But we made it and we boarded on-time and were off to Athens.  As we were flying Aegean Air this trip, all flights must stop in Athens.  It's sort of like in the U.S. if you fly Delta you have to make a stop in Atlanta.  As we had a little time here in the Athens Airport, we decided to do something new! Ha Ha!  We stopped for a café latte to fortify ourselves before heading through security again.  This time I made it through without any stops.  Tammy, of course, was stopped as she has had knee replacements.  But they checked Mike for bomb residue and also opened and pawed through the little red carry-on suitcase (one I bought in Limassol many years ago that is the perfect size to fit in the overhead).  As a result of them taking everything out of the suitcase I had to repack it once Mike got through the security gauntlet.  As most of us do, there is only one way that all of our "stuff" will fit securely in a suitcase--so if it is disturbed it takes some redoing to get it back in there.

We took off a few minutes early which is very strange, isn't it?  Usually when one rides an airplane these days the plane's departure is delayed.  Whoever heard of leaving on-time?  Once we were underway the flight attendants came by with food--this time it was cheese pie which wasn't too bad and a drink—I had Coke Zero and Mike had tomato juice.  We are not sitting together on this flight--Tammy is in 7D, I am in 7B, and Mike is in 8A.  It was a fairly quick flight to Athens and then we had a brief layover so that we could change planes for Rome.  Once again they brought us food--this time it is quinoa and vegetables, mini-bread stix, a cookie, and a small bottle of wine (white for me and Tammy and red for Mike).  Finally our flights were over and we landed at 5:25 p.m.  

Next up was to get our baggage and find the car and driver we reserved to take us to the hotel.  The baggage was very slow arriving--but one can't complain when it all does arrive.  Out we went into the main part of the airport and searched the lines of people holding a sign for the one for us.  Nope.  There was no one holding a sign with our names on it.  Hmmm.  What has happened?  I had my confirmation from them.  So finally I went to the information desk and asked where the car service was--they pointed further up the walkway.  So I went back and got Mike and Tammy and we began walking and searching for the car company.  Finally we found a very small window with a teensy sign--I don't know how anyone would find this unless they had directions.  What's with that?  We talked to the attendant and she said we should go to the coffee shop on the other side of the walkway and wait as our driver has had difficulty finding a parking space and would be there in about 10 minutes.  Apparently the directions they sent us and what they actually do are not the same thing!  While waiting I emailed a note of complaint to the company--not sure what good that will do but it did make me feel better.

Finally the driver arrived, took my larger suitcase, and took off with us rushing along behind him trying to keep up and not get lost as we go up and down escalators, in and out of doors, etc.  Finally he headed into the parking garage with us trailing along behind him.  So far I am really not impressed with this company.  After we return home I shall complain using social media as this is really a poor way to do business.  

But we did get to the car and we were off to our hotel.  Our driver was very grouchy and barely spoke to us.  I was surprised as I have used car services in Greece that I booked this way and the drivers were timely and friendly.  Not this dude!  And of course, riding in a car in Italy is scary!!!!  The drivers weave in and out of traffic--there were 2 lanes painted on the roads but there were 4 to 5 vehicles vying for those 2 lanes.  It was freaking crazy!!!  And they came SO close to the vehicle in front of them or beside them.  Wow!  I would never want to drive here (although we are learning some interesting words and hand gestures in Italian!).

Without delays we reached our hotel, Antico Palazza Rospigliosi, which is across the street from Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the four main basilicas in Rome.  We will want to visit this huge church tomorrow.  The hotel is an old hotel on the Via Liberiana.  It was the home of a Tuscan family in the 1500s, then of a Roman scholar in the 17th century who used it as a museum of antiquities, and then the home of the Rospigliosi family--Pope Clement the 9th's family--who used it as a social club with plays being performed here.   In 1769 it was sold to the founder of the Apostolic Missionary order and it became known as the Institute of the Imperiali Borromeo Missionaries.  In 1824 it was renamed by Pope Leo XII as the Institute for Spiritual Exercise where children were prepared for their first communion. The future Pope Pius XII was taught here--there is an unused rather large chapel still on the 3rd floor.  The hotel has numerous lovely rooms where one can sit and visit with friends.  It also has a lovely interior courtyard with plants, etc. where we can lounge and they will bring us drinks.  (Okay we can handle this type of life, for sure).  Another interesting fact is that it originally had only 3 floors including the ground floor and they added a 4th floor--at the bottom!  Can you imagine that?  Apparently in 1872 the whole area around Santa Maria Maggiore was lowered by 4 meters so they just added another floor. That must have been a major undertaking.  Anyway it is a fascinating place to stay that is in walking distance of the train station, restaurants, shops, etc.  

Once we put our luggage in our rooms (208 for us and 209 for Tammy) we went downstairs and asked about a place to eat dinner.  They directed us down the street and to the left.  There was a tiny little restaurant with sidewalk seating called La Mela Doro.  We decided to order wine to celebrate our safe arrival--a glass of Lambrusco for Tammy and house red for us.  Tammy ordered an Arancini (fancy name for a fried rice ball for those who haven't had them) and some Lasagna Bolognese, Mike had Pizza Stagioni which had meat on it (of course), and I had Pizza Funghi e Mozzarella (fancy name for a cheese and mushroom pizza).  The food was good and we were enjoying the cool weather and just being in Rome.  But it was late so we walked back to the hotel--uh oh! There was a gelato shop next door to us (and a teensy bakery next door to that--this could be deadly!!).  Anyway we decided to get a single scoop of gelato!  Wow!  Was it ever good!  Now to our rooms as we were exhausted and ready to begin our Roman Holiday.