Emergency Meeting

Emergency Meeting
****MONDAY, January 28th, 2008 7pm *****
Rescheduled from 6:30pm per Rui's Request

Rui and I decided to make a decision without Ed for hotels (confirmed ok with Ed)

(Received Email from Ed... he is stuck in NY for business till Tuesday Night... suggest either we reschedule or perform the research/selection with just Rui and myself.)


Ed and Rui,
Please confirm you are able to make it!

Agenda

Rui's Visa has bee rejected by Italian Consulate.

Must Book all Hotels throughout trip for Rui's Visa....

Rui please confirm that you have all necessary paperwork... We're cutting it close to departure day! This may be the LAST chance to try for Visa considering it is by mail!

Since Ed is out on business... Rui or I will take over his hotel search! Unless we hear from Ed by Saturday night that he is able to accomplish it on his own.

Rui,
do you have time to do it? I'm already doing two cities... if not thats OK I take care of it.
What about the nights we're on the train, Do we need to show proof for those nights?


Same Procedure as last time.

Rui- Amsterdam
Ed- Paris
Poon- Madrid (should it be near the airport or not, Our flight is at 1pm?), and Barcelona.

-Poon

Guidebook Tips

Per my guidebook
Most Museums in Paris are Closed on Tuesday!

Most places in Florence closed on monday!

"At Florence's famous galleries — the Accademia (Michelangelo's David) and the Uffizi (the showcase for Italian Renaissance art) — it's smart to book ahead. While hundreds of tourists are sweating in the long lines, you can just show up at your reserved entry time and spend your time in the museums instead of the lines."

"Museum passes (such as the Paris Museum Pass) and combo-tickets allow you to bypass the long admission lines and walk right in."

"Arrive early (or late) at popular sights. If you show up by 8:30 in the morning at Neuschwanstein, Bavaria's famous fairy-tale castle, you'll get a ticket. Come an hour later and you'll either wait a long time or find that tickets are sold out — or worse, both."
- http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/museum.htm

Free Audio Tours for France
http://www.ricksteves.com/news/travelnews/0602/audiotour.htm


-Poon

Suggestions from my Co-Worker

So one of my co-workers is from France (born and raised, and visits every year).

He said in Florence, the one thing we could not miss "The Fortress" and to be there at sunset.

In Venice he said don't miss "Moreno" a glass making island.

Hotels/Hostels in Italy

Hotels/Hostels in Italy ROME
Resulted from Second Emergency meeting held at 8pm Thursday January, 17th (Delayed one hour from original 7pm)

We only considered places with triple private rooms (shared bathroom not a concern).

SEE COMMENTS AREA FOR POON and ED's LISTS OF CANDIDATES

Papa Germano - HOSTEL- First Choice from Poon's List
Via Calatafimi 14/a00185 Rome
Rome

p. +3906486919
f. +390647825202
info@hotelpapagermano.com

-Near Termini Rome main station
Booked 3 Bed Private Room (Shared Bathroom)

Price April 3rd 33 EURO per person
Price April 4th 35 EURO per person





FLORENCE
Hotel Sampaoli - HOSTEL- 2nd Choice from Ed's List (Ed's First Choice no availability for April 5th)
Via San Gallo 14 Florence

p. 39 055 284834
f. 39 055 282448
e. hotelinflorence@gmail.com

-Near Florence Main Train Station

Booked 3 Bedroom, Private Room (Shared Bathroom)
Price April 5th, 33 EURO per person
Price April 6th, 35 EURO per person





VENICE
Alloggi Agli Artisti -HOTEL- 2nd Choice from Rui's List (First Choice had no triples)
CALLE PRIULI CAVALLETTI 99
Venice

-Near Venice Main Train Station

1-888-872-8356 (for questions about this reservation)
39041716270 (for other questions about the property)

Booked Basic (with shared facilities) triple. Breakfast included
Price April 7th, $176.09 for entire room







-Poon

Emergency Meeting Minutes

Here is the official Itinerary (Click to Zoom In)... Not shown above is our arrival to Frankfurt on the 29th of March and departure for Germany from LAX on the 28th.

******Itinerary UPDATE Feb 19th, No trains run from Milan to Barcelona on April 8t. Itinerary modified to spend April 8th day in Milan, then fly to Barcelona that night. So arrival in Barcelona at night of April 8th. This update is not reflected on the calendar above!**************


Next meeting Thursday 7pm.

*For future planning look at arrival times and departure times as trains that depart later may arrive earlier.

Itinerary

Research hotels/hostels for the following nights, within Italy:
Each person is to present top 3 hotels/hostels on Thursday at 7pm.
Since Rome is several days possibility of selecting multiple lodgings (one near train station night before departure, others near tourist attractions).

When booking hostels check for curfews.

Poon- Rome April 3rd , and April 4th night
Ed- Florence April 5th and 6th night
Rui-Venice April 7th night

April 2nd and 8th are overnight on train.

Possible trains
Depart Frankfurt to Amsterdam 7:29am or 11:29am
Amsterdam to Paris 6:56 am
Venice to milan 13:51
Milan to Barcelona 19:10
-Poon

The pic for the schedule

This is the image I took. In case you guys can not read the words: it is "B: 135(daily 19.VI--2.1X)"

Emergecy Meeting Agenda

Emergency Meeting Agenda via Skype

Due to misunderstanding of legal interpretation of "main destination", Rui now has to apply for visa in Italy.

Following decisions must be made ASAP
- How many days in each city? (whole trip)
- Booking of Hotels and hostels for all time spent in Italy (specific dates)

Rui,
When are you coming down to apply for visa? (I'm assuming a friday or monday?) We should hang out!

On the note of visa photos... what did you mean "cut down" size?
I worry because I had passport photos previously rejected because of proportion (not size)
-Poon

Ok I can edit now. Meeting time, Tuesday 1/15/07 7pm PST. -Ed