Roman (and Florentine, Venetian) Holiday with la Principessa
Sep 22nd, 2017, 12:00 PM
#42
Someone should make a youtube video of him saying a few lines, followed by the correct delivery.>>
Lol, stoke, I can hear that it's wrong but I couldn't explain why, let alone do it right. If it's true that no-one told him it was awful, that's very sad. Good luck getting those theatre tickets.
Lol, stoke, I can hear that it's wrong but I couldn't explain why, let alone do it right. If it's true that no-one told him it was awful, that's very sad. Good luck getting those theatre tickets.
Oct 2nd, 2017, 05:55 PM
#43
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margo, thank you!
Here's are excerpts, different Parsons Dancer, of Caught, the strobed piece we saw. Gives you an idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB1ZnvCuXzg
We enjoyed the Hotel Bavaria, its faded palatial glory, friendly staff, the breakfast room mostly full of young couples. a cappuccino machine that grinds the beans to order as you select macchiato, lungo. Uniformed attendants keep cold breakfast buffet stocked.
Our second room, #6, had more pleasing dimensions than the first noisy #10. Little fireplace in the corner, a desk under tall windows, toilet and shower down the hall, totally quiet all night, spotless.
When Hannah and her sister were 15 and 17 they spent several days here when I got them inexpensive hotels as a mandatory alternative to hostels on their big duo European trip. Hannah says the Bavaria seemed very fancy to her then, somewhat less so ten years later.
Our last day we had until 1530 to catch our Italotren at SMN. We took a free tour in the morning, led by an intense young man who knows his Florence. I'd love to have gone on his Medici tour in the afternoon. Anti-autocracy shone through his remarks. He was rewarded with generous tips.
For a bite before going to the train station, we tried a little polenta fritta place near our hotel. I wanted fried polenta only, without paté, but my Italian wasn't up to the task. Hannah said "No," I said "Si" partly out of contrariness and a hope that it would be better than I feared. I took one bite, then scraped it all off. Wasted on me.
La Milkeria, next to the hotel, serves a good lemon crêpe. We shopped for gifts of chocolate at Pegna a fine specialty grocery also nearby.
http://www.pegnafirenze.com/prodotti.html
Then through the crowds around the Duomo, addio Firenze, and off to Rome.
Here's are excerpts, different Parsons Dancer, of Caught, the strobed piece we saw. Gives you an idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB1ZnvCuXzg
We enjoyed the Hotel Bavaria, its faded palatial glory, friendly staff, the breakfast room mostly full of young couples. a cappuccino machine that grinds the beans to order as you select macchiato, lungo. Uniformed attendants keep cold breakfast buffet stocked.
Our second room, #6, had more pleasing dimensions than the first noisy #10. Little fireplace in the corner, a desk under tall windows, toilet and shower down the hall, totally quiet all night, spotless.
When Hannah and her sister were 15 and 17 they spent several days here when I got them inexpensive hotels as a mandatory alternative to hostels on their big duo European trip. Hannah says the Bavaria seemed very fancy to her then, somewhat less so ten years later.
Our last day we had until 1530 to catch our Italotren at SMN. We took a free tour in the morning, led by an intense young man who knows his Florence. I'd love to have gone on his Medici tour in the afternoon. Anti-autocracy shone through his remarks. He was rewarded with generous tips.
For a bite before going to the train station, we tried a little polenta fritta place near our hotel. I wanted fried polenta only, without paté, but my Italian wasn't up to the task. Hannah said "No," I said "Si" partly out of contrariness and a hope that it would be better than I feared. I took one bite, then scraped it all off. Wasted on me.
La Milkeria, next to the hotel, serves a good lemon crêpe. We shopped for gifts of chocolate at Pegna a fine specialty grocery also nearby.
http://www.pegnafirenze.com/prodotti.html
Then through the crowds around the Duomo, addio Firenze, and off to Rome.
Jan 14th, 2018, 12:19 PM
#44
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I seem to have neglected to finish this report. Within a calendar year still counts, I suppose.
Fodors whole new format since I last checked in. It appears more difficult for me to review what I've already written, so please forgive repetition if you're just now skimming this.
With only ten nights in Italy, three of Hannah's Must Sees, we didn't have time for the countryside or even a smaller city. In Florence I was feeling a bit hemmed in, and that made climbing up to Piazzale Michelangelo and a rest in the deli Innocenti rooftop cafe even more refreshing.
ROME
Why were two American women holding each other and sobbing at the Trevi Fountain as selfie stick men hawked and waves of fellow tourists surged around, elbowing for their guaranteed return?
The Italotren was brand new, 25% cheaper then competition, almost full. This time few tunnels, lots of scenery. From Rome Termini the Metro is clean, well-marked and a straight shot to the Ottaviano stop. Our two bedroom Vatican City apartment on Via Candia gave us each our own space for four nights. Spacious, old fashioned gentility. Elevator. Our hostess greeted us along with her ?mother-in-law, who told us it was a "bella casa." Indeed it is. Antiques, original art, a sunny kitchen overlooking a courtyard, clothesline. A block and a half to the Vatican Museum entrance, two blocks to an excellent large indoor market. Handy to public transportation, though we walked mostly.
It was after dark when we arrived, walking from Ottaviano past a street market offering Anything for 1€! Solidly middle class residential. We had dinner across the street, very decent, then headed out to follow our noses to the Tiber/Tevere, The quickest route brought us against the forbidding walls of the Vatican. It was dispiritingly deserted along there, so, daunted, we never made it to the river. We turned back, past the Risorgimento transit area, and came upon a large discarded florists' box lying on the corner, full of fresh flowers. We chose an armful bouquet of lilies, calla lilies and eucalyptus wrapped in a ribbon that read "I CAMERATI," and a smaller one of roses, stopped by the small supermarket we'd spotted around the block, then the ATM, then back to our comfortable and quiet beds.
Next morning, a trip to the mercato for olives, bread, vegetables, fruit. My Italian was not equal to the task of cheese buying, though: I ended up with what seemed like several, but was probably two balls of fresh buffalo mozzarella and a large carton of ricotta, at least twice what I'd intended. (A similar thing happened to me with Comté cheese once near the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. Is it cheesemongers, or is it me?) Our hosts had provided a bottle of wine, so we were set.
So off we set to conquer Rome. We walked from our apartment to at least the outsides of the usual places. Kind of a Roman Holiday outdoors overview, with a duck into the Pantheon and some random churches. I threw money into poor boxes. By the time we got to Trevi Fountain we were frazzles. H said something to me, then I said something back, then I told her to throw a coin because I wasn't, because I doubted I'd come back. Next thing I knew we hugging each other and bawling. It felt fine to cry there in the bright Roman sun, awash with happy humanity.
Selfie-stick-selling young rail-thin African men were everywhere. I sympathize with them a lot. At one point we leaned against a rail overlooking ruins near the Coliseum when a young man approached and asked "You from Africa? Why not happy?" (The last was a legit question, since our Trevi tears were not quite dry.) We high-fived him, then tried to move on. "Oh, you don't want to talk to African?" I told him we didn't talk to strange man, and to his credit he accepted that fib. Overheard asking the next passerby "Why not happy?" Living in a beggar-scarce area, knowing what these men have gone through, wanting to help, not wanting to be bothered on the streets, added an emotional element to the day.
So the first day I wasn't sure I liked Rome much.
Fodors whole new format since I last checked in. It appears more difficult for me to review what I've already written, so please forgive repetition if you're just now skimming this.
With only ten nights in Italy, three of Hannah's Must Sees, we didn't have time for the countryside or even a smaller city. In Florence I was feeling a bit hemmed in, and that made climbing up to Piazzale Michelangelo and a rest in the deli Innocenti rooftop cafe even more refreshing.
ROME
Why were two American women holding each other and sobbing at the Trevi Fountain as selfie stick men hawked and waves of fellow tourists surged around, elbowing for their guaranteed return?
The Italotren was brand new, 25% cheaper then competition, almost full. This time few tunnels, lots of scenery. From Rome Termini the Metro is clean, well-marked and a straight shot to the Ottaviano stop. Our two bedroom Vatican City apartment on Via Candia gave us each our own space for four nights. Spacious, old fashioned gentility. Elevator. Our hostess greeted us along with her ?mother-in-law, who told us it was a "bella casa." Indeed it is. Antiques, original art, a sunny kitchen overlooking a courtyard, clothesline. A block and a half to the Vatican Museum entrance, two blocks to an excellent large indoor market. Handy to public transportation, though we walked mostly.
It was after dark when we arrived, walking from Ottaviano past a street market offering Anything for 1€! Solidly middle class residential. We had dinner across the street, very decent, then headed out to follow our noses to the Tiber/Tevere, The quickest route brought us against the forbidding walls of the Vatican. It was dispiritingly deserted along there, so, daunted, we never made it to the river. We turned back, past the Risorgimento transit area, and came upon a large discarded florists' box lying on the corner, full of fresh flowers. We chose an armful bouquet of lilies, calla lilies and eucalyptus wrapped in a ribbon that read "I CAMERATI," and a smaller one of roses, stopped by the small supermarket we'd spotted around the block, then the ATM, then back to our comfortable and quiet beds.
Next morning, a trip to the mercato for olives, bread, vegetables, fruit. My Italian was not equal to the task of cheese buying, though: I ended up with what seemed like several, but was probably two balls of fresh buffalo mozzarella and a large carton of ricotta, at least twice what I'd intended. (A similar thing happened to me with Comté cheese once near the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. Is it cheesemongers, or is it me?) Our hosts had provided a bottle of wine, so we were set.
So off we set to conquer Rome. We walked from our apartment to at least the outsides of the usual places. Kind of a Roman Holiday outdoors overview, with a duck into the Pantheon and some random churches. I threw money into poor boxes. By the time we got to Trevi Fountain we were frazzles. H said something to me, then I said something back, then I told her to throw a coin because I wasn't, because I doubted I'd come back. Next thing I knew we hugging each other and bawling. It felt fine to cry there in the bright Roman sun, awash with happy humanity.
Selfie-stick-selling young rail-thin African men were everywhere. I sympathize with them a lot. At one point we leaned against a rail overlooking ruins near the Coliseum when a young man approached and asked "You from Africa? Why not happy?" (The last was a legit question, since our Trevi tears were not quite dry.) We high-fived him, then tried to move on. "Oh, you don't want to talk to African?" I told him we didn't talk to strange man, and to his credit he accepted that fib. Overheard asking the next passerby "Why not happy?" Living in a beggar-scarce area, knowing what these men have gone through, wanting to help, not wanting to be bothered on the streets, added an emotional element to the day.
So the first day I wasn't sure I liked Rome much.
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