Hi Bellini1. Very kind words. Hope you have a wonderful holiday. We'll be anxious to read your trip report when you return. Take care. Mavis

Rickmav, thank you so much for your wonderful trip report. We were in Italy last October for two weeks and like you I was so unprepared for the emotion I would feel while there. Your story brought back that feeling and it is fresh and real again. I also enjoyed your and Rick's ability to face new and/or uncomfortable situations with humor and openness to learning. We too kept talking about our "next time" in so many places we visited. Our "next time" will be in September in Venice for our 24th anniversary. We just decided to go for a week and stay only in Venice this time to really absorb the feeling of being there. Also, thanks to all of you that posted your comments and suggestions; they are priceless. Grazie mille.

Whoops. Sorry Mavis. I didn't mean to misspell your name. Leslie

rickmav, I had printed out this report a while ago and recently read it. WOW. Thank YOU!!!!

Hi bfrac. You're welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed the report. I envy you - a whole week in Venice! When you return, please let us know all the wonderful, funny, bizarre things you discovered.

Bellini1, don't worry, I've been called worse. In my younger days, a young man, not hearing my name correctly over the loud music in the pub we were in, called me 'Anus' for the rest of the evening. Was a short term relationship.

marigross - You're welcome again. Thanks for letting me know that the report still has some use.

rickmav, I first discovered your report in March when I began researching our trip to Italy. October seemed a long way off then, but shortly we will be leaving on the 16th. I am in a bit of a panic. We were a group of 3 best friend, newly retired couples and one had to cancel this week due to health issues. The remaining four of us are still excited about the trip despite the change in plans. I hope we have the wonderful experiences that you had and I only hope that I will be able to relate our trip details as beautifully as you did! I am a huge scrapbooker, but really never kept a daily journal (except when our kids were little and we all wrote together). My goal for this trip is to journal daily. I do have a question about that. Your descriptions were so clear. Did you take notes along the way, or just write from memory at night?
During our 3 weeks we will be visiting Rome, Venice, Lake Garda, a week in a villa in Tuscany, and flying home from Milan. In Venice we are staying in the Galleria as you did. We are looking forward to lots of gelatto, and going on a huge diet when we return home. Thanks for the packing list you sent months ago. My husband and I are taking 2 small rolling suitcases and 1 backpack. We're hoping for good weather because we love to walk and explore. Thanks again for your wonderful trip report. Ruth

rickmav, thanks for your wonderful trip report! I know so well that feeling of just wandering around Florence. Just to be there in that amazing place where the Renaissance flourished.

I know also how hard it can be when you have to start speaking whatever Italian you have to real Italians! On our first visit we were with our daughter who had lived in Florence for a year, and she pretty much dealt with everything. But after that, it was my job, as my husband did not listen to any lessons, either.

I have a question about your experience with Hertz. We are picking up a car when we leave Florence and wonder which office it was. Was it on Via Ognissanti? I am not looking forward to dealing with those folks, but would at least like to be prepared!

Charnee

Hello Ruth. You must be getting very excited. I think you'd have to try really, really hard not to have a good time in Italy. had to cancel this week due to health issues. The remaining four of us are still excited about the trip despite the change in plans. I hope we have the wonderful experiences that you had and I only hope that I will be able to relate our trip details as beautifully as you did! I am a huge scrapbooker, but really never kept a daily journal (except when our kids were little and we all wrote together). My goal for this trip is to journal daily. I do have a question about that. Your descriptions were so clear. Did you take notes along the way, or just write from memory at night?
During our 3 weeks we will be visiting Rome, Venice, Lake Garda, a week in a villa in Tuscany, and flying home from Milan. In Venice we are staying in the Galleria as you did. We are looking forward to lots of gelatto, and going on a huge diet when we return home. Thanks for the packing list you sent months ago. My husband and I are taking 2 small rolling suitcases and 1 backpack. We're hoping for good weather because we love to walk and explore. Thanks again for your wonderful trip report. Ruth



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Author: charnees
Date: 10/07/2007, 04:31 pm
rickmav, thanks for your wonderful trip report! I know so well that feeling of just wandering around Florence. Just to be there in that amazing place where the Renaissance flourished.

I know also how hard it can be when you have to start speaking whatever Italian you have to real Italians! On our first visit we were with our daughter who had lived in Florence for a year, and she pretty much dealt with everything. But after that, it was my job, as my husband did not listen to any lessons, either.

I have a question about your experience with Hertz. We are picking up a car when we leave Florence and wonder which office it was. Was it on Via Ognissanti? I am not looking forward to dealing with those folks, but would at least like to be prepared!

Charnee

Well, will try this again. Don't know what kind of spooky thing just happened when I tried to post, but I'll give it another go.

Hello Ruth. You must be getting very excited about your trip. I think you'd have to try really, really hard to have a bad time. I didn't keep a traditional journal but rather wrote letters home to my mother. Since we were going to be gone for 4 months, I really wanted to share everything we were doing with her (I adore her) so the letters seemed a good way to connect with her and to have a ready-made journal of our trip when we got home. I wrote 1-2 letters a week.

I suppose I took a chance that some of the letters would get lost, but none of them did, although a few arrived out of order (which made some interesting reading for my mom!).

I always kept the current letter in my purse and whenever we sat somewhere for a bit I'd take it out and make a few notes on things we'd seen or done. I also found that reviewing my digital photos at the end of every day while I was writing the letter was a great way to keep things current. Another thing I do is take a quick pic of the menu that's posted outside the restaurant we are going into so I can remember the right name of the dishes we ordered.

I also have always tried to travel with my senses - although I never knew how wonderful that could be until I got to Italy. I try and use everything - sight, smell, etc. when I am travelling and it is a remarkable way to remember things later on, by putting yourself in the moment. All the wonderful tastes, smells, etc. just come flowing back.

Have a wonderful time!

Hi Charnee. Thanks for your kind words about the report. I can't wait to go again. I think our Hertz office was on Maso Finiguerra, which I believe is just around the corner from Borgo Ognissanti. My advice for anyone renting a car, after our experience, is:
1. When you are filling out the forms in the office, before you go to the garage, ask if there has been any previous damage to the vehicle. If so, ask that the report be attached to your paperwork. It's better to ask this at the rental office, rather than the garage, because they usually speak very good English in the rental office. Make a note of your conversation and the rep's name and the date. Don't forget to ask for a map on how to get out of Florence, with the route marked.
2. When you get to the garage, ask the person who brings you the car if there is any damage? Again, take a name. You probably won't have much luck with this, but it's worth the try. Maybe, you can find out how to say it in Italian from someone on this board.
3. Don't be rushed at the garage. Make sure you get the car you booked. The attendant will bring it to you and will leave it running (I think they want to get you out of there quickly). But don't move until you make sure there aren't any icons flashing on the dashboard. If there are, don't go anywhere until someone has made them stop.
4. Before you leave the garage, walk around the car, taking pictures of every side, plus the windshield and bumpers. Make sure you don't delete these pictures during the trip and it would be great if you could time-stamp them.
5. Follow the map you got from the rental office. If you do, you will be able to get out of the city without gaining too many grey hairs.

Hope I haven't made you feel more scared. We did none of these things and it turned out okay - but there was a lot of stress that we didn't have to have if we'd done the above. Have a great trip.

Thanks for the ideas on getting a rental car in Florence. You didn't scare me, not at all, but I'd rather not have to deal with the hassles you did if I can avoid it.

I do study my Italian tapes (tapes! -- that's how old they are!) and will definitely look up, "Is there any damage to this car?" before I go.

Thanks, Charnee

We rented from Hertz 3 weeks ago at Florence Airport. The Hertz people were very nice all of them spoke english. We had the same experience at Milan Station and Milan airport.
Get a GPS it will make you travel so much relaxing.

Rickmav, LoveItaly recommended your trip report and I'm so glad. Thanks for posting; I feel like I'm there with you!

Cybertraveler - glad you enjoyed it. We are planning on going to Italy again next fall (2009) for one month and are already excited about it. This time we will include Rome and revisit Venice. After that, we're not sure. But we will definitely be using this board to plan. I'm also doing a presentation at our local library in Sept. on a first-timer's look at Italy, they have an Armchair Travel series that is a lot of fun. Take care.

Hello cybertravel, I am so glad you found rickmav's trip report. I was sure you would enjoy it! And rickmav, your future trip to Italy is good to know as that means we will get another wonderful trip report, yes?

Wow and Wow! Rickmav, I'm so glad your TR was retrieved. What a lovely report and I'm also glad that you have remained a Fodor's poster so I can send along more compliments. It was very enjoyable and beautifully written.
And, what is it about Italy that grabs the heart? It isn't always easy to figure the ways. As you said, having to get tickets validated seem so strange! My hub also charmed the conductor when we forgot!
And we have to wait until 2009 to read another report?? I'll read about England and look at your pix next. Many thanks, TD

TDudette - glad you enjoyed the trip report. Our trip to Italy has really become the standard against which I measure our other holidays. I just felt completely 'there'.

RickMav:

Thanks so much for that unbelievable trip report! My wife and I are planning our first trip to Italy for next fall. Your report will serve us immensely! Not only was it informative, but it was also so well written and funny!

bookmarking

Rickmav, I just loved this report! I am planning my trip to Italy in April and I can't get enough information. I know I will come back to this many times before I leave....Great writing!!

Hello Mavis, I know your trip was two years ago, but I just came upon it and have had the most enjoyable afternoon. I have read numerous wonderful trip reports over the years, but your's was something special. Your way with words, the way you are able to use all of your senses, and the funny and upbeat personality of your writing bring everything wonderful about Italy back to me. I have been everywhere you went, but of course not the two apartments you rented, and I could see each gorgeous destination all over again.

There are so many things I would like to comment on but will refrain. It would be too long. Have you already left for your 2009 return trip to Italy? If not may I suggest that if you return to Umbria that you visit Spello. It is a small town just south of Assisi and was definitely one of my favorites. I am now researching for Spring 2010 trip to Venice and Florence and although I was already excited for the trip, your descriptions make me almost unable to wait. Thank you so much.
As soon as I have some time I will spend another enjoyable afternoon reading all of your England reports. It is another of my favorite places and I cannot wait to read them. Char

for later

bookmarking

Mavis: Thank you so much for sharing.
I just stumbled across your Fantastic review of Italy.
My husband and I,of 37 years,have had the undeserving privilege to visit
Italy 4 times in the last 9 years.
Italy just keeps calling us back.
On our first trip we thought we would never be able to come back.
Obviously we made sure that wasn't true.
Our first trip was 10 days-visiting Venice/Florence/Rome.
We fell in LOVE and hard.
Our 2nd trip was One week in Paris and One week in Venice.
Our 3rd trip was with another couple-One week in Paris and
10 days in Tuscany/Cinque Terre'.
Our 4th trip was one week in Rome and then on to Tuscany,Capri,Sorrento.
We too followed allot of Rick Steve's advice.
We had a 5th trip planned based around an Andrea Bocelli's concert in Lajatico,outside PISA for July 18,2009.
Sad to say the economy has hit us hard and we had to cancel our trip, while our 8 other friends went on to enjoy that trip.That was hard......
Through your written words, I could transport myself to all of those sights,scenes & smells that you experienced.It's been incredible reliving it.
We started planning a trip for 2010, but have come to realize that
the money is not going to be there.So 2011 will be the new plan.
So many people(who have never been to Italy)
ask us why we don't go somewhere else....what can I say...they don't understand.
Thank you for sharing the name's of where you stayed and ate,
so many bloggers don't do that.
Thank you for sharing how you remembered the things you wanted to write down by sharing it in a letter with your mom.And where you ate.
Excellent advice about reviewing your pictures each day.
I will do that next trip.
Your car experience.....reminds me, that when arriving in Florence we were taken to our room by Taxi from the Train Station, it was terrifying. Right then and there we all decided that we were not driving in Florence.We immediately cancelled our car we had reserved.Deciding that we would take day trip tour's.Which we did.
One to San Gimignano,knowing we would have to return there one day,and we have.We have driven in Tuscany since then and love it.
But it can be quiet haring to rent and or return a car.
On one of our trips we returned a car in Pisa.
My husband dropped me and our 2 friends and "ALL" our luggage off at the Train Station, while he returned the car. The garage dictator's barely acknowledged that he was there.So he jumped out of the car, left the engine running, only hoped it all worked out, threw his hands in the air and said " Only in Italy" then made a mad dash to catch the train with us,off to the Cinque Terre'.
But thats what going to Italy is all about, taking one day at a time, laughing at yourself and enjoying the experience no matter what.

Hi charuddy and sally. Sorry I didn't get back to you before but I am waiting for a lumbar fusion on my back and am not allowed on the computer very much. I'm so glad you enjoyed the trip report. Even I love re-reading it - it brings everything back so quickly. We didn't go to Italy in 2009, I was starting to have trouble with my back then and decided we'd do a mellow visit to Devon and Somerset. But I had to go to London and it was hell. So travel is off the books for now, hopefully once I have the surgery (horrible wait times in Canada), we'll be back to Italy. Take care.