annhg,

My first loyalty is always and always will be to is the traveler who comes here and ask for help. It's not to the "Fodor's community" or the wet hen party in the Fodorite Lounge that occasionally flies over to drop poop and lay eggs over here.

Nothing I said in my original post in this thread justifies the nasty responses that loused up this thread. And nothing will deter me from continuing to reveal on Fodor's keep as often as is necessary that way too many people posting on Fodor's have no recent experience of the places it Italy they comment upon, they have never actually stayed in the hotels they recommend to other posters -- some of them don't even LIKE the places they try to send other posters but they are "professional travel planners" whose clients have been happy going to the tourist spots, so why shouldn't this guy who just posted? The "professional travel planners" around here go other places for their vacations, as we read in their trip reports.

I also will continue to SHOUT to anybody that will listen that the most-touristed parts of Italy are just a shell of what an authentic Italian vacation can be. Some people posting here really don't know that -- but their ignorance is no excuse for their constant attempts to ruin threads where that is revealed.

I have nothing but admiration for the hard-working Italians who have taken the trouble to learn English and have listened so carefully to Amercan complaints and wish lists about air conditioning, easier parking, more meat on the menu, more cheese in their pasta, less beans, more desserts, ice in their sodas, oakier red wines -- and done so much to be gracious, accommodating hosts while still preserving so much of their cultural heritage and landscape for tourist enjoyment. There is no question that American tourists and their dollars have saved many a glorious vista in Italy.

But it came at a price. Every now and then, somebody pops up on Fodor's who actually doesn't want a tourist experience of italy, no matter how much pleasure it gives other.

I'm here for them! ;-) (And I'm not alone. I'm just the most obnoxious of the lot.)

I've since come to regret posting so immodestly about being the most of anything. Just came across this, posted recently:

"StCirq on Jan 3, 10 at 12:23am

I spent 6 weeks on two trips to Umbria in 2006. Both times I stayed in the Paciano/Panicale area and loved it and all the towns around it. For cities, I visited Perugia (loved it), Assisi (didn't love it but appreciated it), and Cortona (hated it, but perhaps that's because it was July and absolutely everyone was an English-speaking tourist and the streets were so crowded you couldn't even see anything."


Thought ourjetboat could use the information to put all that he's being told into context before he spends any money.

Steps, your knowledge level is admirable and helpful to many.
Just drop the attitude. And, tell us why you decided to change your handle--you must have a reason.