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		Rome - The Eternal City Reprinted from July 2006 Issue -by SONDRA WILSON Rome, it’s a city where the past co-exists with the present. Where even in the midst of the hustle and bustle of any big city, people still sit in a piazza watching the world go by. I have had the pleasure of meeting Rome’s acquaintance on two past visits, and not always with great results. It felt I had always missed something. I just couldn’t figure out what could possibly be so wonderful about all this madness. This time I was determined to find the soul of the city and truly it didn’t take long. Somehow it requires looking past the horrible traffic and the sometimes pushy people to find a civilization and lifestyle that hasn’t changed for thousands of years. Come along on my journey as I tour through the city of Rome. Prepare yourself for quite a trip! I was traveling to a Carlson mid-year meeting in Rome and I was thrilled to have Julie and Teresa along as my Rome companions. They work with me in our Richland office and are our top managers. The trip to Rome was uneventful. The challenge comes when you get off the plane and make arrangements to get to your hotel. First change some money, but don’t take dollars to change to euros. The exchange rates at the airport are terrible. It’s best to always to use your ATM card for the best exchange rate and the lowest fees, and right now the dollar is worth about .80€ so things remain a bit expensive. You can navigate your way to the city center from the airport in a number of ways. Take the train to town and then a taxi. The train costs 10€ per person plus the fare of the taxi from the train station to your hotel. And you have the pleasure of hauling your luggage on and off the train. Or, take a shuttle van making multiple stops with additional cost for your bags which will cost approximately 35€ per person, or your last option is to take a taxi which could run well over 55€. As for hotels in Rome it should be a question of price and location, location, location. Ours had the location and the price but did not live up to my expectations. Acceptable but not memorable, we decided our head on the pillow was all we would be using it for anyway and as soon as we checked in and dumped our luggage, we were off. I was motivated to find that city with soul. Rome is a walking city. I am convinced that the reason people can eat all the meals which are just not to be believed are that they walk—they are definitely walkers. We walked everywhere. Our hotel was right off the Via Veneto, Rome’s famous strolling street. We walked to the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and the Piazza Navona with its great Bernini fountains and more. If you let it, Rome sneaks into you and takes a place in your heart. It takes effort to get to that special place. You have to get through the crowds, the pick pockets (wear a money belt in Rome, I actually watched two young boys pick the backpack of an unsuspecting tourist), traffic that is never ending and street vendors selling the latest in knock-off designer purses. But forget those crowds at Trevi fountain and just take a look. The sculpture of Trevi Fountain is so incredible—and what history—it is hallowed ground because Audrey Hepburn filmed Roman holiday here and I loved Audrey Hepburn. The Trevi Fountain is not to be missed, you just have to block out the hundreds of tourists surrounding you. Enjoy the Pantheon, a building built in 100 AD—so unique and totally intact you would think it could have been built yesterday. The dome was perfect as I stood inside the Pantheon feeling very blessed just to being able to see this masterpiece up close, again forgetting and blocking out the crowds. And what could be better for lunch then eating the world’s thinnest pizza staring at the gorgeous fountains by Bernini in the middle of the piazza right in front of me. A comment about my favorite things, the food and the shopping! It’s virtually impossible to find a bad meal in Rome. The food everywhere is just magical—pasta and pizza like you have never had and made much better than mama ever did. The shopping is also a wonderful thing. I enjoyed the shops around the Spanish Steps. The steps themselves were all decked out in Azalea’s celebrating spring. It’s easy to fall in love with the madness of this place. The food, the history, the easy way of life makes Rome the greatest and can’t be replicated anywhere else in the world. After our company business meeting, the Carlson Company gifted us with a personal tour of the Vatican museum and the Sistine Chapel. After closing the Vatican museum to the general public, we were invited inside for our own private tour, compliments of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Only our own footsteps were heard in the hallways. No one interfered with our photos of the treasures of the museum. Viewing the museum without crowds was something that will live with me forever. The Sistine Chapel is beyond words. Built in the 1400’s, this is the chapel where the cardinals choose the next pope. The ceiling was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. Thirty years later he painted the Last Judgment using powder from the lapis lazuli stone. The colors even today are so vibrant. The movement in the painting takes your breath away. The single painting which covers an entire wall at the end of the chapel is one that makes you want to linger. Its beauty is amazing—surely this is part of the soul of Rome. Our next day was another walking marathon. We arrived at the coliseum early so we could join a tour group. In my past visits of Rome, I had only observed the coliseum from afar. In the midst of a large traffic circle, traffic and mopeds constantly circle this important site. Inside is an edifice built to be a highlight of the dreary and difficult lives of the people of old Rome. This is a place where people could be entertained, and forget for a moment their every day life. The site of gladiators and executions, the building lives today with occasional concerts. After we toured the coliseum we wandered through the forum seeing buildings in phenomenal shape dating back to early times. Many places in Rome continue to be discovered and restored. The highlight of our Rome stay was our gala dinner at palace with close proximity to Rome’s city center but a world away. As we entered the ground we enjoyed poolside cocktails with breathtaking landscaping. Our dinner inside this rococo palace was interspersed with opera at each course. It was a gorgeous end to a wonderful stay. And in so many ways I felt Rome in my heart and in my soul. It grabs you and doesn’t let your thoughts about this city ever be the same. I challenge you to visit Rome. Find your own passion. Let it make your heart sing. Rome is the eternal city! Go and walk the streets of Rome. Eat the food, drink the wine, shop the shops, meet the people and find a way to put Rome and everything it has to offer into your heart. I will return again and again! Carlson Wagonlit Travel’s expert staff can arrange everything! If you think of it, we can make it happen. Yes we can arrange your car, hotel, rail pass, dinners, concerts, and everything else but we can also add the things to your trip that make it amazing. We add the sizzle. Want help—call Pam Baldwin our Europe specialist and one of the top agents in the country. She can be reached at 783-4645 or to SrResSci@aol.com and can even help eliminate you being a part of the crowd.