Travel Log: Symphonic Band of Florida – Italy 2024
Travel Log: Symphonic Band of Florida – Italy 2024
We’re gearing up for our second Symphonic Band of Florida tour, heading to Italy and, for some, a post-tour MSC cruise. How did we get here? Let me bring you up to speed.
Lee Lafleur had an idea, a while back, to take a community concert band on a big trip. Living in the Tampa Bay Area, there are many small community bands around, but none of them had the means or size to warrant a large tour to Europe. So, Lee put his idea out to many of the area’s concert bands and the response was overwhelming!
In 2022, a group of Florida musicians set off on a grand adventure to Germany and Austria. Just about every participant asked when and where the next tour would be, and this was after the first few days! We had such a great time.
Without much delay, a new tour was being planned for 2024 and it was decided that Italy would be our next stop!
Germany/Austria Reunion and Socials
In January 2023, a reunion ‘concert’ and social was planned in Tampa for all those who could participate. We gathered at Plant HS in Tampa, eager to play the concert lineup one more time. It was fun to see everyone and play through the music that we performed the summer before. It wasn’t a concert with an audience but there were some friends and family there to listen. The love that every one of us has for playing our instruments, especially in a faraway land, is the reason for the gathering.
After our concert run-through, we convened in the lovely home of Denise and Jeff Traster for a potluck meal and gathering. Reminiscing on the past tour, this, essentially, was the Italy Kick-Off party. Planning was underway for our 2024 Italy Tour!
Everyone brought a dish to share and a feast was made! There was food and drinks, most of which had an Italian theme, and we talked and dreamed about our next tour in July 2024. Thanks, Jeff & Denise for hosting our group.
The oldest participant in the 2022 tour was Jerry Krumbholz, 92. Most would agree that Jerry ran circles around us. He was the first out in the morning, leading the walk to our destination, and overall, an energetic and kind person. He was happy to be there and looking forward to Italy in 2024. Sadly, Jerry fell ill shortly after this reunion and passed away in June 2023. You will be missed, Jerry.
Let’s Go To Italy – Social September 2023
In September 2023, Lee and I hosted an “Italy Party” at home. Nearly 80 people showed up to graze on the world’s largest charcuterie, I mean… seriously, and the many other dishes our guests brought.
It was so much fun meeting most of the members of the 2024 tour. The camaraderie among this group is palpable and lifelong friendships will be made from this group. Edit: We will have to host another party because we have a brand new kitchen since this party took place! Stay tuned for details!
The countdown is on for our Italy 2024 tour, and the excitement is very high!
Optional Music Workshops – Tampa
For the 2024 tour, we invited any musician, from anywhere, to join us. The idea is to have our rehearsals in Rome, upon arrival. We have musicians joining us from points beyond Florida and we can’t wait to all be together in Rome!
For those of us in and around the Tampa Bay Area, three music workshops were scheduled at the Hillsborough Community College, Ybor Campus. During these workshops, our conductors, Jeff Traster and Ted Hope, rehearsed the group through some amazing music.
After our workshops, a majority of the group met for lunch in neighboring Ybor City. It’s fun to get together for a meal after, it’s hard to visit and catch up during rehearsal!
Next up… Rome! The tour officially kicks off on July 10th, 2024, arriving in Rome on the 11th. Safe travels to all the members of the Symphonic Band of Florida!
Arrival Day in Rome, July 11th
Traveling is exciting, adventurous, stressful, liberating, and fun! These emotions were palpable on arrival day. Most of the group arrived from the United States this morning, mostly uneventfully. It was a seamless transfer from the airport to the first stop, the main train station.
Here, we hopped off the bus for a couple of hours to grab lunch and meet up with the rest of the group arriving in Rome from other parts of Europe. It is so wonderful to see our friends in this magnificent country. I saw hugs and greetings, mingling with new folks, and connecting with familiar faces.
We are meeting some of the group for the first time, as a few of the band members have traveled from outside of the Tampa Bay Area because their friend in the band invited them on the trip! Welcome to All!
After our brief stop for lunch, we loaded 2 coaches and headed to Tivoli, just outside of Rome. Our hotel, The Grand Hotel Duca D’Este, is welcoming and pretty. It’s a nice space to be in for the next 4 nights. We freshened up, and then off to our first rehearsal as a group.
Down to the -1 floor, a large room is set up for rehearsal, comfy chairs, flickering lights, thanks Denise for the switch finger, and all eyes on the maestro. We filled the room with music that sounded fantastic! Great job, weary travelers! We’re here!
We had a welcome dinner after rehearsal, which was just right. Pasta, Chicken, and dessert, along with wine and water. It’s time for bed, the downbeat is at 8:00 am!
Rome – Friday, July 12
Wow! What a great first day of the tour! We started with an early breakfast followed by a wonderful rehearsal at the hotel. We are still awaiting a couple of folks who are arriving today, but they should be here shortly.
After the rehearsal, we loaded the buses and went into town. Lee and I were in the Vatican Museum group and had some time to grab lunch before heading in for our 3:00 pm admission time.
This was a guided tour, and Maria led us through the vast museum, touching on the highlights, showing us the best views out the windows, and giving us a history lesson on what we were looking at. The Vatican Museums are vast, lots to see, many steps to walk, but at the end, the Sistine Chapel… Ahhh… the reward for a long tour. Michelangelo’s beautiful frescoes that adorn the chapel are wonderful. It’s amazing to be in the Vatican City, in the Vatican museums, looking at some of the most famous artworks in the world!
The temperature in Rome is 100 degrees or more. The sun is HOT, the air is still, and there are large crowds everywhere we turn. It’s the summer in Rome, the holiday and vacation time, and it’s vitally important that we pack our patience. The BEST part about this trip is that we are a part of a tour group. We have guides to take us through the entrance, a seamless experience.
We met at the pick-up point and went to the Travestere neighborhood, where we had free time to go and have dinner on our own. Lee and I greeted our dear friends from Germany, as they came to Rome to support our band and cheer us on.
Thank you to Sabine, Karoline, Michi, Verena, and Marina for your support! Not only are these folks friends of many years, but during our Germany/Austria 2022 tour, the Retzbach band hosted us for a delicious lunch, a rehearsal space, and then a concert in their village. It truly was a highlight of that tour.
During our time at the bus pick-up point, in a very lively square, a one-man band, on a guitar, was entertaining the crowd, causing a flash mob of dancers, mostly from the Symphonic Band of Florida, and the tour had begun!
Rome – Saturday, July 13
Another early start with breakfast and rehearsal, then off to Rome for another full day of tourist activities! Today, we went to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon with a guide. Having a knowledgeable guide to walk through these ruins is really a must! The guide brings the imagination to life with what life might have looked like before Christ and, relatively, shortly thereafter. We marveled at the ruins, listened to stories, and sought out the shade during our hours-long adventure.
Along the way, there were lots of fountains to refill water bottles, trees offering shade, and, of course, the large crowds one can expect at the most popular of attractions.
I came to Rome in 2016 and felt the crowds were much larger then. I remember the halls of the Vatican being wall to wall with people, you just had to go with the flow, with not much room to stop and stare, and pulling out my patience as EVERYONE wanted to see! Our guide suggested that since it was a Saturday, the Romans were at the beach, not at the attractions. Lucky them!
After our guide departed, we had a wonderful dinner and then returned to the hotel.
Tivoli – Sunday, July 14th
Wow! An amazing day was had by all. First, we had a much slower pace today, as opposed to the previous two days in Rome. Visiting the famous attractions is important, and so is some rest.
After breakfast, we had a comprehensive rehearsal until 12:30. The large instruments and percussion were loaded onto the equipment truck, and we had free time until 4:30 pm.
Some folks retreated to their rooms for an afternoon nap, others took off in the neighborhood, and some, such as Lee and I, hung out by the beautiful hotel pool. It’s still scorching hot here, and taking a dip in the pool was exactly what we needed.
The group met in the lobby at 4:30 to ride the buses to our concert site. When I walked off the elevator and saw everyone in their band shirts, it brought the largest smile to my face! Most of us are from Florida; however, we have members of the group from several different states, including Wisconsin, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and many more. The tropical shirts are bright and really have a nice presence when nearly 100 people are wearing them! Fabulous!
The bus ride into town was about 20 minutes or so, up on the hill, overlooking the plains of Rome. The air was a bit smoggy down below, so it wasn’t the clearest, but the view was pretty spectacular. We set up our concert chairs and played a couple of passages to get a feel for the sound and acoustics. We are set up in the courtyard of an old church, the sun slowly sinking and lending shade, inch by inch. It’s not so bad in the shade. Our large group of brightly dressed members drew the locals to see what was going on.
We had some free time to wander around this quaint, old town of Tivoli, before a group dinner at 7:00 pm. Luckily, the dinner was behind the audience seating, in the same courtyard, so we were able to enjoy our dinner, then head to our seats for the show.
We started our show around 9:15 with the mayor of Tivoli giving opening statements, in Italian, and the crowd kept growing and growing. Our band played very well, the energy was high, the crowd was clapping and dancing, and this is why we are here. Music touches people’s lives in various ways. It was surreal to be playing our instruments in a piazza, in Tivoli, touching the lives of these Italians on their Sunday evening. Beautiful.
Orvieto – Monday, July 15th
We checked out of the hotel, loaded the buses, and headed to our next stop. On the way, we pulled into Orvieto, which is a small village up on a hill and is very quaint. We walked down the main road toward the Duomo di Orvieto. The main road is lined with boutique shops, markets, and places to eat and drink. It was hot and crowded, but definitely worth the visit!
We found the Duomo at the end of the road, perched proudly in the square. To enter, we purchased tickets at the museum for a small fee. The Duomo is very ornate, with lots of details to look at. Upon entering, we were treated to an organist practicing, which filled the space with beautiful sound. I love it when these small treats happen during our travels.
We found a watering hole in the shade and then went back down to the buses. Our next stop was a winery. Whoever’s idea it was to take a group of adult musicians to a winery deserves a prize! And the view from the winery was Orvieto, up on the hill! Magical!
The hosts at the winery were very gracious and put out a nice spread of finger foods to nibble on while we sampled the various wines. We were able to tour under the winery, which was neat and cool, a welcome temperature to check out since it was underground!
We enjoyed the winery dog, making his rounds, looking for a handout.
Back on the bus to the hotel in Spoleto, we dropped our bags, then walked up to the dinner spot. The restaurant had a huge patio that was beautifully set up for our 100+ folks. We enjoyed a delicious meal, then took these moving sidewalks up to the top of the town to walk for the views and the 13th-century aqueduct. The town was gorgeous, lit up at night, and the walking company was fantastic!
Spoleto – July 16th
Today, we discovered more of Spoleto, just meandering around, wandering in and out of the various shops. Notably, the olive oil and cheese shops are everywhere, and each one has its own unique character. Have I mentioned that it’s HOT here? Well, it’s hot. Shade is wonderful.
After our self-guided tour of this adorable Italian town, we made our way back down to the hotel for a refresh and to grab our instruments for our concert. This concert was shared with the Spoleto Town Band.
We had a nice, large area to set up in, and the crowd kept growing as the evening wore on. Our concert time is 9:00 pm, mostly because it’s so hot during the day and the sunsets are so late. Also, it’s common for Italians to have a lingering dinner. It was a great concert!
Assisi and Deruta – July 17th
What an amazing day! We loaded the buses and drove about an hour to Assisi. We could catch a glimpse of Assisi from the highway from time to time. Another ancient fairytale village, perched up on the hill. This one had designated bus parking below, and walking up to the town was, you guessed it, hot!
The streets and alleyways meander up and up, and the real gem of this town is the Basilica of St. Frances of Assisi. It’s massive with various naves to explore, and the tomb of St. Frances, located in the lower level of the basilica. Another notable chapel within is dedicated to Mary Magdalene. It’s quite fascinating walking through these places where so much history and culture have been present since ancient times. We are so fortunate to be able to visit.
After we toured the basilica, a group of 10 gathered for lunch in one of the highest-rated restaurants in Assisi. Thanks, Dan, for the reservation! A modern establishment, the staff was awesome, the views unparalleled, and the food delicious! No time to linger, the buses await.
I could have spent more time meandering through Assisi, but then came Deruta. Oh my goodness, this little village rolled out the royal red carpet for the band from the United States. They were truly ecstatic to host us, giving a presentation in the mayor’s chambers, providing lunch, and showcasing the history of this town.
Deruta is the center of the Umbrian Glazed Pottery industry. The town is small, but filled with little shops showcasing their beautiful, hand-painted pottery. The clay found in the area was perfect for ceramics dating back to the early Middle Ages.
After we toured the village and museum, they set up a beautiful lunch in the museum’s courtyard, complete with delicious Porchetta. This savory pork, stuffed with herbs, is often served in sandwiches at festivals. Along with the pork, they served us delicious bread and a massive charcuterie! Plus, the sun was lowering, and the courtyard was in the shade! Bonus!
After our meal, we set up our concert in a narrow town square, right outside of the city hall. Standing room only, as we shared the stage with the local community band. It was a beautiful night. Afterwards, we had some time to mingle, have a drink, and then make our way to the buses.
Bologna, July 18th
Today was a travel day, as we made our way from Spoleto to Venice, by way of Bologna. Our lunch spot, in Bologna, was set up on the terrace, in the shade! They set 2 long tables for us, just over 100! It was cool to see and to have a meal all together like that. We had some time to wander the streets before we were back on the bus to Venice.
Arriving in Venice, there is a dedicated bus parking/drop-off. After unloading, we hopped on our pre-arranged water taxi, loading everyone’s bags and persons, we were stuffed to the max! We arrived at the dock where our hotel is located, and fortunately, the hotel was just steps away. It was also steps away from a Gelato case!
This is my 3rd time in Venice. It’s quite the spectacle and just loaded with tourists, like us. It’s no wonder the locals have long debated how to dampen all the visitors. Venice is sinking, after all.
Venice – July 19th
Our hotel could not be in a better location. It’s just steps away from the main canal, with the vaparetto stop right outside the door, to the right. If you turn left, you cross a bridge and can meander your way through town to St. Mark’s Square, which is what we did after breakfast. We met with a tour guide who gave us a comprehensive walking tour, pointing out important sights and answering our questions. After the tour, we found a shaded spot to sit and have a refreshment, right in the square.
Padova – July 20th
Our hotel in Venice, Hotel Don Orione Artigianelli, was once a monastery and an orphanage and is now a hotel and cultural center. Part of the location was constructed in the late 1400’s and has a storied history. The staff puts out a nice continental breakfast each morning, and our group can sit outside in the courtyard or inside the dining area. We really appreciate having coffee and breakfast before heading out for the day!
We load up our private water taxis with our instruments and everything we will need for the day. This is quite the feat, loading a boat at a dock with constant movement from the many vessels passing by in the main canal. Luckily, no one was lost overboard, and all instruments are accounted for.
We made our transfer to Padova, where the bus dropped us off right next to a huge market! I love the markets. This one was huge and filled with clothes, shoes, household goods, beauty supplies, and much more. It was sensory overload. We walked around the market, then through the town. Luckily, there was a gelato stop near our bus pick up, so we indulged in a cold sweet treat.
We loaded the buses and headed to Villafranca Padovana, a small village nearby. They were hosting a small festival with food, live music, and fun for the whole family. Our band was to set up in the small church on the edge of the festival. After a brief rehearsal, the festival provided us with our dinner in the dining hall. I’ve mentioned it before, but it was so stinking hot, especially in the church, but the village welcomed us, fed us, and looked after us. That is special.
After dinner, we took our place in the church for our concert. The church was packed! Standing room only, and outside the main door, lots of people were gathered to hear us perform. This is why we’re here. Music brings us together and fills the soul. It’s a late night, a bus ride back to Venice, the water taxi to the hotel, and then to bed. Our main tour is now over.
Venice / USA – July 21st
While we were enjoying our wonderful time and tour in the Venice area, my mom was trying to make her way to Italy to join us for the optional cruise portion. However, back home, there was an event going on with Crowdstrike. This faulty IT update affected Microsoft users and affected millions of computer systems within the airlines, banks, airports, hospitals, gas stations, retail stores, and many more. Luckily, after a couple of days, my mom was able to get on a flight and make it to Venice, albeit a couple of days late. Some of our tour folks who were heading back to the USA today were also affected.
I hopped on the water taxi to the airport bright and early to greet my mom upon arrival. We brought the taxi back to the hotel, dropped her bags, and then went to Moreno for the day. We walked around, in and out of the glass shops, bought a chandelier for our new kitchen and dining room, had lunch, roamed Venice, then crashed for the night.
MSC Armonia Cruise – July 22 – 29
After our main tour, roughly 40 members chose the optional Mediterranean Cruise. The ports of call were: Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Zakynthos, and Bari. It was a nice week of relaxing cruise vibes, dinner for 40 nearly every night, and spending time with loved ones.