Sono inglesi. Dove il la pizza? (aka. Tyr goes to Italy)

[LaCroix]

i warned you, tyr   

[Josquius]

The cappuchin crypt is creepy as fuck. They're some sick puppies those cappuchins.
The monks. Not the cute monkeys.
Catholics sure do love their graven images.

Tried to find the fascist colloseum. Failed. That is one diverse part of town. Which is kind  of humorously ironic.

Tomorrow I depart Rome. Orvieto and Siena await. Hope the pain let's up.

[Josquius]

In review:

Rome- Not as awesome as expected. Its strange, there's the nice clean and policeman filled city centre to the west of the station (NOT including the station) for the tourists and the rest of the city is left fallow for the wildlings to grafiti as they see fit.
The colloseum and forum areas were really cool. The Vatican was rather meh; I expected something more grandiose (that cathedral is the centre of christendom? Really?) and more indications that I was in another country.
I don't know how people say you could spend a week there.
One night I went drinking with a bunch of American marines. Romans drink like Japanese people. Who'd have thunk it.

Orvieto- I think the problem here is that the main site is the view of the town itself from afar, which obviously you don't get in the town.
Nice little place though, made a change from the hustle and bustle.

Siena- Really cool town, very nice place to walk around in. Must suck to live there though with all those hills.

Florence- Also overrated. What's this I read about being overwhelmed by Florence? Its pretty enough but if you hurried you could get it done in a day, two if you want to go into museums. Lots of Japanese tourists, I hadn't saw any of them anywhere else before, I made a game of whispering weird things in Japanese behind their back and confusing them as to where it was coming from.

Bologna- Really nice city despite not appearing on any tourist maps or anyones suggestions of where to go in Italy. Strikes me that it would be a great place to live, it seems to have rather a good music scene and good times were had with natives.

Padua- Pretty little place, seems like it'd be OK to live there. Sorry but not much for tourists though. I got really lost at one point when I was looking for the city walls and managed to totally miss them and walked off god knows where. But still it didn't get ghettoy. Which is a plus.

Venice- Yes, it is nice. A bit too Disneyish but still great. It doesn't smell at all, which was a surprise. Really great to see this car free city, very easy to get lost. I want to throw short,slow people in canals.

[mongers]

+1   


Tyr, glad you enjoy yourself overall.

[Maladict]

The Vatican was rather meh; I expected something more grandiose (that cathedral is the centre of christendom? Really?) and more indications that I was in another country.
I don't know how people say you could spend a week there.

More grandiose than the biggest church in the world? I'd agree it's not the prettiest, but impressive it is.
My visits to Rome would add up to about 6 months total and there's still plenty left on my list. I don't particularly like the city, but it's a treasure trove like few others (if any).

Orvieto- I think the problem here is that the main site is the view of the town itself from afar, which obviously you don't get in the town.
Nice little place though, made a change from the hustle and bustle.

Orvieto is really nice, but the main attraction must surely be the cathedral and the Signorelli frescoes inside it. Your guidebook told you at least that much, right? 

Siena- Really cool town, very nice place to walk around in.

Florence- Also overrated. What's this I read about being overwhelmed by Florence? Its pretty enough but if you hurried you could get it done in a day, two if you want to go into museums.

There are no words

Bologna- Really nice city despite not appearing on any tourist maps or anyones suggestions of where to go in Italy. Strikes me that it would be a great place to live, it seems to have rather a good music scene and good times were had with natives.

Agreed, Bologna is great. 

Padua- Pretty little place, seems like it'd be OK to live there. Sorry but not much for tourists though.

Again

Venice- Yes, it is nice. A bit too Disneyish but still great. It doesn't smell at all, which was a surprise. Really great to see this car free city, very easy to get lost. I want to throw short,slow people in canals.

Agreed except for the D-word, which I'll pretend I haven't seen.

Glad your trip became more enjoyable after leaving Rome.

[garbon]

Florence- Also overrated. What's this I read about being overwhelmed by Florence? Its pretty enough but if you hurried you could get it done in a day, two if you want to go into museums.

There are no words

Indeed. I'd got the sense earlier from him saying he was nearly out of things to do in Rome after day 2 - but after this bit of his post it was like okay, I'm done listening.

[The Larch]

I keep wondering if Tyr genuinely enjoys anything he does or see. There's zero passion in his words, even when describing something he apparently liked.

[PDH]

meh

[Ed Anger]

I keep wondering if Tyr genuinely enjoys anything he does or see. There's zero passion in his words, even when describing something he apparently liked.

He dreams of coal mines.

[Razgovory]

Florence- Also overrated. What's this I read about being overwhelmed by Florence? Its pretty enough but if you hurried you could get it done in a day, two if you want to go into museums.

There are no words

Indeed. I'd got the sense earlier from him saying he was nearly out of things to do in Rome after day 2 - but after this bit of his post it was like okay, I'm done listening.

I'm wondering if he really only enjoyed hanging out at the bars.

[Josquius]

I'm wondering if he really only enjoyed hanging out at the bars.

Most people go on holiday and they get drunk every night for 2 weeks.
I only drank a handful of times during my trip, mostly with food and never more than four or five, usually just the one.
Of course I wouldn't expect you to understand the fun that can be had meeting people.

I keep wondering if Tyr genuinely enjoys anything he does or see. There's zero passion in his words, even when describing something he apparently liked.

I am dead inside.

[The Larch]

Most people go on holiday and they get drunk every night for 2 weeks.

Not most people, only trashy Brits and Germans that go to places like Lloret, Magalluf, L'Arenal and so on.

[Ed Anger]

Americans go to wear tshirts and yell at foreigners.

I SAY WHICH WAY TO THE LOOVER?

[Barrister]

I'm wondering if he really only enjoyed hanging out at the bars.

Most people go on holiday and they get drunk every night for 2 weeks.
I only drank a handful of times during my trip, mostly with food and never more than four or five, usually just the one.
Of course I wouldn't expect you to understand the fun that can be had meeting people.

No need to get drunk, but you missed out if you only drank a handful of times.  Even the cheapest table wines in Italy were wonderful.

[alfred russel]

In review:

Rome- Not as awesome as expected. Its strange, there's the nice clean and policeman filled city centre to the west of the station (NOT including the station) for the tourists and the rest of the city is left fallow for the wildlings to grafiti as they see fit.
The colloseum and forum areas were really cool. The Vatican was rather meh; I expected something more grandiose (that cathedral is the centre of christendom? Really?) and more indications that I was in another country.

Tyr, something went horribly wrong with your trip to Rome.

I find it really shocking that a historically inclined person wouldn't enjoy 4 days in Rome.

I find it almost impossible that a historically inclined person ran out of things to do before 4 days were up.

As for the Vatican, I understand that St. Peters was designed with certain sightlines in mind, and I believe during the redevelopment of the city under Mussolini (could be getting the date wrong) those significantly changed. I agree the cathedral itself isn't so great to look at, but Michaelangelo's Pieta sculpture inside and the Sistine Chapel are in my opinion worth all the hype they get. The Vatican museums are also a trainwreck of organization, but still interesting.