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  #1  
Old 12-28-2016, 04:25 PM
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Observations from Rome

Ms Mash and my self have been dreaming of this trip for a few years now and everything finally came together to allow it to happen.

I was in Rome before back in the 90's some time. I know it must have been shortly after 1994 because that is when the frescoes were restored.

Anyway, walking this city for the past few days I find my self just awe struck or as the Brits say, 'gob smacked'. Walking through ruins that are 2,000 years old is just surreal. Seeing the size and beauty of St Peters Basilica and the beauty of the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel is nothing short of amazing. Words fail to do it justice. The people are incredible, the food ... well crap it's Italian. Some of the best meals I can ever recall having.

I am walking down the streets with my head on a pivot to try and gather in as many sights as I can while the residents are just walking around as if it's no big deal. I know they have been here all their life and this is just normal for them but I find my self being envious of them and sad for them at the same time. Envious because they get to live among such incredible beauty and history and sad because they do not see it through a tourist eyes and they are not amazed by the splendor that they see every day and I only get to see for a week.

If anyone get the chance to come here I strongly recommend it. The experiences I have had here and else where in Europe definitely leaves a mark. I would not trade them for anything.

Off to Paris on the weekend. I cannot wait to share it with Ms Mash.

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  #2  
Old 12-28-2016, 08:15 PM
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I love Rome! ....and all of Italy (not that I have seen it all). I was fortunate enough to be able to take my four daughters, my mom and my wife to Italy in 2001 just a few months after 9-11. There were not many tourists there because of 9-11 and because it was between Christmas day and January 6. Just a boat load of great memories. Its sensory overload for an Architect who loves history and cars.

If a person wanted to go to europe and just had to pick one country I'd recommend Italy.
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  #3  
Old 12-28-2016, 09:33 PM
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The impossible has happened!

I agree with David and Tom. In my pre-retirement life, I used to go to Italy for business occasionally (Naples, Rome, La Spezia). I grew to love it and after retirement have taken my wife back three times so far. We drove the country from Sicily to Cinque Terra along the Mediterranean Sea once, along the Adriatic sea once and the third time headquartered in Tuscany and explored central Italy. The food is unrivalled, the world's history is in your face and the Italians are friendly and like Americans. Each visit was about a month long and we always spent about three or four days in Rome.

David, I'm sure you visited the Trevi Fountain. Our hotel in Rome was always the Hotel Fontana, right in front of the Trevi.

I would retire there if I could but my wife wouldn't although she loves to visit.
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Old 12-28-2016, 10:59 PM
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We stayed in a hotel that was previously a monastary. Walk out the front door, cross the street and there was a chain link fence surrounding the ancient Roman Forum. Walk to the fence and look down into the forum.

Magical!
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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  #5  
Old 12-29-2016, 12:18 AM
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Italy has to be one of the best all-around destinations I can think of. I fell in love with Venice and Rome, and really look forward to returning again —Vila D'Este, perhaps?

Certainly one of Europe's richest cultures, by far. From Ancient Etruscan ruins to Maranello's supercars, Italia é bellissima!
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  #6  
Old 12-29-2016, 04:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rocky raccoon View Post
I agree with David and Tom. In my pre-retirement life, I used to go to Italy for business occasionally (Naples, Rome, La Spezia). I grew to love it and after retirement have taken my wife back three times so far. We drove the country from Sicily to Cinque Terra along the Mediterranean Sea once, along the Adriatic sea once and the third time headquartered in Tuscany and explored central Italy. The food is unrivalled, the world's history is in your face and the Italians are friendly and like Americans. Each visit was about a month long and we always spent about three or four days in Rome.

David, I'm sure you visited the Trevi Fountain. Our hotel in Rome was always the Hotel Fontana, right in front of the Trevi.

I would retire there if I could but my wife wouldn't although she loves to visit.

Yep. Went to the Trevie during the day. I love seeing the looks on my wifes face when we turn corners to magnificent sites. This is my second time here so I know what to expect though it still thrills me. We went back to the fountain at night. It was recently renovated with new lights and opened back up in November of 2015. It is truly a magnificent site.

I have found my self wishing I know about more about religion. The stories of the frescoes and what have you would make much more sense. I am still amazed and stunned by the beauty of it all.

If I could afford it and I could take all my animals with out quarantine I would move here in a NY second.
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- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
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  #7  
Old 12-29-2016, 06:58 AM
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One night while the girls were shopping I hung around the Spanish steps. Since it was christmas there was a magnificent old small size nativity on one side of them. At the bottom of the steps there is that marvelous boat fountain with the stepping stones so you can stand out in it and drink from the water spouting out of the statue.

Magical.
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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  #8  
Old 12-29-2016, 09:27 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davidmash View Post

Off to Paris on the weekend. I cannot wait to share it with Ms Mash.
Make sure you do the tour of the sewers, it will bring you back down into reality.
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Old 12-29-2016, 11:10 AM
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Catacomb tours in both cities!!
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  #10  
Old 12-29-2016, 11:41 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry View Post
Make sure you do the tour of the sewers, it will bring you back down into reality.
I have read about the ones in Paris and seen a few documentaries on them. I am fascinated by the idea but I'm not sure I could do it. I am a bit claustrophobic and not sure I really want to be that close to a lot of dead people...
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2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
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Old 12-29-2016, 12:01 PM
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If you can manage it i recommend the lamborghini factory tour. After the tour there is a coffee shop across the street where you can take a marginally maintained supercar for a 10 minute jaunt for too much money with its owner on city streets.

Only in Italy does a car manufacturer have a special understanding with the local cops as they test drive every one on surface roads before shipping.
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Old 12-30-2016, 03:36 PM
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Last day in Rome and the most enjoyable. We just left the apartment and started to walk. At about 4p we stumbled upon the Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri. With out a doubt the most impressive and intriguing basilica I have seen yet. Michelangelo designed and built the basilica on the ruins of a Roman thermal bath house. The bath house dated back to the end of the 1st century. Michelangelo built the basilica in the 1500 and later in the 1700, the pope at the time commissioned Francesco Bianchini to design and build a meridian line in the basilica.

Walking up to the basilica, it is quite unassuming. The front looks like ancient ruins. Very unassuming and unimpressive. Walk in the door and your jaw hits the floor. Vaulted ceilings that are may be 150ft tall and 75 ft wide or more. Pictures do not even begin to do it justice.

To say the basilica is impressive is to say that the Grand Canyon is a big hole in the ground. The fact that it was built on and incorporated the ruins of (at that time) 1,500 yr old Roman ruins is surreal. The fact that there is a meridian line built 300 years ago that is still accurate is just kind of mind blowing.

Tom, not sure if you were here when you were last in Italy. If you were then I suspect you wet your pants when you walked in, if not, you really need to come back.... bring depends (I know you are kind of old) because I am pretty sure you will just wet your self. Personally I was more impressed with this basilica than I was St. Peters.
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Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
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  #13  
Old 12-30-2016, 04:01 PM
t walgamuth's Avatar
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I don't think I have seen it. I just searched the name and found a blue zillion pictures of it. Very cool!

Thanks for sharing this with us!

(I'll overlook the depends jokes).
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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  #14  
Old 12-30-2016, 06:00 PM
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Read up on the building of the basilica. Its quite facinating. I think youll enjoy it as well.
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Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
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  #15  
Old 12-31-2016, 06:09 AM
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Good bye Roma. It's been a blast. We are sitting in Fumacino airport waiting for our flight to Paris. So far this has been the best vacation ever. Only one disappointment. Ill never be able to eat what passes for Italian food in thr US again. I have been reminded once again what it should really taste like


Arrivederci Roma.

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Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
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