A Lot of NRG...

I am sure you are asking what NRG is...
In this case it means two things both similar in nature but still different...
1 - Navigating Rome with the Goldens
2 - NRG, a slang way of saying Energy (and lots of it)

This blog has to do with both...
As I mentioned in the last posting, Tom's cousin (cugina) Patricia and her husband Brian were coming for a visit. They arrived in Venice and spent a couple of days roaming around one of Italy's must beautiful cities on the east coast. They then boarded a train to Rome to visit with us. They arrived on Monday late afternoon and the festivities began. We dropped their bags off at the apartment and then headed to Harry's Bar for an aperativo (a drink and a nosh).
The trip to Italy was in celebration of their 20th wedding Anniversary (actually in January) and they still act like newlyweds. Patricia and Brian are only 2-3 years younger than Tom & I butttttttttttt they have 10-20 times more energy (NRG)! Tom & I both attribute that to their 3 teenage daughters or the fact that they were on vacation without them (sorry girls). Still the level of energy was truly amazing!
First on the agenda was a marvelous anniversary dinner at Trattoria del Pantheon da Fortunato  right next to the Pantheon! We had a typical and wonderful Roman dinner, a little wine, and a lot of great conversation.

Happy 20th Anniversary!

...& the tour guides...lol

After dinner we took a little walk and continued catching up...
A few minutes later we arrived at the Trevi Fountain....yup...you got it...another photo-op!

And with the usual fanfare, Patricia & Brian tossed their coins in the fountain - insuring they would return within 2 years!

When we got home we booked tickets for Patricia & Brian to roam around the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica on Tuesday. I made a simple but pleasant Pesto Pasta dinner that evening and we heard about the adventures of their day! We also introduced them to the Aperol Spritz (our favorite Italian relaxation beverage) and 'My Wine Guys' homemade red wine.

Now we get up to one of the best days of the week...Wednesday. Tom took the day off and we headed to Orvieto and Castello della Sala Winery.  Orvieto is a city in the Province of Terni (in Southwestern Umbria). The site of the city is considered one of the most dramatic in Europe, rising above the almost-vertical faces of tuff cliffs (formed volcano rock) that are completed by defensive walls built of the same stone called Tufa. One of the cities most striking attractions is the Duomo or the Orvieto Cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin. Orvieto and the area is also very well known for its production of White Wine (the Orvieto Calssico). Let's take a look...

 Amazing...

Humongous...

& Deep...

The outside was stunning - the inside even better...

 

 

The most amazing...

...fresco's!

After searching the treasures of the Duomo we went to the attached museum - then it was time for lunch (and shopping, of course)!

Pranzo at Trattoria la Grotta

Brian & Patricia with the owner...
Thank you Fodors!











Now off to the winery for a private tour and tasting!

Welcome to Castello Della Sala

& the Welcome Tail-Wagon!

An inviting courtyard...

and the beginning of our tour...

...a little dusty but...

...I want one!

Happy 20th...

Salute! Patricia & Brian!

The four of us enjoying some wine...

The boys & our tour guide!










As we were leaving the winery, the sun was beginning to set on a lovely day of adventure, beauty, great food and even better wine!

 I have given you some of the high-lites now I will show you the blizzard of touring, shopping, drinking, talking and eating that was the rest of Patricia & Brian's stay.
We went to the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, St. Peter's Square, Piazza Novona, Piazza del Popolo, the Vittoriano, Via Condotta, a few more churches, dinner with some local friends and Shopping... I hope you enjoy as much as we did!

Shopping!

Villa Borghese

Piazza Novona



Piazza del Popolo...

...the dismount...

...from the Sphinx!

The Spanish Steps...

Piazza di Spagna...

Admiring Jimmy Choo's

Atop the Vittoriano...

St. Peter's Square...

A Birra in Piazza Novona

And because I had to save the best for last...
Patricia & Brian did something that no other guest to the BRS Europe had ever done...
You have to see it to believe it...

Yes...the Gladiator thing...

...Oh My...

Ok, as you can see we had 5 days of fun and run!
We would like to wish Patricia & Brian another Happy 20 years and another return to Italy soon!

Everything else is settling back into place and life returns to normal!
For this posting, I will leave y'all with the warmest wishes and lots of love!

Till next time...
Abbracci a tutti!
Ron & Tom