Italy

Oscar Myer has a name it's B-O-L-O-G-N-A

Sorry-- couldn't resist!!!!

Helena

no no no

it's
"My Bologna has a first name -- it's O s c a r -- my bologna has a second name  - it's M e y e r ....."
We're thinking for going for a month (I've got 28 days holiday!)

You'll use up all of your 28 days leave in one go?!?   

I couldnt do that... i have too many 'emergencies' that crop up throughout the year!

I've only ever been to Italy once... to Venice.
I thought it was absolutely incredible!!!  We went in September, so it wasnt too hot, and a lot of the tourists had gone.

Just dont get suckered into drinking a Bellini at Harry's Bar... we worked out they were like £12 each!  Tourists!! 

Mein bratwurst has a first name, it's F-R-I-T-Z.  Mein bratwurst has a second name, it's S-C-H-N-A-C-K-E-N-P-F-E-F-
            F-E-R-H-A-U-S-E-N...

Matt.. dude.  You need to get out more!  LOL!

How ya doing?

I was surprised to find I was not a fan of Milan or Venice...  but glad I went, if only to see the bellringers at Piazza San Marco and Da Vinci's Last Supper.

To me, Florence is a most magical place.  I do have lovely personal memories there; I just always found it to be less overwhelming than Rome, and again, just felt very very special.  If you go, you must visit the flea market, and rub the pig's snout - there's a brass pig, and legend is, if you rub the snout, you shall return one day!
Plus, you've got the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio.... and David... and....

Secondly, I'd recommend the Amalfi Drive highly... gorgeous, lovely.  I mean, I've not seen a part of Italy that's not gorgeous and lovely, but again, found Ravello, a very small village at the top of the hill, another magical place; bit o' heaven on earth.

YES - stay away from Harry's Bar!  I remember not even seeing any windows to look out on anything there, just crowds of tourists

YES - always stray slightly off the main streets and look for the out of the way places to eat.

If you're a fan of ancient history, Pompeii is very near to Ravello, and fascinating.


And, if you do go to Rome (which to me is a given, particularly if you've not been there before), among the millions of things to see and do, another personal favorite of mine is a visit to the Spanish Steps.  That was one of the first places I'd ever been to when I first traveled abroad with my family, when I was nine; we stayed at a lovely little B&B right at the top corner, and would walk down every day and have a meal at a little cafe at the bottom.  BEST minestrone I've ever had!

*sigh*
I'm going to have to watch Under the Tuscan Sun now...

if you get  as  close to  florence  go to fiesoli  ....small town   but picturesque..

I LOVED Venice. Definitely on the list to go back to.

Rome, well so-so. Next time we go I want it to be NOT summer. Maybe I'll change my mind. But I thought it was too graffite'd/too touristy.

Gelato is such a must that when I came home from Rome I bought a gelato machine. I make a mean coffee gelato!

Next time we go, we want to take a train trip down to Venice and then day-trip to places like Pompeii, and also stay a night or two at others like Florence.

"Under the Tuscan Sun"...yes, a must-see.

"Under the Tuscan Sun"...yes, a must-see.

Yes, after watching that - more times than I care to admit - if I haven't found my 'other half' in the UK, I'm gonna do what she did...

Either that or go to Australia and look for a Hugh Jackman clone.   

Sorry, tangent hijack.

i gotta say, i had more men followig me around in italy.  methinks it was because of my gran culo!!!! 

my skinny friend was totally ignored, even though she is model beautiful. me, they were chasing me around the country!!!!

I'm sure...

When I was 9, 5'4", blonde hair to my waist... followed everywhere... kinda creepy.
Except for the group of school children at Pompeii, who were absolutely fascinated with my hair; the teacher asked my parents if they could touch it!

When I was 18, blonde hair to my shoulders... followed everywhere... but loved it!

Oh, by the way, another tip from personal experience:  Enjoy the gelato, but DO NOT attempt to feed ANY of the feral cats behind the fences at the Forum by purchasing said gelato from the stand outside, going back in, GRABBING a cat who has not been touched by a human probably EVER, and trying to feed it.
It's just stupid, and not only is incredibly embarrassing, but quite painful as aforementioned cat takes several inches of flesh with it, leaving a colourful trail of your blood as it claws it's way to escape; thus landing you in an emergency room, albeit with a very attractive Italian doctor, but a very painful wound - or several, necessitating multiple shots of antibiotic.
I blame my mother.
And ohhhhhhhhh, how we laugh about it now...
  

I also found the men very friendly in Italy, they would follow me too.  I kept getting called a statue of Liberty,due to my height.  Very interesting place, if ever I need a bit of self esteem, I guess I can always go to Italy.

I come from an Italian background and my  male cousins  used  to say that to their  now thinner wives.. "had you been this  skinny before.. maybe I wouldn't have dated you.."   

coming from Los angeles  i was a bit surprised.. thought all men  were  about  "thin  and tan and  accentuated'


I agree with the self esteem  being raised.. they are  into looks in a  different way..  more about the unique and exotic  or what makes you  'different;..  so no real pattern..  they are charming  men..  but players  in a different way!!      maybe we get  blinded  by the accent!!LOL!!

someone said that all foreign men seem  nicer  because  they are foreign!!   

so we've basically booked our trip to italy.....check it out....very happy with it!  Still debating on where to stay in rome.  These places were chosen using cost/tripadvisor.com's feedback (which i always post to, wherever we stay!)

So here is the plan, and it won't break the bank methinks:

Poisitano: 4 nights (can do a bunch of day trips and enjoy the town!)-Place will be around £120 a night.  Room with full sea view and terrace where we are served breakfast every morning.

http://www.villarosapositano.it/welcomeuk.htm

Pompei: 1 night Price: a stunning £63.00 and it has great reviews!  Can visit the ruins and hang out.

http://www.italyby.com/forum/

Rome: 3 nights (i thought since we were leaving on a semi late flight that 3 nights was ok.  We'll leave Pompeii early morning for rome to get 3 full days there)

Either:

http://www.romeby.com/cellini/  We get a Junior Suite (good size) for £125 a night, since we're paying in travelers checks.    Pretty great!

I'm so excited.  Roll on July!!!

That sounds awesome Aimiloo!  I think you'll have a blast...  you'll have to post pics when you return!

Hey guys, check out my Italy pictures here!

http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeBNG7hi1ZuHTg