I wish I'd known... BEFORE I arrived in Italy
#22
Join Date: Jan 2003
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I wished I had known that you can't hail a taxi on a street in Rome but rather have to walk to an offficial "taxi" stand - - stupid policy - -- if I wanted to walk that far - I wouldn't need a taxi!!
I wish I had known that when you ask a hired driver to take you to a nice place for lunch - he will take you to an expensive place and order the most expensive wine and share with you! (at least that is what happened to me).
I also wish I had somehow investigated the closing hours of the village cemetary in Sicily before arrival. I had a very short window to look for my grandparent's grave but as it happened - the cemetary was closed that day.
I wish I had known that when you ask a hired driver to take you to a nice place for lunch - he will take you to an expensive place and order the most expensive wine and share with you! (at least that is what happened to me).
I also wish I had somehow investigated the closing hours of the village cemetary in Sicily before arrival. I had a very short window to look for my grandparent's grave but as it happened - the cemetary was closed that day.
#25
Join Date: Jan 2003
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This thread is an example of why people shouldn't tell people about rules in other countries when they don't really know them, and are making up rules based on one experience or are repeating what someone else told them who may be a certain class or age or dines only in "white cloth" restaurants, etc. I've dined in many restaurants in France in many years and usually do not make reservations, and I've been treated well almost every single time. I'm not of an older, snootier, conservative class who dines only in "white cloth restaurants" and has friends who would never go to a restaurant without calling in advance.
#26
Join Date: Apr 2004
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I wish I'd known that there is a gelateria a bit off Piazza Tasso in Sorrento that opens by 10am Sadly, I didn't discover it at all during our visit in 2005 and only found it on our last day in Sorrento on our trip this past June. Tragedy!
#31
Join Date: Feb 2004
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Dorgal: oh yeah, the driver for lunch! Ours dropped us for lunch at a restaurant that was very unattractive on a busy rode with no electricity. We did have a rather tasty cold seafood lunch, but the place was ugly and hot. The same driver stopped at his house (really! we met his wife and baby).
He worked for a very highly recommended car service and he was awful.
He worked for a very highly recommended car service and he was awful.