Well, I, for one, would like to know what the OP didn't like about Tuscany. I assume he had the same issues with Florence he did with Rome, but surely not the same ones in Tuscany? Not that, in the course of several visits to Italy, I have been to either.

'The best thing about Italy is how it makes you appreciate coming home to America. '

What a jerk.

Maybe not a lot of you are offended, but writing that a country which capital was founded 2500+ years ago has nothing to offer and that about 60 millions inhabitants live in a second (or third) zone compared to one's country of origin IS offending.

I will not remark on the country of origin nor that the OP is including Canadians and Mexicans as well as Argentinians, Peruvians in his ridiculous assesment.

But ok, a case of Captain America syndrom I guess.

Well, I, for one, would like to know what the OP didn't like about Tuscany. I assume he had the same issues with Florence he did with Rome, but surely not the same ones in Tuscany?>>

me too thursdaysd.

BTW - I think that you would like southern Tuscany around Orbetello and Masa Maritimia - so different to standard tourist Italy.

My goodness, I had no idea the Judgment Olympics were on!

Why is it necessary to call the guy names? Or take offense at his opinion? Or impugn his country of origin? Where was he boasting?

The only thing that amazes me is that anyone is amazed to encounter a difference of opinion.

Not a difference of opinion.
A judgement.

And if you read my post, I said I didn't care about his country of origin - there are jerks everywhere, I'm sure we can find an Italian saying USA is backwards and populated by obese illiterate people eating junk food.

thursdays, do you mean that in several visits to Italy you have never been to Florence or Rome? Why not? No interest, busy with other places???

Not criticizing--just idle curiosity. I'm a big-city lover, so of course I dig Rome and try to include at least a few days there on every trip to Italy. Hard habit to break.

I have been to Rome, although it is not a favorite. I have not been to Florence, principally because I am a fan of decorative arts and crafts rather than fine arts, and have seen all the religious art I want. Now that I hear how crowded it has become, I am even less inclined to visit.

My Italy trips (so far):

Stresa, Rome, Ferrara (Ravenna), lunch in Venice
Castelrotto, Milan
Venice
Capri, Sorrento, Sicily (three weeks), Naples
Trieste, Ferrara (Ravenna), Venice
Varenna, Stresa, Turin (this year)

'Why is it necessary to call the guy names?'

Is it name calling to call somebody a jerk ?

What I want to convey is 'idiot (also english I think), crétin or imbécile, pretty polite.

I thought jerk is the same as wanker in England or moron in the US. Not the case ?

(seems I know more names than abbreviation but not sure of when to use what).

<Is it name calling to call somebody a jerk ? >
LOL, yes, in my book, it is, but I find your post so amusing that I have forgotten to take offense!

pariswat - I think that wanker is a little stronger than jerk, at least in the UK; moron is less strong than both.

IME "idiot" would sum up what you want to convey in several languages.

If Streamliner does not stop it, he will go blind ...
Clearly, he is:
A few anchovies short of a pizza
A sandwich short of a picnic
A few ideas short of a thesis

So many ways to describe someone who is a fully paid up member of the ignoratii.

You need a foot rest in the shower for shaving your legs? The St Regis doesn't have a spa where someone can do that for you? How common.

It's very admirably to be non-judgemental and appreciate the OPs view on Italy, but for someone who cannot come up with one single thing he liked about Italy except for his hotel the word cretin is quite suitable.

I would just like to advise the OP that the rest of Europe is even worse. Don't even think of coming to Belgium. No foot rests in the showers anywhere, horrible place.

<You need a foot rest in the shower for shaving your legs? >
Well, in a word, yes. You need some place to put your foot that is, ideally, higher than the floor. You shave your legs with your feet flat on the floor? How...agile.

I don't remember seeing a foot rest in the shower of any hotel or apt. we have
stayed at in Europe or the U.S.

Don't have one at home either.

I don't have a footrest in the shower or a butler or a handy spa. Guess that makes me both common and agile. :-)

I really can't remember ever seeing this in a luxury hotel, and we've stayed in plenty.

Maybe it's a cultural thing, Americans shave in the shower and Europeans go to a salon for waxing?

This is turning out to be an interesting discussion after all ;-)

I too have never seen a foot rest in any hotel shower and I've stayed at quite a few hotels including Four Seasons, Peninsula, St Regis, Mandarin, Park Hyatt... Maybe I had one and didn't know what it was? Prefer the Portrait Suites to both the St Regis Rome or the 4S in Florence although I am usually partial to the 4S

Where I live moron and jerk are pretty close. I agree wanker is a step up, or down.

It's getting so that you don't need to go to the Lounge for your daily dose of vituperation.

<Maybe it's a cultural thing, Americans shave in the shower and Europeans go to a salon for waxing? >
Now that IS an interesting question! Surely that can't be, but I am eager to be educated :-)

Now, to the footrest, I don't mean an actual thingie, I mean a shelf, or seat or ledge or something, anything, where you can put your foot--a lot of showers stalls have something that will serve, and a combination bathtub/shower (oh, how common, the horror!) has its lip.

<Where I live moron and jerk are pretty close. I agree wanker is a step up, or down.>
No one really says wanker in the US, it's a great word but we sound funny when we say it, which is too bad. I think moron/idiot are about as strong as jerk. I love crétin, personally, it's fun to say.