There's Nothing in Fiumicino . . .

Writing My Blog On the Balcony

When we told our friendly Italian Tour guide Gio, that on our way home we were going to spend two nights in Fiumicino, he put his beer down and with a puzzled look on his face said, "Why would you do that? There's nothing in Fiumicino!".

And Yes there was a rooftop pool

Like Glasgow, Scotland which although warned off by everyone, we managed to spend four completely entertaining days exploring, I am afraid that although he is a great tour guide, Gio was wrong on this one. Fiumicino is fabulous.

Our Hotel in Fiumicino

Headed out to sea

On the Beach

The first thing Fiumicino has going for it is that it is a seaport on the mouth of the Tibet River, and as. much as we enjoyed Lecce, this is our first extended vacation where we could not look out and see water, and being from Nova Scotia, we missed a view of the water. As I write this, I sit on our second story balcony looking out onto the Tiber River as it flows into the sea. It is Sunday, so the fishing fleet is tied up along the wharf across the road. Instead of fishing related activity, the locals and us tourists are strolling in the sunshine, and the street vendors are out in force.

Yes there was seafood

We spent the morning wandering along the waterfront streets, and exploring the town. Of course, the seafood is excellent here, and unlike Lecce, where we twice ate in restaurants completely alone, here, the spot we chose was packed, and people were arguing over seats, and the restaurant next door had a long line-up at 1:00 for lunch.

So, whatever you do, DO NOT visit Fiumicino - there is nothing there.

OMG The Food

No Go Once More

We should have purchased our train tickets in advance, because when we got to the station this morning, the early trains were completely booked, and the earliest we could catch a train was at 4:06 pm. Not a big deal, it just meant we had additional time to explore Rome rather than Bari. We had spent four days in Rome previously, so we thought we might go see the Coliseum which we did not see on the last trip. However, once more, the line-ups were miles long, and we just did not feel like spending our morning standing in a line. 

Great Italian Food

Instead we decided to walk around, and find the restaurant suggested by the host at the Dreamstation (our hotel), and sample some more delicious Italian food. Last night we found the place too late, and had to enjoy a meal across the street. So, instead of reading about a tumble-down Roman ruin, you get to hear about some of the amazing Italian food we have found. 

Beer in a wine glass - an Italian thing?

Last night I had spaghetti, but it was unlike any spaghetti I have ever had. This was sea bream fish with tomato and zucchini in a light sauce. I do not know what they call sea bream on our side of the Atlantic, because I have never seen it available in the stores, but it was one of my favourite fish when we visited Portugal. I was not expecting to see it mixed with pasta however, but my adventurous side prevailed and I ordered it. Absolutely amazing; the best pasta dish I have had in a long time. Little chunks of the fish, mixed with halved cherry tomatoes and shredded zucchini. I allowed Regis to sample it, although it was not a dish I wanted to share.

Regis' Ravioli

Today, Regis pasta dish was the amazing one. She decided to order the ravioli, but did not even ask what was in it. Served with a light basil and tomato sauce, the ravioli was stuffed with another fish, this time grouper, but again she started raving about it on the first bite. My delicious pasta with meat sauce paled in comparison with her ravioli. 

I think she liked it.

Today, as we had time to spare until our train, we ordered an appetizer, and it was equally delicious. Imagine battered deep fried stuffed olives, artichoke blossoms in tempura, and fried vanilla cream. Oh, there was also a couple of pieces of an Italian salami, and this was one occasion where I had to say that the meat was completely overshadowed by the vegetables. 

I cannot wait to see what other surprises the Italian chefs have for me. 

Back To Portsmouth

Last year, during a trip to New England we stopped in Portsmouth over night. I searched Google Maps for places to eat, and discovered that Portsmouth has an amazing number of really good restaurants. However, they must also have a lot of hungry restaurant patrons, because every place I choose had waits of over an hour. One place I was interested in told me it would be at least two hours. We ended up having a decent meal in a chain restaurant in a huge mall out near the Interstate – BORING!

The Hotel Portsmouth

This year while going through New England on our way to Niagara On The Lake for another Wine Tour with the Children (We believe in demonstrating a positive parental attitude towards alcohol . . . . .), we decided to return to Portsmouth and give it another try. We booked a room at The Hotel Portsmouth, right downtown within walking distance of all the best eating establishments - really beautiful old hotel with reasonable rates, comfortable rooms and a wonderfully helpful desk clerk.

Wall Art In Portsmouth

We left early and walked downtown to Jumping Jay’s Fish Café, and had no problem getting a nice table at the window. This place had amazing reviews and it lived up to all of them. I literally have never seen such fast and efficient service. Someone here knows how to work a kitchen. We had our drinks and our shared appetizer arrived, thoughtfully served on two plates. We finished our appetizer and had barely time to chat when our mains arrived. Both dinners were cooked to perfection and delicious.

Good Seafood!

Now although we were pretty busy enjoying our meals, I did have time to spend some time “People Watching”. Sitting beside us was the oddest group. Two couples were enjoying a meal, but it was interesting to listen and observe them. They obviously were “old friends” who had gone their separate ways but got together on a fairly regular basis. Although “friends”, these two couples could not have been more different. One couple was fashionably thin, trim and stylish, the other were overweight, over dressed and out of their league. One couple ordered a bottle of chardonnay, asking the server for a recommendation; the other ordered a beer and an over ordered cocktail  - something with Southern Comfort and extra cherries . . . . . Huh?. In fact everything she ordered was a “special” order  -  “Could you blacken the fish and give me different vegetables?”. I had the meal she “changed” and in my opinion she ruined a delicious dish; man those roasted beets with balsamic reduction were “to die for”. . . . . .

Fun in Portsmouth

I am very glad I went back to Portsmouth . . . . .