Italy and Paris: a trip report - Part 1
Feb 6th, 2006, 03:26 PM
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I felt like we'd just arrived, but sadly it was time to leave Florence behind. Through the blustery cold, I think I got a sense of it: it should be seen in sunshine when the grapes are about to burst. Florence seems...what's the word?..."sensuous"? Yes, I think that's it.
Now on to the next stop: Venezia...and my encounter with the Italian Swat Team!
We took the early train from Florence, no time for coffee or breakfast. Maybe that explains why we didn't do quite as well at the station. Our first class seats were in "Car 2" or somesuch. When the train arrived, we jumped on the first "Car 2" we saw. But no seat numbers corresponded to our tickets. There we were in those tiny aisles with all our luggage, trudging up and down trying to figure it out. Then a kind Italian man explained we were on Coach 12! - Car 2. Uh oh. The train was about to pull out. We had no choice but to walk our luggage allllll the way up the (moving) train to first class. b-( In addition to feeling rather foolish and verrrry American, we were pooped by the time we got there.
Finally, we could store our luggage and settle in for the 3-hour journey. We had passed through a dining car a couple of cars back and decided to go have some coffee and breakfast. Anyone expecting the Cary Grant/Audrey Hepburn dining car will be disappointed...no white table cloths, no fine china. More like a diner. We had coffee, brioche and fruit...surprisingly good. We sat at a little table by the window and watched the Italian landscape slide by. It was fun. There were many ancient abandoned farmhouses near the tracks and we were having fun "remodeling" them as we passed. We were the only passengers there. Time passed very pleasantly. Perhaps an hour and a half.
And then we saw them. The conductor coming up the aisle followed by two carabinieri. But these were no ordinary police. Very intimidating, all in black, with helmets and armored vests. And they had their hands on their pistols! My friend chuckled that the "Fashion Police" were hot on my trail now!! (Ha ha) They passed by and kind of huddled at the back of the car. We went back to "remodeling" the farmhouses. And then...
"Scuzzi, Signora". I turned from the window to find the conductor and both policemen towering over our table...glowering at ME!
They spoke no English, so began asking me questions in Italian. I'm clueless, but the only thing I could think of was to hand them my passport. More questions. What to do?!
Eventually, I somehow figured out they were saying something about a "bag". A bag? Then it hit me. I'd left my tote bag unattended at my seat! I managed to ask is it a "rosso" (red) bag? "Si..the rosso bag". Now I understood...they're the bomb squad! OK, calm down. I politely signalled that I would go with them to my seat. "Si". They looked through the bag and seemed satisfied I was no train bomber. Surely it couldn't get worse, but the conductor then arranged for the train to stop at the next station so the police could get off. They had gotten on just to check me out! Yikes. No more jokes about the "Fashion Police"...this was a close call.
I can't believe I was so stupid. How many times have we all been told not to leave bags unattended?! I felt extremely lucky they hadn't brought on a little robot and blown all my make-up to smithereens.
Other than that, our journey to Venice was uneventful.
Now on to the next stop: Venezia...and my encounter with the Italian Swat Team!
We took the early train from Florence, no time for coffee or breakfast. Maybe that explains why we didn't do quite as well at the station. Our first class seats were in "Car 2" or somesuch. When the train arrived, we jumped on the first "Car 2" we saw. But no seat numbers corresponded to our tickets. There we were in those tiny aisles with all our luggage, trudging up and down trying to figure it out. Then a kind Italian man explained we were on Coach 12! - Car 2. Uh oh. The train was about to pull out. We had no choice but to walk our luggage allllll the way up the (moving) train to first class. b-( In addition to feeling rather foolish and verrrry American, we were pooped by the time we got there.
Finally, we could store our luggage and settle in for the 3-hour journey. We had passed through a dining car a couple of cars back and decided to go have some coffee and breakfast. Anyone expecting the Cary Grant/Audrey Hepburn dining car will be disappointed...no white table cloths, no fine china. More like a diner. We had coffee, brioche and fruit...surprisingly good. We sat at a little table by the window and watched the Italian landscape slide by. It was fun. There were many ancient abandoned farmhouses near the tracks and we were having fun "remodeling" them as we passed. We were the only passengers there. Time passed very pleasantly. Perhaps an hour and a half.
And then we saw them. The conductor coming up the aisle followed by two carabinieri. But these were no ordinary police. Very intimidating, all in black, with helmets and armored vests. And they had their hands on their pistols! My friend chuckled that the "Fashion Police" were hot on my trail now!! (Ha ha) They passed by and kind of huddled at the back of the car. We went back to "remodeling" the farmhouses. And then...
"Scuzzi, Signora". I turned from the window to find the conductor and both policemen towering over our table...glowering at ME!
They spoke no English, so began asking me questions in Italian. I'm clueless, but the only thing I could think of was to hand them my passport. More questions. What to do?!Eventually, I somehow figured out they were saying something about a "bag". A bag? Then it hit me. I'd left my tote bag unattended at my seat! I managed to ask is it a "rosso" (red) bag? "Si..the rosso bag". Now I understood...they're the bomb squad! OK, calm down. I politely signalled that I would go with them to my seat. "Si". They looked through the bag and seemed satisfied I was no train bomber. Surely it couldn't get worse, but the conductor then arranged for the train to stop at the next station so the police could get off. They had gotten on just to check me out! Yikes. No more jokes about the "Fashion Police"...this was a close call.
I can't believe I was so stupid. How many times have we all been told not to leave bags unattended?! I felt extremely lucky they hadn't brought on a little robot and blown all my make-up to smithereens.
Other than that, our journey to Venice was uneventful.
Feb 7th, 2006, 06:29 PM
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I've read so many times here about the thrill of exiting the Venice train station and seeing that lovely city for the first time. But it didn't prepare me for the complete beauty of the scene. It was love at first sight.
Now, many of you will recall that I had to be talked into including Venice. For some reason, despite all the wonderful trip reports, I still thought of Venice as "lovers riding around in boats" in a dank, dark city. LOL! I only added it to the itinerary when we discovered it has the best connection to Paris Orly.
Well, I can now say---hands down---Venice beats them all (Yes, Lynn, even Paris). We loved every minute, every little campo, the narrow passages, the tiny chapels, all the wonderful shops. I even loved never knowing where I was!
We arrived in sunshine, as it should be. Bought vaporetto tickets and, after a little confusion, caught the boat to Ca d'Oro. I'll always remember that first ride along the Grand Canal. The hotel was only about 100 yds from the vaporetto stop: Palazzo Foscari.
(I've had so many interuptions tonight...will post what I have so far and try to finish it before bed.)
Now, many of you will recall that I had to be talked into including Venice. For some reason, despite all the wonderful trip reports, I still thought of Venice as "lovers riding around in boats" in a dank, dark city. LOL! I only added it to the itinerary when we discovered it has the best connection to Paris Orly.
Well, I can now say---hands down---Venice beats them all (Yes, Lynn, even Paris). We loved every minute, every little campo, the narrow passages, the tiny chapels, all the wonderful shops. I even loved never knowing where I was!
We arrived in sunshine, as it should be. Bought vaporetto tickets and, after a little confusion, caught the boat to Ca d'Oro. I'll always remember that first ride along the Grand Canal. The hotel was only about 100 yds from the vaporetto stop: Palazzo Foscari.
(I've had so many interuptions tonight...will post what I have so far and try to finish it before bed.)
Feb 7th, 2006, 07:13 PM
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PALAZZO FOSCARI:
This hotel has been refurbished very, very recently. It was really fabulous. We had a superior double (room 304). It had a small alcove, then a large bedroom with good furniture and a large armoire. The bath...well, I can't say enough about the very contemporary, all-marble bath with the jacuzzi tub and multi-jet shower! Double sinks, towel warmer (great for laundry), plush robes.
There was one large window and french doors opening onto a good sized terrace (maybe 5' x 12'). Table and chairs on the terrace, not to mention a good side view onto the Grand Canal. Perfect.
The common areas of the hotel were just as nicely appointed. Lots of wrought iron, marble, and (here's the remodeler again) the light fixtures throughout the hotel were nothing short of fabulous! If anyone is contemplating a group trip, we noticed both hallways adjacent to our room could be closed off for extra privacy to the several rooms within. One hallway opened onto a larger terrace that could serve all the rooms on that passage. Very nice for a wedding party or other parties travelling together.
No time to linger, though. We headed out to explore Venice. I thought the shops in Rome/Florence were amazing, but the shops in Venice have to be seen to be believed. Maybe it's their tiny size that makes them so charming. All the little white lights strung over each passage add to the affect. Not to mention all that gorgeous Murano glass in shop after shop. Interestingly, in an ancient city famous for its crystal, the vast majority of shops were outfitted with very high-high-tech lighting, the likes of which we'd never seen. The effect was charming and magical. We spent much of our time in Venice trying to find similar contemporary fixtures for some of our projects. Didn't find the high tech stuff (I'm now researching it on the web) but we did buy some crystal ones. What a fun shopping trip!
We found an "internet point" right around the corner and caught up on emails. A glass of champagne in the hotel bar. Then set off to find a restaurant our priest recommended. I'm not going to look up the name because it wasn't that special. It had nothing but fish. Generally I love seafood, but I didn't know enough to do the menu justice. (It also may have had something to do with the sore throat I felt coming on.)
The next morning I awoke with a full blown cold. We did the Secret Itineraries tour and enjoyed it immensely. But, did you know there's no heat in there?! Our <i>feet</i> felt like cobblestones before we were through. We headed straight to a lovely little coffee shop -- and watched in amazement as the snow began to fall.
This hotel has been refurbished very, very recently. It was really fabulous. We had a superior double (room 304). It had a small alcove, then a large bedroom with good furniture and a large armoire. The bath...well, I can't say enough about the very contemporary, all-marble bath with the jacuzzi tub and multi-jet shower! Double sinks, towel warmer (great for laundry), plush robes.
There was one large window and french doors opening onto a good sized terrace (maybe 5' x 12'). Table and chairs on the terrace, not to mention a good side view onto the Grand Canal. Perfect.
The common areas of the hotel were just as nicely appointed. Lots of wrought iron, marble, and (here's the remodeler again) the light fixtures throughout the hotel were nothing short of fabulous! If anyone is contemplating a group trip, we noticed both hallways adjacent to our room could be closed off for extra privacy to the several rooms within. One hallway opened onto a larger terrace that could serve all the rooms on that passage. Very nice for a wedding party or other parties travelling together.
No time to linger, though. We headed out to explore Venice. I thought the shops in Rome/Florence were amazing, but the shops in Venice have to be seen to be believed. Maybe it's their tiny size that makes them so charming. All the little white lights strung over each passage add to the affect. Not to mention all that gorgeous Murano glass in shop after shop. Interestingly, in an ancient city famous for its crystal, the vast majority of shops were outfitted with very high-high-tech lighting, the likes of which we'd never seen. The effect was charming and magical. We spent much of our time in Venice trying to find similar contemporary fixtures for some of our projects. Didn't find the high tech stuff (I'm now researching it on the web) but we did buy some crystal ones. What a fun shopping trip!
We found an "internet point" right around the corner and caught up on emails. A glass of champagne in the hotel bar. Then set off to find a restaurant our priest recommended. I'm not going to look up the name because it wasn't that special. It had nothing but fish. Generally I love seafood, but I didn't know enough to do the menu justice. (It also may have had something to do with the sore throat I felt coming on.)
The next morning I awoke with a full blown cold. We did the Secret Itineraries tour and enjoyed it immensely. But, did you know there's no heat in there?! Our <i>feet</i> felt like cobblestones before we were through. We headed straight to a lovely little coffee shop -- and watched in amazement as the snow began to fall.
Feb 8th, 2006, 04:21 AM
#29
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This was no flurry. It snowed all afternoon and into the next day. Over on the Rialto Bridge, we and the other tourists took turns taking pictures of ourselves in the snow. We had a late lunch of pizza and huge bowls of steaming hot soup. Nothing notable, but it sure hit the spot that afternoon.
When we returned to the hotel they were having a "soiree"! A duet in period costume played Mozart as the hotel staff passed out free champagne and little canapes. Through the main doors we could see the snow swirling over the Grand Canal. Quite a scene. We went back to the same restaurant we'd been to for lunch. Had a simple dinner of pasta and salad and then early to bed. (I should mention how good the breakfast was at this hotel. A magnificent spread, including bacon and eggs.)
The last morning we took the vaporetto over to Piazzale Roma to acquaint ourselves with where we'd be catching the airport bus that evening. Wandered over to Campo di Sta Margherita. Along the way we ducked into several tiny little chapels, all very charming and intimate. There were a lot of "street markets" in this area (they were actually selling off their boats). It's amazing to see all that beautifully fresh produce while the snow is swirling around you. When we got to Accademia, it was time to head back on the Vaporetto and collect our luggage.
One other note: That morning I went to the supermarket down the street from our hotel. Bought small bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for gifts---great prices. But I want to note their "deli" counter...my mouth was watering even though I'd just finished breakfast. Crusty sandwiches of shrimps, chicken curry and all kinds of fillings. If you're in Venice in picnic weather, this would be a great place to fill your basket. From the Ca d'Oro stop, turn left in the main street. The store is a few steps down on the right, across the bridge.
The trip to the airport went fine---the weather had cleared by then. Before we knew it, we were winging our way towards the City of Lights-----Paris!
Next:
Some observations about Italy.
When we returned to the hotel they were having a "soiree"! A duet in period costume played Mozart as the hotel staff passed out free champagne and little canapes. Through the main doors we could see the snow swirling over the Grand Canal. Quite a scene. We went back to the same restaurant we'd been to for lunch. Had a simple dinner of pasta and salad and then early to bed. (I should mention how good the breakfast was at this hotel. A magnificent spread, including bacon and eggs.)
The last morning we took the vaporetto over to Piazzale Roma to acquaint ourselves with where we'd be catching the airport bus that evening. Wandered over to Campo di Sta Margherita. Along the way we ducked into several tiny little chapels, all very charming and intimate. There were a lot of "street markets" in this area (they were actually selling off their boats). It's amazing to see all that beautifully fresh produce while the snow is swirling around you. When we got to Accademia, it was time to head back on the Vaporetto and collect our luggage.
One other note: That morning I went to the supermarket down the street from our hotel. Bought small bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for gifts---great prices. But I want to note their "deli" counter...my mouth was watering even though I'd just finished breakfast. Crusty sandwiches of shrimps, chicken curry and all kinds of fillings. If you're in Venice in picnic weather, this would be a great place to fill your basket. From the Ca d'Oro stop, turn left in the main street. The store is a few steps down on the right, across the bridge.
The trip to the airport went fine---the weather had cleared by then. Before we knew it, we were winging our way towards the City of Lights-----Paris!
Next:
Some observations about Italy.
Feb 8th, 2006, 04:48 AM
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we are planning on bypassing venice also. now, i am planning on some heavy lobbying to restructure. should we give up the french riviera or florence? and i grew up on the gulf coast, are you al, ms, la, or fla?
Feb 8th, 2006, 05:01 AM
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You know there are palm trees living happily in venice so any snow probably wouldn;t last all that long.
Great report and glad you had a wonderful time and re-emphasized how easy it is to walk around in Rome and no need to necessarily stay right in the center of the "historic district."
Great report and glad you had a wonderful time and re-emphasized how easy it is to walk around in Rome and no need to necessarily stay right in the center of the "historic district."
Feb 8th, 2006, 05:08 AM
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Hi JeanneB, Brava! A lovely trip report! DH and I had a similar itinerary and the same response to Venice. We didn't meet up with the bomb squad tho! Glad you are laughing about that. Can't wait to hear about Paris!
Feb 8th, 2006, 05:23 AM
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Thoroughly enjoying your report JeanneB! I'm particularly interested in your restaurant recommendations in Rome. Were the restaurants recommended by your hotel? fodors? travel book? word of mouth? We're taking friends in May and I'm anxious to nail down dining choices...
Feb 8th, 2006, 05:47 AM
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P Texas:
We are Alabama---Mobile. Not knowing your itinerary, it's hard to say what changes you could make. All I know is: you will NOT regret putting Venice in there. Of course, it has to work with all your other choices...do you have a thread going?
Dorkforcemom:
I did lots of restaurant research for Rome. Fodors, Chowhound, comments on Trip Advisor, etc. Matricianella and Fiametta came from that research. Abruzzi also, plus it was on our priest's list. He also gave us La Sagristia and da Roberto. Pierluigi was high on my list, but they've apparently moved. Even our tour guide lit up when I mentioned it. But the new location wasn't amenable to our schedule that night. As to word-of-mouth, be careful. Ask specifics about the menu. As we learned with the Venice "fish restaurant", what's fabulous to one person can be so-so to another.
We sampled only the tiniest fraction of good Rome restaurants, but I can say you won't be unhappy if you include these:
Fiametta, La Sagristia (especially the pizza margherita), and I still think Pierluigi would be worth seeking out.
Bon appetit!
We are Alabama---Mobile. Not knowing your itinerary, it's hard to say what changes you could make. All I know is: you will NOT regret putting Venice in there. Of course, it has to work with all your other choices...do you have a thread going?
Dorkforcemom:
I did lots of restaurant research for Rome. Fodors, Chowhound, comments on Trip Advisor, etc. Matricianella and Fiametta came from that research. Abruzzi also, plus it was on our priest's list. He also gave us La Sagristia and da Roberto. Pierluigi was high on my list, but they've apparently moved. Even our tour guide lit up when I mentioned it. But the new location wasn't amenable to our schedule that night. As to word-of-mouth, be careful. Ask specifics about the menu. As we learned with the Venice "fish restaurant", what's fabulous to one person can be so-so to another.
We sampled only the tiniest fraction of good Rome restaurants, but I can say you won't be unhappy if you include these:
Fiametta, La Sagristia (especially the pizza margherita), and I still think Pierluigi would be worth seeking out.
Bon appetit!
Feb 8th, 2006, 06:01 AM
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I want to say "we've told you so" about Venice! I agree with you - nobody can really prepare you for the first time you walk out of the train station and face the Grand Canal.
I love your trip report, and really like your " I even loved never knowing where I was!" One of the best things to do in Venice, is getting lost!
Cannot wait to read the "Paris part"!
I love your trip report, and really like your " I even loved never knowing where I was!" One of the best things to do in Venice, is getting lost!
Cannot wait to read the "Paris part"!
Feb 8th, 2006, 06:59 AM
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ITALY - GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
If Paris is a sophisticated dinner party, Italy is a family picnic. I can only compare it to London, Paris and the French countryside, but the Italians are much warmer and "approachable". A more casual, laid back, lust-for-life manner. Though I speak some French, I know only the very basics in Italian. But it didn't matter (well, except maybe for the train!). Many people spoke English and, even if they didn't, pantoming was always easy and they were patient and helpful.
The ancient Italian architecture made me realize what a relatively "modern" city Paris is....thanks to Baron Haussman. It boggles the mind to contemplate what Paris was like before he unleased the bulldozers (or whatever they used back then). The Italian cities had a different quality: ancient yet modern. I loved the narrow little passages, being surprised by a little campo or piaza, the ancient columns no longer supporting anything, and the occasional tiny wall-nitch with a grotto to the virgin (usually with a little bouquet of fresh flowers). I love studying window displays and the Italians have perfected it to a fine art. Shopping is a dream. (By the way, we did negotiate the price of the light fixtures in Venice---it never hurts to ask.)
FOOD: Sorry Paris, but Italian food beats the French---hands down. Whether we were in a nice restaurant or some run-of-the-mill pizzaria, the food was always piping hot and delicious. In a general sense, menus were more likely to contain several choices that appealed to me. Antipasti and Primi courses were ample, secondi less so. I'd still be interested in hearing if others agree that the Primi is the star of the Italian meal. Secondis were more simple and tame. Have others found that to be so? Desserts were divine, as was the wine. I wish I'd had more vino nobile. Keep an eye out for salads: we especially enjoyed the ones with arugula, ricotta and whole walnuts...all drizzled with balsamico. As for pizza, I doubt there's a bad one <i>anywhere</i> in that delightful country. If only they delivered.....!! Do they drizzle olive oil on top of the cheese or does the oil seep out of the cheese in the oven?
Most hotels didn't provide a wash cloth. I packed an infant cloth which worked fine and dried quickly. Friend shopped for one unsuccessfully and ended up buying a terry cloth<i>baby bib</i>. Imagine the hotel staff's surprise when they saw that drying on the radiator!
Despite our determination to pack light, I could have taken half of what I did. We each took a 22" roller (checked) and a small rolling duffle for carryon. I now know that I could have been perfectly happy with 2 pair of slacks, 2 pair of shoes, and 4 or 5 tops. Of course, this was winter so we were able to avail ourselves of the radiators and towel warmers to speed the drying process (must keep that in mind). Actually, my suitcase is a 24" Eagle Creek Road Warrior, but it's much narrower and shallower than my other 24"---it's very close to a 22". Next time I won't bother with the small duffle, will just take the suitcase. If I had a 20" I'd use that. I've now learned that, as the trip progresses, I become comfortable in certain clothes and tend to wear the same thing. Who's to know and who cares whether you wore the same thing in Florence you wore in Rome?!
A note to those contemplating going in winter. Unless you're a sun worshiper, don't let the cold stop you. Very few shops/restaurants were "on holiday". In fact, shopkeepers and street vendors were delighted to see us. I thought the Venice light shop owner was going to faint when he realized we might actually <i>buy something</i>!
If you pack the right layers and carry the right windproof coat you'll be fine. Good rubber soles will protect you on icy cobblestones. WinterSilks long underwear...don't leave home without it.
All in all, Italy exceeded all expectations. In fact, we're already planning a short trip in September or October. Though Venice beckons, I think we'll probably go to Florence since we feel we shortchanged it on this trip. With 5 or 6 days we can make time for day trips to some Tuscan hilltowns. And this time we'll do it in warm sunshine. I can't wait!
If Paris is a sophisticated dinner party, Italy is a family picnic. I can only compare it to London, Paris and the French countryside, but the Italians are much warmer and "approachable". A more casual, laid back, lust-for-life manner. Though I speak some French, I know only the very basics in Italian. But it didn't matter (well, except maybe for the train!). Many people spoke English and, even if they didn't, pantoming was always easy and they were patient and helpful.
The ancient Italian architecture made me realize what a relatively "modern" city Paris is....thanks to Baron Haussman. It boggles the mind to contemplate what Paris was like before he unleased the bulldozers (or whatever they used back then). The Italian cities had a different quality: ancient yet modern. I loved the narrow little passages, being surprised by a little campo or piaza, the ancient columns no longer supporting anything, and the occasional tiny wall-nitch with a grotto to the virgin (usually with a little bouquet of fresh flowers). I love studying window displays and the Italians have perfected it to a fine art. Shopping is a dream. (By the way, we did negotiate the price of the light fixtures in Venice---it never hurts to ask.)
FOOD: Sorry Paris, but Italian food beats the French---hands down. Whether we were in a nice restaurant or some run-of-the-mill pizzaria, the food was always piping hot and delicious. In a general sense, menus were more likely to contain several choices that appealed to me. Antipasti and Primi courses were ample, secondi less so. I'd still be interested in hearing if others agree that the Primi is the star of the Italian meal. Secondis were more simple and tame. Have others found that to be so? Desserts were divine, as was the wine. I wish I'd had more vino nobile. Keep an eye out for salads: we especially enjoyed the ones with arugula, ricotta and whole walnuts...all drizzled with balsamico. As for pizza, I doubt there's a bad one <i>anywhere</i> in that delightful country. If only they delivered.....!! Do they drizzle olive oil on top of the cheese or does the oil seep out of the cheese in the oven?
Most hotels didn't provide a wash cloth. I packed an infant cloth which worked fine and dried quickly. Friend shopped for one unsuccessfully and ended up buying a terry cloth<i>baby bib</i>. Imagine the hotel staff's surprise when they saw that drying on the radiator!
Despite our determination to pack light, I could have taken half of what I did. We each took a 22" roller (checked) and a small rolling duffle for carryon. I now know that I could have been perfectly happy with 2 pair of slacks, 2 pair of shoes, and 4 or 5 tops. Of course, this was winter so we were able to avail ourselves of the radiators and towel warmers to speed the drying process (must keep that in mind). Actually, my suitcase is a 24" Eagle Creek Road Warrior, but it's much narrower and shallower than my other 24"---it's very close to a 22". Next time I won't bother with the small duffle, will just take the suitcase. If I had a 20" I'd use that. I've now learned that, as the trip progresses, I become comfortable in certain clothes and tend to wear the same thing. Who's to know and who cares whether you wore the same thing in Florence you wore in Rome?!
A note to those contemplating going in winter. Unless you're a sun worshiper, don't let the cold stop you. Very few shops/restaurants were "on holiday". In fact, shopkeepers and street vendors were delighted to see us. I thought the Venice light shop owner was going to faint when he realized we might actually <i>buy something</i>!
If you pack the right layers and carry the right windproof coat you'll be fine. Good rubber soles will protect you on icy cobblestones. WinterSilks long underwear...don't leave home without it.
All in all, Italy exceeded all expectations. In fact, we're already planning a short trip in September or October. Though Venice beckons, I think we'll probably go to Florence since we feel we shortchanged it on this trip. With 5 or 6 days we can make time for day trips to some Tuscan hilltowns. And this time we'll do it in warm sunshine. I can't wait!
Feb 8th, 2006, 07:02 AM
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Jeanne, I am enjoying reading your trip report. I can't wait to read about your observations of Italy, after my first trip to Rome and Sorrento area I have developed quite a few also.
I also am realizing how much the weather can effect our impressions of a city. Snow in Venice sounds beautiful while bone-chilling cold in Florence sounds downright miserable.
I think posts like "What will the weather be like in ???" certainly have their merit
Looking forward to reading more of you travels. Deborah
I also am realizing how much the weather can effect our impressions of a city. Snow in Venice sounds beautiful while bone-chilling cold in Florence sounds downright miserable.
I think posts like "What will the weather be like in ???" certainly have their merit
Looking forward to reading more of you travels. Deborah
Feb 8th, 2006, 07:08 AM
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Forgive the mis-spellings in my previous post. For some reason the "edit" feature wouldn't accept my corrections.
-----------
chiarchiara:
Thanks! to you and Ira and the others who cajoled me into including Venice. It was enchanting. We're really torn about the short trip in the Fall. We'll probably just do Florence, but Venice sure is tempting.
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chiarchiara:
Thanks! to you and Ira and the others who cajoled me into including Venice. It was enchanting. We're really torn about the short trip in the Fall. We'll probably just do Florence, but Venice sure is tempting.
Feb 8th, 2006, 07:41 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
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Jeanne, no, i don't have an itinerary thread. we're going with other people (from Mobile too) and i'm going to direct them to your thread for info. venice may really be out of the way for us since we are flying into Paris and headed to Montaione via Florence. i have really enjoyed following your travels, esp. the bomb scare one.
