im in italy

[RtDaNiMaL]

hey all i am in italy, and i do not know how to speak the language, so it is very hard to order off of the menu! we got here at 10 this morning, and it is now 7.

[Thordic]

Where in Italy are you? In most of the cities, the waiters know enough english to understand what you want to order.

Ive been to Italy twice, and granted I sorta know the language, but all you need to d is get an italian/english dictionary, and learn the names of the different meats.

Pork - Porco, Prosciutto is ham. Prosciutto Crudo is smoked/cured ham, Proscuitto Cotto is Cooked Ham.

Vitello - Veal

Manzo is beef

Pollo - Chicken

Coniglio - Rabbit (Rabbit is awesome, you should get some, its like chicken but better.)

Carne is just meat, usually refers to beef is you see, for example, spaghetti con carne, thats spaghetti with meat sauce.

Pesce - fish

Where you are in the country should determine what you eat :)

I'll give you some suggestions if you tell me where you are, maybe suggest some good restaurants.

[Fred]

Ditto!

A year ago today I was in Florence... looking forward to another 2 months there...

Don't miss Cinque Terra if you can help it...

---Fred

[Mango]

I find it hilarious that you're in Italy and yet you jump on AO to post! LOL!

[magman007]

Really, thats awesome, i just got back from a 9 day tour in italy. I went from Florence, to verona, to Venice, to assisi, then to rome. It was an awesome experience. if you are old enough to drink, i recommend trying to find... La bierra del demon, or the beer of the devil. IT is awesome stuff. 12% beer. MY favorite!

Fred, did you drink while in florence? if ya did, what bars did you go into? we prolly hopped some of the same places :) altho, my favorite place we hit, was this little alley beer, which while your back is to the big white church(i cant remember the name atm, ts the one that has galleleios tomb) and you walk straight down the fork in the road off to the left there is a little cafe/bar. Franchesco, our favorite bar tender, hooked us up nicely. Only 2.50 euro per beer, it was the best price we encountered.

He hooked us up with La bierra de demon, and some of the carlsbad beers and some regular domestics as well. It was fun i tell ya!

[cphilip]

Take me some pictures of Vespa Scooters in the streets and all while your there.

Enjoy.

[1stdeadeye]

Enjoy, but beware Italian Drivers. They are the most dangerous in Europe!

[LittlePaintballBoy]

Danny! I didn't think you would get on AO in Italy, hahahaha! Well I got on in Hawaii, but still. How is it (I should say was, you might not read this til ya get home). How was the flight?

[Fred]

For the record.. Drivers in the state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania in the former East Germany are THE WORST drivers in Europe... closely followed by Portugal... Italians arent horrible, they just don't care about their cars unless there is a Ferarri or Laborghini badge on them...

MagMan- was that bar the Robin hood or something like that? There is an English bar with a name close to that just east of the BIG cathedral in Florence... they have a dartboard... I drank there the most when in Florence.

(in fact I was there almost a year ago to the day, drinking a few pints for my Bday (which was yesterday).

---Fred

[RtDaNiMaL]

hey, i have made a pact with myself that i would go to the internet everyday. i am in rome right know, but as of saturday i will be in florence, then to venice. after that we go up to switzerland, and then to germany. we are here for three weeks all together. until july 13! the drivers here are crazy, if there is a stop sign it means nothing, and if there is someone in front of you, it means go around..... or hit them. everyone parrel parks, kinda. we have seen about 5 cars hit mopeds that are parked and knock down about 5 of them. also we have not seen any accidents, yet. there are these little cars, i have yet to see a truck or even a mini van. i am not old enough to drinkl, but in germany, the rule is if you can see over the bar, you can get a drink!!!! lol jk. cphilip i will be sure to get some pics of the scooters for you and will post them when i get home. i brought 3 paintball magizines, so i have a little to do. the buildinds here are incredible!!! everything is marble or granite. they have these little cars called smart. i really want one!!! i have some pics, and i will also post those. today we visited an undergrtound cemetary, and the trivi fountain! it was quite awesome!!! well that is all for today, o ya and yesterday i went to the forums and also saw the coloseam!!! well keep posting it is making me feel more at home! i will surely post for all of you tomm. and tell what i dis.

DaNiMaL CaRsOn

p.s. connor the plane ride wad okay 2 hours. i took tylenol pm, so that kinda knocked me out and i got to watch about 3 movies. later . DaNiMaL

[RtDaNiMaL]

sorry 2 hours not 2

[MicroMiniMe]

Beware, Venice is a complete zoo this time of year. It also takes awhile to learn to travel it too. There are no roads, only canals and footpaths. The streets and numbering barely make sense. Just follow the arrows and the crowds, or take a vappo. By our 3-4th day we could cross from the train station to Piazza de St. Marco in 20-30 minutes all on foot =)
If you didn't get one in Rome, St. Marco has the glass blown rosaries that are made on the isle of Murano that the Vatican uses. Or you can go right to Murano too as a side trip, and its not so crazy like the main city.
I'm not really religious but I got myself two as gifts, one for my grandparents and another for the future. A very rare gift and a cool reminder. So much of the tourist trap stuff is utter junk and overpriced. I spent my money on nice food and museums you can get nowhere else. The Last Supper in Milan and the Duomo in Florence are very cool. Gotta climb the Duomo and see the view.

[RtDaNiMaL]

hey microminime...
thanks for that helpful reminder. we are going to go to the glass blowing. also we are planning on cluimbing the dumo. thanks.

DaNiMaL CaRsOn

[MicroMiniMe]

Yeah, if I recall Florence has a decent market just west of the 'fake David' and Uffizi museum. Not the best price but enough selection. Go to a leatherr store and haggle if you want a nice jacket or trenchcoat. Though anytime in summer you pay more unless its the end of high season towards August-September.

If you are going to the Uffizi, call for reservatios the day before, otherwise the line just to get in is 2-3 hours long! Any host or hotel will glady help in this. Even call for your reservations before you arrive if its a short stay.

Damn, now I miss my espresso habit of morning and evening. And a simple cheese pizza on stone ovens with wood fuel...
And even miss the silly arguments of Italian vs. French fashion. Though Italian women win hands down as most drop dead gorgeous. In Milan, even the the grannies with a walking cane stuff themselves in tight skirts and tiny heels, kinda scary.

[Fred]

Best place to buy Leather goods is Florence... and NEVER take their first, or second price... I got my (listed) 400 Euro jacket (black calfskin...) for 155 Euros after chatting it up with the guy in the shop... my buddy bought a full length (Matrix Style) black calfskin jacket for 265 euros... that's a STEAL.

Venice is... not that great... hope its not sunny and hot when you're there, otherwise it stinks like sewage... EVERYWHERE. the big cathedrals are very nice though, and there's a lot of hot tourist chicks to impress with the small amount of Italian you've probably picked up by now.

How young are you to not be able to drink there??? "Vorrei una Carafe' Vino Bianco della casa..." will get you plenty for yourself and a few friends at dinner...

---Fred