Diane, that is such a shame ! If ever there was one city you should drive in, it would be Rome. Damn, I’d fly out just to ride shotgun for a few hours. Actually, I can see a new business opportunity emerging: Weekend Package - ‘Team Diane’s deal-with-it-or-die solution to risk aversion’.
You bought a compass yet ?
but I am so severely jet lagged that it’s hard to type. More later when I finally wake up 
No way! I am wimping out and taking the train this time.
We’ll have to see if I am able to catch the right one though, I am afraid that I may end up in Syberia. I’m such a Utah hick, I mean shit, in my little town “express transportation” is when we get our horses to a fast trot.
Seriously though, if you (or anyone) can work it out to make a last minute trip let me know and I will e-mail you the hotel information in Rome. We are walking distance to the train station and very close to all the main sights.
If you need some coaxing, I will rent a car for a day and promise to take you for a spin. 
We are also taking an overnighter to Paris March 31 - April 1, for anyone who can make it.
Oh, while I am away my dad will be talking to my Brit friends to confirm our England dates. We are still looking somewhere close to the first week of April but I will let you know for certain.
No, I think it’s just you…which means that “talking” to too many irish girls on St Paddy’s day is bad for your health! 
I just saw the Shayna pictures :eek:
Keith
Well, Odie, he did say,
And he wasn’t kidding. It would have been practically impossible to get a picture of us when we weren’t kissing. sigh
Thanks for the great pics, Fiona. I’ll confer with my honey and let you know if he thinks it’s ok to post them with all the other ones when the page goes up.
Diane, whatever you do, DON’T drive in Rome, no matter what these clowns tell ya. You drove in downtown Amsterdam, right? That’s Rome Light, believe me. And no, I can’t make it there at such short notice, sorry.
Good to see that Sassy made it home safe. All permanent injuries seem to be… well, Andy’s dripping nose. I’ve had A’dam weekends that ended worse!
Fierra’s quite the shutterbug isn’t she? Have you ever considered doing soft porn shoots for those illustrious mags you can get off the top shelves at the book store? It’ll be so cool, Twisty can do the soundtrack to go with it!
Taters, not to worry. Poofy’s doing fine. She was just a little tense, so I had her let some air out.
And I am looking forward to meeting you, too!
Scotti
Glad you made in home safely, sassy! Hows the knee ??
I’m kind of confused with imagery. Half of me pictures Team Diane backfiring around Rome in some kind of Clampetts on tour rust bucket while I’ve also got this whole Partridge Family adventure thing happening (70’s tv for you younger folks). I do admire your pluck though, Diane. It’s actually quite a big deal this Euro adventure that you and your family are having. Good on yer!
fierra - “…girls” – I wish. At this juncture, I’m grateful for the attentions of any old trout who doesn’t think accessories with batteries are hearing aids and who has more teeth than fingers. However, It did seem to me the Irish and American residents of Casa Coldie were doing a fine job amongst the girlies of Durty Nellie’s, etc.
You’ll all be terribly pleased to learn the nostrils are finally solidifying.
I apologise…my brain ran away…you were eminently boring all weekend (I bet you preferred the other version…:p).
Which reminds me, we never did settle the Finnish case…
Shayna, at least you don’t have a strange expression on your face for once!
Coldy - you have been buying some very strange magazines if they came (pardon the expression ;)) with a soundtrack…
There will be more photos, but only touristy ones and if they don’t make it to the site tonight, they won’t be there for a week. I’ll send a mail out when everything has reached the site in case anyone really wants more pictures of anonymous buildings
The management takes no rsponsibility for the excess of smileys in this post.
Hi all!!!
nothing more to add, just hello!
oh, and I havent gotten a chance to put “Operation Painting” into full effect yet. More news to come.
I have just one thing to say - pardon the French (or would that be Italian?)
OH MY FUCKING HELL!!!
I have NEVER in my entire life experienced anything close to what I saw on the streets of Rome!!! Have you Europeans ever heard of a thing called grid streets? Ya know, where there is some sense and organization to the roads kind of like this - #### Holy cow, what did those Romans do, throw down tar wherever they felt like it and call it a street? Oh, and don’t worry about speed limits or street signals that tell you to stop. Stop signs mean NOTHING. Intersections are a bloody free for all! I am suprised I didn’t see guts and crashed cars (other than the car our tour bus smashed into and convieniently didn’t notice and kept on driving) laying all over the roads.
You are right Coldie. Amsterdam roads as crazy as they are, are a Sunday drive in the country compared to Rome.
CRAZY TOWN! There are groups of men everywhere swinging the hands around and learing at the ladies. Good food, interesting people, and the sites - FANTASTICO! <------- I am now biligual.
We went through the Vatican and Sistine Chapel then later expored the ruins of anchient Rome. It was unreal! I had to keep reminding myself that this was the real thing and not Vegas or some immitation. It was breathtaking.
I will also mention that we never, not even once, got lost going or coming back from Rome and we even had to transfer trains a few times. Proud of me?
On to Paris tomorrow night. Wish me luck.
Still waiting in the London plans. Oh BTW, if any Euro-Dopers are interested, Ryan Air has flights to London for. . . . Drum roll please. . . .
7.50 DM!!!
That is something like $3.50 in American dollars!
Twisty - keep me informed on Operation Flower Picture. I have faith in ya, sweety. It’ll work!
Oh, make that “Operation Painting”. I need to pay closer attention.
Oh, and is it just me or has my spelling gotten worse since I got here? These English words just don’t look right anymore.
Operation painting a complete shambles. evacuating before we get into Trench warfare.
Does your daughter like paintings?
I’m going to Heck for that one.
God, you’re so… so… American!
And we love you for it, toots!
DM 7.50 to London? 'Da Hell? What’s the catch? Leaving from Arschfick, Germany, landing in Hineyhump, Scotland? Or: flying via Dublin or Shannon?
Hey, leave it to me. I’ll let ya know, Twisty !
(Does she, Sir. Does she ?)
Diane – I await the Traffic Report from Paris with some interest……
Want to borrow my car whilst you’re here ?? Joking. Really. No, really.
Paris Parking 101
Leave your car in neutral, and don’t use the emergency brake. The Parisians like to nudge your car out of the way when they need to get out of a cramped space, and cars get damaged more if they resist the gentle nudges.
Also: kick a dent in your car door before entering the municipality of Paris. Might was well get it over with!
On a final note: sometimes, they nudge your car a few blocks down the road. Don’t be alarmed. Rent one of those cars with a very powerful remote central locking system. Bee-Beep! The one blinking at you three blocks down? Yours!
Ummmmmm, would her attempt to see each and every brush stroke in each and every painting in the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel, the two large books of Michelangelo and Rafael’s paintings she brought back from Italy, or the fact that she wants to go to university and major in art history give you a hint?
However, before you go poppin your knickers remember that her big, bad assed mama knows all your wimmin-baggin’ moves.
Holy crap Coldie, now you have me worried that the British have some dark scam going to get fresh, foreign meat into some back country village. I mean, now that the steak dinners are all but nil. Oh, and let me get you all over to myside of town, y’all be a tawkin’ that Vegas stuff too!
LC - We are STILL up in the air with London. My Brit friends are finishing up some major remodeling of their house and keep telling us not to make hotel reservations until they know for sure whether or not they get the house ready. I have tried to convince them that I would rather have hotel reservations and and a definite date but they really want us to stay with them and are busting butt to finish. I’m humoring them for a few more days then will just go ahead and reserve our flights and hotels. I don’t want to leave you hanging so by all means PLEASE don’t put anything on hold waiting for my info.
If you won’t be around when we come over, just leave your car keys under the rug. :::snicker:::
I am going to double check that Ryan Air price. I just can’t see how a flight can be so cheap! Anyhow, I went to their website and entered a flight leaving Frankfurt aaand arriving in London Stansted on Wed April 4 and returning Tue April 10. It give me a quote of 7.50 DEM each way.
These were just dates I entered just to check prices. Other dates bring up different amounts but they are still very good. (32.50 and 28.50 DEM).
So, anyone wanna come with me?
Hey guys,
I just wanted to pop in and say thanks for the postcard! It truly warmed a poor, lonely girl’s heart!
::smooches::