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Travel Seminars
Please click here for the flier or talk with the professors asap, kstjerna@Ltsg.edu and bschramm@Ltsg.edu or (717) 334 6286.
Dear friends and fellow travelers I have very good news to you all: we have a group ready to go to Rome. Thank you for those who have been faithfully waiting for this confirmation, and thank you for you newcomers. Based on the hot emailing around this trip right now, I expect several individuals joining us before its all said and done. (I am copying in this email a couple of individuals who have expressed strong interest in the trip). For some of you, this trip will be “just” fun, for some “fun and learning”, for some “spiritual formation”, for some “credits for multicultural requirements at the seminary” and for all, a trip of a lifetime, with good eating of course, and much learning and experiences that are hard to describe in words. (As a form of strong endorsement, some folks who went with us last year, would like to go again and are actually thinking about it!) Visiting Rome is very special – you could consider this your “first” but not last trip to Rome – Rome is a very enticing place, it draws people back, for many reasons, one being: there is so much to see, so many layers of history, such colorful memories of human history in people, buildings, paintings, pillars, papal office etc. Obviously I am biased. I visited Rome the first time in early 1980s and fell in love it entirely. I lived there a semester and have visited several times. I kind of consider Rome “mia citta”, my city. (As do most Finns, Finland owns a villa, Villa Lante, on the Gianicolum hill, overlooking Rome, a neat building that houses the Finnish embassy and rooms for researchers from Finland.) My husband has seen the light and is also a Rome-lover, and the best navigator of the Roman public transportation system. We are all in safe hands with him. We are eager to show you the famous side of Rome, the important ancient and medieval and Renaissance places, but we also want to show you the face of Rome that is often missed by tourists in large organized tours. We want you to be able to say after the trip: “I love this city, I know my way around here, I want to come back!” Some of you are traveling overseas very first time. Not to worry. We are traveling to “my continent”. Europe is very organized, safe, and wonderful. Just quite expensive right now, because of the euros rise in value. Good for Europeans, bad for Americans who used to be the wealthy travelers! We are committed to keeping the cost as down as is feasible, while some things are beyond our hands. When there, you are all in charge of your budget, there are no surprise costs – mainly meals, beverages, if you want to go to movies or opera, or if you want to buy the public transportation ticket (great deal, around $20 for a week, unlimited use), and perhaps money for tipping. (Less so in restaurants, more so for special services from our guides), and perhaps for sharing cab rides, or the train, to the airport (train is the cheapest and fun, recommended!) So this is the deal about price: when we planned this trip in 2007, euro was a little weaker. Now it is powerful. This means that, realistically and by no choice, the price for the land services, lodging, tours, breakfasts and the couple of pre-arranged meals has gone up. However, we were able to negotiate it so that it will be $2400 and no more. (Should the euro go down and dollar up, this would be reflected in your final invoice of course). This is actually good news. I was worred for the price to go up even more. Also, good news from the airfare department: if we get our tickets early, we can get good deals. Right now around $800-900 round trip which is marvelous. As said before, we can arrange the flights as suits you all: some of you want to make your own arrangements, use your frequent flier deals etc and just meet us there (I can help you with how to get to the hotel from the airport), or some of you want to travel with a friend, or some of you want to travel with me and Brooks. All these are options and we are here to help you with everything. I do flight bookings all the time (17 years traveling between two continents) and can smell good deals and do all this with you as needed. In other words, you have freedom if you need it or you can go with us. OK? Those of you staying longer or arriving earlier, we can help you secure logding. Notice, we will have tickets for the sites listed below. Also notice, there is no mandatory free time (no need to worry about being left alone), nor is there mandatory togetherness: sometimes people may want to skip an activity and sleep or do something else. This is a trip for adults, use of free choice is allowed (even for Lutherans!), while Brooks and I would like to know about your whereabouts. You need a valid passport, no visas. Regular vaccinations. Good shoes to walk. Sunscreen. For medical, Rome is a civilized place, good doctors and pharmacies. Packing… we’ll get to that later. Shopping opportunities galore. (Now, if anyone of you wishes to buy an over-sized crucifix as one of our travelers did last year – not mentioning any names but will share a picture with you all later – you need to warn me ahead of time and get a large enough luggage.) What else, how to prepare? Watch Italian movies, and get a nice book about Rome and its history. Students doing this for credit: we’ll plan that next semester and do the paper work. Later I may ask the travelers from previous trip to give you tips and highlights. I know people loved the trip to Ostia Antica and the papal audience and the visit to the Scavi, in search for the burial site of Peter. Here the proposed itinerary as it is now: M. Day 1 Participants can make their own flight arrangements to travel to Rome, OR, we can do this together, with Stjerna and Schramm, later more on this. T. Day 2 Paricipants meet at the hotel in Rome OR we pre-arrange rides to the hotel in groups. (Nobody is left alone.) Afternoon motorcoach transfer into the center of Rome for the purpose of an afternoon walking tour conducted by the client, visiting sites as the Pantheon, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, San Luigi dei Francesi, etc. Return transfer to the hotel. Welcome dinner at local restaurant or hotel W. Day 3 Breakfast. (Big!) This morning, transfer to St Peter’s Basilica to attend the Papal Audience. Afternoon guided visit to Roman Forum, Colosseum and Basilica of San Clemente. Return transfer by motorcoach to the hotel. Evening free. (This means, you can take a nap, go shopping, take an excursion with a friend or a smaller group, or go out with Stjerna and Schramm.)
Th. Day 4 Breakfast. Day excursion with local guide and motorocach to St. Paul Outside the Walls, the Catacombs of S. Sebastian and Ostian Antica with an opportunity at the end of the day to see the ocean at Ostia and dip feet into water. (Swimming?)
F. Day 5 Breakfast. Guided visit to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Afterwards, visit St. Peter’s. Afternoon at leisure. (As before with Free Time)
Sa. Day 6 Breakfast. Day at leisure, with 2 one-way motorcoach transfers for use as client needs. This means, we can decide as a group where we want to go!
Su. Day 7 Breakfast. Day excursion to Pompeii, Amalfi Coast and Montecassino. Include more extended visit to Pompeii (with good guide and entrance into some of the Villas). Enjoy a drive along the Amalfi Coast. Return via Montecassino for a guided visit to the monastery. On arrival in Rome - enjoy a pizza dinner.
M. Day 8 Breakfast. Day at leisure with 2 one-way motorcoach transfers for use as client needs= We can decide what we want to do – no shortage of things to do! Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
T. Day 9 Breakfast. To the airport and back to USA or whetever you might be wanting to go. Those staying longer, Arrivederci, Bye Bye. |
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