Author Topic: Anyone been to Italy?  (Read 70761 times)

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #40 on: September 18, 2011, 06:29:55 pm »
BTW, this might sound nationist or sexualist or something, but IMO there are a lot of spectacularly beautiful Italians.

You won't get any argument from me on that point!  ;D

They aren't all in Italy, however. You should see some of our South Philly boys.  ;D
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Offline delalluvia

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #41 on: September 19, 2011, 01:37:18 pm »
Well, I hope to meet Italians, but  :laugh: I rarely met any Englishmen or Frenchmen when I was in those countries.  The English don't speak to anyone and those that did, I found were immigrants.  My sister and I don't reckon we spoke socially to anyone other than an immigrant while we were there.  Same with Paris.  But then again, we were doing the tourist thing.  Rarely are locals around.

I had dinner with my sister last night and the reason she says she wants these long sojourns in Italy was so she could "kick back and relax" and if she didn't see something this time around, she could 'next time'.

My sister lives in a dream world considering her bills, her health and her lack of planning for her future and her credit rating.  There isn't going to be a 'next time'.

I told her I wasn't flying (while terrified) halfway around the world, and spending up to $5000 so I could 'kick back and relax'.  I was there to see the sights.  All the ones I wanted.  I can 'kick back and relax' in the US anytime I want to.

Offline delalluvia

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Kindle
« Reply #42 on: October 12, 2011, 06:51:59 pm »
OK, I'm planning my solo sojourn through Italy as I write.

I am going for 3 weeks and I will be staying in convents and monasteries along the way, taking the train to each city I want to see.

I am thrilled that I am going to be on my own.

Now, since I'll be schlepping from train station to train stations, I will have to travel as light as possible.  Maybe just living out of a rollaboard.  To keep my load light, instead of taking the normal books and magazines for the flight and winding down at night, I've decided to invest in a Kindle.

I know very little about them.  Can anyone enlighten me about the ones with wi-fi/wireless 3G capability and what that means in laymen's terms? 

Offline serious crayons

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Re: Kindle
« Reply #43 on: October 12, 2011, 07:25:42 pm »
OK, I'm planning my solo sojourn through Italy as I write.

I am going for 3 weeks and I will be staying in convents and monasteries along the way, taking the train to each city I want to see.

I am thrilled that I am going to be on my own.

Now, since I'll be schlepping from train station to train stations, I will have to travel as light as possible.  Maybe just living out of a rollaboard.  To keep my load light, instead of taking the normal books and magazines for the flight and winding down at night, I've decided to invest in a Kindle.

I know very little about them.  Can anyone enlighten me about the ones with wi-fi/wireless 3G capability and what that means in laymen's terms? 
/color]

I recommend Kindle Fire. I don't have it -- it won't even be released until Nov. 15 -- but it sounds fantastic. I have a regular Kindle Keyboard 3G, but for an additional $60 (total $199) this has a color screen, many more functions, can do movies and the web and music.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051VVOB2/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=7977325568&ref=pd_sl_je9ik9x9d_b

But! I would first call Amazon -- they have good customer tech support -- and ask if it works in Italy. Just in case. Also, I don't know how the Fire's wi-fi functions compared to a regular Kindle.

I'm not sure, but I think 3G means that you can download stuff from anywhere without having to be connected to a wireless router, like in your home or a coffee shop. I've never had to do that, because I just use my home's wireless, and I don't usually download stuff while I'm actually traveling. But in case you want to, that's good to know. In any case, once you've downloaded something it's a non-issue. It's not like a laptop where you'd need the wireless connection while you read the content.

Did you know that BetterMostian Leslie (MaineWriter) is a Kindle expert? I believe she's written a guidebook on them, is a mod on a Kindle website, and started this thread here: http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php/topic,21792.0.html You might consider PMing her about this.

Also, as a backup I would suggest you toss in your suitcase one longish paperback that would tide you over should anything go wrong with your Kindle. You don't want to spend time hunting around for a book in English.




Offline delalluvia

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Kindle
« Reply #44 on: October 12, 2011, 09:51:32 pm »
Thanks.

I'm going to sound Ludditish, but I don't have wireless at home, so what does that mean if I buy something that has wireless potential?  The Kindle 3G had access all over Italy, so I expect the Kindle Fire will as well.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: Kindle
« Reply #45 on: October 13, 2011, 12:36:00 am »
Thanks.

I'm going to sound Ludditish, but I don't have wireless at home, so what does that mean if I buy something that has wireless potential?  The Kindle 3G had access all over Italy, so I expect the Kindle Fire will as well.

Someone else should answer, but I think that's where the 3G comes in -- it can download without wireless. Looking at the Kindle Fire page, I'm not sure it has it. But again, Leslie or someone techier than I should answer.


Offline Kelda

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #46 on: October 13, 2011, 07:22:02 am »
I was going to suggest Leslie too. You shoul send her a wee PM.

Great news about you going ahead with the trip! It's been a while I myself was in Italy, but if I can offer any tips, give me a shout. I did some back packing there in 2002, and been to Venice, Bologna, Florence and Rome as well as Ancona (but that was just to get a ferry to Croatia!)
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Offline delalluvia

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Shoes
« Reply #47 on: October 13, 2011, 11:11:58 pm »
I never worried about shoes before while traveling because I was just in one city.  I wore everyday shoes with insoles and I was perfectly fine.  This time, i decided maybe since I'm traversing an entire country, I need to get some serious walking shoes.

 >:(

Why do they all look so ugly?  Nothing screams "tourist!" like hideous walking shoes and athletic sandals and hiker-like boots.  Do normal shoes that are also sturdy and comfortable and stylish not exist?

Offline serious crayons

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Re: Shoes
« Reply #48 on: October 14, 2011, 12:57:15 am »
I never worried about shoes before while traveling because I was just in one city.  I wore everyday shoes with insoles and I was perfectly fine.  This time, i decided maybe since I'm traversing an entire country, I need to get some serious walking shoes.

 >:(

Why do they all look so ugly?  Nothing screams "tourist!" like hideous walking shoes and athletic sandals and hiker-like boots.  Do normal shoes that are also sturdy and comfortable and stylish not exist?

I'm not sure what your standard for "stylish" is, but in my book Privos, Clarks and Merrells are comfortable and reasonably stylish. I still wear the Privos that I bought for my last trip to Italy four years ago. To this day, I would wear them for a walk of any length, but I also occasionally wear them to work with regular office attire. Look for a sole that's shaped like an athletic shoe with a top that looks relatively attractive.

Buy them far enough in advance that you can wear them for awhile and see how they feel. If they are tight or pinching in some parts, take them to a shoe repair shop and get them to stretch them. Then wear them for a while, and they still don't feel good, don't bring them.

And a shoe saleswoman on my last trip gave me great advice: also bring a pair of lightweight flexible black ballet flats you can use as "hotel slippers," to wear in the room or if you want to slip out for some little thing or even as an alternate shoe to wear out to dinner when your feet are tired after a long day of walking.


Marge_Innavera

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #49 on: October 14, 2011, 10:08:26 am »
Ballet flats and what I used to call "Nixon shoes" (those little Mary Janes, usually made in China) are great for house wear, but people with flat feet in particular need to be careful about wearing them for much walking or being on your feet for a long period of time.  Better the clunky touristy shoes than aching feet -- when your feet hurt, it's hard to pay much attention to anything else.

For a long time I resisted wearing athletic-type shoes because they reminded me of the shoes I used to see little old ladies wearing in Miami Beach when I was a kid.  But bunion surgery 20 years ago kinda changed that.    ;)