to the Metro (where we followed people movers), here, I saw no obvious signs for the direction of the train station. Nor did I see any people movers. WEIRD!

So, remembering that when we exited the train in the morning, the majority of the people were headed to the Metro, I assumed the opposite would be true now and if we just followed the masses, we would end up at the train station. WRONG!!!!

We went up some stairs, through some doors and found ourselves outside. OUTSIDE!!! We were not outside at any point on our earlier journey from the train to the Metro. It was all underground. [B]WHERE WERE THE PEOPLE MOVERS?! WHERE WAS MY TRAIN STATION?! OMG – WE ARE GOING TO MISS THE SHIP!!!!!!!!![/B]:eek:

OK, calm down…. It’s over…. You survived (I’m typing to myself right now…. Just writing up that portion of the story made me break out in a cold sweat…. Let me take a sip of wine and calm down…..Ah, there… that’s better. Let’s continue on with the Saga of the Moving Train Station…. :cool:)

So, we are now outside of the Metro station and there is no train station in sight. We go back inside and ask some people where the station is. They tell us to just go to the right. So, back outside we go and we head right…. But all we see is a junky, open air market… nothing that resembles a train station. [B]WHERE IS IT?!?!?![/B]

By now, in case you can’t tell, I was in full meltdown mode. I was on the verge of tears. How could I have failed this part of the journey so epically? I was felt like I was totally letting down my DIY travel guru, Kreuzfahrtnueling (Stef).

Back inside we go where we found another couple and asked them for help. No sooner did they start trying to help than this small lady jumps in and takes over. Whatever… just someone get me to the train station!!!!

She didn’t really speak any English, but I guess she gathered what we wanted. She led back us outside (we had now gone back and forth from inside to outside three times). Here, she pointed to a building about 150 meters away to the right. She kept saying something about 5 minutes. 5 minutes what? 5 minutes to get to the station? 5 minutes before the train to Civi-Town leaves? I left my secret decoder ring at home and I had no clue what her cryptic charade meant. UGH!!!!!

Then, she asked for money. Of course she did! Why would I think she was just trying to be helpful out of the kindness of her heart? Whatever…. I was too frazzled to argue and just wanted to be on my way to the station, so I gave her some coins (it was 2 Euros, I think). Don’t get me wrong, I was truly grateful for her help, but seriously, it’s just wrong to ask people for money simply because you gave them directions. :mad:

So, off to the right, towards the building she pointed to, we went. You should have seen Crazy Mom’s mini legs move. They were practically a blur (I always say she has Sandpiper legs because when she walks fast, her legs remind me of the sandpiper birds on our local beaches when they dart across the sand in a blue).

We get to the station and saw that our train was scheduled to leave in a couple of minutes. We high-tailed it on over to the correct bin (platform)…. Then find out the train is delayed 5 minutes. All that rushing and we still had a leisurely 5 minutes to spare (I’m being sarcastic of course… I would never want to cut it that close…. I like having at least 15 minutes to spare).

The train arrived; we boarded and had an uneventful hour long ride back to C-Town.

NOTE – When taking the train back to C-Town, the stop right before the one you want is S.Marella (it’s a pretty, resort-looking town). Once the train stops there, you know that your stop will be next.

On our walk back to the port, we ran into two of our tablemates, Andrew & Jenny. It was nice to stroll back with them and recount the adventures of our day with each other.

So, what did we learn in this post:

1. Train stations in Rome just up and move when you least expect it
2. Don’t just follow a crowd of people when exiting a Metro assuming they are going to the same place as you
3. Don’t ever plan to take the last train back to the port. In our case, truth be told, had we missed that train, there was still another one after it we could have taken. Worst case, we could have gotten a taxi and still been back on time.
4. Don’t think all strangers are helping you out of the kindness of their heart like a normal person would… GRRRRRRRR.
5. Taking the time to spell out Civitavecchia is just silly… C-Town it is from now on. (You’ll notice, the spelling got shorter and shorter as the post went along and I got lazier)

So, what [I]didn’t[/I] we learn in this post:

1. Exactly what is was that I did wrong in the Metro station at Piramida. I still don’t know. Did I get off at the wrong Metro stop? I don’t think so, since the train station looked the same as the one we were at earlier. Did I miss the people movers? I seriously didn’t think that earlier in the day we took the people movers a distance of 150 meters underground between the train station and the Metro, but distance is hard to judge on those things when you are underground with no landmarks. Where did we go wrong???

Stay tuned…. We have one more post to complete Day 5 of our adventure about the Serenade. Up next, the Crown & Anchor party![/QUOTE]

Fortunately, I have low blood pressure. You raised it to an extremely high level reading this post. LOL

[Rocknsoul]

This review is so fun! I've followed a chain from Stef's to Windjamming's (really loved them both, BTW!) to this one...I think I may have to read Ayasha's while this is being updated! Seriously, I've been reading all day.:o

I just wanted to learn a little about the Serenade to prepare for our cruise in December, and now I feel like I've been to the Med.:) Thank you all for the great mini-vacation today!!

[quote name='NS Girl']Oops can't edit posts from the mobile. It was supposed to say the rain stopped for a bit after the tour. Now that makes a lot more sense.[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry, when you posted this I laughed my head off. I wondered if your "suffer" was a sophisticated term I just wasn't up on!

[quote name='kirian']Denise #2 (Aka EmpressofPurple) - Oh my! I can't believe I didn't catch that major mispell.... wait, yes I can, I am the world's WORST proofreader (especially of my own writing):eek: That one, I must say though, was pretty funny....Water Bottom....hahahahaha!!!! :D[/QUOTE]

This one too! Hilarious!

Subscribing...can't miss out on the rest of this one. Please tell CM she looks lovely & that I would absolutely adore taking this cruise with my Mom, but she won't leave my Dad alone to go with me. :( Guess I'll have to take my own daughter next year. :) Edited July 25, 2014 by Rocknsoul