Monday, June 8, 2015

Day 2: Jetlag is no joke

         We had our first complimentary breakfast filled with croissants, lunchmeat and cheese, fruit, eggs, bacon, and lots of coffee! After breakfast we gathered in a meeting room connected to the hotel lobby for a guest speaker. Maria Chiara Picardi is a tourism marketing expert, and she gave us a presentation about the Tourism Industry in Italy. We were situated around a U-shaped table and given paper and pens to take notes. I learned a lot about Italy’s tourism that I didn't previously know. For instance, Italy is 5th in the world for tourism, and the third biggest in Europe. They refer to the most popular tourist destinations in Italy as “The Big 3”- Rome, Florence, and Venice. I knew Rome was definitely one of the most visited, but wasn't aware Florence was too, so i was excited that I was visiting 2 out of 3 of the most visited destinations. Maria also spoke about the Expo in Milan that was occurring during our stay in Italy. The Expo brought together more than 140 countries that will show the best of their technology, with a focus on nutrition and feeding the planet. After hearing her talk about it I wished we knew previously so we could have incorporated that into our itinerary. It was a one time Expo that may never happen again! Maria also spoke about how Italian tourism is managed, foreign demand vs Italian demand, and recent innovations in Tourism marketing.
        After the presentation we had about an hour lunch break. Some of us grabbed food around the corner from our hotel at a restaurant called L’Europeo that had outdoor seating. One of the coolest things about Italy is how many restaurants allow you to eat outside, right on the sidewalk! I ordered an antipasti dish, prosciutto and mozzarella,  because I was still a little full from breakfast, and didn't want to be too tired because we had another tour and speaker after lunch. With a nice glass of red wine, it was a great first lunch on our own. 




     
       With our stomachs full, we were ready to depart for the Parco della Musica. Parco della Musica is a beautiful music venue in Rome with three different theaters. We toured the venue, then were brought to a room for a presentation. Unfortunately, after already having one presentation and a lot of walking, jet lag was settling in, and it was hitting me hard. The room was warm, and the seats were a little too comfortable. I have never fallen asleep in any class Ive ever had, and I feel awful admitting that I struggled to stay awake during that presentation. Thankfully, I don’t think I was the only one struggling. I guess my only suggestion for future trips is to not have two presentations on the second day, where jet lag is usually the worst!





        We spent the rest of our day exploring more of Rome. We saw a lot of churches and shopping areas, and found the Pantheon. Later that night we looked for one of Luke Palladino’s suggested restuarants. I hadn't eaten since lunch, and my choice of a small meal was starting to seem like a bad decision. After a little while of searching, we found the restaurant on a small, quiet street. As is everything in Italy, it was a tiny restaurant, family owned and as authentic as they get. Just a mom and her daughter working, and they somehow squeezed all 14 of us in. It was our first real dinner, since the first night we sorta had Gelato for dinner, so it was hard to decide what to get! I ended up choosing veal meatballs, with a side of potato fries, and of course red wine. Overall, two presentations, a lot of walking, a lot of seeing, and jet lag sneaking into the picture, made day two the most exhausting day for me. 







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