We got up at around 6:45 PM, packed, checked out of the hotel, and took a taxi to the Milan Central train station in the rain. At the train station, we called Bill and Lotte to let them know our plans. We waited on the train platform for about an hour and then discovered they changed the track number where we needed to be. Thankfully we had about half an hour to get to our platform and were able to get on the train in time. We ended up riding with a couple of Italians who couldn’t speak much English. So, the first leg of our ride to Verona, Italy was quiet. We changed trains in Verona and got on an EuroCity train to Munich (First Class). Our compartment had four other English-speaking people which was nice after being in Italy for over a month. Two of the people were from San Diego, California and two were from Australia. We changed trains in Munich around 6:30 PM and got on a train where we had a sleeper car that we shared with an older Danish couple (Inge and Mig Andersen) who spoke English and a Danish fellow who only spoke Danish. We had fun talking with the Danish couple about the U.S., Denmark, and other topics. At around 10:30 PM we crawled into our bunks and managed to sleep until around 6 AM when the train got onto a ferry to go across the channel from Germany to Denmark. We got off the train and went upstairs on the ferry to get some coffee (American style). The ferry took about one hour to reach Denmark where the train left the ferry and took another 1 ½ hours to reach Copenhagen, Denmark. We made reservations to take Denmark’s new Intercity train from Copenhagen to Aarhus which took about 4 ½ hours. The train also had a one-hour ferry crossing where Carol and I got coffee and sandwiches aboard the ferry. We finally arrived in Aarhus, Denmark and I can’t find the words to describe how happy and relieved we were to finally arrive and to be greeted by Bill and Lotte at the train station.
Showing posts with label Italy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Italy. Show all posts
Saturday, December 5, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 37
Saturday December 5, 1992 – Milan, Italy
We got up at around 6:45 PM, packed, checked out of the hotel, and took a taxi to the Milan Central train station in the rain. At the train station, we called Bill and Lotte to let them know our plans. We waited on the train platform for about an hour and then discovered they changed the track number where we needed to be. Thankfully we had about half an hour to get to our platform and were able to get on the train in time. We ended up riding with a couple of Italians who couldn’t speak much English. So, the first leg of our ride to Verona, Italy was quiet. We changed trains in Verona and got on an EuroCity train to Munich (First Class). Our compartment had four other English-speaking people which was nice after being in Italy for over a month. Two of the people were from San Diego, California and two were from Australia. We changed trains in Munich around 6:30 PM and got on a train where we had a sleeper car that we shared with an older Danish couple (Inge and Mig Andersen) who spoke English and a Danish fellow who only spoke Danish. We had fun talking with the Danish couple about the U.S., Denmark, and other topics. At around 10:30 PM we crawled into our bunks and managed to sleep until around 6 AM when the train got onto a ferry to go across the channel from Germany to Denmark. We got off the train and went upstairs on the ferry to get some coffee (American style). The ferry took about one hour to reach Denmark where the train left the ferry and took another 1 ½ hours to reach Copenhagen, Denmark. We made reservations to take Denmark’s new Intercity train from Copenhagen to Aarhus which took about 4 ½ hours. The train also had a one-hour ferry crossing where Carol and I got coffee and sandwiches aboard the ferry. We finally arrived in Aarhus, Denmark and I can’t find the words to describe how happy and relieved we were to finally arrive and to be greeted by Bill and Lotte at the train station.
We got up at around 6:45 PM, packed, checked out of the hotel, and took a taxi to the Milan Central train station in the rain. At the train station, we called Bill and Lotte to let them know our plans. We waited on the train platform for about an hour and then discovered they changed the track number where we needed to be. Thankfully we had about half an hour to get to our platform and were able to get on the train in time. We ended up riding with a couple of Italians who couldn’t speak much English. So, the first leg of our ride to Verona, Italy was quiet. We changed trains in Verona and got on an EuroCity train to Munich (First Class). Our compartment had four other English-speaking people which was nice after being in Italy for over a month. Two of the people were from San Diego, California and two were from Australia. We changed trains in Munich around 6:30 PM and got on a train where we had a sleeper car that we shared with an older Danish couple (Inge and Mig Andersen) who spoke English and a Danish fellow who only spoke Danish. We had fun talking with the Danish couple about the U.S., Denmark, and other topics. At around 10:30 PM we crawled into our bunks and managed to sleep until around 6 AM when the train got onto a ferry to go across the channel from Germany to Denmark. We got off the train and went upstairs on the ferry to get some coffee (American style). The ferry took about one hour to reach Denmark where the train left the ferry and took another 1 ½ hours to reach Copenhagen, Denmark. We made reservations to take Denmark’s new Intercity train from Copenhagen to Aarhus which took about 4 ½ hours. The train also had a one-hour ferry crossing where Carol and I got coffee and sandwiches aboard the ferry. We finally arrived in Aarhus, Denmark and I can’t find the words to describe how happy and relieved we were to finally arrive and to be greeted by Bill and Lotte at the train station.
Friday, December 4, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 36
Friday December 4, 1992 – Venice, Italy
Woke early and drove to Milan on the autostrade which took about 4 hours and 20,000 Lire. In Milan, we ran into some terrible traffic which appeared to be due to poor road design (traffic circles, and 4 lanes merging into 2 lanes). We managed to find the Milan Central train station despite there being no visible road signs. We found a parking space and decided to try and change our reservations to go directly to Aarhus based on Lotte’s advice. Unfortunately, we once again got the run-around and couldn’t find anyone who spoke English. So, after considerable time and frustration, we gave up. We then found a funky one-star hotel near the train station (80,000 Lire) and drove to the Milan Duomo . We miraculously found a parking spot about one block away from the Duomo and spent about two hours checking out the Duomo. We then returned to the car and drove around trying to find gas for the car before dropping it off. It was somewhat of a relief to drop the car off but made me feel a little uneasy not having transportation. After dropping the car off, we took a taxi back to the hotel and made it just as it started to rain cats and dogs (all night).
Woke early and drove to Milan on the autostrade which took about 4 hours and 20,000 Lire. In Milan, we ran into some terrible traffic which appeared to be due to poor road design (traffic circles, and 4 lanes merging into 2 lanes). We managed to find the Milan Central train station despite there being no visible road signs. We found a parking space and decided to try and change our reservations to go directly to Aarhus based on Lotte’s advice. Unfortunately, we once again got the run-around and couldn’t find anyone who spoke English. So, after considerable time and frustration, we gave up. We then found a funky one-star hotel near the train station (80,000 Lire) and drove to the Milan Duomo . We miraculously found a parking spot about one block away from the Duomo and spent about two hours checking out the Duomo. We then returned to the car and drove around trying to find gas for the car before dropping it off. It was somewhat of a relief to drop the car off but made me feel a little uneasy not having transportation. After dropping the car off, we took a taxi back to the hotel and made it just as it started to rain cats and dogs (all night).
Thursday, December 3, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 35
Thursday December 3, 1992 – Venice, Italy
Woke early and took the 15-minute train ride from Mestre to Venice. We found a café where we got cappuccinos and rolls and then walked to Ponte Rialto, Campo San Polo , Ponte Academia , Piazza San Marco , and St Mark’s Basilica . Venice is an amazing city that totally depends on tourists and local shoppers. There were tons of shops specializing in blown glass, leather, jewelry, masks, etc. I bought some leather gloves, and glass ornament gifts for folks back home but couldn’t find anything for Carol or myself. We found a Pizzeria where we got Quattro Stagioni Pizza which was the best pizza we had on the trip so far. We then headed back to the station and caught the train back to the hotel around 8 PM just before it started to rain (which it did most of the night).
Woke early and took the 15-minute train ride from Mestre to Venice. We found a café where we got cappuccinos and rolls and then walked to Ponte Rialto, Campo San Polo , Ponte Academia , Piazza San Marco , and St Mark’s Basilica . Venice is an amazing city that totally depends on tourists and local shoppers. There were tons of shops specializing in blown glass, leather, jewelry, masks, etc. I bought some leather gloves, and glass ornament gifts for folks back home but couldn’t find anything for Carol or myself. We found a Pizzeria where we got Quattro Stagioni Pizza which was the best pizza we had on the trip so far. We then headed back to the station and caught the train back to the hotel around 8 PM just before it started to rain (which it did most of the night).
Wednesday, December 2, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 34
Wednesday December 2, 1992 - Florence, Italy
We checked out of the hotel and went to the train station to make reservations to go from Milan and then to Denmark. We miraculously found parking near the station but spent around 2 hours getting the run around and were not able to make reservations! Feeling frustrated, we left for Venice at around 12 noon and took a side road so we wouldn’t have to pay the tolls to drive on the autostrade. However, it quickly became apparent after driving in circles that we would have to take the autostrade and pay the tolls. We arrived in Mestre which is just outside Venice and found a room at Hotel Piave for 90,000 Lire per night. The hotel was much cheaper than hotels in Venice and was just a 5-minute walk to the train station where we could take the train into Venice. The room was OK and included a T.V., bath, and optional breakfast for an extra 10,000 Lire per person. We unpacked and went to the train station and took the 15-minute ride into Venice (1,000 Lire/person). In Venice we found someone who spoke English and were finally able to make reservations to take the train from Milan to Aarhus, Denmark (Milan, to Verona to Munich to Copenhagen to Aarhus) This wasn’t our preferred route (i.e., via Zurich) but was the only one that we could do without stopping overnight. We then walked to Ponte Rialto where we got our first look at the Grand Canal . We walked around and ended up getting dinner at the Venice train station cafeteria (pasta with cheese sauce, green beans, pane and aqua minerale for Carol and birra for me). After dinner, we took the train back to the hotel where we watched some T.V. (Wheel of Fortune and dubbed American TV shows).
We checked out of the hotel and went to the train station to make reservations to go from Milan and then to Denmark. We miraculously found parking near the station but spent around 2 hours getting the run around and were not able to make reservations! Feeling frustrated, we left for Venice at around 12 noon and took a side road so we wouldn’t have to pay the tolls to drive on the autostrade. However, it quickly became apparent after driving in circles that we would have to take the autostrade and pay the tolls. We arrived in Mestre which is just outside Venice and found a room at Hotel Piave for 90,000 Lire per night. The hotel was much cheaper than hotels in Venice and was just a 5-minute walk to the train station where we could take the train into Venice. The room was OK and included a T.V., bath, and optional breakfast for an extra 10,000 Lire per person. We unpacked and went to the train station and took the 15-minute ride into Venice (1,000 Lire/person). In Venice we found someone who spoke English and were finally able to make reservations to take the train from Milan to Aarhus, Denmark (Milan, to Verona to Munich to Copenhagen to Aarhus) This wasn’t our preferred route (i.e., via Zurich) but was the only one that we could do without stopping overnight. We then walked to Ponte Rialto where we got our first look at the Grand Canal . We walked around and ended up getting dinner at the Venice train station cafeteria (pasta with cheese sauce, green beans, pane and aqua minerale for Carol and birra for me). After dinner, we took the train back to the hotel where we watched some T.V. (Wheel of Fortune and dubbed American TV shows).
Tuesday, December 1, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 33
Tuesday December 1, 1992 – Florence, Italy
Woke around 8 AM and went out to find some breakfast and explore the area. We went to the Galleria dell’Accademia where we saw Michelangelo’s David . David stood in his own room lit by a huge skylight dome and was quite amazing. We next visited the Duomo which was surprisingly dark and austere inside but very impressive. Unfortunately, we decided to not climb the hundreds of stairs to the dome of the Duomo which I now realize was a mistake. We left the Duomo and walked over to the Uffizi Gallery where we saw Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera, plus some works by Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Leonardo da Vinci. We spent most of the rest of the day shopping for gifts and window shopping. Later, we stopped at a Pizzeria where I had pizza and birra and Carol had pane with beef and cheese. We then returned to the hotel to recuperate and make plans for the next few days.
Woke around 8 AM and went out to find some breakfast and explore the area. We went to the Galleria dell’Accademia where we saw Michelangelo’s David . David stood in his own room lit by a huge skylight dome and was quite amazing. We next visited the Duomo which was surprisingly dark and austere inside but very impressive. Unfortunately, we decided to not climb the hundreds of stairs to the dome of the Duomo which I now realize was a mistake. We left the Duomo and walked over to the Uffizi Gallery where we saw Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera, plus some works by Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Leonardo da Vinci. We spent most of the rest of the day shopping for gifts and window shopping. Later, we stopped at a Pizzeria where I had pizza and birra and Carol had pane with beef and cheese. We then returned to the hotel to recuperate and make plans for the next few days.
Monday, November 30, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 32
Monday November 30, 1992 – Siena, Italy
Woke at round 7:30 Am and went out for breakfast of cappuccino and rolls. We checked out of the hotel by 10 AM and stopped at a COOP in Siena which was the first real supermarket I had seen in Italy. The market had a very good selection of everything and seemed reasonably priced. We continued our road trip and made our way north to Florence stopping occasionally to take photos. We stopped just outside of Florence for gas and got 32.7 Liters for 49,000 Lire (1,490 Lire/Liter). We arrived in Florence without even realizing it, but it soon became apparent because of the smog and number of cars and scooters. We studied the map and oriented ourselves and began the ordeal of looking for a place to spend the night. We finally found a place along the south side of the Arno River just east of Ponte Vecchio named Hotel San Remo (120,000 Lire). We unpacked our things and I managed to find a place to park the car (no small feat). We then walked to the Ponte Vecchio and found an American Express office where I was able to exchange $600 for 804,000 Lire (1,340 Lire/$) We crossed the Ponte Vecchio bridge to the Florence Duomo, and Uffizi Gallery . Florence is a shopper’s paradise and things were busy. We returned to the hotel and had wine, cheese and bread for dinner and watched a little Italian T.V. which consisted of a lot of dubbed American shows and silly game shows.
Woke at round 7:30 Am and went out for breakfast of cappuccino and rolls. We checked out of the hotel by 10 AM and stopped at a COOP in Siena which was the first real supermarket I had seen in Italy. The market had a very good selection of everything and seemed reasonably priced. We continued our road trip and made our way north to Florence stopping occasionally to take photos. We stopped just outside of Florence for gas and got 32.7 Liters for 49,000 Lire (1,490 Lire/Liter). We arrived in Florence without even realizing it, but it soon became apparent because of the smog and number of cars and scooters. We studied the map and oriented ourselves and began the ordeal of looking for a place to spend the night. We finally found a place along the south side of the Arno River just east of Ponte Vecchio named Hotel San Remo (120,000 Lire). We unpacked our things and I managed to find a place to park the car (no small feat). We then walked to the Ponte Vecchio and found an American Express office where I was able to exchange $600 for 804,000 Lire (1,340 Lire/$) We crossed the Ponte Vecchio bridge to the Florence Duomo, and Uffizi Gallery . Florence is a shopper’s paradise and things were busy. We returned to the hotel and had wine, cheese and bread for dinner and watched a little Italian T.V. which consisted of a lot of dubbed American shows and silly game shows.
Sunday, November 29, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 31
Sunday November 29, 1992 – Rome, Italy
Had breakfast and checked out of Hotel San Anselmo around 10 AM. Drove around Rome and checked out some areas we hadn’t seen. We eventually left Rome around 11:30 AM. While driving on the autostrade, we averaged around 110 – 120 Km Per Hour (62 – 80 MPH) but cars (usually BMW, Mercedes, Alfa Romeo) still passed us like we were standing still. I usually drove in the slow lane because whenever I was in the fast lane, cars would come up behind and flash their lights signaling to get out of the way. We stopped in Orvieto which is a small, picturesque town up on a hill. The town had a beautiful cathedral which, unfortunately was closed. We continued our road trip and stopped at one of many Autogrills that occur along the highway. These appear to be Italy’s version of the gas, fast food and mini mart highway stops in America. We had a cappuccino and pane con ova and prosciutto (bread with egg and ham). We left the Autogrill and arrived in Siena at around 2:30 PM. We drove around for a while until we found a hotel Carol had read about in a travel book called “Casa del Pellegrino”. The hotel was an old monastery run by nuns and had the most amazing view of Siena and the Duomo (Cathedral) up on a hill. Cost was 60,000 Lire and there was a curfew of 11 PM. We drove to the Duomo which ended up being one of the highlights of the trip. The roads were incredibly narrow and winding with all sorts of obstacles, and I was surprised how close we were able to get to the Duomo. We returned to the hotel and decided to get something to eat and explore the city some more. We found a Pizzeria which was very good. I had Quattro Stagioni Pizza and Carol had Lasagna (26,000 Lire). We then walked back to the Duomo and found it was much easier to get there on foot. The outside of the Duomo was amazing with black and white marble. The inside of the Duomo was also very amazing but the carvings of the faces of priests staring down from the ceiling was a bit disconcerting. We walked to the Piazza del Campo which was a huge open plaza where people congregate and celebrate different occasions such as the Palio di Siena (horse race). We hung out on the piazza and eventually walked back to the hotel. Later, I took some night photos of the Duomo.
Had breakfast and checked out of Hotel San Anselmo around 10 AM. Drove around Rome and checked out some areas we hadn’t seen. We eventually left Rome around 11:30 AM. While driving on the autostrade, we averaged around 110 – 120 Km Per Hour (62 – 80 MPH) but cars (usually BMW, Mercedes, Alfa Romeo) still passed us like we were standing still. I usually drove in the slow lane because whenever I was in the fast lane, cars would come up behind and flash their lights signaling to get out of the way. We stopped in Orvieto which is a small, picturesque town up on a hill. The town had a beautiful cathedral which, unfortunately was closed. We continued our road trip and stopped at one of many Autogrills that occur along the highway. These appear to be Italy’s version of the gas, fast food and mini mart highway stops in America. We had a cappuccino and pane con ova and prosciutto (bread with egg and ham). We left the Autogrill and arrived in Siena at around 2:30 PM. We drove around for a while until we found a hotel Carol had read about in a travel book called “Casa del Pellegrino”. The hotel was an old monastery run by nuns and had the most amazing view of Siena and the Duomo (Cathedral) up on a hill. Cost was 60,000 Lire and there was a curfew of 11 PM. We drove to the Duomo which ended up being one of the highlights of the trip. The roads were incredibly narrow and winding with all sorts of obstacles, and I was surprised how close we were able to get to the Duomo. We returned to the hotel and decided to get something to eat and explore the city some more. We found a Pizzeria which was very good. I had Quattro Stagioni Pizza and Carol had Lasagna (26,000 Lire). We then walked back to the Duomo and found it was much easier to get there on foot. The outside of the Duomo was amazing with black and white marble. The inside of the Duomo was also very amazing but the carvings of the faces of priests staring down from the ceiling was a bit disconcerting. We walked to the Piazza del Campo which was a huge open plaza where people congregate and celebrate different occasions such as the Palio di Siena (horse race). We hung out on the piazza and eventually walked back to the hotel. Later, I took some night photos of the Duomo.
Saturday, November 28, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 30
Saturday November 28, 1992 – Rome, Italy
Woke early and went down to the hotel dining room and had our free breakfast of cappuccino and rolls. We then took the Metro to Via Veneto to pickup our rental car. I had mixed feelings about driving in Rome, but I was glad we wouldn’t have to depend on public transportation anymore. We had reserved a Fiat Panda, but they didn’t have one. So, they upgraded us to a bright red Peugeot. We left the car rental office at around 12 noon and remarkably made it back to the hotel without a problem. We then decided to take a drive towards the coast and see how far we could get. We made it as far as the port of Anzio which was a very picturesque fishing town. We found a small store where we bought some crackers and cheese and had a little picnic. We then left Anzio around 4 PM and made it back to the hotel around 6:30 PM. After resting a bit, we decided to go out for dinner to a restaurant I knew near the F.A.O building. I had the bucatini amatriciana, Carol had ravioli, and we both shared some antipasto and a half liter of vino bianco
Woke early and went down to the hotel dining room and had our free breakfast of cappuccino and rolls. We then took the Metro to Via Veneto to pickup our rental car. I had mixed feelings about driving in Rome, but I was glad we wouldn’t have to depend on public transportation anymore. We had reserved a Fiat Panda, but they didn’t have one. So, they upgraded us to a bright red Peugeot. We left the car rental office at around 12 noon and remarkably made it back to the hotel without a problem. We then decided to take a drive towards the coast and see how far we could get. We made it as far as the port of Anzio which was a very picturesque fishing town. We found a small store where we bought some crackers and cheese and had a little picnic. We then left Anzio around 4 PM and made it back to the hotel around 6:30 PM. After resting a bit, we decided to go out for dinner to a restaurant I knew near the F.A.O building. I had the bucatini amatriciana, Carol had ravioli, and we both shared some antipasto and a half liter of vino bianco
Friday, November 27, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 29
Friday November 27, 1992 – Rome, Italy
Woke at around 8 AM and went down to the hotel dining room where Carol and I had a cappuccino, bread, and cheese for breakfast. We went to take the Metro to the Vatican but discovered it was closed because there was a strike! So, we managed to squeeze onto bus 27 to the termini and from there, we took Line A of the Metro (which for some reason was running) to the Vatican. We spent most of the day exploring the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and Saint Peters Basilica. We then walked to Piazza Navona, past the Pantheon, and got gelato at a little gelateria near the Trevi Fountain. We had heard the Trevi Fountain myth that if you throw a coin into the fountain, you will return to Rome. So, we each threw a coin into the fountain. We then walked to the Spanish Steps where we hung out and for a while. We were going to take the Metro Line A from there, but it was now closed. So, we walked to Via del Corso to catch a bus (Bus 90?) to Piazza Venezia and then Bus 57 to Hotel San Anselmo. Carol was impressed at how well I could get around Rome using public transportation which made me realize I probably knew how to get around Rome better than Los Angeles! After we got back to the hotel, we decided to go to a Pizzeria I had been to several times before. This was Carol’s first taste of an authentic Italian Pizza and she immediately fell in love with the Pizza Margherita.
Thursday, November 26, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 28
Thursday November 26, 1992 – Rome, Italy
I left for the airport around 7 AM and took the train to the Fiumicino Airport. The train ride took about 45 minutes and I arrived around 8 AM. Carols’ plane wasn’t supposed to arrive until 8:30 AM. So, I decided to get a cappuccino. Carol finally arrived around 9 AM and we took the train back to the Ostiense station. Since the walk to the Hotel San Anselmo wasn’t far, and I didn’t feel like negotiating with taxi drivers, we walked to the hotel (me carrying the bags, etc.). After Carol got settled, we went to a local restaurant where we got a cappuccino and a very tasty eggplant antipasto dish. From there we took the metro to the Vatican where Carol got her first look at Saint Peters Basilica. We then walked to Piazza Navona and got drinks at Tre Scalini while sitting outside. Carol’s feet were bothering her (new shoes). So, we took a bus back to the Hotel San Anselmo. Back at the hotel, we both decided we were hungry for “munchy” food. So, I walked down to the local market and bought some cheese, crackers, and drinks which ended up being our Thanksgiving dinner
Wednesday, November 25, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 27
Wednesday November 25, 1992 – Rome, Italy
Today was my last day at work so I had to clean up my work area and wrap things up. At 9 AM I went over to the remote sensing building with Don, Paul, Hank and Ciska to listen to a talk by Dr. Grud?? about using computer classified Landsat data to detect changes in vegetation. He went through a bunch of overheads that were very difficult to read and gave a long discussion on the mathematical process used to calibrate the images and classify them using a vegetation map that was manually interpreted. He was somewhat critical of the Forest Resource Assessment Project’s method of having countries manually interpret images which he felt was too labor intensive and time consuming. It seemed a bit ironic however that his method used a manually interpreted vegetation map to classify his Landsat imagery. He advocated putting a computer in each country for them to use with an image processing program to classify and map their forests and agricultural lands. Unfortunately, at this time, it didn’t seem like most countries would have the ability to support that type of technology. Anyway, Carol will arrive tomorrow, and I was trying to figure out how I would take the train to the airport and bring her back to the hotel. I was looking forward to seeing her again and hoped all goes well for her trip and our upcoming trip to Denmark. Later, I went to dinner to a restaurant near the Colosseum with Don and Ron. Ron thought he knew a good restaurant but when we got there, it was closed. So, we had to find another place. The place we chose ended up being not very good. So, we left disappointed and went to the Hotel Lancelot where Ron and I had a drink and said goodbye.
Today was my last day at work so I had to clean up my work area and wrap things up. At 9 AM I went over to the remote sensing building with Don, Paul, Hank and Ciska to listen to a talk by Dr. Grud?? about using computer classified Landsat data to detect changes in vegetation. He went through a bunch of overheads that were very difficult to read and gave a long discussion on the mathematical process used to calibrate the images and classify them using a vegetation map that was manually interpreted. He was somewhat critical of the Forest Resource Assessment Project’s method of having countries manually interpret images which he felt was too labor intensive and time consuming. It seemed a bit ironic however that his method used a manually interpreted vegetation map to classify his Landsat imagery. He advocated putting a computer in each country for them to use with an image processing program to classify and map their forests and agricultural lands. Unfortunately, at this time, it didn’t seem like most countries would have the ability to support that type of technology. Anyway, Carol will arrive tomorrow, and I was trying to figure out how I would take the train to the airport and bring her back to the hotel. I was looking forward to seeing her again and hoped all goes well for her trip and our upcoming trip to Denmark. Later, I went to dinner to a restaurant near the Colosseum with Don and Ron. Ron thought he knew a good restaurant but when we got there, it was closed. So, we had to find another place. The place we chose ended up being not very good. So, we left disappointed and went to the Hotel Lancelot where Ron and I had a drink and said goodbye.
Tuesday, November 24, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 26
Tuesday November 24, 1992 – Rome, Italy
Started to wrap things up at work. Met with K.D. later to talk about my experience working on the project, etc. He asked me to write a letter and give it to Pauline requesting me to work an additional 2-3 weeks on FORIS when I get back to the U.S. I wrote the letter and gave it to Pauline to edit but was unsure about committing the time needed to work on FORIS. I felt it could take a lot longer but was willing. Don and I went to dinner at the Rome Termini and I was again surprised at how good (and cheap) it was. After about 1 ½ carafe of vino rosa, we each staggered out looking for a theater he’d seen the night before that he said looked “very interesting”. After walking in circles, we finally found the theater called “Teatro Sexy”. We each paid the 10,000 Lire and went in, apparently towards the middle of a live performance which was indeed, “very interesting”.
Started to wrap things up at work. Met with K.D. later to talk about my experience working on the project, etc. He asked me to write a letter and give it to Pauline requesting me to work an additional 2-3 weeks on FORIS when I get back to the U.S. I wrote the letter and gave it to Pauline to edit but was unsure about committing the time needed to work on FORIS. I felt it could take a lot longer but was willing. Don and I went to dinner at the Rome Termini and I was again surprised at how good (and cheap) it was. After about 1 ½ carafe of vino rosa, we each staggered out looking for a theater he’d seen the night before that he said looked “very interesting”. After walking in circles, we finally found the theater called “Teatro Sexy”. We each paid the 10,000 Lire and went in, apparently towards the middle of a live performance which was indeed, “very interesting”.
Monday, November 23, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 25
Monday November 23, 1992 – Rome, Italy
Today was uneventful and I was starting to get anxious to leave. I copied the entire FORIS database onto 2.5 inch floppy disks to take home and possibly work on. Went to lunch with Don, Ron and Pauline to the F.A.O. cafeteria. Later Don and I went to the “F” building to talk with a couple people. We talked with Mr. Latham who explained the project they’re doing in Afghanistan mapping land use and agriculture areas using manually interpreted Landsat imagery. After work, I went to the Hotel Lancelot with Ron and had a couple beers. Later, I went by myself to a local Pizzeria and had a pizza capricciosa (“clean the fridge”) and vino.
Today was uneventful and I was starting to get anxious to leave. I copied the entire FORIS database onto 2.5 inch floppy disks to take home and possibly work on. Went to lunch with Don, Ron and Pauline to the F.A.O. cafeteria. Later Don and I went to the “F” building to talk with a couple people. We talked with Mr. Latham who explained the project they’re doing in Afghanistan mapping land use and agriculture areas using manually interpreted Landsat imagery. After work, I went to the Hotel Lancelot with Ron and had a couple beers. Later, I went by myself to a local Pizzeria and had a pizza capricciosa (“clean the fridge”) and vino.
Sunday, November 22, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 24
Sunday November 22, 1992 – Rome, Italy
Woke up at 8:30 AM and had breakfast in the hotel dining room. I went back to my room and called Carol around 9:30 AM (6:30 PM Pacific Time) and confirmed she would arrive in Rome on Thursday at 8:30 AM. I went to work at 10:30 AM where I met with K.D. who had just returned from Brazil. I ended up talking with K.D., Don, Paul, and Ron until about 3 PM which just about killed the day. Don and I went to the Basilica of Saint Paul which is one of Rome’s four major papal basilicas. The basilica was very impressive. We left and agreed to meet for dinner at his hotel at 6 PM. I ended up getting lost trying to find his hotel and didn’t arrive until 6:30 PM. We had dinner at the cafeteria at the Rome Termini which was much better than I expected. After dinner, we walked to Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Piazza Navona (Don’s 1st visit and my 5th visit). I got back to the Rome Termini at around 9:30 PM and found out the B line was closed! Since I didn’t care to walk, I tried to find a bus but couldn’t figure out which bus to take. Finally, after going in circles for about 20 minutes, I determined I needed to take bus 27. When the bus finally arrived, it was packed, and I got crushed in the middle of the bus with no hope of getting off. I still wasn’t sure I was on the right bus but eventually the bus had thinned out enough for me to get off and I was relieved to see I was close to Hotel San Anselmo.
Woke up at 8:30 AM and had breakfast in the hotel dining room. I went back to my room and called Carol around 9:30 AM (6:30 PM Pacific Time) and confirmed she would arrive in Rome on Thursday at 8:30 AM. I went to work at 10:30 AM where I met with K.D. who had just returned from Brazil. I ended up talking with K.D., Don, Paul, and Ron until about 3 PM which just about killed the day. Don and I went to the Basilica of Saint Paul which is one of Rome’s four major papal basilicas. The basilica was very impressive. We left and agreed to meet for dinner at his hotel at 6 PM. I ended up getting lost trying to find his hotel and didn’t arrive until 6:30 PM. We had dinner at the cafeteria at the Rome Termini which was much better than I expected. After dinner, we walked to Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Piazza Navona (Don’s 1st visit and my 5th visit). I got back to the Rome Termini at around 9:30 PM and found out the B line was closed! Since I didn’t care to walk, I tried to find a bus but couldn’t figure out which bus to take. Finally, after going in circles for about 20 minutes, I determined I needed to take bus 27. When the bus finally arrived, it was packed, and I got crushed in the middle of the bus with no hope of getting off. I still wasn’t sure I was on the right bus but eventually the bus had thinned out enough for me to get off and I was relieved to see I was close to Hotel San Anselmo.
Saturday, November 21, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 23
Saturday November 21, 1992 – Rome, Italy
Don and I had agreed to go to Ostia Antica today but we forgot to exchange phone numbers. So, I went through the yellow pages phone book and called the Best Western Hotel near the Rome Termini hoping that was the hotel where Don was staying. I agreed to meet him at his hotel in a half hour. We took the Metro to the train station where we took a train to Ostia Antica. The trip took about 45 minutes, and we spent a few hours looking at the old Roman ruins. The ruins were impressive, especially the tile work. We took the train back to Rome and then decided to take a 50-minute bus ride to Tivoli to check out the famous gardens and fountains. We arrived in Tivoli but were unable to find information on where to go. So, we found a woman who spoke English and asked where the gardens and fountains were located. The woman told us where to go but added they closed at noon! We were very disappointed and decided we should high-tail it back to Rome. We made it back to Rome around 6:30 PM and decided to find a restaurant. However, much to our dismay, nothing was open until 7:30 PM. So, we headed to the Rome Termini thinking by the time we got there, we could find an open restaurant. We found a little Italian restaurant where I had spaghetti and vino. Spaghetti was good and the vino hit the spot.
Don and I had agreed to go to Ostia Antica today but we forgot to exchange phone numbers. So, I went through the yellow pages phone book and called the Best Western Hotel near the Rome Termini hoping that was the hotel where Don was staying. I agreed to meet him at his hotel in a half hour. We took the Metro to the train station where we took a train to Ostia Antica. The trip took about 45 minutes, and we spent a few hours looking at the old Roman ruins. The ruins were impressive, especially the tile work. We took the train back to Rome and then decided to take a 50-minute bus ride to Tivoli to check out the famous gardens and fountains. We arrived in Tivoli but were unable to find information on where to go. So, we found a woman who spoke English and asked where the gardens and fountains were located. The woman told us where to go but added they closed at noon! We were very disappointed and decided we should high-tail it back to Rome. We made it back to Rome around 6:30 PM and decided to find a restaurant. However, much to our dismay, nothing was open until 7:30 PM. So, we headed to the Rome Termini thinking by the time we got there, we could find an open restaurant. We found a little Italian restaurant where I had spaghetti and vino. Spaghetti was good and the vino hit the spot.
Friday, November 20, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 22
Friday November 20, 1992 – Rome, Italy
I met Don on the shuttle bus, and we rode to the FAO building together. He had never been to Europe and was a little overwhelmed with the language gap and everything else. I had arranged a meeting with Klaus Janz who is K.D.’s counterpart in the “F” building. The meeting went O.K. and Klaus gave us a little background on the project. I had asked him to arrange a meeting with the head GIS person in the main FAO building, Mr. Ataman. Klaus setup a meeting for next Tuesday which, unfortunately wasn’t soon enough. Don and I were getting anxious about getting going so we decided to go over on our own today unannounced. This didn’t go over well with others in the office and everyone started scrambling to try an contact Mr. Ataman to let him know we were coming over. We missed the 2:30 PM bus so we decided to visit the “F” building GIS and remote sensing lab. We ended up talking to just about everyone in the lab in an impromptu meeting of four other people beside Don and myself. I was impressed with how genuinely interested they seemed in helping us. We caught the 3:30 PM bus to the main FAO building for a 4 PM meeting with Mr. Ataman. This meeting also went well, and Mr. Ataman was very supportive. We left around 5 PM with the agreement that we would return Tuesday at 2:30 PM. Don and I met later around 7 PM and went to the Hotel Lancelot for dinner with Ron Groves. The dinner was excellent and cost 25,000 LIRE which included all the wine you could drink! The menu at the Hotel Lancelot had only one choice. There were six people seated at my table including Don and Ron, a couple on vacation, and a woman who was a professor of communication. The conversation ranged from politics, religion to the Consent Decree that the U.S. Forest Service Region 5 was now under. The Consent Decree was basically a court order requiring the U.S. Forest Service Region 5 to hire more woman. Being that I’m a male, this was a bit of a sore issue for me since it blatantly discriminated against males. However, I was surprised that it also offended the woman on vacation. I left with Don and the professor and found out the Metro wasn’t running. So, I tried to find a bus but ended up walking back to Hotel San Anselmo.
I met Don on the shuttle bus, and we rode to the FAO building together. He had never been to Europe and was a little overwhelmed with the language gap and everything else. I had arranged a meeting with Klaus Janz who is K.D.’s counterpart in the “F” building. The meeting went O.K. and Klaus gave us a little background on the project. I had asked him to arrange a meeting with the head GIS person in the main FAO building, Mr. Ataman. Klaus setup a meeting for next Tuesday which, unfortunately wasn’t soon enough. Don and I were getting anxious about getting going so we decided to go over on our own today unannounced. This didn’t go over well with others in the office and everyone started scrambling to try an contact Mr. Ataman to let him know we were coming over. We missed the 2:30 PM bus so we decided to visit the “F” building GIS and remote sensing lab. We ended up talking to just about everyone in the lab in an impromptu meeting of four other people beside Don and myself. I was impressed with how genuinely interested they seemed in helping us. We caught the 3:30 PM bus to the main FAO building for a 4 PM meeting with Mr. Ataman. This meeting also went well, and Mr. Ataman was very supportive. We left around 5 PM with the agreement that we would return Tuesday at 2:30 PM. Don and I met later around 7 PM and went to the Hotel Lancelot for dinner with Ron Groves. The dinner was excellent and cost 25,000 LIRE which included all the wine you could drink! The menu at the Hotel Lancelot had only one choice. There were six people seated at my table including Don and Ron, a couple on vacation, and a woman who was a professor of communication. The conversation ranged from politics, religion to the Consent Decree that the U.S. Forest Service Region 5 was now under. The Consent Decree was basically a court order requiring the U.S. Forest Service Region 5 to hire more woman. Being that I’m a male, this was a bit of a sore issue for me since it blatantly discriminated against males. However, I was surprised that it also offended the woman on vacation. I left with Don and the professor and found out the Metro wasn’t running. So, I tried to find a bus but ended up walking back to Hotel San Anselmo.
Thursday, November 19, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 21
Thursday November 19, 1992 – Rome, Italy
Had my usual breakfast and went to work. Don Norris arrived today at about 9 AM wide-eyed and worried about what was expected of him. It was somehow reassuring that he was worried but I did my best to calm him and introduce him to people in the office. After that, I took him over to the local bar and introduced him to Italian coffee. He wasn’t a coffee drinker but liked the cappuccino he had. After that, I briefed him on what I had been doing and what he was supposed to do. I got George to give us a demo of their GIS and by that time he was ready to leave since he hadn’t quite adjusted to the time change, etc. Don went back to his hotel at about 2 PM and I spent the rest of the day working on a review of FORIS, etc.
Had my usual breakfast and went to work. Don Norris arrived today at about 9 AM wide-eyed and worried about what was expected of him. It was somehow reassuring that he was worried but I did my best to calm him and introduce him to people in the office. After that, I took him over to the local bar and introduced him to Italian coffee. He wasn’t a coffee drinker but liked the cappuccino he had. After that, I briefed him on what I had been doing and what he was supposed to do. I got George to give us a demo of their GIS and by that time he was ready to leave since he hadn’t quite adjusted to the time change, etc. Don went back to his hotel at about 2 PM and I spent the rest of the day working on a review of FORIS, etc.
Wednesday, November 18, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 20
Wednesday November 18, 1992 – Rome, Italy
I had a bit of a hangover in the morning. So, I decided to skip breakfast and slept in an extra ½ hour. Work was uneventful. I had lunch with Ron and later around 4 PM went down to the Golden Bar with Paul, Hank, and Ciska and had a birra (beer). Mel called earlier in the day to tell me when he checked out from his hotel, his phone bill came to 401,000 Lire ($300)! He said he had made 2 calls to the U.S. at 36 minutes and 40 minutes each and didn’t realize how much it cost to call the U.S. That made me worry about my bill. Thankfully though, I had only made 3 calls of about 5 minutes each. So, I wasn’t too worried. I went back to the hotel and crashed.
I had a bit of a hangover in the morning. So, I decided to skip breakfast and slept in an extra ½ hour. Work was uneventful. I had lunch with Ron and later around 4 PM went down to the Golden Bar with Paul, Hank, and Ciska and had a birra (beer). Mel called earlier in the day to tell me when he checked out from his hotel, his phone bill came to 401,000 Lire ($300)! He said he had made 2 calls to the U.S. at 36 minutes and 40 minutes each and didn’t realize how much it cost to call the U.S. That made me worry about my bill. Thankfully though, I had only made 3 calls of about 5 minutes each. So, I wasn’t too worried. I went back to the hotel and crashed.
Tuesday, November 17, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 19
Tuesday November 17, 1992 – Rome, Italy
Met Mel for breakfast. Today was his last day at work so most of us went to a small restaurant down the street. I had spaghetti with tomato sauce which was O.K. but not like I would have expected from an Italian restaurant in Italy. After work, Mel and I stopped at a bar and ran into a guy Mel had met over the weekend. The guy was your classic loud mouthed American and seemed a little shady. We all had a couple rounds and Mel’s friend entertained us with his stories. Another guy came by who was friends with the loud guy and this guy was almost as loud. So, things started picking up. Turned out the other guy was married to the woman whose family owned the Hotel San Anselmo so I learned some interesting things about the hotel. Eventually Mel and I decided to leave and go get dinner. The first guy told the second guy to “set us up” with a restaurant that was supposed to be really good. They recommended a dish called Bucatini all’Amatriciana. The bucatini was like fat spaghetti with holes and the Amatricana is one of the best known pasta sauces in Italy. It was excellent and for the second plate, we had scampi which is a type of lobster and was also very good. Our waiter brought out a bottle of very potent liqueur which I drank way too much of. So, by the time we left, we were both feeling pretty good and hoping we could walk without falling on our faces. The bill came to 98,000 Lire which was another record for me. We split the bill and wobbled back to our hotels in the rain.
Met Mel for breakfast. Today was his last day at work so most of us went to a small restaurant down the street. I had spaghetti with tomato sauce which was O.K. but not like I would have expected from an Italian restaurant in Italy. After work, Mel and I stopped at a bar and ran into a guy Mel had met over the weekend. The guy was your classic loud mouthed American and seemed a little shady. We all had a couple rounds and Mel’s friend entertained us with his stories. Another guy came by who was friends with the loud guy and this guy was almost as loud. So, things started picking up. Turned out the other guy was married to the woman whose family owned the Hotel San Anselmo so I learned some interesting things about the hotel. Eventually Mel and I decided to leave and go get dinner. The first guy told the second guy to “set us up” with a restaurant that was supposed to be really good. They recommended a dish called Bucatini all’Amatriciana. The bucatini was like fat spaghetti with holes and the Amatricana is one of the best known pasta sauces in Italy. It was excellent and for the second plate, we had scampi which is a type of lobster and was also very good. Our waiter brought out a bottle of very potent liqueur which I drank way too much of. So, by the time we left, we were both feeling pretty good and hoping we could walk without falling on our faces. The bill came to 98,000 Lire which was another record for me. We split the bill and wobbled back to our hotels in the rain.
Monday, November 16, 1992
Italy - Denmark Trip - Day 18
Monday November 16, 1992 – Rome, Italy Woke up at 6:45 AM and had my usual cappuccino and rolls. I hadn’t gotten tired of the cappuccino, but the rolls were getting a little old. Then went to work and spent the day working on the FORIS database. Mel was gone and was supposed to leave for Australia on Wednesday. I had lunch with Ron and met some other FAO people. Left work and got back to the hotel at about 6 PM and decided to go see the movie White Sands with Mickey Rourke, William Defoe, Samuel Jackson, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. I liked the movie and would probably give it a 7 out of 10.
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