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Have you ever been to Rome...?

Started by Sir Oinksalot, January 06, 2014, 11:44:05 pm

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Sir Oinksalot

January 06, 2014, 11:44:05 pm

I loved it.......what were your impressions...

Be ye therefore like the grasses and yield
to the inevitable forces of Nature,
and in so yielding survive...

Horsesrus

January 07, 2014, 12:21:52 pm #1
I loved it as well.  We went on a 10 day tour of Italy starting in Stresa, which is in the northern lake region.  It was very nice but small and I'm a big city person.  Next was Venice which was interesting to see but my least favorite of the cities in Italy we visited.  Florence was great and we made a brief stop in Siena, which was also interesting to see where they hold the Palio horse race in the city square.  I still can't fathom how they race in that square.

Finally we ended our trip in Rome.  I absolutely loved it and would love to go back.  I would also take in Florence again if I ever have the opportunity to re-visit Italy.
 

Hogoverseas

January 07, 2014, 06:27:59 pm #2
Watch your wallets...

But we loved it.

waphill

January 08, 2014, 08:37:32 am #3
Spent 5 days in Roma in 2010. Loved it. Wish we could've spent more time there. Also went to Firenze, Pisa, and Lucca. Going back in either '14 or '15!

Next trip we're planning on staying a bit longer, and covering more ground. Flying into Vicenza, then Bologna, Firenze, Siena, Lucca, Roma, Napoli. My great grandparents are from a small town east of Napoli called Grottaminarda. Hoping we have time to go there as well.

Oinksalot, did you just recently go?

Sir Oinksalot

January 09, 2014, 07:29:33 pm #4
Quote from: waphill on January 08, 2014, 08:37:32 am
Spent 5 days in Roma in 2010. Loved it. Wish we could've spent more time there. Also went to Firenze, Pisa, and Lucca. Going back in either '14 or '15!

Next trip we're planning on staying a bit longer, and covering more ground. Flying into Vicenza, then Bologna, Firenze, Siena, Lucca, Roma, Napoli. My great grandparents are from a small town east of Napoli called Grottaminarda. Hoping we have time to go there as well.

Oinksalot, did you just recently go?

Yes, last year.......we spent a week in Rome then two weeks traveling to the west and north of Rome-----Sienna, Portafina, Florence, a few
medieval towns, Verona, Bolzano, the Dolomites, Innsbruck, then Venice......I haven't been homesick since my first week in college, but Italy
calls me back there and of course Rome especially.....




Be ye therefore like the grasses and yield
to the inevitable forces of Nature,
and in so yielding survive...

waphill

January 09, 2014, 08:50:55 pm #5
There's so much to see and do in Rome, I feel like we could spend a month there! Still got a long list of things we didn't get to see or do there.

When we went to the Vatican, they were decorating the square, and sitting out thousands of chairs. We were so awestruck with everything that we failed to put 2 and 2 together. The next morning was Palm Sunday and the Pope spoke in the Piazza San Pietro. I'm not Catholic, but that still was a once in a lifetime experience that we missed out on!

Next time you go, you have to check out Lucca. We loved it. Didn't see a single American or Brit the whole time we were there. If you do get a chance to go there, you HAVE to check out this place:

www.osteriabaralla.it

Had the best meal of my life there.

Sir Oinksalot

January 09, 2014, 10:28:35 pm #6
Quote from: waphill on January 09, 2014, 08:50:55 pm
There's so much to see and do in Rome, I feel like we could spend a month there! Still got a long list of things we didn't get to see or do there.

When we went to the Vatican, they were decorating the square, and sitting out thousands of chairs. We were so awestruck with everything that we failed to put 2 and 2 together. The next morning was Palm Sunday and the Pope spoke in the Piazza San Pietro. I'm not Catholic, but that still was a once in a lifetime experience that we missed out on!

Next time you go, you have to check out Lucca. We loved it. Didn't see a single American or Brit the whole time we were there. If you do get a chance to go there, you HAVE to check out this place:

www.osteriabaralla.it

Had the best meal of my life there.

Cool story, man we must have passed right by going from Florence to Pisa then up the coast.......yeah we feel the same way about Rome.  We talk
every mth. About getting an apt. And staying for a mth or two!!  I believe I could look at the forum and the ancient sites and the Pantheon every day
for the rest of my life........we stayed in a small hotel across the street from the Borghese Park and museum, and, waking up that first morning
and looking out the window to view a wall that was built over 2000 years ago well, I just can't describe it.....

The trivia fountain, things you learned about as kids, like history comes alive....

Did you see David..?





Be ye therefore like the grasses and yield
to the inevitable forces of Nature,
and in so yielding survive...

Sir Oinksalot

January 09, 2014, 10:35:23 pm #7

...yes the Vatican, the museum and St. Peter's, sistine chapel all off the chart amazing....

Be ye therefore like the grasses and yield
to the inevitable forces of Nature,
and in so yielding survive...

waphill

January 10, 2014, 06:26:21 am #8
Quote from: Sir Oinksalot on January 09, 2014, 10:28:35 pm

Did you see David..?


Believe it or not, we didn't see any sights in Florence. Flew in there, but didn't spend much time. We hopped on a train and headed to a tiny village in the mountains called Corfino. Spent a couple days there relaxing.

This was what we saw out of the bedroom window every morning.



After we recharged our batteries, we headed to Pisa. We had always planned to see Florence and Venice in round 2!

It's funny, before we left, everyone told us how rude the Italians were. They were as nice as you could ask for. Now, the British and French people we saw? Rude as hell.

Sir Oinksalot

January 10, 2014, 09:36:24 am #9

...ahh yes Tuscany, my favorite region......nice.

Be ye therefore like the grasses and yield
to the inevitable forces of Nature,
and in so yielding survive...

SA Hog Fan

January 14, 2014, 07:54:24 am #10
Pretty amazing place. Rented a scooter for a day. That's the closest I've ever come to death.

waphill

January 14, 2014, 09:14:36 am #11
Quote from: SA Hog Fan on January 14, 2014, 07:54:24 am
Pretty amazing place. Rented a scooter for a day. That's the closest I've ever come to death.

Haha. You are a brave soul! It is a dream of mine to tour Italy on 2 wheels, but I would stay out of the big cities. It is controlled chaos, at best.

I always tell everyone that goes, they must ride in a taxi a few times. We took a taxi from Castelnuovo di Garfagnana to Lucca (train went on strike). The driver and his Citroen wagon magically transformed into Michael Schumacher in an F1 car as soon as we left town. I was a little surprised we survived that trip, but now I look back and it was an amazing experience. My wife had a death grip on my arm the whole time. He was tire squealing around blind turns on the edge of a cliff. He would just honk the horn right before we started around. He also passed a truck on a double yellow with cars coming. We straddled the line, and the other vehicles moved over. 3 wide on the side of a mountain. I gave him a very good tip!

Old Tusk

January 15, 2014, 11:37:20 am #12 Last Edit: January 15, 2014, 01:38:36 pm by Old Tusk
In the US, there are traffic laws. In Italy there are just suggestions.
The Democrats are the party that says government can make you richer, smarter, taller and get the crabgrass out of our lawn. Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work, and then they get elected and prove it....P.J. O'Rourke
 

SA Hog Fan

January 17, 2014, 11:22:41 pm #13
Quote from: waphill on January 14, 2014, 09:14:36 am
Haha. You are a brave soul! It is a dream of mine to tour Italy on 2 wheels, but I would stay out of the big cities. It is controlled chaos, at best.



Brave? No, just uneducated. I got educated real quick. The wife and I had the idea of riding a Vespa down the cobble stone streets. Well, they were out of Vespasian and put us on this 125cc job. I took a wrong turn out of the rental place, ended up on a major thourogh fare and my wife was in tears within 5 min of being on it.  We survived and can laugh about it now but wow, I thought we were goners for a few minutes!

Hogwop

January 17, 2014, 11:35:30 pm #14
Well, I've never been to Rome, but I've been to Oklahoma.











Im sorry. I'll see myself out.
Pigga what?!
Quote from: PonderinHog on April 16, 2018, 10:27:02 amAn emoji is worth a hundred words.
9-07-1958 - 12-2-2011 R.I.P Mom, I will always miss you and love you.

pheine78

February 17, 2014, 03:38:19 pm #15
I have lived in Italy for almost 10 years and loved every minute of it.  Rome isn't my favorite place, but it is definitely a must see.  You can't go to Italy and not visit the Vatican/Coliseum/Spanish steps/etc.  I agree with the other posters--watch out for your wallet, both from thieves and from the overpriced eateries and bars.     
Nolan for defensive coordinator!

hogwild6700

February 27, 2014, 09:52:35 am #16
I spent a week in Italy, including a few days in Rome. If you appreciate history you will love Rome. I loved the food and wine there. It's beautiful in some ways but dirty and dangerous in others. Without a doubt-watch your wallet! And do not Under any circumstances carry your passport on you. Keep it locked in your room. Happy traveling!
Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. The second mouse, wouldn't quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he churned that cream into butter and crawled out. Gentlemen, as of this moment, I am that second mouse.

ErieHog

February 27, 2014, 10:09:09 am #17
Rome is, by Italian standards, dirty, touristy,  and not a terribly welcoming place.   

If you want to enjoy Italy, Florence is a much better starting point.
No cause, ever, in the history of all mankind, has produced more cold-blooded tyrants, more slaughtered innocents, and more orphans than socialism with power. It surpassed, exponentially, all other systems of production in turning out the dead. The bodies are all around us. And here is the problem: No one talks about them. No one honors them. No one does penance for them. No one has committed suicide for having been an apologist for those who did this to them. No one pays for them. No one is hunted down to account for them. It is exactly what Solzhenitsyn foresaw in The Gulag Archipelago: "No, no one would have to answer. No one would be looked into." Until that happens, there is no "after socialism."

waphill

February 27, 2014, 07:21:01 pm #18
The places that get little to no tourists are where you really experience La Dolce Vita.

jacobp

February 28, 2014, 04:05:31 pm #19
Quote from: hogwild6700 on February 27, 2014, 09:52:35 am
I spent a week in Italy, including a few days in Rome. If you appreciate history you will love Rome. I loved the food and wine there. It's beautiful in some ways but dirty and dangerous in others. Without a doubt-watch your wallet! And do not Under any circumstances carry your passport on you. Keep it locked in your room. Happy traveling!
The passport thing is a good tip. When we travel abroad we ALWAYS make copies of passports and other documents. One copy to stay home, and we take a copy with us just in case.
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