Trip Report: Venice,Rome, Campania
May 13th, 2007, 01:49 PM
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Trip Report: Venice,Rome, Campania
Just returned from a month in Italy. I want to thank the Fodorites who provided so much help on this trip. Especially NNolan and Ira for the general overview of Campania, Franco for his Rome restaurant review, and Caroline for her help finding the right hotel in Naples.
I'll do this in sections. Most of my comments will be about about impressions and concepts. I apologize in advance for the missing details. Because I travel alone now, I discard weighty guide books as I change locations. I come back lighter, but some of the details are gone.
Venice: Lucky me, I had 8 nights in Venice. This was the best part of the whole trip; especially because I was in an apartment. I had been to Venice twice before on group tours which gave us all of two nights. Not enough. Living in an apartment allowed me to feel like a Venetian. I was situated in the Castello district, about a 15 minute walk from Piazza San Marco. Even though I was only a few blocks from the waterfront, I felt like I was away from all the tourist spots. In fact, after a while I would find ways to travel back streets to avoid the area around Piazza San Marco because of the heavy crush of tourists.
I loved cooking for myself. I had my choice of spots to buy supplies. The Rialto market was of course the best location. Also, by my apartment were a series of small shops that sold bread or meat or vegtables or pastry. I became known at all those places within a few days. The bread shop remembered to save me my favorite croissant after they had sold out one morning. One shopkeeper kept touting me on more and more expensive bottles of wine. "Try this one (sounds of lip smacking). It's 12 Euro and you will never forget the experience." Followed by, "Did you enjoy that wine? Well, I agree that was good, but let me show you this one. It's only 17 Euro, just a bit more than the other, but (more lip smacks) it is so wonderful. This is in a world of it's own." What a salesman.
My big problem with shopping was I could never figure out what things cost. My first night I had dinner in a seafood restaurant called Da Remigio, just a few steps from my apartment. Fish was offered by the 100 gram portion. I was told that my selection would likely include a last 600 grams making the cost of the fish alone 35 Euros. I opted for something less expensive. The next morning, I'm at the Rialto market and saw some beautiful fresh caught Salmon steaks. I pointed. My fish was wrapped up. Of course, I couldn't understand the price. So, I took out a 5 Euro note. The salesman indicated that was not right. I took out a 10 Euro note. More head shaking. No. I started to take out a 20 Euro note when the salesman became clearly exasperated with me. He said "Minta Minta." I reached into my back pocket for some coins. He was all smiles now. I just held out my hands for him to take what he wanted. It cost 1.5 Euro. It was big enough for two meals. So, a few days later I'm back again. Thanks to Franco's advice on this board, I knew swordfish is always available at the market. So, I had written down the word for swordfish and off I went. I found a stall, with lovely swordfish steaks. I pointed. The fish was wrapped. Of course I could not understand the price. I offered some coins. No. I offered a 5 Euro note. No. I offered a 10 Euro note. Finally he showed me a sales slip with the price typed on it: 14.7 Euro. Well, Okay. But I still can't figure it. Every time I went to buy anything the price was a surprise. I would go to the vegtable stand. I'd point to a pear. Thank you, 1 Euro. For one pear? Than I would go to another stand and buy some potatoes, carrots, a lettuce. One Euro for all of it. I never figured it out. But the food was fresh and wonderful. I'm not a cook but I could certainly take that wonderful food and fry it in fresh extra vergin olive oil. I only went to two restaurants in Venice and neither matched the quality of what I cooked in the apartment.
I started to watch how my fellow Venetians behaved. In the morning, they would air out there apartments. Some even put pillows or bedding on the windowsills. Later in the day, the windows and shitters were closed. I was delighted to find that one neighbor's apartment had Venetian blinds. I had searched on previous trips to Venice and never saw them. I began to take siesta from noon to 3. the streets were truly empty. All stores closed. I liked going out about six to seven in the afternoon/evening. The shopkeepers were at the end of their long day and were often outside their stores chatting with each other. These were happy contented people and I felt delighted to see them enjoying their lives. So many people I know can't wait for their work day to be over. But here, they express a happiness with their life that just made feel good.
One last comment about the apartment. I did not realize where the dish drain was located. I'm used to the drain being alongside the sink. Well, alongside the sink is the stove. No place for a drain. The drain board is positioned in a cupboard over the sink. Two levels of racks: dishes and pots. Reach up and put up the dishes and they drain right down into the sink. Close the cupboard door and you don't see them.
Some brief comments about sightseeing. More later. I met a number of other tourists who were depressed by the huge crowds at Saint Marks. But, that is where they were told to go. The must see that stuff. I was a on boat ride to three islands: Burranno, Murrano, and Torcelli. Forgive my spelling please. A couple on the boat admitted they had taken a similar ride the day before. This was there second and last day in Venice and they were on the boat trip away from St Marks square. They asked where the real Venice was. All they had seen was crowds and tourist shops.It turns out they had never taken a back street. To a Fodorite this probably sounds impossible. But, I must tell you I met several other people with similar comments. They are missing so much.
Last comment for today. Here's a scoop. the clock tower is open again for tours and it is fantastic. The tower was closed for years for refurbishing and it has opened quietly. The brochure accompanying my Museum pass mentioned that tours of the clock tower were available, reserve in advance by calling this number. Well, that number is only in Italian. I checked at the tourist office. They said to check at the Correr museum. Bingo. The Correr museum is the place to go. Tours of the clock tower start there. English tours are offered at 9 AM, right when the museum opens. I think it was 12 Euro. There were two of us on the tour. Our guide took us up the clock tower. What do you see? First the wonderful views of the square from the tower. You climb inside the clock mechanism. You see the alternate display of the procession. The clock can feature either the digital numbers or the display of characters that bow to Mary. There is only one track so both can't occupy the same place. The digital display is now featured most of the time. The clock mechanism was installed in the 1700's replacing the previous gears from the 1500's. A series of weights are moved and relocated to keep the clock functioning. Before the latest refurbishing, some one lived in the clock to maintain the positions of the weights. Now, a series of computer controls repostion the weights automatically. Does it keep accurate time. Well, no. It is off by about 12 minutes per week so adjustments are ongoing. The other person on my tour asked the guide if the clock was more accurate when a person controlled the weights. Who would know? What is there to compare to. A clock tour. Fascinating. A rare chance to experience something that few even know is available for tours.
I'll do this in sections. Most of my comments will be about about impressions and concepts. I apologize in advance for the missing details. Because I travel alone now, I discard weighty guide books as I change locations. I come back lighter, but some of the details are gone.
Venice: Lucky me, I had 8 nights in Venice. This was the best part of the whole trip; especially because I was in an apartment. I had been to Venice twice before on group tours which gave us all of two nights. Not enough. Living in an apartment allowed me to feel like a Venetian. I was situated in the Castello district, about a 15 minute walk from Piazza San Marco. Even though I was only a few blocks from the waterfront, I felt like I was away from all the tourist spots. In fact, after a while I would find ways to travel back streets to avoid the area around Piazza San Marco because of the heavy crush of tourists.
I loved cooking for myself. I had my choice of spots to buy supplies. The Rialto market was of course the best location. Also, by my apartment were a series of small shops that sold bread or meat or vegtables or pastry. I became known at all those places within a few days. The bread shop remembered to save me my favorite croissant after they had sold out one morning. One shopkeeper kept touting me on more and more expensive bottles of wine. "Try this one (sounds of lip smacking). It's 12 Euro and you will never forget the experience." Followed by, "Did you enjoy that wine? Well, I agree that was good, but let me show you this one. It's only 17 Euro, just a bit more than the other, but (more lip smacks) it is so wonderful. This is in a world of it's own." What a salesman.
My big problem with shopping was I could never figure out what things cost. My first night I had dinner in a seafood restaurant called Da Remigio, just a few steps from my apartment. Fish was offered by the 100 gram portion. I was told that my selection would likely include a last 600 grams making the cost of the fish alone 35 Euros. I opted for something less expensive. The next morning, I'm at the Rialto market and saw some beautiful fresh caught Salmon steaks. I pointed. My fish was wrapped up. Of course, I couldn't understand the price. So, I took out a 5 Euro note. The salesman indicated that was not right. I took out a 10 Euro note. More head shaking. No. I started to take out a 20 Euro note when the salesman became clearly exasperated with me. He said "Minta Minta." I reached into my back pocket for some coins. He was all smiles now. I just held out my hands for him to take what he wanted. It cost 1.5 Euro. It was big enough for two meals. So, a few days later I'm back again. Thanks to Franco's advice on this board, I knew swordfish is always available at the market. So, I had written down the word for swordfish and off I went. I found a stall, with lovely swordfish steaks. I pointed. The fish was wrapped. Of course I could not understand the price. I offered some coins. No. I offered a 5 Euro note. No. I offered a 10 Euro note. Finally he showed me a sales slip with the price typed on it: 14.7 Euro. Well, Okay. But I still can't figure it. Every time I went to buy anything the price was a surprise. I would go to the vegtable stand. I'd point to a pear. Thank you, 1 Euro. For one pear? Than I would go to another stand and buy some potatoes, carrots, a lettuce. One Euro for all of it. I never figured it out. But the food was fresh and wonderful. I'm not a cook but I could certainly take that wonderful food and fry it in fresh extra vergin olive oil. I only went to two restaurants in Venice and neither matched the quality of what I cooked in the apartment.
I started to watch how my fellow Venetians behaved. In the morning, they would air out there apartments. Some even put pillows or bedding on the windowsills. Later in the day, the windows and shitters were closed. I was delighted to find that one neighbor's apartment had Venetian blinds. I had searched on previous trips to Venice and never saw them. I began to take siesta from noon to 3. the streets were truly empty. All stores closed. I liked going out about six to seven in the afternoon/evening. The shopkeepers were at the end of their long day and were often outside their stores chatting with each other. These were happy contented people and I felt delighted to see them enjoying their lives. So many people I know can't wait for their work day to be over. But here, they express a happiness with their life that just made feel good.
One last comment about the apartment. I did not realize where the dish drain was located. I'm used to the drain being alongside the sink. Well, alongside the sink is the stove. No place for a drain. The drain board is positioned in a cupboard over the sink. Two levels of racks: dishes and pots. Reach up and put up the dishes and they drain right down into the sink. Close the cupboard door and you don't see them.
Some brief comments about sightseeing. More later. I met a number of other tourists who were depressed by the huge crowds at Saint Marks. But, that is where they were told to go. The must see that stuff. I was a on boat ride to three islands: Burranno, Murrano, and Torcelli. Forgive my spelling please. A couple on the boat admitted they had taken a similar ride the day before. This was there second and last day in Venice and they were on the boat trip away from St Marks square. They asked where the real Venice was. All they had seen was crowds and tourist shops.It turns out they had never taken a back street. To a Fodorite this probably sounds impossible. But, I must tell you I met several other people with similar comments. They are missing so much.
Last comment for today. Here's a scoop. the clock tower is open again for tours and it is fantastic. The tower was closed for years for refurbishing and it has opened quietly. The brochure accompanying my Museum pass mentioned that tours of the clock tower were available, reserve in advance by calling this number. Well, that number is only in Italian. I checked at the tourist office. They said to check at the Correr museum. Bingo. The Correr museum is the place to go. Tours of the clock tower start there. English tours are offered at 9 AM, right when the museum opens. I think it was 12 Euro. There were two of us on the tour. Our guide took us up the clock tower. What do you see? First the wonderful views of the square from the tower. You climb inside the clock mechanism. You see the alternate display of the procession. The clock can feature either the digital numbers or the display of characters that bow to Mary. There is only one track so both can't occupy the same place. The digital display is now featured most of the time. The clock mechanism was installed in the 1700's replacing the previous gears from the 1500's. A series of weights are moved and relocated to keep the clock functioning. Before the latest refurbishing, some one lived in the clock to maintain the positions of the weights. Now, a series of computer controls repostion the weights automatically. Does it keep accurate time. Well, no. It is off by about 12 minutes per week so adjustments are ongoing. The other person on my tour asked the guide if the clock was more accurate when a person controlled the weights. Who would know? What is there to compare to. A clock tour. Fascinating. A rare chance to experience something that few even know is available for tours.
May 13th, 2007, 02:09 PM
#3
Hi Stuart,
ditto - great report - looking forward to more. a whole month - lucky you- should give you great scope.
for future info, lots of prices are per "etto". un etto = 100 gr or about 4 oz.
i always carry a calculator!
regards, ann
ditto - great report - looking forward to more. a whole month - lucky you- should give you great scope.
for future info, lots of prices are per "etto". un etto = 100 gr or about 4 oz.
i always carry a calculator!
regards, ann
May 13th, 2007, 02:24 PM
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Ani,
The apratment I stayed in was called Sandrelli. You can see photos on the web site www.veniceapartments.org. E-Mail is [email protected]. The aprtment looks better in person than the photos. It is a duplex. Kitchen (and extra bathroom) on the second floor,Living room. bedroom, bath, and laundry on third floor. I loved it. Only complaints: the chinese restaurant next door makes some awful smelling stuff at times but happily the fragrance does not penetrate the apartment, only the stairwell. I never figured out how to operate the washing machine. It would wash but never had a spin cycle. But, I just hung my clothes out the window. Yes, I would recommend this place. Key pick-up and return is right near the Piazza Roma and Termini Rail Station.
The apratment I stayed in was called Sandrelli. You can see photos on the web site www.veniceapartments.org. E-Mail is [email protected]. The aprtment looks better in person than the photos. It is a duplex. Kitchen (and extra bathroom) on the second floor,Living room. bedroom, bath, and laundry on third floor. I loved it. Only complaints: the chinese restaurant next door makes some awful smelling stuff at times but happily the fragrance does not penetrate the apartment, only the stairwell. I never figured out how to operate the washing machine. It would wash but never had a spin cycle. But, I just hung my clothes out the window. Yes, I would recommend this place. Key pick-up and return is right near the Piazza Roma and Termini Rail Station.
May 14th, 2007, 01:33 AM
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I actually recommended seeing the Clock Tower some time ago when it first opened, however, I went on the tour this past March and I was not impressed with the tour, it was a little bit of information, and I don't think it was particularly well done-the views are nice, but the views are better from the Campanile over on San Giorgio Maggiore.
May 14th, 2007, 04:28 AM
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Thanks Stuart a great report. Brings back memories of my week in Venice last year. We didn't stay in an apartment but we did spend one day wandering each of the different neighbourhoods and speculating on how the Venetians live. You seem to have really experienced it for yourself. Look forward to the rest.
May 15th, 2007, 11:04 AM
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Venice: Part Two
This section discusses walking tours by prerecorded CDs, art museums, and comments about three words in frequent use by the Italians.
I brough a four CD set called "Walk and Talk Venice" along with me. The set is published by Gildan Audio. I bought my copy through Amazon. The CDs provide walking tours through four areas of Venice, each tour takes about two hours. The tours combine history lessons, architecture appreciation, tours of public buildings, and most of all a treasure hunt. Even with a map and hard copy descriptions of which turns to make, it is very easy to get lost. And that may be point of all of this. The CDs took me to back areas I would never have gotten to without their direction. I remember the strange feeling the first time the CD directed me to enter the church door right in front of me. No doorway could have been less welcoming. No sign. No hours posted. No one else around. So, I gulped a few times and went in. It was one of many times that the CD's took me to see paintings and architecture that were the highlights of my trip. There are so many passages to explore in Venice. I know I'll never come close to seeing more than a small amount. But the CDs help expand my territory. Admit it, most people take the same paths every day. Once you find your way, who wants to get lost again. The CDs also provided some background that I did not read elsewhere. As an example, as I was positioned in front of a beautiful church, the CD explained how the church came to be so wealthy. There was a convent next door also owned by that church. In the 1500's, women could be married, courtesans, or nuns. This church offered its nuns for parties with rich citizens. If the nun had a child as a result, the rich men were made to pay an excessive rate for the child's upbringing. Most of the funds went to the church's coffers. The CD explained how the paintings in the church were commisioned, including the famous Bellini that led to the creation of the drink at Harry's Bar. The Campo San Stefano was described as being the former neighborhood of the courtesans. One fashion highlight was their desire to wear stilt type shoes as they walked. The shoes were so high, they needed two attendents to lean on. Hard to believe? Well, I saw examples of the shoes in the Correr museum. The CDs brought me to a square containing remmnants of Marco Polo's house. But the square also included architecture from periods over 700 years. Quite amazing when someone points it out. One of the strangest areas on the tour was the Post Office near the Rialto Bridge. I was really surprised when the CD directed me to enter the Post Office. It was a 500 year old public building built originally by the city of Venice to house business ventures. It was a series of three levels of arches. I had seen paintings of it without realizing it actually exisited. I always thought it was something in the artist's imagination. Then I walked into it. The CD also included a fascinating tour of the Jewish Ghetto. I would never have realized that those two small stores on either side of the bridge to the ghetto were actually the guard houses manned by the Christians. They locked down the ghetto at night and did not allow anyone in or out until morning. I could not help but ponder why those guard houses have been preserved. You may wonder why I did not sign up for walking tours by live people. Actually I did. There was a tour of the Casanova haunts, but it was a no-show. Other walking tours seemed to cover areas that I already knew. Also the prices were often quite high. So, I went the CD route.
I'll mention three art museums that I toured. The best was the Accademia. This one is definitely worth the time to visit. I used there recorded tour, which was OK. As expected, it only discussed certain paintings, but it did an excellent job with those. Later, I realized that I would like to have taken better notice of some of the paintings that were not included on the tour. I had a hard time figuring out how to use the guide. I was told to press the button corresponding to where I was. I went up the stairs to the first room and looked for numbers on the paintings to press in. No numbers. So, I figured it must be the room number I was supposed to press. No room number. I found a floor plan with room numbers but could not figure out the room I was in. I started to press numbers at random. That described other rooms, but not a room I could recognize. I went back downstairs to the desk where I obtained the recorded tour. I was told the rooms were specified with Roman Numerals. I went back upstairs. I was in room number 1. The Roman Numeral looked just like a wall decoration. The reason to go the Accademia, as far as I'm concerned, are the huge paintings of Venice through history. Not only are the paintings amazing, but they show you have much or how little has changed over the centuries.
I went thorough the Correr Museum with my Rick Steves guide book. Mr. Steves must be a very rich man. His guide book is carried by most Americans. There were places I went to where as I read his book, I heard others reading his book out loud near me. Can I spell ubiquitous? His folksy guide helps to point out the things that should not be missed. Everyone pointed to the "Paul Newman" statue at the Dodge's Palace. But, at the Correr Museum, Mr. Steves let me down. About halfway through the collection, he just stops. He says he has a headache from seeing too many paintings. So, what did he miss? Only some excellent examples of Bosch and Bruegel. Two painters who are always interesting. Too bad for Mr. Steves, he was doing quite well up to that point.
I also went to the Peggy Guggenheim museum. I felt they charged too much, even though I enjoyed some of the paintings and the ambience. I think it was around 18 Euros. But, there are a relatively small number of paintings in the main part of the house. There is an annex with a large display for temporary exhibits. The artist in that spot was over represented. A few of his paintings would have been fine. I would rather have seen more of their base collection.
Some comments about those three Italian words. I learned a very important word while shopping in a Castello supermarket. The aisles were narrow; the baskets we carried were wide. No one could get past each other without some one squeezing over. The person trying to get by would say "Permesso." Like magic, a space was created. I used Permesso like a mantra throughout my trip. And, I needed to. But, here's the next word. If you pushed by someone without saying "Permesso" then the person would who had been pushed would say "Allora." And they would not say it in a nice way. My favorite use of this word was by a four year old in a kids stroller. Her parents were pushing her down a street in Buranno. Clearly, the child was not having a good time. She shouted repeatedly to her parents in increasing volume and passion: "Allora! Andiamo!"
The last word is Prego. I cannot remmber it being used so much the last time I was in Italy. Prego is said for almost everything but it always means different things. I enter a store. The store keeper approaches and says "Prego." Meaning I am ready to help you. A waiter approaches your table or brings your food: Prego. I am here. Or here is your food. But there is a dark side. I entered a restaurant to go up the stairs to the Toilet. The man behind the bar said "Prego." Meaning what do you think your doing or as in American "Can I help you?" said with menace and sarcasm. I went into the Tre Scalini Gellato store in Piazza Novonna. I was the only customer at the counter. The counterman was just finishing up a shake for someone at the tables. I waited. I heard the counter man say "Prego" as he pointed to the arrival of a new counterman. The new guy had ignored me and gone right to the group of six people who had just entered. The Prego signified that he was giving me warning but just a bit to late to be of any use. A waiter once brought a tray to our table during a day tour. The waiter placed the tray on the table and said "Voila." I guess he had used up his Pregos.
This section discusses walking tours by prerecorded CDs, art museums, and comments about three words in frequent use by the Italians.
I brough a four CD set called "Walk and Talk Venice" along with me. The set is published by Gildan Audio. I bought my copy through Amazon. The CDs provide walking tours through four areas of Venice, each tour takes about two hours. The tours combine history lessons, architecture appreciation, tours of public buildings, and most of all a treasure hunt. Even with a map and hard copy descriptions of which turns to make, it is very easy to get lost. And that may be point of all of this. The CDs took me to back areas I would never have gotten to without their direction. I remember the strange feeling the first time the CD directed me to enter the church door right in front of me. No doorway could have been less welcoming. No sign. No hours posted. No one else around. So, I gulped a few times and went in. It was one of many times that the CD's took me to see paintings and architecture that were the highlights of my trip. There are so many passages to explore in Venice. I know I'll never come close to seeing more than a small amount. But the CDs help expand my territory. Admit it, most people take the same paths every day. Once you find your way, who wants to get lost again. The CDs also provided some background that I did not read elsewhere. As an example, as I was positioned in front of a beautiful church, the CD explained how the church came to be so wealthy. There was a convent next door also owned by that church. In the 1500's, women could be married, courtesans, or nuns. This church offered its nuns for parties with rich citizens. If the nun had a child as a result, the rich men were made to pay an excessive rate for the child's upbringing. Most of the funds went to the church's coffers. The CD explained how the paintings in the church were commisioned, including the famous Bellini that led to the creation of the drink at Harry's Bar. The Campo San Stefano was described as being the former neighborhood of the courtesans. One fashion highlight was their desire to wear stilt type shoes as they walked. The shoes were so high, they needed two attendents to lean on. Hard to believe? Well, I saw examples of the shoes in the Correr museum. The CDs brought me to a square containing remmnants of Marco Polo's house. But the square also included architecture from periods over 700 years. Quite amazing when someone points it out. One of the strangest areas on the tour was the Post Office near the Rialto Bridge. I was really surprised when the CD directed me to enter the Post Office. It was a 500 year old public building built originally by the city of Venice to house business ventures. It was a series of three levels of arches. I had seen paintings of it without realizing it actually exisited. I always thought it was something in the artist's imagination. Then I walked into it. The CD also included a fascinating tour of the Jewish Ghetto. I would never have realized that those two small stores on either side of the bridge to the ghetto were actually the guard houses manned by the Christians. They locked down the ghetto at night and did not allow anyone in or out until morning. I could not help but ponder why those guard houses have been preserved. You may wonder why I did not sign up for walking tours by live people. Actually I did. There was a tour of the Casanova haunts, but it was a no-show. Other walking tours seemed to cover areas that I already knew. Also the prices were often quite high. So, I went the CD route.
I'll mention three art museums that I toured. The best was the Accademia. This one is definitely worth the time to visit. I used there recorded tour, which was OK. As expected, it only discussed certain paintings, but it did an excellent job with those. Later, I realized that I would like to have taken better notice of some of the paintings that were not included on the tour. I had a hard time figuring out how to use the guide. I was told to press the button corresponding to where I was. I went up the stairs to the first room and looked for numbers on the paintings to press in. No numbers. So, I figured it must be the room number I was supposed to press. No room number. I found a floor plan with room numbers but could not figure out the room I was in. I started to press numbers at random. That described other rooms, but not a room I could recognize. I went back downstairs to the desk where I obtained the recorded tour. I was told the rooms were specified with Roman Numerals. I went back upstairs. I was in room number 1. The Roman Numeral looked just like a wall decoration. The reason to go the Accademia, as far as I'm concerned, are the huge paintings of Venice through history. Not only are the paintings amazing, but they show you have much or how little has changed over the centuries.
I went thorough the Correr Museum with my Rick Steves guide book. Mr. Steves must be a very rich man. His guide book is carried by most Americans. There were places I went to where as I read his book, I heard others reading his book out loud near me. Can I spell ubiquitous? His folksy guide helps to point out the things that should not be missed. Everyone pointed to the "Paul Newman" statue at the Dodge's Palace. But, at the Correr Museum, Mr. Steves let me down. About halfway through the collection, he just stops. He says he has a headache from seeing too many paintings. So, what did he miss? Only some excellent examples of Bosch and Bruegel. Two painters who are always interesting. Too bad for Mr. Steves, he was doing quite well up to that point.
I also went to the Peggy Guggenheim museum. I felt they charged too much, even though I enjoyed some of the paintings and the ambience. I think it was around 18 Euros. But, there are a relatively small number of paintings in the main part of the house. There is an annex with a large display for temporary exhibits. The artist in that spot was over represented. A few of his paintings would have been fine. I would rather have seen more of their base collection.
Some comments about those three Italian words. I learned a very important word while shopping in a Castello supermarket. The aisles were narrow; the baskets we carried were wide. No one could get past each other without some one squeezing over. The person trying to get by would say "Permesso." Like magic, a space was created. I used Permesso like a mantra throughout my trip. And, I needed to. But, here's the next word. If you pushed by someone without saying "Permesso" then the person would who had been pushed would say "Allora." And they would not say it in a nice way. My favorite use of this word was by a four year old in a kids stroller. Her parents were pushing her down a street in Buranno. Clearly, the child was not having a good time. She shouted repeatedly to her parents in increasing volume and passion: "Allora! Andiamo!"
The last word is Prego. I cannot remmber it being used so much the last time I was in Italy. Prego is said for almost everything but it always means different things. I enter a store. The store keeper approaches and says "Prego." Meaning I am ready to help you. A waiter approaches your table or brings your food: Prego. I am here. Or here is your food. But there is a dark side. I entered a restaurant to go up the stairs to the Toilet. The man behind the bar said "Prego." Meaning what do you think your doing or as in American "Can I help you?" said with menace and sarcasm. I went into the Tre Scalini Gellato store in Piazza Novonna. I was the only customer at the counter. The counterman was just finishing up a shake for someone at the tables. I waited. I heard the counter man say "Prego" as he pointed to the arrival of a new counterman. The new guy had ignored me and gone right to the group of six people who had just entered. The Prego signified that he was giving me warning but just a bit to late to be of any use. A waiter once brought a tray to our table during a day tour. The waiter placed the tray on the table and said "Voila." I guess he had used up his Pregos.
May 15th, 2007, 12:26 PM
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Stuart, fantastic information and observations! I think it must be easier to use the CD's for your tour since you were alone.
I love the three words. In my limited Italian, I thought "Prego" was just "thank you" and was surprised at how often the waiters used it when bringing food to our table. Obviously, it is a word of many meanings.
Please continue. This is very enjoyable reading.
I love the three words. In my limited Italian, I thought "Prego" was just "thank you" and was surprised at how often the waiters used it when bringing food to our table. Obviously, it is a word of many meanings.
Please continue. This is very enjoyable reading.
May 16th, 2007, 10:57 AM
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Stuart--keep it coming! I am in Italy right now on a 3 week trip, mostly solo.
Gawd I love traveling alone, LOL. 5 days in a Venice apartment will be the grande finale!
I was in Naples visiting friends last week, they explained the "prego" to me and now it all makes sense! I will add "permesso" to my vocab, I could have used it today when I was trying to de-train and there was a snack cart in the aisle!
I go even a step further than discarding heavy guidebooks...I xeroxed the pages I needed and just brought those in a notebook and then discard them as I leave each city to lighten the load. Every apartment I have stayed in has a library of guidebooks.
Looking forward to more tales.
OK, off to finish the laundry!
Gawd I love traveling alone, LOL. 5 days in a Venice apartment will be the grande finale!
I was in Naples visiting friends last week, they explained the "prego" to me and now it all makes sense! I will add "permesso" to my vocab, I could have used it today when I was trying to de-train and there was a snack cart in the aisle!
I go even a step further than discarding heavy guidebooks...I xeroxed the pages I needed and just brought those in a notebook and then discard them as I leave each city to lighten the load. Every apartment I have stayed in has a library of guidebooks.
Looking forward to more tales.
OK, off to finish the laundry!
May 17th, 2007, 04:06 PM
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Venice: Part Three
Wraps up my trip report for Venice. Includes discussions of concerts, a boat trip on the Brenta River, and the train ride to Rome.
I knew as I approached this trip that there would be many nights with nothing for me to do except watch TV in Italian or read books that I brought. So, I was always interested in finding concerts that I could attend to help fill out my day as well as providing some quality entertainment. Of, course, I'm in Venice for eight nights when La Fenice is not presenting any opera. But, I found other opportunities.
I actually attended an event at La Fenice. I went to their box office because there were posters up around town advertising La Traviata. The box office informed that the evening was a discussion of La Traviata, not the opera per se. But, while I was there I picked up a ticket to a free concert of a student performance. The concert was on Sunday night at 8:30. It was held in Sale Apollinee, not the main hall. But it was a remarkable evening. It featured 10 students playing either violin or cello. Their ages ranged from late teens to a low (I'm clearly guessing here) eight. Each performed a solo with piano accompanyment. The solon for the performance was beautiful. Draperies, lighting, very plush. The hall was packed with people, not just the students families. This was a concert attended by people who appreciated music. Even the program was classy. Each program had been mannually tied with fancy string. The youngest students played first. The highest rated students came as the evening continued. The acoustics were wonderful, especially for the cellos.
Selections were from Brahms, Saint Saens, Paganini, as examples. The older students were dressed for the occasion. Not only was the music at a high level, I was also impressed with the emotion of the occasion and the behavior of the audience. First, it was quite a long evening without intermission: about 2.5 hours. Everyone stayed in their seats until the very end. Each performer was accorded exactly the same number of bows. Four. Even though there were one or two people who were better than others, the audience maintained the pattern of four bows. I was delighted to attend this evening. And, I was proud to be part of the audience that appreciated and respected the occasion.
I attended two other performances in Venice that required paid tickets. Right at the foot of the Rialto Bridge is a 10th Century Church Chiesa di S. Giacometto. Foundations go back to 421 according to its literature. I attended a concert featuring a string quartette along with a soprano. Mostly Vivaldi. The soprano who appeared in alternate pieces used the church as part of her instrument. At a certain pitch, her voice would ring in the church. She would save those moments so that each time it happened, it would stir the senses. There is not much of a program list, but her name appears as archi e b.c. Tickets are about 22 Euros for a 1.5 hour concert. The soprano is the reason to attend.
There was a performance of La Boheme at the Scuola Grande S. Giovanni Evangelista. It's not easy to find this place even with a map. Luckily, I had been in the area with my CD tours so I had no trouble locating it. The evening includes an orchestra and the principle singers. The few chorus parts are left out. It is actually a staged presentation with limited props but lovely costumes. The performance was okay but basicially amateur. If one isn't demanding, it was an entertaining evening. But don't expect too much. Tickets ranged from 25 Euro to 40 Euro, depending on where you sat. Some people bought the cheap seats and sat on side benches to be closer. I sat in the back and that was fine. The group performing lists several different operas as part of their season. Mostly the well known ones. Not on the top of my list.
I went on a full day excurson along the Brenta River. The boat left Venice at 9 AM and the trip concluded in Padua around 6 PM. A bus took us back to Piazza Roma from Padua. The day included three stops at Villas and one lunch stop. Along the river, they point out many villas that remain. With eight nights in Venice, a day trip was a good idea. I tried to find comments about the trip on the internet and they were mostly negative. It was indicated that there wasn't much to see in the Villas and time could be better spent elsewhere. So, of course I went anyway. Cost including lunch was about 100 Euros. The boat leaves from the Pieta dock right near St Marks. Departure time is 9 AM and the boat doesn't appear until 10 minutes before departure. Prior to that, no one on the dock knows anything about the "Il Burchiello" boat. There were others there with tickets so at least we had company in confusion. But at 9 AM, off we went. It takes about an hour to get to the river. Then it becomes strange. The boat travels very slowly on the river. There are roadways on both sides. And, the cars are moving much faster than the boat. It feels like we are travelling at the slowest pace ever. One thing about the internet reviews; there is not much to see in the villas. True. But, there is a very strong reason. the government taxed the villas at an excessive rate so that the owners were forced to sell off or even destroy parts of the villa. The first villa Malcontenta is amazing that there is anything left of it all. It has been reduced in size and used for a variety of functions during its existence. The villas were built to resemble the villas in Venice. So, this is a problem for us. We have been touring and seeing Venice villas for days. Now we are seeing more of the same, except not quite as good as what's in Venice. Is there a reason to go? Yes, most definitely. First, there's lunch. What a hoot. I think I paid about 25 Euro for the Fish lunch. But, this is the group lunch for Italians. I was on several group tour lunches as part of Collete, Globus, etc. This was not the same. The restaurant served each table a full bottle of wine and water, even for singles. There were six courses. Can you imagine both resotto and pasta courses? They kept bringing food. Luckily, I was hungry. I couldn't do that kind of meal very often, but it was fun as an event. The second reason to go is viewing the last Villa on the trip. Villa Pisani. This is an example of excess at its most disturbing. The Pisani family had just had a Dodge elected and they were flush with money. So they wanted to show off. Like Biltmore in the US or Cosseta in Naples, this is building for no other reason than to impress. It is particularly effective to see it after seeing all the other Villas along the Brenta that precede it. The Villa Pisani dwarfs anything else on the river. It's just an exercise in size and questionable taste. Check out the learing expressions of some the characters in the frescos. I would never want to know these people. It took me back when I was informed "In this room, there was the first meeting between Il Duce and Hitler." Thanks for telling me. Perhaps, I'd rathe not have known. Napoleon slept there for one night. He insisted on having a bath available especially for him. Or that's the story anyway. Best part about the Villa Pisani: the maze in the garden. For years my wife and I travelled throughout England looking for the maze of our fantasies. Alice in Wonderland or the one from the Laurel and Hardy movie. We visited many but most were in the midst of replanting or suffering from lack of water or something. But, the Villa Pisani has the fantasy maze. Alice, you'll find it in Italy.
I had met a few English speaking people on the boat. We talked and got to know each other. The following day, I ran into most of these people as I walked around Venice. Venice is big, but we tend to take the same passageways. Particularly between the Rialto and St Marks we follow same same path all the time. I was surprised to have seen these people from the trip until I thought about it afterward.
I had booked a Eurostar from Venice to Rome for 9:20 AM. Before I boarded the train, I needed to drop off my keys at the office near the Piazza Roma. Carrying luggage became an issue. If I took a vaperetto from my apartment location to Piazza Roma, there would be a lot a heavy luggage carrying. Bridges and stuff. I actually checked out the location a few nights earlier. I'm glad I did because I figured out the solution. I would take the vaporetto to the train station first. Then I would put my luggage in the Left Luggage Room for later pick-up. Then I could walk around as needed to drop off the keys. I knew I would need to take an early vapretto, so I bought an advance ticket ( the ticket booth are not open early) and checked the vaporetto schedules. It almost worked out perfectly. There was only one thing I forgot. I was leaving during rush hour. I had to let three boats go by before I could squeeze on one with my luggage. No panic, I had time. But I just wasn't expecting one full boat after another. The experience on the train was fine. I used a cart for my luggage. In second class, there was a long walk along the platform to my assigned car. I was able to get my luggage in the overhead racks. The problem was not that the luggage was to big for the racks. The luggage was heavy and the racks are very high. I'm short. So it became an exercise in lifting and positioning heavy luggage way over my head. I did not succeed on the first or even the second attempt. But eventually, sweating profusely, I was ready for the 4.5 hour ride to Rome. I had heard that you meet people in the second class coaches. Well, you pretty much have to. The seats are directly across from each other with a small table in between. There is hardly any room for your feet, so it is likely you will be playing unintentional footsie with the person across from you. That's how you meet people. I was surrounded by a family from Germany. They were more interested in eating than worrying about stepping on my feet. Luckily, they spent quite a bit of time in the restaurant car. Snacks before and after. Arrived in Rome on time. No carts for the luggage. There were men who offered to take your luggage to a taxi for you. I guess they hid any carts that might have been available. But, I had arrived in Rome ready for the next portion of my trip.
Wraps up my trip report for Venice. Includes discussions of concerts, a boat trip on the Brenta River, and the train ride to Rome.
I knew as I approached this trip that there would be many nights with nothing for me to do except watch TV in Italian or read books that I brought. So, I was always interested in finding concerts that I could attend to help fill out my day as well as providing some quality entertainment. Of, course, I'm in Venice for eight nights when La Fenice is not presenting any opera. But, I found other opportunities.
I actually attended an event at La Fenice. I went to their box office because there were posters up around town advertising La Traviata. The box office informed that the evening was a discussion of La Traviata, not the opera per se. But, while I was there I picked up a ticket to a free concert of a student performance. The concert was on Sunday night at 8:30. It was held in Sale Apollinee, not the main hall. But it was a remarkable evening. It featured 10 students playing either violin or cello. Their ages ranged from late teens to a low (I'm clearly guessing here) eight. Each performed a solo with piano accompanyment. The solon for the performance was beautiful. Draperies, lighting, very plush. The hall was packed with people, not just the students families. This was a concert attended by people who appreciated music. Even the program was classy. Each program had been mannually tied with fancy string. The youngest students played first. The highest rated students came as the evening continued. The acoustics were wonderful, especially for the cellos.
Selections were from Brahms, Saint Saens, Paganini, as examples. The older students were dressed for the occasion. Not only was the music at a high level, I was also impressed with the emotion of the occasion and the behavior of the audience. First, it was quite a long evening without intermission: about 2.5 hours. Everyone stayed in their seats until the very end. Each performer was accorded exactly the same number of bows. Four. Even though there were one or two people who were better than others, the audience maintained the pattern of four bows. I was delighted to attend this evening. And, I was proud to be part of the audience that appreciated and respected the occasion.
I attended two other performances in Venice that required paid tickets. Right at the foot of the Rialto Bridge is a 10th Century Church Chiesa di S. Giacometto. Foundations go back to 421 according to its literature. I attended a concert featuring a string quartette along with a soprano. Mostly Vivaldi. The soprano who appeared in alternate pieces used the church as part of her instrument. At a certain pitch, her voice would ring in the church. She would save those moments so that each time it happened, it would stir the senses. There is not much of a program list, but her name appears as archi e b.c. Tickets are about 22 Euros for a 1.5 hour concert. The soprano is the reason to attend.
There was a performance of La Boheme at the Scuola Grande S. Giovanni Evangelista. It's not easy to find this place even with a map. Luckily, I had been in the area with my CD tours so I had no trouble locating it. The evening includes an orchestra and the principle singers. The few chorus parts are left out. It is actually a staged presentation with limited props but lovely costumes. The performance was okay but basicially amateur. If one isn't demanding, it was an entertaining evening. But don't expect too much. Tickets ranged from 25 Euro to 40 Euro, depending on where you sat. Some people bought the cheap seats and sat on side benches to be closer. I sat in the back and that was fine. The group performing lists several different operas as part of their season. Mostly the well known ones. Not on the top of my list.
I went on a full day excurson along the Brenta River. The boat left Venice at 9 AM and the trip concluded in Padua around 6 PM. A bus took us back to Piazza Roma from Padua. The day included three stops at Villas and one lunch stop. Along the river, they point out many villas that remain. With eight nights in Venice, a day trip was a good idea. I tried to find comments about the trip on the internet and they were mostly negative. It was indicated that there wasn't much to see in the Villas and time could be better spent elsewhere. So, of course I went anyway. Cost including lunch was about 100 Euros. The boat leaves from the Pieta dock right near St Marks. Departure time is 9 AM and the boat doesn't appear until 10 minutes before departure. Prior to that, no one on the dock knows anything about the "Il Burchiello" boat. There were others there with tickets so at least we had company in confusion. But at 9 AM, off we went. It takes about an hour to get to the river. Then it becomes strange. The boat travels very slowly on the river. There are roadways on both sides. And, the cars are moving much faster than the boat. It feels like we are travelling at the slowest pace ever. One thing about the internet reviews; there is not much to see in the villas. True. But, there is a very strong reason. the government taxed the villas at an excessive rate so that the owners were forced to sell off or even destroy parts of the villa. The first villa Malcontenta is amazing that there is anything left of it all. It has been reduced in size and used for a variety of functions during its existence. The villas were built to resemble the villas in Venice. So, this is a problem for us. We have been touring and seeing Venice villas for days. Now we are seeing more of the same, except not quite as good as what's in Venice. Is there a reason to go? Yes, most definitely. First, there's lunch. What a hoot. I think I paid about 25 Euro for the Fish lunch. But, this is the group lunch for Italians. I was on several group tour lunches as part of Collete, Globus, etc. This was not the same. The restaurant served each table a full bottle of wine and water, even for singles. There were six courses. Can you imagine both resotto and pasta courses? They kept bringing food. Luckily, I was hungry. I couldn't do that kind of meal very often, but it was fun as an event. The second reason to go is viewing the last Villa on the trip. Villa Pisani. This is an example of excess at its most disturbing. The Pisani family had just had a Dodge elected and they were flush with money. So they wanted to show off. Like Biltmore in the US or Cosseta in Naples, this is building for no other reason than to impress. It is particularly effective to see it after seeing all the other Villas along the Brenta that precede it. The Villa Pisani dwarfs anything else on the river. It's just an exercise in size and questionable taste. Check out the learing expressions of some the characters in the frescos. I would never want to know these people. It took me back when I was informed "In this room, there was the first meeting between Il Duce and Hitler." Thanks for telling me. Perhaps, I'd rathe not have known. Napoleon slept there for one night. He insisted on having a bath available especially for him. Or that's the story anyway. Best part about the Villa Pisani: the maze in the garden. For years my wife and I travelled throughout England looking for the maze of our fantasies. Alice in Wonderland or the one from the Laurel and Hardy movie. We visited many but most were in the midst of replanting or suffering from lack of water or something. But, the Villa Pisani has the fantasy maze. Alice, you'll find it in Italy.
I had met a few English speaking people on the boat. We talked and got to know each other. The following day, I ran into most of these people as I walked around Venice. Venice is big, but we tend to take the same passageways. Particularly between the Rialto and St Marks we follow same same path all the time. I was surprised to have seen these people from the trip until I thought about it afterward.
I had booked a Eurostar from Venice to Rome for 9:20 AM. Before I boarded the train, I needed to drop off my keys at the office near the Piazza Roma. Carrying luggage became an issue. If I took a vaperetto from my apartment location to Piazza Roma, there would be a lot a heavy luggage carrying. Bridges and stuff. I actually checked out the location a few nights earlier. I'm glad I did because I figured out the solution. I would take the vaporetto to the train station first. Then I would put my luggage in the Left Luggage Room for later pick-up. Then I could walk around as needed to drop off the keys. I knew I would need to take an early vapretto, so I bought an advance ticket ( the ticket booth are not open early) and checked the vaporetto schedules. It almost worked out perfectly. There was only one thing I forgot. I was leaving during rush hour. I had to let three boats go by before I could squeeze on one with my luggage. No panic, I had time. But I just wasn't expecting one full boat after another. The experience on the train was fine. I used a cart for my luggage. In second class, there was a long walk along the platform to my assigned car. I was able to get my luggage in the overhead racks. The problem was not that the luggage was to big for the racks. The luggage was heavy and the racks are very high. I'm short. So it became an exercise in lifting and positioning heavy luggage way over my head. I did not succeed on the first or even the second attempt. But eventually, sweating profusely, I was ready for the 4.5 hour ride to Rome. I had heard that you meet people in the second class coaches. Well, you pretty much have to. The seats are directly across from each other with a small table in between. There is hardly any room for your feet, so it is likely you will be playing unintentional footsie with the person across from you. That's how you meet people. I was surrounded by a family from Germany. They were more interested in eating than worrying about stepping on my feet. Luckily, they spent quite a bit of time in the restaurant car. Snacks before and after. Arrived in Rome on time. No carts for the luggage. There were men who offered to take your luggage to a taxi for you. I guess they hid any carts that might have been available. But, I had arrived in Rome ready for the next portion of my trip.
May 19th, 2007, 04:06 AM
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dperry,
The rental office is very close to the Piazza Roma. They provide excellent directions so I did not get lost. The walk from the Piazza Roma includes only two bridges. It took me less than 10 minutes with frequent stops because of my luggage. I needed to drag the luggage because I was traveling solo.
The rental office is very close to the Piazza Roma. They provide excellent directions so I did not get lost. The walk from the Piazza Roma includes only two bridges. It took me less than 10 minutes with frequent stops because of my luggage. I needed to drag the luggage because I was traveling solo.
May 20th, 2007, 05:56 PM
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Rome: Part One
Includes discussion about Marriott Grand Hotel Flora, dinner at Franco's favorite Rome restaurant, and the official guided tour of the Vatican Museum.
Taxi from train station to Marriott Grand Hotel Flora. The Marriot was actually the centerpiece of my trip I made the Marriott reservation first and plannned the remainder of the tour and plane tickets around that. Reason: I went to the Marriott using frequent flyer points. Due to its popularity, the Marriott hotel stays sell out within hours of their being available. Reservations require an understanding of when the days can be posted. In this case, the reservation was made eight months prior to my April visit. So, I was delighted to hear they would honor my reservation when I arrived at the hotel desk. "We have a deluxe room for you." Oh.Oh. That means the worst room in the house. More news. "Because this is paid by frequent flyer points, you are not entitled to the free breakfast. You may join us for breakfast at a cost of 30 Euros per day, if you wish" You can imagine the snear to me at the thought that anyone would pay 30 Euros for their breakfast. I tried to fight back. "You must be mistaken. I've read from others that Breakfast is included with a frequent flyer point stay." The rely
quot;No sir. Breakfast is only included if the stay is based on 'anytime' points." I had read reports on this Fodors site about the Marriott in Rome. They has clearly changed their policy. But, when in Rome...
As I expected, my deluxe room would not be acceptable to anyone other than someone getting the room for free. Overlooking an airshaft. No chair to sit on. No room to turn around. The only good news was that the room was exceptionally maintained. Housekeeping staff did a wonderful job. Other than that, I would never stay there again, even for free. Location is central Rome, but in a location I did not like. It's right on the Via Veneto, just a few feet from the Borghese Park. It's a great location for the Borghese Gallery, but nothing else. It's in the center of expensive overpriced restaurants. All other Rome locations require a bus trip, a lengthy walk, or a combination to the Metro. I never ate in a restaurant anywhere's near the hotel. The one place I did go to was the amazing Gellateria on Via Sicilia. I can't imagine how great Gellato found it's way to the Via Veneto, but there it was. It was the best Gellato I had in Rome, and the second best I had in all of Italy. And, I had Gellato every day. One last comment about the Marriott. They offer free internet service to all their guests, even lowly ones like me. Just ask at the desk and they give you a paper with a code good for one half hour on their internet station. There are two stations. However, one station was always assigned to the hotel staff, even if it wasn't being used. That left one machine for all the rest of us. As you might imagine, the lines and games were often unsatisfactory. Wives would hold the machine so that their spouse could replace them. As soon as I would start on a machine, I was immediately questioned by the next in line as to how lomg I would be. The implecation being that I had better not plan to use my full half hour because they had something important to do. But here's the joke. Internet service in Rome is inexpensive and plentiful. Most places charged about 1 Euro for a half hour. One of the cheapest internet prices in Italy. (Venice charged 5 Euros for half an hour.) So, all that bitterness was really out of line. Maybe If I was paying 300 Euros plus per night, I would have the right to be upset. Anyway, I'll never repeat at the Marriott Grand Hotel Flora.
Franco had written that his favorite restaurant in Rome was the Osteria del'Angelo. I called for a reservation. They told me to be there by 8 PM, when they opened, so I could get in. According to Franco, this is one of two restaurants that serves classic Roman meals. One price; 25 Euros in this case. Includes everything. Appetizer, Pasta, Main Course, Dessert, Wine and Mineral Water, and a second wine with dessert. No menu. You eat what they have. Lately, they have offered a limited choice of pasta and main courses. The restaurant is not particularly attractive. Decorations are of football players and football fields. The waiters are former ball players. Luckily, one spoke English very well. On one occasion, he was the one who listed my pasta choices. I have no idea what I ate as an appetizer. It was okay. I recognized some olives and vegetables. The other portions were unknown. It was not a gourmet meal. Maybe it was my fault for choosing wrong. My pasta choice was Ziti Carbonara which was probably the best item I had that night. But, it is not unusal to find good Carbonara in Rome. I had spicy meat balls as a main course. I did not understand two other choices. The fourth choice was rabbit. The meat balls were okay. Dessert was a dissapointing group of five hard bread balls. I guess I did not understand why that was the dessert. No choice, so it wasn't my fault. So, overall, it was only one night of okay food. I can't complain because the price was so reasonable. The wine and Carbonara was worth what I paid. But, I can't agree that it is the best restaurant in Rome. An experience, yes. But, luckily I had a week in Rome to seek out many better restaurants.
I had E-mailed the date of my visit to the Vatican in hopes of being selected for the official tour of the Vatican Museum. I had already been refused admittance to the scavi tour (described previously on this web site.)So, I was delighted to see the E-Mail from the Vatican at my hotel that I was permitted to join the official tour. I was to report at 11:30 AM for a noon tour in English. When I arrived at the museum, the line was enormous. I showed my letter to the guards at the front of the line. "You can't go in. This letter says your tour is at noon." But, I protested that I was required to be there at 11:30 for entrance. "Oh, Yes. Come right in." Huh? But, I was in, bypassing the line. I went to the ticket desk and paid for my tour. I was asked to wait in a small enclosure near the wall. There were a few chairs in the enclosure. At 11:50, they began to hand out and test the head phones for the tour. We started at noon. Our guide introduced himself as Benedict. "You'll notice my name is the same as the Pope. If you had been here a while back, my name used to be Paul. It always helps to have the same name as the boss." A nice start to the tour. But it turned downhill within half an hour. Benedict said the tour would last two hours. That didn't happen. About a half hour into the tour, Benedict verbally attacked one of the tour members. Benedict believed that the tour member was recording the tour. "That is forbidden. Stop recording or I'll call a guard." From that point on. the tour turned into a farce. We were marched through all the rooms in as rapid a pace as possible. We were done with half an hour to spare. Benedict tossed out facts as rapidly as he could in passing. The first half hour was wonderful. I learned and saw many exhibits that I not appreciated during two previous visits. The remaining part of the tour was all the more disapointing because I realized how much I was missing. I hope Mr. Benedict is in a better mood on future tours. By the way, the tour member was not recording anything. But, his protests did not convince Benedict. So, that was my tour of the Vatican.
Better times ahead, including some excellent tours of the Jewish Ghetto and trastevere. Also, I manage to join an english language tour at the Borghese Gallery.
Includes discussion about Marriott Grand Hotel Flora, dinner at Franco's favorite Rome restaurant, and the official guided tour of the Vatican Museum.
Taxi from train station to Marriott Grand Hotel Flora. The Marriot was actually the centerpiece of my trip I made the Marriott reservation first and plannned the remainder of the tour and plane tickets around that. Reason: I went to the Marriott using frequent flyer points. Due to its popularity, the Marriott hotel stays sell out within hours of their being available. Reservations require an understanding of when the days can be posted. In this case, the reservation was made eight months prior to my April visit. So, I was delighted to hear they would honor my reservation when I arrived at the hotel desk. "We have a deluxe room for you." Oh.Oh. That means the worst room in the house. More news. "Because this is paid by frequent flyer points, you are not entitled to the free breakfast. You may join us for breakfast at a cost of 30 Euros per day, if you wish" You can imagine the snear to me at the thought that anyone would pay 30 Euros for their breakfast. I tried to fight back. "You must be mistaken. I've read from others that Breakfast is included with a frequent flyer point stay." The rely
quot;No sir. Breakfast is only included if the stay is based on 'anytime' points." I had read reports on this Fodors site about the Marriott in Rome. They has clearly changed their policy. But, when in Rome...As I expected, my deluxe room would not be acceptable to anyone other than someone getting the room for free. Overlooking an airshaft. No chair to sit on. No room to turn around. The only good news was that the room was exceptionally maintained. Housekeeping staff did a wonderful job. Other than that, I would never stay there again, even for free. Location is central Rome, but in a location I did not like. It's right on the Via Veneto, just a few feet from the Borghese Park. It's a great location for the Borghese Gallery, but nothing else. It's in the center of expensive overpriced restaurants. All other Rome locations require a bus trip, a lengthy walk, or a combination to the Metro. I never ate in a restaurant anywhere's near the hotel. The one place I did go to was the amazing Gellateria on Via Sicilia. I can't imagine how great Gellato found it's way to the Via Veneto, but there it was. It was the best Gellato I had in Rome, and the second best I had in all of Italy. And, I had Gellato every day. One last comment about the Marriott. They offer free internet service to all their guests, even lowly ones like me. Just ask at the desk and they give you a paper with a code good for one half hour on their internet station. There are two stations. However, one station was always assigned to the hotel staff, even if it wasn't being used. That left one machine for all the rest of us. As you might imagine, the lines and games were often unsatisfactory. Wives would hold the machine so that their spouse could replace them. As soon as I would start on a machine, I was immediately questioned by the next in line as to how lomg I would be. The implecation being that I had better not plan to use my full half hour because they had something important to do. But here's the joke. Internet service in Rome is inexpensive and plentiful. Most places charged about 1 Euro for a half hour. One of the cheapest internet prices in Italy. (Venice charged 5 Euros for half an hour.) So, all that bitterness was really out of line. Maybe If I was paying 300 Euros plus per night, I would have the right to be upset. Anyway, I'll never repeat at the Marriott Grand Hotel Flora.
Franco had written that his favorite restaurant in Rome was the Osteria del'Angelo. I called for a reservation. They told me to be there by 8 PM, when they opened, so I could get in. According to Franco, this is one of two restaurants that serves classic Roman meals. One price; 25 Euros in this case. Includes everything. Appetizer, Pasta, Main Course, Dessert, Wine and Mineral Water, and a second wine with dessert. No menu. You eat what they have. Lately, they have offered a limited choice of pasta and main courses. The restaurant is not particularly attractive. Decorations are of football players and football fields. The waiters are former ball players. Luckily, one spoke English very well. On one occasion, he was the one who listed my pasta choices. I have no idea what I ate as an appetizer. It was okay. I recognized some olives and vegetables. The other portions were unknown. It was not a gourmet meal. Maybe it was my fault for choosing wrong. My pasta choice was Ziti Carbonara which was probably the best item I had that night. But, it is not unusal to find good Carbonara in Rome. I had spicy meat balls as a main course. I did not understand two other choices. The fourth choice was rabbit. The meat balls were okay. Dessert was a dissapointing group of five hard bread balls. I guess I did not understand why that was the dessert. No choice, so it wasn't my fault. So, overall, it was only one night of okay food. I can't complain because the price was so reasonable. The wine and Carbonara was worth what I paid. But, I can't agree that it is the best restaurant in Rome. An experience, yes. But, luckily I had a week in Rome to seek out many better restaurants.
I had E-mailed the date of my visit to the Vatican in hopes of being selected for the official tour of the Vatican Museum. I had already been refused admittance to the scavi tour (described previously on this web site.)So, I was delighted to see the E-Mail from the Vatican at my hotel that I was permitted to join the official tour. I was to report at 11:30 AM for a noon tour in English. When I arrived at the museum, the line was enormous. I showed my letter to the guards at the front of the line. "You can't go in. This letter says your tour is at noon." But, I protested that I was required to be there at 11:30 for entrance. "Oh, Yes. Come right in." Huh? But, I was in, bypassing the line. I went to the ticket desk and paid for my tour. I was asked to wait in a small enclosure near the wall. There were a few chairs in the enclosure. At 11:50, they began to hand out and test the head phones for the tour. We started at noon. Our guide introduced himself as Benedict. "You'll notice my name is the same as the Pope. If you had been here a while back, my name used to be Paul. It always helps to have the same name as the boss." A nice start to the tour. But it turned downhill within half an hour. Benedict said the tour would last two hours. That didn't happen. About a half hour into the tour, Benedict verbally attacked one of the tour members. Benedict believed that the tour member was recording the tour. "That is forbidden. Stop recording or I'll call a guard." From that point on. the tour turned into a farce. We were marched through all the rooms in as rapid a pace as possible. We were done with half an hour to spare. Benedict tossed out facts as rapidly as he could in passing. The first half hour was wonderful. I learned and saw many exhibits that I not appreciated during two previous visits. The remaining part of the tour was all the more disapointing because I realized how much I was missing. I hope Mr. Benedict is in a better mood on future tours. By the way, the tour member was not recording anything. But, his protests did not convince Benedict. So, that was my tour of the Vatican.
Better times ahead, including some excellent tours of the Jewish Ghetto and trastevere. Also, I manage to join an english language tour at the Borghese Gallery.
