Meet The Buffalo Girls!

Gale - That's me, the creator of this site and the trip planner.  Even though we never traveled together before this, I could not imagine a better group to travel with than these 4 beautiful, fun, talented and amazing women!

Jo Ann - She is a nurse living in Detroit, Michigan.  She is married to Paul and has 2 amazing daughters (Tracey & Kelly) and 2 beautiful granddaughters.  She was born and raised in Buffalo and still has many family and friends here, including me - her sister-in-law. 

Kelly - Jo Ann's daughter and my niece, also born and raised in Buffalo but living in Michigan.  She is married to Adam and they are the parents of Jo Ann's grandchildren, Maggie and Teagan.

JoMarie - A nurse living in Buffalo, New York.  She is the mother of the late Frankie who is always near and dear to her heart.   She is an amazing cook and an excellent baker.

Jessie - JoMarie's mother, and a true Sicilian!  She is the life of the party and creates a fun and lively atmosphere wherever she goes.  

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Siamo Arrivate! We Have Arrived!

DAY 1:  Friday, May 18th:  There's something about Rome - this ancient, historic city that is as new and exciting as it was 2000 years ago!  We arrived at the Albergo Cesari Hotel, a beautiful hotel located in the historic center of Rome, where they welcomed us with open arms and told us breakfast was waiting for us on the rooftop terrace.  An Italian breakfast buffet and a hot cup of cappuccino was just what we needed after the long overnight flight from the states. 

After settling in, we met our tour guide Annie Ojile from Rome and Tuscany Tours (referred by Megan from Bella Vita Italia) in the lobby of our hotel for our 3-hour walking tour of the classic sights of Rome - a perfect start to our vacation as we visited many of the wonders that Rome has to offer - the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and the beautiful fountains in the Piazza Navona.  I would recommend this tour for anyone when they first arrive in Rome - not only do you see the major sights in a fun, entertaining way but it's a great way to orient yourself to the City.  I would also highly recommend Annie as your tour guide - she's young, energetic, extremely knowledgeable and fun to be with!

During our tour Annie took us to one of Rome's most famous coffee houses and taught us how to "slam" an espresso. Later she showed us some of Rome's most famous gelaterias and thus began our love affair with gelato and a quest to find the best gelato in Italy! 
We returned to our hotel and since we already decided our first night would be an early one after our long travel day, we took a leisurely stroll and explored the Piazza di Pietra - the lively piazza outside our hotel filled with shops, cafes, restaurants, and the ancient remains of Hadrian's Temple.  Our hotel room looked out onto the piazza and we felt like real italians everytime we flung open our shutters to look out at the ancient ruins and lively atmosphere in our beautiful piazza.  After a long day of travel and sightseeing, we fell asleep listening to the enchanting sounds of Rome below us. 

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Roman Adventures

DAY 2:  Saturday, May 19th:  Today we enjoyed an early morning breakfast on our hotel's rooftop terrace before leaving for our scheduled tours.  It was a great start to a beautiful day!

JoAnn, Kelly, JoMarie & Jessie scheduled an In-Depth tour of the Vatican to include the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica.  Since I had already done this on a previous visit, I had my own plans to take "A Real Taste of Rome Tour" in the Testaccio region of Rome.  We all started out early with plans to meet around dinner time.  I was feeling very adventurous going off on my own in a taxi to a strange neighborhood to meet a group of strangers for a tour, but I was very excited.  The tour started at a local market with endless displays of picture-perfect cheeses, tomatoes, olives, meats, vegetables and fresh fish, and ended at a famous gelateria where the owners have the right to veto your flavor choice!  The tour was a mix of food tastings and cultural experiences and was a perfect way to spend the day.  I highly recommend this tour for anyone who has some extra time and wants to do something a little different while in Rome.  One of my favorite food stops was at Barberini, a famous pastry shop where I sampled a delicious tiramisu in a chocolate cup. 

While I was eating my way through the neighborhoods of Rome, my fellow Buffalo Girls were enjoying their tour of the Vatican. 

When we all returned from our tours we wanted a light dinner so we found an outdoor cafe in the Piazza del Pantheon where we had a great meal while watching all the activity in and around the piazza.  It was a true Roman experience that we all enjoyed very much!

Later that night we finally discovered what we all agreed was the best gelato in Rome.  We didn't know it yet, but nothing else throughout the rest of our trip would compare to the gelato we had at Giolitti's. 

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No Bread, No Cheese, No Boots!

DAY 3:  Sunday, May 20th:  There were no planned activities for today so everyone decided to do their own thing in the morning with plans to meet around lunchtime.  Since this was Jo Ann's and Kelly's first time in Rome, they decided to visit the Colosseum and Roman Forum.  It was an easy walk from our hotel, so I told them I would show them the way.  What an unexpected surprise when on our way there we came across a marathon - hundreds of italians taking part in a Sunday morning run along the roman ruins and around the Colosseum being cheered on by their family and friends.  It was an unbelievable sight and we felt so fortunate to be able to witness it and share the morning with the roman locals.
 

Early in the afternoon we all met in the little cafe across from our hotel and had some pastries and coffee while deciding what to do with the remainder of the day.  It was beginning to rain lightly, but I still had one thing left on my "Rome Bucket List" and I was determined to put my hand in the Bocca della Verita - the Mouth of Truth - featured in the movie "Roman Holiday" with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, and later re-created by Marisa Tomei and Robert Downing Jr. in "Only You".  Everyone decided they wanted to come along, so we hopped in a taxi and were on our way.  Oh, wait... did I forget to mention that we left in a taxi after our hotel manager and the taxi driver got into a big fight because of us.  Long story.  I'll save it for another time. 

Click Here for Audrey Hepburn & Gregory Peck at the Mouth of Truth

After we spent some time at the Mouth of Truth and bought some gifts in the church's gift shop, we crossed the river to visit the Trastevere (literally, "across the river") area of Rome - a bohemian neighborhood away from the crowds and tourists with cobblestone streets and family-run trattorias lining picturesque squares. 

It was still raining lightly, so we purchased some umbrellas that seemed to magically appear on every street corner and headed to the Piazza di Santa Maria. 

As soon as we reached the Piazza, the rain started to come down more heavily so we found an outdoor cafe that was completely sheltered from the rain.  We were ready for lunch, so we found some seats facing the deserted piazza with its beautiful church and large central fountain and we watched the rain continue to pour down. 

What happened next was one of those "you had to be there" moments as we unsuccessfully tried to order our food.  Apparently italian waiters think they know what you want more than you do.  After we each placed our order, Jo Ann asked for bread.  The Italian "Soup Nazi" looked at her and said, "No bread for you!" and he left and went back inside.  We all burst out laughing, and when he returned, Jo Ann asked again for bread and he said, "No!  You ordered pasta, no bread for you.  It's not nice."  But Jo Ann insisted and said, "I'm American, and I like bread with my pasta".  He just looked at her then left and came back a little later with a basket of bread and begrudgingly plopped it onto the center of the table.  Jo Ann took her chances and decided to ask for butter, but he apparently chose to completely ignore her since we never got any.  When the food arrived - fettucini with porcini mushrooms for Jo Ann, fish for Kelly, pasta dishes with red sauce for JoMarie and Jessie, and eggplant for me - Jo Ann bravely asked for some parmesan cheese, and he said, "You have porcini.  No cheese for you!" and again left the table.  By this time we were laughing so hard that we thought it couldn't get any funnier until the waiter returned with a bowl full of freshly grated parmesan and he walked around the table ceremoniously dishing out cheese to only those he felt worthy of it... "no cheese for you, no cheese for you, cheese for you, cheese for you" as he generously sprinkled cheese on the lucky ones then left with the dish as quickly as he appeared with it.  Like I said, you had to be there to really appreciate the humor of it, but we laughed about it for the remainder of our trip! 

So, as we sat there in the restaurant watching the rain come steadily down into the empty piazza, we suddenly heard drum beats and music and voices and before we knew it around the corner came a marching band, dancers, drummers, musicians, and street performers including a juggler and a belly-dancer! One minute the piazza was empty, and the next minute it was filled with fun and laughter and a lively and vibrant atmosphere!  One of the waiters told us it was all in protest of yesterday's school bombing that was being linked to the Mafia.  Our quiet little piazza was suddenly filled with people and excitement and we sat back and enjoyed the show!

After a while we left the restaurant and walked along the cobblestone streets and quaint alleyways stopping in some shops along the way until we came to a beautiful little shop with italian shoes and purses.  It was a small shop but we all stepped in to look at the colorful array of items and knew we weren't in a tourist shop - this was the real thing!  Kelly immediately spotted a gorgeous pair of italian boots and she fell instantly in love!  The leather was amazing, and the style was perfect for her.  She was admiring them and had just decided to buy them when we suddenly heard a ruckus at the front of the store - two italians in a heated argument!  And one of them was Jessie!!!  The other was the shop owner - an older italian man who for some reason did not like the way Jessie was handling one of his purses.  They created quite a scene as they yelled at each other with hands flying everywhere and called each other every italian swear word known to man!  It was like a scene from a movie, and our Jessie had the starring role!  But we soon realized we were all getting kicked out of the store, and we ran out as quickly as we could running and laughing all the way down the street.  But...poor Kelly...No boots for her! 

So, even though our last day in Rome was a rainy one, it turned out to be a fun, memorable day filled with laughter, fun, food, no bread, no cheese and no boots!  And it was a day that could only be made better with one more gelato!

Arrivederci la bella Roma - We will return!  And we have the photos from the Trevi Fountain to prove it:

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Arrivederci Roma, Ciao Amalfi!

DAY 4:  Monday, May 21st:  Today we were leaving for the Amalfi Coast, so early in the morning our Private Driver, Domenico, picked us up at our hotel in Rome to take us for the three hour ride to the town of Amalfi with a tour of the Amalfi Coast along the way.  Domenico worked for Francesco Marrapese Tours and was handsome and funny and spoke perfect English that was self-taught.  We were in good hands as he drove us away from Rome and along the curves and cliffs of the Amalfi Coast. 

We drove to Ravello, a picturesque town high above the coast, then stopped for lunch in Pontone, a small hill town above Amalfi.  We sat in the covered outdoor area with panoramic views of the surrounding hills and valleys and the Mediterranean far below. 

We all ordered the "Tasting Lunch" which started with a sparkling glass of prosecco wine followed by several regional dishes and ended with a couple of limoncellos for each of us.   We finished lunch then continued on our way to the town of Amalfi and the Marina Riviera Hotel, our home for the next few days (the big white building in the center in the photo below):

I can't say enough about this hotel, an old noble villa that has been in the Gargano family for many years and has been tastefully renovated into a beautiful hotel.  The location was perfect, the rooms were so pretty, the service was excellent, and the owners - Antonio and Giusi - were so gracious and charming.  All rooms have a sea view and ours had a beautiful balcony overlooking the harbor and the town of Amalfi.

We knew we were in good hands from the moment we arrived and found a pair of slippers waiting for each of us in our rooms.  I couldn't resist taking my usual "feet" picture that I take everytime I see a pretty tile floor in Italy.

We loved our slippers, and the first night before going to bed Jo Ann and I decided to see if we could find the recently installed pool up on the rooftop terrace.  Since it was late we thought no one would see us so we left our room wearing our slippers.  We walked into the lobby and saw an older woman sitting on the couch.  We told her we were looking for the pool.  She said it was closed but said maybe she could find the key, and left.  We didn't want to get anyone in trouble so Jo Ann asked the desk clerk if it was ok if that woman went to get the key.  And the clerk responded - that woman is the owner of this hotel!  The next thing we knew, we were being given a tour of the hotel by the distinguished hotel owner and the whole time Jo Ann and I were in our slippers!


We found out that Giusi and her husband Antonio ran the hotel along with their beautiful 5-star sister hotel, the Santa Caterina, which was located a short distance away.  Antonio did all the cooking, and each morning we would see him at breakfast, and each evening he'd still be in the kitchen cooking dinners and preparing for the next morning's breakfast, which was served each day in a beautiful room with terraces overlooking the sea.  It was one of the best breakfasts we had in Italy with a huge buffet of hot and cold foods, seasonal specialties, eggs cooked to order, and delicious homemade pastries.  Antonio and Giusi were a gracious, charming and hard-working couple and we enjoyed getting to know them and spending time in their beautiful hotel.  We wanted a light dinner one evening and even though their restaurant is in a nearby location, they offer light meals at the hotel in the early evening.  Our waiter was so charming, and at the end of the meal he brought us out a huge bowl of fresh-picked cherries and said, "Compliments of Antonio".  It was just one of the many small things that made this hotel exceptional.

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The Sweetness of Doing Nothing!

DAYS 4 - 7:  Monday - Thursday (May 21st -May 24th):  Italians have a saying for their lifestyle in southern Italy - Il Dolce Far Niente - The Sweetness of Doing Nothing!  After the chaos and fast pace of Rome, Amalfi was a welcome change.  We spent the next few days exploring the towns and the villages along the coast and touring the area.  The town of Amalfi itself was small and walkable so we enjoyed shopping and walking around the picturesque streets and piazzas.  The Duomo was in the center of town and it was relaxing to sit on the steps and eat gelato while watching the world go by.  Check out Jo Ann and Kelly in the photo below.  I think they're doing...Nothing!

We had plans to go to Positano to take a boat tour with "The Old Man and the Sea" but the weather wasn't cooperating, and the sea was a little rough and all boat and ferry rides along the Amalfi Coast were cancelled. So we hopped on a bus to Sorrento, had a nice lunch, and spent a few hours touring and shopping before returning to Amalfi.

Before dinner Jessie & JoMarie were sitting in the hotel dining room enjoying the Sweetness of Doing Nothing.  Were they a little homesick for Marla?  No!  Were they missing Tony, Kellie and the boys?  No!  Were they thinking of their little puppy back home?  No!  So, what were they thinking about and missing - Il Volo!!!  They were suffering from withdrawal of not being able to listen to their music and  the sweet sounds of their voices.  Jo Ann to the rescue!  She just happened to have her iPod with some Il Volo music, and soon they were as happy as could be singing to their heart's content for everyone to hear!

Later that night at the advice from our hotel, we went in search of the Piazza di Dogi to find a restaurant that they recommended, L'Abside Restaurant & Wine Bar.  We suddenly felt as though we were in a different world when we found ourselves in a quiet little piazza with a little gem of a restaurant away from the tourists and the main part of town.  We were checking out the menu posted on the outside of the restaurant deciding whether or not we wanted to eat there when a young girl came out and asked if we wanted to be seated inside or outside and added,  - "My Mama, she's in the kitchen and she just made some eggplant."  Well, I was sold!  We sat outside in what we later referred to as "our own little piazza" and had a wonderful meal cooked by the girl's mother and served by her handsome brother. 

By now we had already found out that Italian men are very charming, but when the brother came out at the end of our meal with some complimentary glasses of limoncello and said in his enchanting italian accent - "Compliments for my Sex in the City Girls", we were all charmed!  It was now our new favorite restaurant!

JoMarie's Dessert

The next day even though the sea looked calm, all boat and ferry rides were still cancelled.  But we heard there were ferries leaving out of Positano and since we had to go there anyway to pick up our deposit from the cancelled boat tour we decided to get on a bus to Positano to see if we would be able to get a ferry to the Isle of Capri.  The bus ride was crazy as we drove along the narrow, twisting cliff-hugging road along the Amalfi Coast to the beautiful town of Positano, picking up passengers along the way into the already overcrowed bus.  But it was all worth it once we got to Positano. 

We walked through the beautiful town with its picturesque houses seeming to cling along the side of the cliffs and cascading down to the sea.  We found the pier and bought our tickets for Capri.  Then we got in line to board the ferry, and what we saw next was enough to make us want to turn around and run back to the bus!  We finally understood why all other boats and ferries were cancelled as we watched the waves crashing against the side of the boat as the gangway repeatedly flung into the air and came crashing back down onto the pier.  We watched in amazement as the boat was rocking from side to side and the gangplank was flying through the air, and the people in front of us were getting sprayed with crashing waves as the crew in their bright yellow slickers were trying to help them to board the ship.  It was finally our turn to board and I watched as Jessie approached the ship just as a big spray of water splashed across her and the boat tipped dangerously to the side and the gangplank went flying up in the air and one of the crew members yelled, RUN!  So she ran!  Then someone else yelled, JUMP!  So she jumped - and as she jumped two of the crew members grabbed ahold of her under her arms and flung her high up into the air and propelled her across the crashing sea onto the flapping gangplank - and all the while she somehow managed to continuously make the sign of the cross and hold her hands in prayer!!!  We had no time to think as we all followed suit, and it wasn't until later that we laughed so hard at the sight we all must have made and we wished we had been able to take more photos!

Kelly and I were the last to board, and by the time we got on the boat Jessie was still praying!  It still makes me laugh just thinking about it!

The boat carried us safely to Capri and we spent a few hours touring the island, visiting the beautiful shops, and eating lunch in an outdoor cafe before it was time to head back to Positano to catch the bus. 

We got back to Amalfi towards evening, and since this was our last night in Amalfi before leaving the next morning for Sicily (and Kelly was returning home to the States) we went to our favorite restaurant in our little piazza and enjoyed another great meal.  Later that night in our hotel room as we were getting ready for bed, Jo Ann, Kelly and I suddenly decided to go for one last walk in Amalfi, so we left the hotel and headed toward town.  It was late and getting dark, but we walked through the town then kept on walking until we found the ancient Paper Mill that Kelly was so insistent on seeing (admit it, Kelly!).  But then we kept on walking and walking - higher and higher along narrow paths and lanes until we realized we were way above the town.  The town seemed so far below us, but we kept walking because there were so many interesting things to see.  We were surrounded by ancient homes, caves, farms, and fragrant lemon groves with lemons bigger and more beautiful than we'd ever seen.  We eventually decided we should go back before we got lost.  We returned to our hotel late at night and we decided it had been a perfect way to end our last evening in Amalfi. 

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Sicily, Home of our Ancestors

DAY 7:  Thursday, May 24th:  This morning Jo Ann and I got up early because Kelly was leaving to fly back home.  But first Kelly had to get to Naples to take the train back to Rome, so one of Francesco's drivers, Gianluca, was coming to get her at 5:30 a.m.  So, early in the morning we walked Kelly out to his car, and since Jo Ann was a little nervous sending Kelly off on her own she told Gianluca - take care of my baby!  And Gianluca said, "But I'm the baby in my family too!" and off they went as we anxiously watched and waved as the two babies sped away towards Naples in the early morning hours.  Gianluca was returning at 9:00 a.m. to take us to the Naples airport, so Jo Ann and I wasted no time and decided to get dressed and visit the Duomo, Amalfi's beautiful cathedral, which we had walked past dozens of times but had not yet visited. 

We climbed the long stairs and entered through the Cloisters with their beautiful roman antiquities and the Crypt of St. Andrew, then continued into the adjoining 9th Century Basilica.  Then we entered the stunnning cathedral with its Baroque interior glowing with bronze and silver.  We were in awe, and it felt so serene and peaceful.  We were so moved and felt so spiritual that we knew we couldn't leave without first lighting a candle for JoMarie's son, Frankie.

But... it was getting late and we had to get back to our hotel where Gianluca would be waiting to take us to the Naples airport.  So we hurried down the long flight of stairs and sped back to the hotel.  We were going to Sicily!  The land of beauty and the home of our ancestors!

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Our Sicilian Family from Caccamo!

CLICK HERE TO START AT THE BEGINNING POST:  Meet the Buffalo Girls!

DAY 7:  Thursday, May 24th:  Our flight from Naples left at 2:00 in the afternoon and within less than an hour we had arrived in Palermo! 

Before I go on, I need to flashback to last December when Jo Ann's mother (my mother-in-law), Celia Dolores Zaranti, was researching her family tree with her daughter Laurie.  They knew their grandfather came from Caccamo, Sicily, but they didn't know any of their relatives, and they weren't even sure if any of them still lived there.  So I wrote some letters in Italian to everybody with the same last name in the town of Caccamo and almost immediately I received an email response from Silia, whose husband Pino was a relative! That started a phone and email communication with her family and ours, and soon their oldest son Roberto came to Buffalo to visit!  Sadly, none of us knew then that Celia would pass away by the following March, but she had a chance to meet and spend some time with Roberto, and had some great phone conversations with Silia in Sicily.  What a beautiful family they are, and now here we were, in Sicily, and we were about to meet the Zarauti Family from Caccamo!

We arrived at the Palermo airport about 3:00 in the afternoon, and Silia and her second son, Sergio, were waiting for us.  There were 4 of us with all our luggage, but somehow we all managed to fit everything into their 2 small cars and Silia joked that Jessie's luggage was bigger than her car!

Silia was as charming and beautiful as we thought she would be, and in fact it wasn't until after we had left Sicily that Jessie and JoMarie were shocked to find out that this was actually the first time Jo Ann and I met Silia - we all got along so well together and had so much fun together that the whole time we were there they thought we already knew each other.  They never realized that none of us had ever met until that day when she picked us all up at the airport. 

On the way to Caccamo we stopped at a small coffee shop that offered pizza, panini, pastries and gelato and Silia treated us all to a delicious afternoon meal of the variety of foods offered.  It was a great start to our first visit to Sicily!

After we enjoyed our meal, Silia and Sergio took us and all our luggage to the apartment that we rented in the center of Caccamo.  It was a perfect location and had a balcony overlooking the town.  Silia said she'd be back in a few hours to take us to dinner at her house, so we unpacked, settled in, then took a quick walk to explore the town before getting picked up for dinner.  I even had a chance to take one of my now famous "foot pictures" on the ancient stone streets of Caccamo.

We spent the evening with Silia and her husband Pino and enjoyed a beautiful dinner that they prepared for us.  The grilled eggplant was the best I had ever eaten (must get the recipe!), and I will be dreaming of Silia's home- baked bread (homemade in her wood burning oven at their country home) filled with a ricotta stuffing for the rest of my life!

Pino left soon after dinner but he came back shortly afterwards with a platter full of mini gelato cones dipped in chocolate!  Delizioso!

It was an enjoyable evening, but soon it was time to go since we had a busy day planned for the next day.  So Silia took us back to our apartment and taught us all how to light the stove and make espresso in a small pot just like the one I still have from my grandmother.  Then it was time for bed since tomorrow we had another full day planned starting with an early morning visit to the market in Termini.



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