Trip report: hyde goes to Italy w/pics

[hyde]

hydes trip report Italy

cliff notes: hyde asks lounge for advice and uses it. very long, I write primarily to amuse myself.

Things I forgot.
Sitting at an outdoor bar in Rome for an hour of people watching and beer. Large beer. So it starts to hail, high wind and torential rain....good times. So we order another round and the waiter (65 year old fellow who should be on the Rome postcard kind of waiter) just won't take the money....Now I spent a long time in the bar business and know a freebie when I get one, but it is not likely he is going to be in my place any time soon....I remain mystified as to his largess. This was our 2nd day in Rome and we had gone from noobies to pushy advice givers. Where to go, in what order, and we were like the information booth. Except the information booth folks weren't drinking beer.

I forgot what else I forgot.

hyde

[katyseagull]

"Kudos to the interior decorator." lol! Great trip report Hyde. I'm glad I read that.

haha, you mention the lounge in this trip report. Sweet. I remember diebitter telling us that he liked his hotel in Rome. Did you guys stay in the same hotel? Did you mention the name?


I was wondering what you thought of Venice. Sorry if I missed it but how many days were you there? I've been reading up on Italy and have noticed that some people suggest foregoing Venice as it is too far out of the way and super expensive. $50 for croissants and coffee? Tell me you're kidding!

[diebitter]

It was the Grand Plaza in Rome, near the Spanish steps.

[katyseagull]

Thanks DB. My entire family is going to go in '08! I hope to take a beginner's class in Italian. I'm going to suggest to them this hotel that you like so much.

[hyde]

[ QUOTE ]
"Kudos to the interior decorator." lol! Great trip report Hyde. I'm glad I read that.

haha, you mention the lounge in this trip report. Sweet. I remember diebitter telling us that he liked his hotel in Rome. Did you guys stay in the same hotel? Did you mention the name?


I was wondering what you thought of Venice. Sorry if I missed it but how many days were you there? I've been reading up on Italy and have noticed that some people suggest foregoing Venice as it is too far out of the way and super expensive. $50 for croissants and coffee? Tell me you're kidding!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks.
We stayed at the Mediterraneo in Rome. Nice but not deluxe. I checked on DB's hotel at the time but it was not within my budget without a serious Sunday Million ITM finish.
Our Venice hotel was the Westin Excelsior on the Lido, now that was deluxe.
http://excelsior.hotelinvenice.com/main_en.htm

Venice was 4 1/2 hours by train from Rome.
I would not forego Venice, it is a special and unique place. I loved it. We saw more than a few churches in Rome and I thought I was churched out, but the different architectural influences were enough to make the last one in San Marco Square worth the visit. Plus it had a view from the balcony overlooking the plaza. I was tempted to sermonize.
Venice was pricey but worth it IMHO. The obligatory gondola ride was over $100 for a short hour, but there are several reasons not to miss that. The back alley canals are tiny, just plain gotta see it once in your life.
Complete dinners at the outdoor cafes started at $50 for two for the 'tourista special', we spent twice that but were looking for unique menu items.And wine... I had a baby calamari appetizer...and the best tiramisu EVAH ( the guy at the next table made me, he PROMISED it would be unreal...)
Lastly, nightfall in the square with the 4 classical groups having their enthusiastic and personable 'competition' is just damned romantic. Wine encouraged.

[hyde]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks DB. My entire family is going to go in '08! I hope to take a beginner's class in Italian. I'm going to suggest to them this hotel that you like so much.

[/ QUOTE ]

DB's hotel site is incredible.
We did stop and have a glass of wine at the Hassler, often called the best in Rome. It is at the top of the Spanish Steps. and deluxe indeed.

[MrWookie]

Did you see Friar's Church in Venice, or was St. Mark's the only one you caught. I liked Friar's even more than St. Mark's. Also, I agree that some of the calamari you can find in and around Venice is incredible. That definitely seems to be something they do well there.

[Dominic]

hahahaha...

"lousy lapdance."

very nice TR...I've got to back to Italy some day soon.

[SlackerMcFly]

Fantastic read! You write goot.

I haven't heard of any tawdry travel magazines, but I'll forward this MS to them if I run across one. Might be a new vocation for you. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Slack