Hello from Rome

Bongiorno

We arrived back in Rome on Saturday and have been walking ever since it seems!

Since Venice we visited a hill town of Gubbio and then Assisi where we went to see St Francis' church but unfortunately it was so foggy we could not see 20 ft in front of ourselves! We did look at the inside along with about 12 other churches. I have seen enough churches, museums and religious art for quite awhile.

The fog has been persistent for thre last week or so but the sky is very blue back in Rome - hope it continues for our trip to Sorrento this week.

While in Assisi we spent an afternoon at a fancy wine tasting place. We were taught how to taste wine properly [swirl it in the glass, run it between your teeth, sip and suck etc etc] but most of us just drank too much and ended up quite tipsy. They did give us lunch as well but it was not very substantial. Can't even remeber the name of the wines now. Ooops.

Time for some more culture tips.

Most of our travel has been on the trains so feel qualified to share some do's and don'ts about train travel.

Do not be surprised to find people boarding trains [or buses] with their pussies under their arm. It is acceptable to travel with your pet in Italy, you can even take it shopping or into a resturant where they park the pet under the table!

Do not be alarmed if your allocated seating ticket says you are in carriage 4 but when you walk the òength of the train they forgot to put carriage 4 on [or the dining car either] Simply ask the nice man in uniform on the platform. He may tell you that it "is not his job" and tell you to wait until the conductor comes along.

Do buy your snacks on thr train from "Harry's cafe de wheels" his cart is very like an air hostess trolley but is equipped with a bike bell to warn you of his arrival.

The saying in Italy is "We can build the Coloseum and the Panthenon but we can't get the trains to run on time" This is very true, the tell you on the electronoc timetable that the train is "ritardo" and how many ninutes but sometimes they catch up time and then arrive earlier than expected!

Dining out tips.

Do expect to pay a service fee in every resturanto9f £1.5 -3.00 This gives you a seat at a table [with a tablecloth as it is a non si fa to go without one] and a basket of day old bread [no butter] and you still have to tip the waiter.

FASHION TIPS

Do wear the following labels, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Armeni and Gucci but never be seen in Versace, the Italians consider this label very tacky.

Do wear you leather jacket everywhere

Do wear you stillettos everywhere [except the Cinque Terre track]

Do not eat the froth off your cappuchino on the spoon, the waiter will glare at your basd manners.

Do not touch antything before you purchase it - there are signs everywhere that say "No self service" everywhere from the Venetian glass shops to the fruiterers. Took us awhuile to figure that one out but you soon find out if you touch! Had to keep out hands in our pockets!

Do not complain about the church bells ringing outside your hotel room every 15 mins keeping you awake at night, especially do not complain about the ones that have 2 clock faces with each clock set 2 mins apart gining double rings eg 24 dongs at midnight! Or the ones that have "lost their memory" and toll away with no rhyme or reason!

Do not question the hotel concierge when the towels in your room resemble your mother's best damask table clothe instead of the fluffy variety you are used to back home. Non si Fa!

Do not attempt tp gp shopping between the hours of 1pm and 4.30pm as this is siesta time and all shops close. Get it into your head that opening hours are 8-1pm amd 4.30-7.30pm or sometimes 9pm, sometimes 10pm, 12pm depending on business.

That must be enough for today, should get one more bulletin before we leave later in the week

Arrivederci

Vicki