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Long Anticipated Trip to Italy; Our Accommodations

Oh poo! It was too long. :-(

'sokay, just try again. ;) BC

C'mon Nance, you can do it!

thanks, I will. But I need to find the time. Hopefully this evening. Last evening, I had just gotten home from my 2nd italian language class, typed all this in, and then it got "absorbed". But, I had trouble with the site last night, and this was not the only post I lost. Can't wait until I can dictate to my computer! (boy, how lazy is that!!)

Hi Nancy, Just thought I'd drop a quick line while on lunch onto this thread. I really look forward to the remaining report(s) on your trip. (And no it isn't lazy to want to dictate to your computer---it'll probably happen within the next decade!) Anyway, the whole thing about the postcard & the older man you gave it to was so cool. I had a lot of really variable encounters with older people while I lived in Italy, which one of my profs said was kind of unusual. I helped an older woman off a bus once (I swear, she was easily 90 years old) and she would not stop saying "grazie"! One day while out for a walk in the rain, an older lady approached me, knew who I was, & said the people in the neighborhood had heard that I spoke more than 1 language, & were very impressed. Also, because I am so pale, I sometimes had older people approach me & just look in wonder, while reaching out to touch my arm or hair. Glad most of your trip went well, can't wait to hear more! Take Care, BC

Greetings- just thought I'd mention that you can do all the dictating you want to your computer. Sony and several other manufacturers now sell mini cassette recorders that are digital and have an interface that you can plug right into your computer and your trascripts come up into your word processing software. There's no "translation" needed since your voice is digitally recorded. Radio Shack sells the Sony for around $199.

Ooo, I like it.....think I may have to check into this, post-Paris. BC

Lindan: This sounds like my very next toy purchase and I HAVE to have it today but can't find any info on it on the Radio Shack or Sony websites .... do you know what it's called? Regards ... Ger

greetings! okay, can you believe that my salesperson did not give me ACCURATE information!? actually it was just a kid and he might have misunderstood my question. it comes with the software to interface with your computer but you do need additional software (like Dragon Speak Naturally) to convert the digital files to print. this little toy is called a digital recorder and it puts your voice directly online so you can send voice emails or reports- it would go really nicely with photos posted online. i haven't tested it out yet but think what fun it would be to record italian people speaking to go along with your travelogue! anyway here's sony's link and there are others out there so check around for prices: http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/consumer...er/models.html

Lindan: Rushed out immediately to buy it as it would be invaluable for work! have just discovered the missing software problem - my salesguy - another young kid - also gave me the wrong info even though I explained in detail about the voice recognition bit (I was involved in a test on VR years ago and it did not go anywhere because of the time needed to invest in "teaching" the software to recognize your voice - let's see how this one handles my Irish accent. I'll do the testing over the weekend and let you all know how it goes. Sorry for highjacking Nancy's thread ... back to travel. So Nancy, stop keeping us in suspense here girl. I hope you didn't lose your text .. tell me you didn't! If I post anything more than a few lines, I prepared it in Word (offline) save it, then cut & past it in here. Delighted everything worked out well for you on the trip. Regards ... Ger

Was having MAJOR computer troubles! Maybe it got cranky from under-use, while wewere away! Ger, tried a cut and paste, but my computer will not paste directly onto the fodor site. Me or the computer? Anyway, for the 3rd and last time, will try this again. We arrived in Rome 5 hrs earlier than expected, due to flight changes. This got us into Rome around 8 am. Way too early for check in. But, we made our way to the hotel, Torre della Argentina , on Corso Vittorio Emmanuelle 2. I presented myself to the gentleman at the desk, and proceeded to astounish him with my italian. I have a feeling he was not very sure of the language I wqas speaking. So, after a few minutes, we switched to english. (Actually, they were very good at letting me practice my italian there. Didn't laugh at me, and did not act snobby either) The bellhop stashed our bags, we were directed to a quite sitting room ,where we sat quietly, took turns in the bathroom and changed our shirts. After washing, we wandered out into the hot italian sun, for nourishemnt and caffeine. Back to hotel at 10, still troopo presto. Out to check out the neighborhood, and find an ATM. When we arrived back again, bags delivered to room, and we went right up. I did the check in procedure later, at my convenience. The hotel is a 3 star.It is a "smaller" hotel with less than 60 rooms, spread out over 5 floors. there is a pretty roof terrace, that is basically chairless. and that 2 rooms open out onto, but the street is so busy, one may want to leave the doors /windows closed. Our "family suite" was in back, and consisted of 2 smallish, dark rooms, that were clean, and had good ventilation /windows. We also had a small terrace with a table and chairs. That was the best part for me. There was a queen bed in one room, and the other consisted of a pull-down Murphy bed, and a double sizes pull-out couch. The bathroom was spacious, modern, clean , bright and had TV speakers in it, that we were unable to turn off. The staff was helpful and accommodating, but not overly "warm" But, overall, the rooms are clean, beds comfortable, the breakfast that is laid out is more than adequate, and the hotel is on a major bus line. and close to both the P. Navona, and Campo de' Fiori. The big drawback for me, was the noise, even in back. It probably did not help that Rome had just won the National Soccer Championship for the first time in 18 yrs, which must have been the reason for the constant honking of horns, down the Corso, from midnight til well close to 3 am. But, It was our welcome to Rome!! We were there!

The next day, we walked over to our apartment on via della corda, overlooking the P.Farnese. The apt. was lovely! Since we were only 4 , the 5 bedroom areas, 2 baths, big LR/DR, tiny kitchen, and lovely roof terrace (unfortunately filled with dead plants) Was spacious enough for us, and allowed my children to have their own sleeping areas. This also gave me the ability to sleep alone on the top floor, with a pretty view of Palazzo Farnese and the piazza, and fountains. was not unwelcome for me. The apt. is a family home so it had a great lived in feeling, and was homey, and felt like a home. I think for Karen, and her Tour of the Cousins, it would have been a tight fit, but for us it was perfect. the owner was also very pleasant and helpful. Hearing the partying at the Campo de' Fiori into the early maorning hrs, and the ciggie smoke that drifed into our windows (from at least 50 feet away,) made us close our windows occasionally. But, I loved the location. Campo de' Fiori is a riot of people, except mid-late afternoon. P.Farnese is basically closed to most traffic, so is quieter. The palazzo is lovely to look at. Our first day there we watched a wedding from our LR ! and the statue of Giordano Bruno was "dressed " in orange and red cloth to celebrate the soccer winning. And because the emabassy is there (french), there were police there constantly. One night we even threw the frisbee around the piazza, (10:30 at night!) and a few younger people, and a small dog, joined in. Unfortunately, this apt. is not being rented out anymore, as the owner moved back in, a week after we left.

We stayed there (apt.) a week, and then rented our car, and drove south to Formia. But, the night before we left, we wandered over to P.della Rotonda for gelati, and expresso, (and gabinetto for my son) while sitting there, enjoying the night-(life, I decided to check out the Hotel del Senato. I had contacted them originally, but went with Torre Argentina because the family suite was 100.000L less /night. But, at this point, I knew we would want 2 doubles, as my husband was leaving, and when we returned to Rome, for our last 2 nights in Italy, it would be with my 2 children and my best friend Ellen. The plan was to put my daughter with her "auntie" and I would stay with my 13 yr old son. The staff was VERY friendly and accommodating to me when I wandered in at 10pm, looking to book 2 doubles, with 2 beds each and a good view. By then my italian was more comprehedable, and I also think they were more tolerant of my speaking Italian. I was very imnpressed by the staff, regardless. So, I booked 2 rooms, and upon our return to Rome, they were expecting us. The del Senato is a 3 star also. It is right on the P.della Rotonda, and overlooks the Pantheon. It is just a hotel away from the Sole de Pantheon. We were given two front- corner rooms, 307 and 407. The rooms were smallish, but very nicely decorated, and bright with 2 windows. Our beds were very comfortable, the bathrooms were big enough , and clean and modern. There were even wall safes, if you care about that kind of thing. My children loved them! they locked their soveniers (sp?) in them, checking on them frequently. The public areas were clean, bright, nicely furnished, (NOT in a HJ/ Quality Inn way) the breakfast room was pretty, and served a nice selection of food. But to me, the view was the best, followed by the friendly, helpful staff. Looking out my windows and seeing the Panteon REALLY close, was astounding for me. The piazza stays busy til very late at night, but not as noisy as P.Navona, or Campo de' Fiori. (Be warned, the garbage collectors roll in around 3 am, and they have shovels which they use! Shovels /metal/ cobblestones got a bit loud one night we were there.) And the staff. GianFranco, Salvatore, and Christina were the most helpful and with good humor, GianFranco and Salvator helped me deal with La Macchina Famosa, which we foolishly drove into Rome, and could not get rid off til the next day! but, that was it's own story. I would definitely return there when I go back to rome.

Please excuse my MANT typos! It has taken me so many tries to get this on, that I have not been very careful. :-(

Nancy, we stayed at Torre d. Argentina also. It was indeed on a busy street, but we enjoyed the central location. Did you see any other hotels in Formia- Sperlonga area? we are interested in that area, but need to find a less expensive accommodation. Thanks

Linda, there are many places to stay along this coast area. a good site is www.atenatour.it It really depends on what one is looking for. I would not have been happy at some of the hotels I saw. Too weird in architecture (modern)or Beaches were too crowded , and noisy. I enjoy smaller, older hotels with more privacy, at least while on the beach. If you have any specific ones in mind, feel free to E- me directly. I may or maynot be able to give you more info. The area is lovely, and one can take many daytrips from there. Plus ferries from Formia go to Ventotone and Ponza, and ferries from Pouzzulli (?sp) go to Ischia and Procida,and maybe Capri?