20220508 Last Full Day in Rome: When we got up this morning and looked out our window, we were greeted by the view of the start of the Race for the Cure event. Our window was probably the best viewpoint there was for the start of the race. Went downstairs for breakfast and returned to our window, our cameras on tripods.

There were thousands and thousands lined up to start. Lots of preliminary speeches. Then the serious runners were off followed by the hordes of folks in their white Komen t-shirts. As each person or group passed the reviewing stand (just below our room), they danced and waived. Oh, there was a nice brass band that played on the street before the starting gun. Got lots of shots. Then downloaded all of them.

About 1:00, we went out (all the barricades were gone) and walked about a half mile to the pharmacy the hotel suggested to get our Covid tests that we needed for the return to the US. Negative. Walked nearby to Osteria Pucci for a nice lunch. Then we walked to Fatamorgana, a fabulous place for gelato with flavors one has never heard of before. Walked back to the hotel for the afternoon.

About 7:15 we headed back into the Jewish quarter for dinner at a restaurant Caroline suggests: Il Giardino Romano for dinner. We watched lots of folks with children, dogs stroll by. Reflected on the experiences we’ve had and the wonderful time together. Walked back to the hotel for packing for tomorrow’s flights.

20220509 Heading Home: As I write this, I am at 34,000 feet above France in seat 3D aboard DL67 from Rome to Atlanta. Just finished a nice meal. Got up around 7:00 after a night where I did not sleep well. Breakfast and then we sat in our room until our driver arrived to take us to the airport at 10.

I told him we were going via Delta and I knew from past experience that their check-in desks were at the end of Terminal 3. However, he let us off at an entry where we had a long walk to where we needed to go. Lots and lots of security. At Delta they checked our passports three times, Covid test once. Then we walked to gate security and both were subject to “random inspection” where they swab your hands and shoes for any sign of explosive material and same with our hand luggage. Took 10-15 minutes to get through it all including having to put some of our carry-ons back through scanning since we had forgotten to take our computers out to be scanned separately. Ah, well. Glad for all the extra security. At passport control, passport and face scanned. We had about an hour before boarding and sat at the gate. On boarding, passport checked and mask down for face recognition. Departure was about 2:00 off the ground for about a 10-hour flight.

It is hard to encapsulate what this trip has been in sights, sounds, smells, food coupled with the extra-special aspect of Jeff and me spending this time together absorbing it all. Eighteen days of enjoying each other’s company from beginning in Barcelona, taking our cruise, and ending in Rome. We walked miles and miles, saw mind-blowing sites, ate superb food, and, of course, took thousands of pictures, close to 20,000 between us.

Three full days in Barcelona with guides on two of them, then the 10-night cruise to excursions in Menorca; Avignon and the Pope’s Palace; St. Paul de Vance, Nice, and Eze; Florence; Siena and San Gimignano; Mdina (Malta); Taormina and its Greek Theatre; Pompeii; and four full days in Rome with two four-hour tours on two of the days. My earlier posts catalog day-by-day what we experienced. Jeff at 56 and me at 81. Father and son. More than just companions. Clearly a trip of a lifetime.

Now we get back to our normal lives. We avoided the news while away, but cannot once home. There are all those images to post-process and albums to put online. I have a pup to take care of and escort through her final days. There is being reunited with Marian, my wonderful wife of over 61 years, our other children. But the memories are etched in both Jeff’s and my minds for reflecting, smiling, and reliving.