Author Topic: Room with a view  (Read 249223 times)

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Offline Ian

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #645 on: March 25, 2017, 07:53:50 am »
Rome is wonderful.  Turn any corner and there's a priceless sculpture staring back at you. Behind Mussolini's pad on the hill is a fantastic church designed by Leonardo Da Vinci. Overlooks the forum of which you have a pic.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Fester

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #646 on: March 25, 2017, 10:44:50 am »
Correct Ian, even down every innocuous looking alley or superficially grubby side street, turn the corner and you will find basilicas, amazing churches, temples etc.... and the museums are endless.
I was looking for the Pantheon, it wasn't signposted and it wasn't on my guide map. I was close to giving up on it.
So I asked the waiter of the bar I was sat outside and he pointed down the back alley of his bar.
I went down there, and the square just opened up before me, with the colossal structure of the Pantheon smack in the middle.   
The size, scale and atmosphere of that 2000 year old building is something I'll never forget. But you have to go inside to appreciate it... outside it looks so dilapidated, as do many Roman buildings due to pollution and lack of funds to restore them.  But inside.....!
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -


Offline Ian

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #647 on: March 25, 2017, 11:04:55 am »
Did you try the fantastic ice cream parlour next to it, F? Supposedly the most flavours of ice creams in Europe.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Fester

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #648 on: March 25, 2017, 11:11:20 am »
Did you try the fantastic ice cream parlour next to it, F? Supposedly the most flavours of ice creams in Europe.

I didn't Ian, because I'd just had a fantastic lemon sorbet at that guy's cafe around the corner down the alley.
In fact the only ice cream I've had this week was at the Vatican, a chocolate creation, almost like a whole chocolate fudge cake in a cone the size of a cardinal's hat!  (All for 4 euros)
There's good value in Rome, but also several rip off places like the one last night that charged me nearly 20 euros for 2 small beers near Trevi fountain.
I soon realised my mistake, that place was empty whilst every other bar surrounding it was busy.
The locals aren't stupid!
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline Ian

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #649 on: March 25, 2017, 11:17:40 am »
Indeed - the Trevi owner is well known.  The other place is the surrounding of the Coliseum; the cafes there are pricey in some cases and one bloke in particular welcomes people very like Tony Soprano's guys. Oh, and if you haven't yet discovered, the drivers don't take much notice of red traffic lights...
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Fester

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #650 on: March 25, 2017, 03:04:02 pm »
Indeed - the Trevi owner is well known.  The other place is the surrounding of the Coliseum; the cafes there are pricey in some cases and one bloke in particular welcomes people very like Tony Soprano's guys. Oh, and if you haven't yet discovered, the drivers don't take much notice of red traffic lights...

Most, if not all of the traffic lights had cameras attached recently, and they seem to be impeccably observed to be fair.
I noticed on day 1 that locals simply walk across the road, (usually on zebra crossings) and pay no attention to the bustling traffic.  The cars and scooters are expected to stop for them, or in the case of scooters, simply slow down and swerve around people.
It seems to work well these days and I think it's much more nerve wracking to be a driver than a pedestrian in Rome.
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline Ian

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #651 on: March 25, 2017, 03:09:21 pm »
That's a significant improvement, then. But not before time. What's the weather like?
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #652 on: March 25, 2017, 03:13:46 pm »
Good to see you enjoying La Dolce Vita Fester,  Rome sounds like an interesting place to visit, please keep those photos coming.     $good$

Offline Fester

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #653 on: March 25, 2017, 03:25:41 pm »
That's a significant improvement, then. But not before time. What's the weather like?

Good question, it's perfect for me in March or October.  Dry, windless and around 20 degrees.
Any hotter than that is uncomfortable for me.
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline Fester

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #654 on: March 25, 2017, 03:51:43 pm »
Good to see you enjoying La Dolce Vita Fester,  Rome sounds like an interesting place to visit, please keep those photos coming.     $good$

I don't have a decent camera, just from the phone, but here goes... (edit, Ian might rotate them?) Done!
« Last Edit: March 25, 2017, 06:34:53 pm by Ian »
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline DaveR

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #655 on: April 24, 2017, 02:10:16 pm »
Just got back from a week in Amsterdam. A great city, such friendly people and lots to do.

The Van Gogh Museum was excellent, as was the large public park in the centre of the city, called the Vondelpark:
http://www.amsterdam.info/parks/vondelpark/

We stayed here, a quiet area just outside the city centre but only a 10 minute tram ride from all the attractions:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/nl/yays-concierged-boutique-apartments-zoutkeetsgracht.en-gb.html

Offline SteveH

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #656 on: April 24, 2017, 03:30:29 pm »
Ik hoop dat je een goede tijd hebt gehad, het is even geleden dat ik daar was.   ;)

Offline DaveR

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #657 on: April 25, 2017, 10:08:00 am »
Ik hoop dat je een goede tijd hebt gehad, het is even geleden dat ik daar was.   ;)
Het was geweldig, dankjewel. Een fantastische stad waar ik snel naar terugkeer.

Offline mull

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #658 on: April 25, 2017, 10:46:06 am »
The last 2 posts must be Double Dutch  :laugh:

Offline SteveH

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Re: Room with a view
« Reply #659 on: April 25, 2017, 11:22:43 am »
Very good.....  clappinghappy      clappinghappy