Red-Eye to Rome

Let me go ahead and say that trying to capture all the fun and excitement of my first R&R in this post is impossible. That said, here goes…hopefully you’ll at least get a small glimpse into my first international vacation experience; and remember, this is following three months of living on a military base in the Afghan desert.

It’s 02-Feb-10, the day before my departure from this little slice of paradise I’ve come to call home. I am so excited about the prospect of my first R&R that chugging a bottle of Tylenol PM couldn’t even put me to sleep. (Just to clarify, no, I did not in fact attempt to do so.) I stayed up all night watching movies, making phone calls, and trying to think of anything I may have forgotten to pack.

The next morning I had my last DFAC meal for three weeks. In retrospect, it was a bittersweet experience. I was about to taste all kinds of amazing new foods; however, the price was right – free! My military ID would be rendered useless in Italy.

I met up with my coworker and fellow R&R cohort, Frankie, who will now be referenced as Sugarland. He’s from Sugarland, Texas and fits the Texan stereotype perfectly. A little rough around the edges, blunt but polite’ish, and speaks “American”. I told him the huge suitcase and military backpack was way too much to haul around. Sugarland, said it would be no problem and that he wasn’t changing anything.

At 1300 we boarded our flight and were on our way. We had to make one stop at another base, and then we’d be off to Dubai. However, due to a technical problem, we sat on the tarmac for two hours because the ladder truck broke. I could see everything unfolding outside my window. Since the ladder was still attached to the plane, we couldn’t move. The irony is thick. Here we are on a huge military base with all sorts of high tech equipment, yet a single hydraulic malfunction stood between us and the civilized world.

Finally, the ladder was lowered and the truck backed away from the plane. Everyone broke out in applause and we took off. The rumor was true, Heinekens were promptly distributed and it didn’t even bother me that they were warm. My first two beers in 100 days, oh how delicious! Shortly thereafter, a long forgotten warm and fuzzy feeling coursed thru me. This is it, back to the real world.

We got to the company hotel around 1900, which gave us about four hours to relax. This was the nicest hotel I’ve ever been in. It lived up to every one of its five stars. Quite the contrast to a circus tent filled with bunkbeds. Another big first took place – a HOT shower without having to wear shower shoes. Little things like that, privacy, an open schedule, and freedom quickly become much appreciated once again.

I put on some “regular” clothes and caught a shuttle bus to the airport for the red-eye to Rome. Nobody can ever complain about my driving again. Until you’ve taken a taxi ride in Dubai or Italy, you have no idea how slowly and safely I drive. After shuttle bus rides on base, where the speed limit is 15mph, it felt like I was in an IndyCar! No boots, cargo pants, or ID lanyard? This was a strange feeling at first, but I adjusted in no time. We caught our connection flight in Vienna, Austria and landed in Rome at 0920 local time.

Here’s where I was first exposed to the monopoly money looking Euro currency. In a three week period I used the USD, Euro, and Arab Emirate Dirham (AED); all of which are vastly different in terms of buying power. Some places accepted AmEx, most Visa, but cash was always preferred.

While I’m on this money tangent, here are a few random observations. Similar to US currency, there are paper notes and coins. The most common note is €50,00 ($75.00) compared to our $20.00. Euros have much higher coin values too, the largest denomination being €2,00 ($3.00); easy to spend and they go fast. Adding further confusion is the period and comma usage, which is the exact opposite of what I’m used to. If that wasn’t enough, the exchange rate is about $1.49 per €1,00. The Dirham is easier to convert, but in the opposite direction; about 3.00 AED per $1.00. Taken all together, I was doing lots of math in my head throughout this trip, which was overrated. Enough of this boring talk, but that’s just one of the many nuances of traveling abroad that I experienced for the first time.

Back to the Roma (which of course is Italian for Rome) airport. When in Rome, right!? After making our way around the terminal, up and down stairs, hailing a taxi, roaming narrow sidewalks and cobblestone streets looking for the apartment, Sugarland admits that he should’ve packed lighter. I just laughed and said something I’d only repeat about a thousand times over the next few weeks; you don’t listen – stubborn bastard!

The apartment was perfectly located in the center of Trastevere, which has the feeling of medieval Rome and a very lively nightlife. I couldn’t believe all the restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops scattered throughout the area. You could order coffee, beer, pizza, waffles, pasta, or gelato (Italian ice cream) all at the same place. The first night we headed out to dinner was a learning experience. Nobody eats until eight or nine, which explains why all the restaurants were empty at six o’clock.

The food, oh the food! I have long been a fan of Italian food; I’d even say it’s my favorite cuisine. After months of cleansing my palate with drab DFAC food, this was taste bud overload. I tried every imaginable dish and was never disappointed. Each city had its own specialty and I couldn’t even begin to choose my favorite meal.

Same thing goes for the wine. Chianti is the most prevalent and each restaurant had its own house wine that was amazing. Compared to other drinks, it was very cheap. House wine was about €10,00 ($15.00) per pitcher. Beer was about €6,00 ($9.00) per pint. Nastro Azzurro was the most popular Italian beer and one that I grew very fond of. Why order something normal like Heineken with all the amazing local drinks choices. It was surprising to see so many Irish pubs in Italy. These were the real deal too. Most were operated by true Irishmen. They had all the good Irish beers on tap. Suffice it to say that I sampled many Italian and Irish adult beverages – they were all good!

Nearly every landmark of interest was within walking distance: Colosseum, Pantheon, Forum, Palatine Hill, Tiber River, Spanish Steps and Vatican City. I visited each of those places and it’s amazing when you think back at all the history that took place there. I imagine it will be months or years later before it hits me that I was there walking through the streets of Rome amidst all the momentous sites.

After doing the tourist gig in the mornings, afternoons were usually spent relaxing and resting up for the night out. I figured after all the walking I do here on base, Italy would be no problem. Wrong! I probably walked ten times as much on R&R.

I’ve never watched so much news in my life. CNN and MTV seemed to be the only channels in English; maybe a movie channel if you were lucky. Since cell phone service worked so well, I only got online a few times to update Facebook. They have internet cafes everywhere. Only downfall was the weird keyboards. Half the time spent online was probably wasted trying to figure out where all the punctuation and symbols were located.

It was nice being in a foreign land and completely disconnected from work and all other concerns. I was able to completely dedicate my time and attention on all the new people, places, and experiences Italy had to offer.

Don’t ever challenge an Italian to a drinking contest. You will probably lose. Here’s what I learned about alcohol in Italy. First, they get a serious head start on us. I was in a bar at Campo Dei Fiori – which is a piazza filled with restaurants/bars that I highly recommend – when I noticed this teenager ordering a pitcher of beer. Come to find out, 16 is the legal age for beer and 18 for liquor; however, I never saw anyone get carded. Seriously, how is that even possible and why didn’t I grow up in Italy? Second, wine is abundant and the beer is potent. You’ve been warned.

The Scholar’s Lounge is a very cool Irish Pub that boasts Italy’s largest collection of whiskey; over 250 bottles on the shelves. One of the vintage Jamesons was €133,00 ($200.00) per shot! I love Jameson, but I’m not making enough to justify that price.

I’ve already written much more than I realized, yet it seems like 99% of my R&R hasn’t even been discussed. All the wild and crazy stories from our nights out will have to wait for phone calls and emails. Don’t get me wrong, nothing bad happened, just countless memories that will be better appreciated when told in person.

Here’s one that could’ve turned out bad. I was at one of the pubs and had to use the restroom. There was a long line for the single unisex stall and I patiently waited my turn. Right after I got inside and locked the door, some idiot started pounding on the door extremely loudly. I think to myself, what the hell? There’s a long line and the people behind me knew I was in here. I walk out and ask who pounded on the door. A few people said it wasn’t them. Then this big, steroid-abusing dude says it was him. I asked if he could see that there was a line, why he was being suck a prick, and then walked off. An hour or two later, I am back in the restroom and the same loud, annoying pound on the door just as I finished washing my hands. I was infuriated. Is this happening again? I slid over the latch and kicked open the door. The next thing I see is Mr. Steroids in a daze, holding is nose and trying to figure out what just happened. The door had hit him in the face, ooops! One of his friends, who was even bigger, came over, helped him back to there table, and told him to chill out. Turns out, it was an Aussie rugby team. Whew, that could’ve ended unwell.

Here’s a shout out to all the new friends I made on this wonderful adventure. I met people from all over: Italy, Spain, Australia, UK, Russia, Africa, Ireland, the US, and many more. The opportunity to meet new people and learn more about other countries was absolutely invaluable. I already have contacts for future R&Rs!

Italian culture is wonderful. They are a passionate people and very close-knit. The plethora of piazzas just reiterates that notion. No matter what time of day or night, small groups of people are out and about socializing and enjoying themselves. There are mimes, magicians, fire-twirling jugglers, and all sorts of other live entertainment everywhere. Most places stay open until 3:00am and there was rarely a shortage of people in the streets.

Rome, Florence, and Pisa all had unique aspects, but many more commonalities. I cannot say enough how much fun this three week trip was. This short summary does it no justice. Pictures help, but still fall terribly short of actually experiencing this amazing country yourself. If you are ever given the opportunity to visit, go! You will not be disappointed.

I got back to Dubai a few days early and made my way around the major sites: the world’s tallest building, Burj Al Arab hotel, and the new Dubai Mall. One thing about Dubai is undeniable, everything is first class. The hotel I stayed at was even nicer than the company provided one. Again, I’ll post some pictures, but capturing a building that’s over a half mile tall with a camera is impossible.

I’ll have many more visits to Dubai, to and from future R&Rs. Until then, it’s back to work. I’ve been in BAF for nearly two weeks and already have much to write about. That will have to wait. I need sleep desperately. R&R wiped me out; so much for rest and relaxation. I enjoyed every moment, but it’s taken nearly two weeks to get back into a semi-normal routine.

I’ve posted picture on Facebook and will duplicate them here this weekend. Then, I’ll get caught up on what’s changed around here at work. Bed time, then it’s another crazy Friday. Look for postcards over the next several weeks. I haven’t had a chance to start sending them yet, but soon enough I’ll get around to it. Talk to you soon!