Posted by Helen on: 08.06.2007 /
We got back Saturday - we had a wonderful time. (This photo is the view from our cottage on the villa property, which turned out to be in a tiny village up in the Tuscan hills - I was very happy about that)
I’ve begun posting photos and writing about the trip on my personal blog, if you’re interested. I’m only partway through. I wrote about Rome and the villa we stayed in in Tuscany and uploaded photos of those. I didn’t write about the specific towns we visited in Tuscany or upload those photos yet.
It was fun to be somewhere different, away from my normal ‘routines’ and I loved Tuscany; I’d happily go back. This was my first time in Rome and Tuscany. I was in Italy once before, over twenty years ago, when my college chamber choir and orchestra spent a week there giving concerts. It seems like a relatively ‘easy’ place to be on vacation (except for the language issue).
The people we met were all very friendly and patient. We were amazed at how the people in Rome shared the narrow streets without ever getting annoyed with each other. Pedestrians wandered down the middle of the streets and simply stepped aside when cars and scooters raced up the streets towards them. There were no sidewalks - I think the streets were too narrow for that. And they were even narrower in the many places where cars were parked down one side or restaurants had outdoor tables. When we first arrived at our hotel in Rome I thought it was down a small sidestreet, but it turned out to be quite a busy road with cars and scooters frequently going down it as well as pedestrians.
One morning I saw a car having to stop and wait while someone’s dog did what dogs tend to do when they’re taken out for walks. That’s something I’ve never seen anywhere else. Although if I’d travelled to more countries I expect I’d have seen a similar mingling of people in vehicles and on foot (and animals). I’ve only been to the US and Europe - there are many parts of the world I’ve never seen.
Karen thanks for hosting CatE last week - I really appreciate it!
Comment by: Karen
1You’re very welcome. It was a pleasure and a privilege.
Glad to hear you’re all home safe and sound and that you had a great time. What a gorgeous view! I loved Tuscany when I was there.
Did you get to Florence?
Comment by: Helen
2Thanks Karen.
We intended to go to Florence but then decided to focus on smaller places after going to Siena, so we didn’t make it this trip. I’d love to go back and to visit Florence next time.
I just uploaded photos of the towns in Tuscany we did vist: Siena, Poppi, Arezzo, Cortona and Anghiari.
Comment by: Eliza
3Welcome back, Helen! Glad you enjoyed the trip. What a gorgeous photo you posted here - I’ll check out your other photos later. Interesting observations about people sharing the streets, the space, in a way that’s really ‘foreign’ to us.
Comment by: Helen
4Thanks Eliza! The street sharing took me aback at first.
I think maybe I forgot to write about our taxi ride in Rome. I was thinking “this must be what those amusement park rides I avoid are like” as the driver raced up and down the narrow streets, braking suddenly each time he encountered pedestrians who hadn’t moved aside yet.
Something else - I realized the value of staying near a landmark (we were at hotel Ponte Sisto, therefore near Ponte Sisto) on Friday morning when I went out without thinking to take my map. I didn’t plan to go far but I wandered around and when it was time to go back I realized I wasn’t sure which way the hotel was anymore. So I asked someone the way to Ponte Sisto, knowing I could find the hotel fine from there. He helpfully gestured as well as telling me the way in Italian. As my husband pointed out, you can learn how to say “Where is…?” in Italian but that doesn’t mean you’ll understand the answer if it’s in Italian!
Comment by: Mike Clawson
5Glad you had a great time Helen. I’m jealous. I get an itching every few years to go to Europe and I haven’t been back since 2003.
I liked Italy, though it was too HOT last time I was there. :)
Comment by: Helen
6Thanks Mike.
It was too hot for us too - at least when we first arrived! I think it’s usually hot in Italy this time of year, but on top of that Italy was undergoing a prolonged heatwave when we arrived.
On Tuesday the temperature dropped into the 70s and then although it rose again, it stayed lower than it had been. I was very happy about that. It was still warm enough to swim but also, sightseeing became more comfortable.