Gelato

Yep. We love our gelato! At least once...if not twice a day... It's not ice cream...it's just yummy goodness...in a cone or cup...in a restaurant or on the corner...all flavors from Pistachio to Stracciatella to Chocolate to Mango to Snickers...we tried it all...and loved every bit of it!
If only we could have brought it home with us...sigh...

Day 17: Home we go!

Well, it was quite the journey to get home.  Our original flights were on Delta, Rome-Amsterdam-Detroit-Moline. But, 13 hrs before we were to depart, I got a notification from EF that we were being re-routed.  Apparently, a month+ ago there was a fire in Terminal 3 in Rome, disrupting many flights...and it still is.  So, Delta was proactive and re-routed us on United, straight shot from Rome to Chicago, then Chicago to Moline.  Woo hoo!!  Sadly, we had 3 flights home from Chicago as no plane was going to have 20 available seats.  So, off to the airport Thursday we go. I park the kids and go deal with seat assignments with Delta for a few hours.  After dealing with them, we go to get in line for our United flight only to find out it's delayed...go figure!  So, back to our home base go the kids and I head to the United desk...flight delayed 2+ hrs.  So, we move people from 1 flight to the later flight, so now we'll be on 2 flights from Chicago to Moline...better!
We finally get the green light to check in...but stand in line just to check our passports and ask security questions.  Then, we stand in line to check-in, then security, a bus to the terminal, but as we were delayed, the airlines comped us free lunch. :)  Needless to say, it was a looooooong morning at the Rome airport.
Bonus came on the plane as we were all seated in Economy Plus seats!!!  Wooo Hoo!!
Arrive in Chicago - go through all the passport/customs fun, and off to the terminals we go.  I sent the first flight departers off to their G Gate as the rest of us headed to the C concourse.  Long security lines...gotta love O'Hare...and we pop out on the B concourse, ready to head to C, when I look at the board and our 9:07 flight is delayed until 11:43.  Grrr....  In my brain, I'm thinking it's not going to go - the pilots will time out...great!  So, I grab all the tickets, park the kids, and head for customer service.  Wait...wait in more lines (story of my life)...and just as I get to the front of the line, my United App buzzes and our flight's been canceled.  Luckily the other flight took off - about 10 min late, but better results than ours.  The next agent tells me they can get us on a flight Friday...but not til 9pm...and some have to go Sat a.m.  No thanks.  Quick phone call to EF and off to Enterprise we go!  A van and 2 cars later, we're off to Iowa.  Course we hit bumper-to-bumper traffic, 30 miles of one-lane construction traffic, and then an overturned semi caused dead-stop traffic on 88.  Just missing the deer in the backseat and we're Tommy Boy.  Kids all delivered and home we go!
Luggage supposed to arrive on Friday on the first flight, arriving at 10...course it arrives 1.5 hrs late... you're killing me, O'Hare! But, luckily all the luggage arrived and we delivered it to the HS, safe & sound.  Phew...

Thanks Rome airport, Delta, United, and O'Hare for a last few priceless memories on Trip #20!

Chillin' in Rome...might as well play some cards!

Arrivederci Europe!  Thanks for the memories!

The fun car, loaded and heading West!