Off to Rome – from Charlotte today. We left Hilton Head around 8:30 and except for a little rain, had no problems arriving in Charlotte well before noon. Stopped for lunch on the way, then made it to the airport an hour an a half early for our 2:15 pm CBP Global Entry Interview. Oh well – we’re here, what the heck. They were very nice, took us in almost immediately, so we ended up interviewed, approved and done before 2:00! Lufthansa had just opened up the ticketing counter, so we were able to actually check in and drop our bags before taking the car back to the hotel to park. Worked like a charm! Except we still have 5 hours before our flight.
Oh well – we can hang at the airport – and hang we do. Not too bad a wait actually, we passed the time with drinks, internet and generally reading/waiting around. Boarded right on time, and the flight is empty. We’re guessing maybe 35% full – at the most! It was so empty, our flight attendant told us to move to the back cabin where we could each have a row of 4 seats and lay down to sleep! Pretty amazing. So the flight went well, food was good, service great (of course – with so few people how could it not?) Our attendant kept me in wine and water all night – not too shabby.
We had a huge tail wind, so we ended up arriving in Munich 1 hour early. 3 hour layover – where we discovered free coffee all through the terminal, courtesy of Lufthansa – thank you very much! We are liking this airline!
Flight to Rome was not so empty, but still, service was excellent. Just over 1 hour flight, and we got a sandwich (turkey salami and cheese, very good) and free booze if we wanted. So, all was well.
The only small glitch was in Rome where it took forever or the bags to come – but once in our hands, we walked out and found our limo driver waiting patiently for us. We had booked a shared transfer to Civitavecchia – but ended up just the 2 of us. 55 minutes to the hotel, whipping down the E80 through the rain, watching huge storm clouds over the water that we are very, very glad we missed in the air.
The Hotel Traghetto is a lovely little place, with warm and friendly greetings from Giuseppe on check in. We have requested (and received) room 402 which is a huge room with an equally huge terrace overlooking the port. We stow our gear and head out to the market to stock up on beer and wine, then come back to rest and relax a bit before dinner.
Unfortunately, during our resting, it starts to rain. Well, pour, actually. So the terrace is unusable. Sigh. And we’re a little worried about walking into the historic center of town for dinner in the deluge. There is a pizza restaurant right next door, but we’d really rather try the seafood here in this city by the sea!
We wait as long as possible to brave the weather, but we are prepared for every eventuality, and head out into the wet night. Even though Ed finds a puddle to thoroughly soak through one of his shoes, we safely mange to navigate the wet cobblestones to the historic center and find Ristorante Lo Stuzzichino, one of the restaurant’s recommended by Giuseppe.
An older woman is coming outside to smoke a cigarette when we first pass, looking at the menu. When we finally decide to come in, a cat greets us in the vestibule (well, looks up at us as we enter) and the waitress, slowly greets us and seats us in this incredibly decorated dining area with a view to the kitchen.
We’re it – the only customers! After a little tussle with the menus – the waitress doesn’t speak English that well – we figure out the wine – small bottle of Pecorino (no Pinot Grigio in little bottles) and a lemon beer for Ed. Then she gives us an English menu, but it doesn’t translate like the Italian…and…well….long story short – I don’t have time to really peruse the Italian menu, so I just wing it! What the heck, when in Rome….or at least within 50 KM of Rome…
Turns out the winging was great! Ed ordered the Antipasti, I ordered Tuna Tartare, but they were out of it. So I just shared Ed’s. The cold plate came out – and I totally forgot to take a picture of it! But a couple of different salad type items with shrimp, an octopus (that was fabulous) and a calamari salad – all excellent.
As we sit and chat, and munch on awesome crunchy bread, another couple comes in (English speaking, similar issue) so we help a little, at least with the wine! Then the waitress comes out with another plate of hot antipasti. I give her a quizzical look, thinking it’s not ours – turns out the antipasti had both cold and hot plates. Cool! So this course has some sort of stuffed clam shell, a fish cake type thing (that I took one look at and said, no, I’m not eating it), fried potato balls, a really good tomato based fish, and this awesome eggplant rolled around something and fried. So yummy!
Heck we’ve only had the apps and I’m getting full. Oh – just wait! The entrees were incredible. Ed ordered Pesce Cardozza – we didn’t understand Cardozza, but we translated roughly into mixed fish. Ok. I had the fried calamari and shrimp. The food! Ed’s was a masterpiece! An entire fish, plus mussels, prawns, and clams all bathed in an excellent wine and tomato sauce. All in a fried bread basket that Ed decides is the Harry Potter sorting hat for fish dishes! You’ll see below….
My calamari and shrimp paled by comparison, but it was still so very good. Light and crispy and perfectly done – with only lemon as an accompaniment. Definitely no need to destroy it with any dipping sauce!
What a great meal! And the price – we were astonished – the antipasti was an extremely reasonable 15 Euros. And the mains? Ed’s cornucopia of seafood was only 18 Euro. Roughly $20 US. Amazing. Mine was only 15 Euros. We walked out with a bill totally 64.50 Euros. Including service. Very good deal in our opinion!
Back at the hotel, we hang out and listen to the rain, which is slowly beginning to end. The terrace is too wet to sit out on, and the wind has picked up a bit, so it’s getting chilly. But we’re full and tired and we don’t mind just laying on the bed, reading until our eyes and tired bodies finally give out on us and we fall asleep blissfully in a real bed.
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