Last call for pilgrims!!

Evening in Assisi

Next week, Catholic Travel Centre will be buying the tickets, so I have been told that August 3rd is the absolute deadline to sign up for this pilgrimage. And since our travel company is in California, I'm saying that getting the registration in Saturday morning's mail is a necessity.

The good news: we have 25 people signed up. But we'd really, really would like 30. If you are already signed up, I invite you to invite some friends to think (briefly) about joining you on this adventure. They can read the itinerary and print the registration form from the link to the left, and contact me with any questions.

Grazie! (Thank you!)

Airline Miles

We will be flying to Rome (through Philly) on US Airways. It is a member of the "Star Alliance" frequent flyer program family, which also includes United and Continental, among other international companies. If you are already a member of one of these programs, you can just give your member number at check-in at RDU to get credit for the miles.

If you are not yet a member and would like to join up, here is a link to join US Airways Dividend Miles program. The process just took me all of about 3 minutes to complete. Remember to enter your name as it appears on your license/passport/official ID .... air travel security these days is all about precision, as far as your name goes! At the end of the process you can print out a paper copy of a membership card.

Shoes (scarpe)

So, it's just over 15 weeks until we leave for Italy. Have you thought about your shoes? During our trip we'll be doing a good bit of walking, and while they may be fashionable, I would not recommend that you wear anything like this:

OUCH!

Of course you could wear them to dinner, but do you really want to take up that space in your luggage?


Here's the (minor, very minor) dilemma: Italians- men and women - tend to dress very well,

and we American tourists... well, don't:

White Sneakers= American tourist

Oh, excuse me, I got off track there.

SHOES.

Look, no one's ever accused me of being a fashion goddess. But I do know that if my feet hurt, I'm miserable. So, I've already started trying out good and faithful walking shoes, to see which one(s) will make the trip, and keep me a happy pilgrim. And oh, the considerations.... which will give good support, but not be too heavy, too clunky, or just too hard to get on and off in airport security?

{Since we're going in November, I'm not that concerned about having sandals... it'll probably be about 70 degrees during the day.... no need for extra ventilation! But I do want shoes that'll do well if we run into rain showers/puddles.}

So, I know our trip seems like a long way off, but let me encourage you to give a little thought to your footwear. Walk around for a mile or more (or wear the candidates all day on an active day) to be sure they feel good and are in good shape and don't tire you out (I had an old pair nearly disintegrate on the streets of Chicago once. But I digress.). And if you decide you need/want to buy a new pair, now is the time to break them in (don't let Day 2 of the Pilgrimage be your first time walking in them, or I predict Day 3 will find you grumpy.) (And if white sneakers fulfill all your criteria for good footwear, so be it! Just don't be surprised if they hand you the tourist menu when you stop for lunch! Seriously: well-fitting shoes trump 'fashion' on any day that involves lots of steps.)

Take the stairs (scala, le scale)

Here's the trip tip for today...  between now and November, if you have the choice to take the stairs...

... go ahead and climb them!

 That way, when you see the 138 Spanish Steps in Rome,
you'll laugh as you quickly ascend to take in the view from the top!

Are YOU registered yet?

He's checking the trip roster, making sure that your name is on it!

photo courtesy of Barbara Rusin

• If you're planning on going on the pilgrimage but have not yet registered, you have until July 25 to postmark your registration on its way to Catholic Travel Centre in California. 
• Need the registration form? You can download it in PDF version by clicking the "Pilgrimage Itinerary and Info" link to the left.
• Can't open the PDF? Please contact Cathy and she'll mail you a copy!

Passport (Passaporto)

If you are going on this pilgrimage and don't already have your passport... please, please, please apply for one this week! You can get passport photos taken at the local drug stores (Walgreens advertised them for $9.99 in today's paper), or if you happen to be a AAA member, here's what their website says:

U.S. Passports and ID Photos
Have your picture taken at any AAA branch office. A minimal fee applies for Basic members. Plus, Plus/RV, and Premier members get free photos for U.S. passport/ identification at any AAA Carolinas Branch Office. Four (4) sets are allowed per membership year. Passport applications are available at your local AAA office but must be processed at the United States Post Office. For more information on passport processing, please visit USPS.com/Passport.

Please note that there is a link to the government passport website to the left of this post.

Good news! (Una Buona Notizia!)

I received an email today from the Ufficio Scavi confirming our tour times for the Scavi excavations under St. Peter's! They only allow 200 people to go through a tour each day, so it's great to hear that we will get to be counted among the lucky ones on November 9!

You can take a video tour, after a brief video introduction by clicking here. Navigating through the areas takes a little practice-- your mouse can get you looking in all directions! (Click on a red key or arrow to enter a room, and find the blinking white arrow to move to the next section.) 

Please note: if you really have claustrophobia, the tour is not that tight, but it does take you underground and a few hallways are a little narrow. If you know already that you could not handle an enclosed space, please let me know, so that we can reduce the number of tour tickets we purchase.

Benvenuto! (Welcome!)

I'm not sure why I didn't think of this earlier.

We've got a grand adventure in the works, and finally we've got a central place to communicate information, have you post questions or comments, and then- during our pilgrimage- give our family and friends back home a taste of our experiences!

If you have already sent in your deposit for the November 3-12 "Spiritual Journey to Italy", wonderful! Fr. David Fitzgerald, S.A. and I (Cathy Rusin) are really looking forward to accompanying you on this pilgrimage. Now, while it IS a parish coordinated pilgrimage, you don't need to be a parishioner at St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church in Apex, NC to participate.

At the Hermitage, above Assisi

If you are considering joining the group, you can get more information by clicking on this link, and a pdf version of our brochure will pop up. You'll see our itinerary, find all the pricing, terms and conditions and the registration form.  If you have any questions at all about the trip, please contact me- you can find my phone and email on the left side of this blog.