The Energon Pub

I know i havent been on for a while but thats because ive been in italy visiting family absorbing, culture etc. if anyone has any questions about italian lifestyle, tv, other stuff, just ask.

and to answer the first probable question i was in rome, florence, ostia, ischia, naples.

Isn't Naples beautiful? Did you just hit the big cities or did you check out the towns and villages?

I'de love to see Roma, All I get to see untill now is Venezia (so very expensive), Fogia and the viliges around it.

My mom beat breast cancer. She now wants to go to Italy. We are planning a trip for next June. However, we haven't narrowed down the locations. Two weeks, one in Northern Italy, the second in Rome. These are our tentative plans.

What can you recommend? She wants to see Venice, but doesn't want to stay there(heard it smells). I know that Europe has a great rail system, but how does one see the country side?

Also, my wife and I are big into history. One could spend a lifetime in Rome and not see everything. What/where outside of Rome, would you recommend to see that is full of history?

Main history interests are Greek and Roman.

Lastly, my wife and I are Lush's. We love Vino. Where is the best place to sit back, look at some killer scenery and drink bottle(s) of wine?

Thanx!

DJDrew&ScoobyDoo wrote:My mom beat breast cancer. She now wants to go to Italy. We are planning a trip for next June. However, we haven't narrowed down the locations. Two weeks, one in Northern Italy, the second in Rome. These are our tentative plans.

What can you recommend? She wants to see Venice, but doesn't want to stay there(heard it smells). I know that Europe has a great rail system, but how does one see the country side?

Also, my wife and I are big into history. One could spend a lifetime in Rome and not see everything. What/where outside of Rome, would you recommend to see that is full of history?

Main history interests are Greek and Roman.

Lastly, my wife and I are Lush's. We love Vino. Where is the best place to sit back, look at some killer scenery and drink bottle(s) of wine?

Thanx!

The south. It's cheaper, it's less tourist-filled, and it's more beautiful. Try Naples or Sorrento as somewhere to stay, as from there you can get to Pompei and Herculaneum, you can drive along the Amalfi coast - and visit the cathedral in Amalfi. It's breath-taking. It's also great for being able to sit and have a nice night out, there's the bigger town of Sorrento or ht calmer little villages around it if you want something quieter.

Kick @ss!

If anybody else has advice keep 'em comming.

Your going to be ordering alot of coke and bottled water especially in naples since it's like mexico the natives can handle it, you can't also popular are aranciatas which are orange drinks like Fanta. Watch out on the trains and metro's there are alot of pickpockets some you wouldn't even expect to be pickpockets always be with someone and be aware of your money and valuables. Best to keep things like wallets and money either in side pockets or in small amounts all over your body. The pickpockets tend to be on trains since the rough stops give them an excuse to bump up next to you and search your pockets. If you want to try to blend in to prevent pickpocketing here are some tips

a)learn italian
b) get some sort of tan( most central and southern italians have brown skin) or have blonder hair and blue eyes( may pass off as northern italian)
c)I either suggest you wear long pants (even though it may be hot)and probably avoid tennis shoes if need be with long pants, or shorts with sandals if you don't want to wear long pants. Shirts are kinda difficult since alot of young italians wear american clothes.
d) if you want to wear a soccer shirt it's best to wear italia, since some cities have xenophobes running around who hate people who support other teams for example Roma hates Milan ALOT.

In the big cities such as Rome and naples resturants will be expensive and are probably going to jip you. Go to a resturant if you want but expect an 80 euro meal. Trattoria's (small resturants) and gelaterias (Ice cream shops) and some deli's offer good meals but they consist of sandwiches and pastas. Also you probably want aqua senza gas which is water without gas since Italians drink carbonated water, which is like drinking coke without the syrup just carbonated water. In my opinion it tastes horrible

Italians dont really have breakfasts they more focus on lunch and dinner which usually consists of up to 4 parts Antipasta (appetizer) Prima (first course) Secunda(second) Dolci (dessert) you can order them all at once but its best to even out.

Shop wise most shops are like a mall they arent really that big in some cases their only a room big. And they usually close at around 0ne to three since most italians take a siesta that time, though there are street vendors and open markets but it's kinda hard to tell whats crap and whats not. In Rome and around the vatican especcially you will see alot of african, arabic, chinese or italian street vendors who are pawning off sun glasses, bags, hats or art which are not sanctioned by the police who usually chase them away.

There are alot of beggars as well as musicians who roam the streets and trains playing and asking for money even if you dont want them to, best bet is to either ignore them, say no sternley or say you dont have anything on you, if you want to give them money best bet is at the max the 2 Euro coin, some of them fake being poor to earn money or are inhibriated, some will try to use animals or children to guilt you into giving money but it's hard to tell who is faking and who isnt. Musicians are worst since they come up while your minding your own buisness play and expect to be paid their worse than the beggars though there are those who just stay outside tourist sites and play. There are also alot of stray animals. Rome has a bad cat and pigeon problem in areas while places like naples and pompei have large amounts of stray dogs. Especailly pompei since the dogs tend to find shade and protection in the ruins.

Site wise it's fantastic but there are disney world long lines, though tours tend to bypass the lines sometimes, not that around the colleseum there are guys dressed in gladiator garb they charge exorbanent amounts to have pictures with them though i did not experience this first hand but my cousins tell me thats what they do.

If you are planning to stay outside of a hotel say goodbye to air conditioning since alot of italians dont use it also you'll probably want mesh fiber around the windows since some places like naples have mosquito problems.

Also the traffic in places like naples are horrendous people will not stop and almost every car has a dent, they tend not to abide by traffic rules nor give courtsey or right of way, and vespas swarm the streets in between cars and will even go through sidewalks and crowded public areas to get through and they wont stop usually. People jaywalk alot there as well and sometimes go walk through traffic. Rome is better but vespas are still insane there. im done for now anything else you want to know about there culture or tv ask.

Thanx! I know about the carbonated water, In Germany, You have to ask for Nein Bubbles. Carbonated water sux!

I've been to Germany, Switzerland, France, and the UK (England, Scotland...got married there, and Whales). I know about Pickpockets, but it's always good to hear it from others as a reminder. Sometimes you get too confidant.

If we do a southern Italy trip, what is the best way to get around? Should we rent a car for part of the trip or all of it. Also, I always try to communicate in the local language, but when that fails, I ask if they know English. Are there many American haters there? I have had friends who say they get the cold shoulder, but I think it was their fault, not the locals.

Anyway. thanx for all of the input.