Franco is (almost) taking a long-term leave
 

Dear fellow Fodorites,

during the last few months, I’ve spent much time on this forum, and enjoyed it extraordinarily. This has been a very tranquil period of my life, but now comes what had to come: work is restarting to take its toll, and I won’t be able to continue posting on Fodor’s as regularly as I did; next week, I’m starting out for a huge project that will keep me busy well into October, maybe November.
Please don’t think I’m a megalomaniac – I know very well that my presence on a forum with such eminent Italy experts like Eloise, ira, nessundorma, Rufus, tcreath, LoveItaly, Traviata, ekscrunchy, and many others, is by no means indispensable, or important to anyone; but on the other hand, my advice on Italy seems to have been helpful to several posters, especially on Venice, which I seem to know better than most people (apart from the Venetians :), of course). So what I’ll do in the next few days is opening a small series of "Franco’s favourite…" threads, on food, accomodations, and so on; since we’re answering very similar (and recurring) questions much of our time here on Fodor’s, this might help to satisfy many desires, and if this is not too brazen, I’d like to ask you regular posters to redirect our less seasoned Fodorites to these threads. Also if anyone has questions or problems not so easily to be answered, and if any of you thinks my advice could be valuable, could you please ask people to post their questions in "my" threads? This would make it possible for me to find them; I’ll try to check once a week (and yet I know it won’t always be possible…), but I won’t certainly be able to browse everything that has been posted since my last respective visit.
I’ll miss all of you; I’ve had a great time exchanging thoughts and insights (and sometimes also fighting a little) with you, and I’m sure we’ll have a great time again when I return to regular posting in late fall!

Franco, I, for one, will miss you! And I am sure I am not alone in writing this! I hope you return regularly when work permits.

Franco, I've enjoyed reading your posts, and I look forward to "Franco's favourites"!

Please don't forget to come back when the pressure of work allows.

Auguri!

I will miss you also, Franco. I have enjoyed reading your advice and suggestions. This summer, we will be visiting Venice for the first time so I will appreciate the "Franco's Favourites" when you have a chance to post them.

Best wishes to you and make sure you come back here when things are less busy for you.

franco,

"I know very well that my presence...is by no means indispensable, or important to anyone".....please don't imagine that to be true...it has been invaluable to me. Your spirit and generosity will travel with me when I return to Italy this fall. I'll be toasting you when I get to Montefalco, AND I'll know the perfect wine to do it with!!! Thank you, thank you...

Well, I clicked in hopes of seeing a "see you all later, as I am headed to italy for a few months and won't have internet" and find this. . . work does take its toll and it is good that you have the self-control and know-how to say "I must head out." Good for you! And yes, you will be missed, but priorities are just that and you have chosen well.

And as you have such strong priorities, I look forward to your "favorites" list.

Claire

Ciao Franco, how nice that you have posted to tell us why we will not see you very much on Fodor's for several months.

I certainly do not consider myself an expert on Italy but I certainly think of you as an expert.

Like everyone else I have so enjoyed your post and the information that you always so kindly share.

You are very thoughtful to take the time to post "Franco's Favorites". I am sure that will be a tremendous help for those travellers going to Italy.

I hope that once in awhile you will be able to post just a short message. And it will be like a Christmas present when you are finished with your work project and can post more often in December. My very best wishes to you. May your work be interesting and challenging and may you find some days inbetween work to relax and find some quiet time for yourself.

Franco,
Oh, you will be dearly missed....even by those of us that browse behind the scenes!!
Cheers to you ...maybe our paths will cross in Venezia!

Thank you all, you're too kind with me! I promise I'll check "my" threads as often as I can - and I promise I'll be back regularly this late fall!
Btw, the first two "Franco's favourite ..." threads are already online: food & accomodation in Venice!
And, Traviata: you know that you owe us your Umbrian trip report (and wine report!) - when you'll be back from Umbria, I'll be about to return on Fodor's!

franco,

It's a date!!! We'll "talk" again in November...you may not be posting, but just imagine all your words being carried through Italy by the rest of us...your enthusiasm is infectious, and I have caught it...thank you so much for sharing.

Franco,

I also will truly miss your posts! I've recently started researching my trip to Italy this July, and have found the information you provide essential! I'm looking forward to Franco's favorites-

Best wishes

Franco,

You've been an enormous and generous source of information for us as we prepare our travels to Northern Italy this May. Best wishes for a productive and happy spring and summer.

Your knowledge of culture, language, food, and most anything about Italy is so very much approciated,

-Margie and Larry

Or you could add your comments to the Helpful Information Italy thread 1 and 2 that Ira started several years ago.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34443340

Thank you again for all your kind messages. The third "Franco's favourite..." thread is online, this time, it's a rough guide to sightseeing in Venice.
Since the search function seems quite down these days, I'm giving the links to those threads here, too:
Venetian food & restaurants: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34791666
Venetian accomodation: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34791672
Venetian sightseeing & transportation: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34791890

I'm enjoying your threads, franco. Thanks for doing them.

Thanks Franco. Even though we were just in Venice in October, it looks like we're going to take an overnight train to Venice from Paris in December of this year (we've become full-fledged Venice addicts), so all the suggestions will come in handy.

Take care.
((H))

Thank you, franco, as well. I am a relative newcomer here, but came quickly to appreciate your comments and advice. I will admit, however, that my one misstep on my trip last week was not taking your restaurant advice - I ended up skipping Sora Lella's based upon the NY Times article on Roman food that panned it - we ended up having our worst restaurant experience in Rome (that wasn't all that bad) so I paid the price! I will say I tried abbachio, just not there, but still didn't develop a longing for lamb. Oh well.... Good luck with your work and kudos for having far more self-restraint than I!

Folks, part 4 is online: where to stay in Rome - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34792021
More to come tomorrow!

cantstayhome, I'm sorry that you've missed Sora Lella; I can't imagine their kitchen isn't good anymore (my last visit was only in 2003). But if you didn't even like abbacchio, I'm afraid you'll never like any lamb anywhere in the world, so you might as well stop trying...

Chapter 5 of "Franco's favourites" is ready: food in Rome, http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34792415
Buon appetito!

And here is thread number 6, the penultimate: sightseeing in Rome, http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34792538
During the weekend, I'll complete one final thread on Umbria...