Greetings from Italy

Haych · September 24

Morning, you lovely lot. Just sending a virtual postcard from holibobs.

We flew into Florence last Saturday evening and after a bit of a misunderstanding on where to find a taxi, and then meeting Italy’s grumpiest taxi driver we got to the hotel about 9:30pm.

Staying at a place in Sesto Fiorentino called the Fantastic Garden. Apart from the name, which sounds like a Chinese takeaway to me, there are a few subtle hints that Chinese money is involved. But, I don’t care if the Chinese Mafia are using it as a front to launder drug money, it’s beautiful.

It’s a 15th Century Villa in some spectacular gardens and with a wonderful outdoor pool along with a few tacky Disney themed garden ornaments here and there - they’re not obtrusive so not at all bothered.

The lady at reception, Samantha, has been incredibly helpful and I think I never want to go home.

We’re about a mile from the nearest train station and from there it’s only 15 minutes into Florence itself. Italian trains are clean, modern and cheap! €1.60 each into Florence!

Been to Florence a couple of times now, I’m not impressed with the touristy parts to be honest. It has some very grandiose buildings but once you’ve seen them it’s kind of meh. We came across a square near the Duomo with a whole load of statues and a fountain and it all looked a bit of a grotesque mess.

The Ponte Vecchia was underwhelming the first time we visited, but we approached from a different direction much earlier in the day and it took on a whole other vibe.

So early in the day is the best time to see the city, by mid morning it’s just too busy to efficiently move around, full mostly with Americans.

We went to Rome yesterday on the fast train, by jingo did it feel fast. 260kph apparently. Quite uncomfortable going trough tunnels - and there were many of them. The high speed creates a pressure wave that affects one’s ears in the same way as flying. Only it never seems to stop so didn’t find it very pleasant.

Now Rome I really enjoyed and by the end of the day we’d done the best part of ten miles on foot.

Lovely city, very pretty and lots to see. We managed to see the Coliseum,, Arch of Constantine, Arch of Titus, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and The Pantheon along with other stuff whose name I don’t know. But yeah, Rome was great.

Not done with Florence yet and that needs another visit.

The wife and I have both come down with colds so having a rest day today before we travel to Sorento for a few days tomorrow. That should be a change of pace and very much looking forward to it.

Food here is excellent and not expensive. Drink here is also excellent but is expensive, a couple of drinks each can easily cost as much as the food.

Italians don’t rush for anything unless they’re behind the wheel of a car or on a scooter. Then it’s a challenge to see by how much faster than the posted speed limit they can drive!

But overall they seem a very pleasant bunch and so far everyone has appreciated my efforts to speak a little of the language, even if I do seem to have the habit of wishing everyone a good evening over breakfast in the morning.

Might go for a wader up the hill later and see what else is nearby. But for now I’m off the sit by the pool in the sun and read some more of my book and try to forget I feel like death.

Will check back in a few days time with an update from Sorento. Will trying to add some pics when we’re back home.

Hope you’re all keeping well. I would say I wish you were here but there’s rather a lot of you so might not be pragmatic, but the sentiment applies all the same.

Love & hugs

DrCornelius · September 24

We need photos Haych

Glad you are having a good time though - I’m very jealous

Dontgiveupyourdayjob · September 24

Be honest, you just posted this to piss off @RandallFlagg ?!

https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/287395/holiday-people/p1

Haych · September 24

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Be honest, you just posted this to piss off @RandallFlagg ?!

https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/287395/holiday-people/p1

Have to be honest I wasn’t aware of our Randall’s post. Given that this is the first holiday Mrs Haych and I have ever taken together since we got married I hope I can be excused. Sorry if I have upset you @RandallFlagg, old chum.

DrCornelius said:

We need photos Haych

Glad you are having a good time though - I’m very jealous

Photos will be added late next week if any have been taken at reasonable quality. Uploading pics over dodgy 4G that often drops to nothing isn’t a stress I wish to inflict upon myself.

stickyfiddle · September 24

Haych said:

… I think I never want to go home.

Yep, that’s Italy

I don’t even find the driving that bad but maybe cos I’m used to the Middle East.

Have a gelato (or six) for me!

Sporky · September 24

Asking for Randall; have you had a good ragu yet?

Haych · September 24

Sporky said:

Asking for Randall; have you had a good ragu yet?

Yes. Had a good ragu in Rome yesterday, and the day before we attended a pasta making workshop in Florence and the far too good looking Italian chef made a good ragu to go with the interesting pasta shapes we all tried making.

RandallFlagg · September 24

Your badge is in the post.

Haych · September 24

RandallFlagg said:

Your badge is in the post.

Thanks but it’s technically incorrect. This holiday is costing a bloody fortune! Reckon we could have gone on a luxury all inclusive cruise for less!

Dominic · September 24

I'd pay NOT to go on a Cruise .....I'd pay even more NOT to go on an 'all inclusive 'one
Buffets and Bingo

McSwaggerty · September 24

Dominic said:

I'd pay NOT to go on a Cruise .....I'd pay even more NOT to go on an 'all inclusive 'one
Buffets and Bingo

I'd pay DOUBLE NOT to go on a cruise, even more than DOUBLE NOT to go on an all inclusive one !!

fretfinder · September 26

If you’re still in Florence book dinner at L’Osteria Di Giovanni and have a veal chop and/or wild boar ragu with pappardelle, you can thank me later.

Haych · September 26

fretfinder said:

If you’re still in Florence book dinner at L’Osteria Di Giovanni and have a veal chop and/or wild boar ragu with pappardelle, you can thank me later.

We’ve moved on now but will return to Florence next week.

Yesterday we took the train to Naples and then the bus to Sorrento. Things seem to work differently here. Nothing works and nobody cares. Trying to find the right bus to Termini, where we’re staying, from Sorrento was a bit of a challenge.

But, we’re here now and currently enjoying a morning beer in the town square, if you can call it that. Totally different pace of life here, it’s a whole world away from Florence.

So glad we didn’t choose to stay in Naples, it’s a hot, steaming turd of a place from the bits we saw!

I still want to live here, it’s amazing. Very hilly, still insanely busy in places even in the country but so so pretty and quaint.

I also now want a Fiat Panda 4x4, they’re so cute and they’re everywhere over here.

Offset · September 27

If you're still in Rome, here's my favourite bar. A relaxing amble from the bottom of the Spanish Steps.

https://anticaenoteca.superbexperience.com/

Haych · September 27

Thanks @Offset, will have to file that one for next time as we were only in Rome for the day. We did find a nice bar just a short walk from the Spanish Steps and overlooking the Pantheon.

We managed to duck under the awning just before it started raining. People watching was good fun.

Today we’re doing a boat trip from Sorrento to Positano and Amalfi. I write to you from a lovely bar in Positano over a beer.

It’s gorgeous here, if it weren’t for fuggin tourists - the irony isn’t lost on me.

Sorry to anyone from the US but Americans make the worst tourists. Loud, always wearing appalling clothes, walking too slowly or just standing in the best place to block foot traffic in a thoroughfare and always, always with huge rolling wardrobes of suitcases wherever they are. How much bloody stuff does one person need to take on holiday!?

There’s a large group of Americans staying in the same hotel as we are. Whenever they enter the room the peace is broken and attention is demanded. They’re like a has-been rock band on tour. Whenever they show up we leave.

dazzajl · September 27

Damn fine of you to be sharing the travels with us all dear bean. I can’t say I’m enjoying your writing as much as I’d be enjoying the holiday but you’re doing a fabulous job of passing on the feeling.

duotone · September 27

I would love to visit the Amalfi Coast. Glad you’re having a great time & please have a beer for me!

Haych · September 27

Our visit to Amalfi was a bit mixed. Initially we wondered where all the charm was, it was hot and incredibly busy - traffic everywhere, gridlock!

After a bite to eat we ventured up some side streets and entered a different world full of charm and wonder. It was still very busy but also very lovely.

@dazzajl, that 90mm lens you sold to me has been a gem on this trip. It’s my default people watching lens. Perfect for sniping unsuspecting characters at 20 feet, loving it. And it’s sharp wide open and full of character.

We’re back at the bus station in Sorrento again trying to get the last bus back to Termini. Buses seem to be pot luck here, there’s supposed to be a bus at 8:15 but the driver has basically told us there isn’t one, despite it being on the timetable.

We had the same issue when we arrived on Thursday, nothing works and nobody cares. Still, adventures suck when you’re having them!

Haych · September 27

Update. Plenty of sources state to watch out for pickpockets and scammers in Florence and Rome, and other places.

Every time we went anywhere slightly populated I’ve been on high alert and haven’t detected anyone attempting to swipe my wallet or sell me a dodgy bracelet.

However, I am convinced that bus drivers and taxi drivers are running a racket. Scheduled buses in rural areas never seem to turn up forcing one to spend €85 on a taxi to go four fucking miles!

Only a slight irritation. Italy has been otherwise quite wonderful.

Haych · October 3

Well, we've been back in the UK since Wednesday evening and back to work since yesterday.

As much as I loved Italy and as much as I didn't want to come home, I feel I'm coping with the post holiday blues much better than I thought I would. While we were there I was very much in love with the places we'd been and the old heart strings were being tugged hard at the thought of leaving.

But since being home, as much as I'd prefer to be on holiday, I haven't had the same wave of emotions. I can't speak for the wife, who seems to be having a much harder time readjusting to normality once again.

The Sorrento peninsular was just gorgeous, for anyone interested in where we stayed, it was a little complex called Gocce Di Capri in a place called Termini which is assumed to be a part of Massa Lubrense I think.

If you want a place to stay where you only need to relax and do little else then I'd highly recommend it. If you like do do stuff and go places then it's a little restrictive unless you have your own transport - as we found out, public transport is unreliable and taxis are very expensive.

There's a little square in Termini which is only a five minute walk but there isn't much there apart from one shop, one bar/cafe and a pharmacy. You can walk to the coast, the nearest place is Norano, I think, but it would be a hard slog up the steep roads coming back, and probably wouldn't be a quick walk even on the way there.

After leaving Sorrento we made our way back to Sesto Fiorentino again, just outside of Florence for a couple of nights before flying home on Wednesday. We did one more visit into Florence and went to the Boboli Gardens which were much bigger than we anticipated, well worth the ten euro entry fee.

The evening before flying home we had a walk around the part of Sesto Fiorentino where we were staying - there isn't much there apart from homes, but we did come across a nice bar in a little square. We also found what I thought was going to be Italy's answer to Pizza Hut, but ended up being quite an upmarket pizzeria called AqAbA.

Overall I loved Italy, or at least the parts that we saw and I'd go back in a heartbeat. The food was mostly incredible and not particularly expensive and even the beer was really cheap compared to the UK. Still, we managed to spend an awful lot!

I was going to add a bunch of pics but Imgur is FUBAR'd now, thanks to the OSA.

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Greetings from Italy

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