Getting to know Rome
Trip Start
May 14, 2008
1
4
17
Trip End
May 30, 2008
Rome,
Italy
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Other random observations:
· There is excellent water available for free from fountains all over Rome, but especially in the tourist areas. Free flowing streams of fine, cool water can be found in little fountains that apparently date back to the ancient civilizations. They are perfect for filling up a water bottle, or some people just let it flow into cupped hands and drink it that way. You really only have to buy one bottle of water in Rome, or better yet bring one from home. Don't do this at the big decorative fountains!
· We were warned about having to pay for restrooms (toilettes) but so far have not. One place had an attendant and a tip basket but I refused because there were no hand dryers of any kind. Unisex facilities are everywhere but they usually have separate, very private stalls (made of marble of course) with shared hand washing facilities. I also like the two option flush system that is quite popular - one side for a shorter flush that lasts as long as you hold in the button and one side for a full blast flush. At one restaurant's toilette they had a self opening seat - it automatically went to the raised position when not being sat on. I thought that was a courtesy to women but Lynnette and Bonnie found it difficult to manage. It seems more often there are no toilet seats at all, though.
· Smoking is more pervasive than in the US, but doesn't seem as bad as it did when we were last in Europe 10 years ago.
· There are not many fat Italians, and way less than in the US.
· Rome is very friendly and we have felt safe all of the time, even when walking around on narrow alley-like streets after midnight. (No signs yet of the Gypsy flashers and/or pickpockets.) Everyone we've encountered has been friendly, helpful, and courteous. Almost everyone speaks a little English and many seem to be fluent in English. Everyone seems to be able to spot us as Americans before we ever open our mouths. All of the signs and brochures, at least in the tourist areas, are in English and Italian; tours are available in English, Italian, German and Japanese. While touring the Vatican a couple of young boys came up to our tour guide and asked her, in English, if she spoke Italian. They seemed to be quite pleased to find someone who could answer their questions in Italian. The other tourists we've seen are Japanese, who tend to stay in large groups, and Germans.
· Bonnie downloaded some free tours onto her I-Phone from I-Tunes (or you could use an I-Pod) that have been very helpful. I used one today at the Parthenon and learned some fascinating information. We paid 7 euro for the same type of thing (on little radios they issued) at the Coliseum.
· My favorite tourist places so far:
o Coliseum - I wish I had read or remembered some ancient Roman history. It comes to life with the tour and is fascinating - both that they were able to build it in the era they did and the things that went on there.
o Forum - again I wished I knew more about how these ruins were used before they were ruins. We bought a book with overlays that shows what the ruins looked like before they were ruined.
o The Pantheon - another marvel of ancient engineering and construction.
