All about Rome and Beyond by In Rome Tours

Wine tours Rome in a nutshell

 Coming from Napa area in California, I arrived in Rome with high hopes and expectations. Raised around some of the finest wines, I was still very excited to try the wine in Italy. At first, I was disappointed. It is not easy to go into a supermarket and choose a bottle of wine in a foreign language. It is also not easy to choose a bottle or glass of wine from restaurant wine lists. Some restaurants and wine bars have menus that are almost the same size as the bible. If your Italian is anything like mine was, and you get around saying “ciao, arrivederci, pizza, scuzi, and grazie”, good luck. Fortunately, after many weeks of struggling, I found some Roman friends.

 Unfortunately, if you are only coming to Rome for a couple of days it is hard to find Italian friends. Luckily, I am your new best friend, and I am here to steer you in the right direction. First off, Do NOT be afraid of the vino della casa (house wine) when you are visiting an osteria, trattoria or ristorante. Drink the table wine; it is cheap. The restaurant itself may even produce it. Many Roman restaurants have been around for many generations. More often than not they have little farms outside of city center, which produce for meals. Sometimes they even supply the grapes for the wine, and olives for olive oil.

 After choosing the house wine, there is still one more decision to be made. White or Red? The right wine can enhance a dish to perfection. For fish, seafood, chicken, duck quail, or light olive oil based pasta, a white house wine should be more pleasant. When ordering tomato-based meals, big game, or spicy foods, a red wine is usually more complementary.

 If you have a sophisticated appreciation for wine and would like to sample sophisticated wine, make your way to a wine bar. It is nearly impossible to focus on the wine you are having with dinner when you are having Italian food. When your plate arrives, your eyes begin to bulge out of their sockets; nothing else matters in the world. If you would rather sit and order regional wines by the glass with snacks and small finger foods, look for enoteche. Relaxed and full of ambience and good wine, these are lovely spots for light and inexpensive lunches; perfect to educate your palate and recharge your batteries.

 Join a Rome wine tasting or wine tours outside Rome with Eternal Tours Rome, a real treat for connoisseurs of Italian food and wine. Several wines from around Italy are served with many choices of cheese and meat from local farms. Roman wine tasting at it’s finest.

CO

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Donna Prosciutto!

 It is safe to say that Italians are usually pretty liberal about nudity. Nudity is found everywhere, from modern TV and print ads to nude sunbathers all over its beaches to the walls of Italy’s treasured museums and villas.

 Italians and Europeans in general often call Americans prudish and had quite a laugh at the scandal surrounding Janet Jackson’s brief display of nipple at the superbowl. Americans are taught that nudity is a dirty thing, while Europeans seem to think “if you have it, flaunt it”.

 This is why this recent scandal caught my attention. Normally, A nude woman on a billboard would not raise attention in Italy. But when you add two slices of Prosciutto to said nude woman’s derriere, suddenly people are talking. In Capri, where the advertisement was placed, advocacy groups are fuming over this image.

 Here’ s my question: Are they more concerned about the dignity of the Woman, or the Prosciutto?

DR

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To spit or not to spit, a wine tours Rome primer

 Having a good glass of wine is not a luxury in Rome, but standard. Beer drinkers beware; Rome is in serious need of more pubs. Fortunately, the lack of pubs is compensated by a great deal of wine bars.

 Romans care very much about tradition and etiquette. Nasty facial expressions and piercing glances will shoot at you in every direction after ordering a cappuccino in the afternoon. So, if you have never been to a wine tasting, try to embrace the art of etiquette.

 To spit or not to spit? Professional wine tasters have discovered that if they swallow all the wine they taste, they become far less thoughtful and capable of evaluating each glass of wine (especially as the day goes on). These wine connoisseurs! So spitting became acceptable. In some wineries (which you are unlikely to find in city center Rome), tasters would sometimes spit right onto the floor or into drains. But in most wine tasting bars, they provide a spittoon, which is usually just a bucket or plastic container for each customer. To some people this is disgusting, and at first, most people are unwilling to spit out wine. Two reasons why spitting can seem impolite; first, most people are taught from mother never to spit in public; it’s rude. Second, it usually costs a fair bit to go wine tasting and it’s a shame to waste the wine…

 Well, if you decide to drink all of your wine at one of the many wine tours in Rome, which many people do, you could possibly miss out on other things. At many wine bars, they will advise that you don’t drink all of the wine for a couple reasons. One, evaluating the wines after glass 4-5 will become much more difficult. Wine usually ranges between 11-13% alcohol. The alcohol is masked by sweet fruity of grapes but wine is a creeper, and will sneak up on you before you know it. Second, swallowing isn’t necessary to completely taste the wine. Eight to ten seconds should be enough time to completely taste the wine. Thirdly, and most importantly, (especially in chaotic Rome) if you are driving to the tasting, it would be smart to have one person be the "spitter".

 In the end, the decision is completely the taster’s choice. If you choose to spit out the wine, which may seem strange, it’s not, and has actually become quite customary (it may even make you seem more experienced than you are!). But, if you cannot bring yourself to spit, no matter what reason, make sure you indulge in the cheese, crackers, and snacks provided so that you will make it home happy, safe and sound.

CO

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Ariccia (my little secret)

 Just a short ride out of Rome lies one of Italy’s rarest gems. Visitors and locals must take time out of their trip or day to visit Ariccia. Ask any Roman, they will all tell you the same thing; this is the best day-time trip destination away from the chaos and bustle of Rome’s city center.

 A magical village up in the luscious hilltops, it is hard not to fall in love with Ariccia. One of the best known Castelli Romani towns, which means “Roman Castles”. This charming little town is famous for mouth watering food and bubbly wine.

 First and foremost, it is important to take a stroll in and around Ariccia on arrival to get your bearings. The most striking sight in Ariccia is the northern entrance point "Ponte di Ariccia" (Bridge of Ariccia), which leads to Bernini’s Baroque square. If you have the patience to wait for the incredibly late, but totally worth it Italian dinners, pass your time by visiting the two volcanic lakes that the town is positioned between. It is definitely worthwhile to check out these beautiful lakes on the way to Ariccia. These extinct volcanos play a great role in wine production in this area. The soil here is volcanic and naturally healthy. It is very permeable soil with good drainage and high ash content, creating a perfect environment to grow grapes. However, these lakes and sites are hardly the reason myself and the many other "frequent fliers" are incapable of staying away from.

 After walking around town, up and down the steep streets, it is most likely that you will have become quite thirsty and hungry. Luckily you are in for a treat. Take the tiny sloping streets down to the little osterias (restaurants), and don’t forget to wear your comfy pants.

 VERY IMPORTANT! Make sure you do not skip the speciality antipasti plates. It is common table manners to cover every inch of your table with cured pork, cheese, and the classic local dish known as “Porchetta” (slow roasted pork). The salty appetizers are nicely matched with a sweet sparkling bottle of wine called Romanella. It is much too easy to drink bottle after bottle of this wine. Luckily it is only 2 euros a bottle!

 Unfortunately, it is not very easy to get to Ariccia via public transportation, like everywhere else in and around Rome, so sign up for a Castelli Romani Wine Tour with Eternal Tours Rome and get there in your very own limo. The tours generally explore the center of Frascati, Lake Albano, and Castelgandolfo, but are willing to include additional winery visits to Ariccia.

CO

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Purchasing a Vatican ticket

 Visitors to Rome with a passion for architecture and art are incredibly spoilt for choice (“an embarrassment of choices”, as the locals would say).  On top of any ancient history lovers list should be the Colosseum and Vatican City. It would be easy to spend your entire holiday within the walls of these incredible buildings. Unfortunately, it’s also possible to spend half your holiday queueing for a Vatican ticket, such is the popularity of the Vatican Museums. Buying tickets online before you come to visit is essential, as is a fully qualified, licensed guide even if you are well read as regards the history of ancient Rome.

 Buying tickets and a securing the services of a Vatican tour guide online couldn’t be easier, and in doing so you will save valuable holiday time. Who wouldn’t want to swap time wasted in queues for quality time spent eating ice cream, enjoying a coffee, or discovering even more of this amazing city?  Pre-planning is key, and with the help of a guide you will be able to squeeze in as much as possible. Just let them know your expectations and leave the rest to either him or her. A good guide will know exactly what to see first, the best times to visit certain places, and of course, a decent story or two to tell along the way. The Colosseum will be brought to life as your guide recounts tales of epic 100 day battles, strange encounters between man and beast, and of course about the gladiators themselves.  Once inside the Colosseum you will be able to imagine what the gladiators felt as they prepared for a life or death fight in the huge, noisy, bloody arena. Learn how trap doors were used, what a “thumbs up” meant to a fighter, and how the Colosseum managed to control the thousands of spectators who attended en masse to cheer on their favourite gladiators.

 The Vatican Museums are of course several museums in one, characterized by themed galleries designed by the finest artists of the time, sculptures, jewelled treasures, and of course, the Sistine Chapel. Outside, you can explore the beautiful Vatican gardens.

 There is so much to see inside both the Colosseum and Vatican City, so be prepared. Book ahead online (both tickets and a guide), and enjoy the very best of the Eternal City.

JE

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Frascati wine tours Rome

 When most people come to Italy on vacation, they think about how much weight they are going to have to lose thereafter. Italy is recognized and assumed to have the world’s best pasta, cheese, pizza, gelato, and most importantly, wine. When most people think of Italian wine, they think of Asti or Chianti. But if you are visiting Rome, you might as well embrace the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Most Italians having dinner or lunch aren’t scrolling down the list looking for an expensive imported wine from Tuscany or Umbria. Instead, many Romans order a Frascati wine or “vino della casa” (house wine), which most of the time comes from the hills just south of Rome (Frascati region). For centuries, Romans would grow and purchase wine from Frascati, and the tradition endures today.. Chianti often outshines Frascati and other Italian wines because there was no need to export it around Italy or the rest of the world. Romans have always provided a healthy market for Frascati, which gives wineries minimal reasons to send bottles abroad.

 If you happen to prefer white to red wine, you are in luck! Frascati is predominantly known for its production of white wines. Three types of  grapes are used; Malvasia, Trebbiano, and Greco. These grapes are used in many different ratios, varying in sweetness and dryness. Vineyards in this region focus mostly on table wine, served chilled and refreshed. Besides table wines, dessert wines are also produced and they are becoming more and more popular. These dessert wines have a beautiful golden color with a surprisingly mild and pleasant flavor. They tend to be quite strong and overpowering.

 Although the Frascati region is mostly known for whites, many vineyards in the hills just outside Rome grow and produce a wide range of red wines as well, in Ariccia and Marino, for example. It is easy to fall in love with red wine from this region, even for the more refined palate.

 If you are on vacation in Rome and would like to exchange the chance of city center tourist traps with a beautiful day sipping wine, head over to the Frascati region to explore beautiful vineyards and olive groves. If you are interested in taking a day tour, visit Eternal Tours Rome. They offer day trips to the Castelli Romani and the Santa Benedetta Roman vineyard. You will taste wine with the actual wine producers, indulge in tasty foods, and do as the Romans do!

CO

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Have the Rome tour of your life!

 Rome is a city full of surprises, a living museum with great weather, food, sites and above all people.  It’s the perfect holiday destination on many levels.  Visiting sites such as the Colosseum, the Baths of Caracalla, the Trevi fountain and the Spanish steps are just as pleasurable as enjoying a superb meal in the Ghetto, or taking a stroll amongst the cobbled streets of Trastevere while eating a delicious ice cream.  Either way, you will need to do some planning so that you don’t waste time queueing for tickets or wandering around the city with your nose in a map trying to find Piazza Navona!

 Some places, the Vatican and Colosseum especially, have queues to overcome and can be skipped by booking a fully qualified licensed guide.  It’s worth doing not only as a way to jump the queue, but also a good guide has a wealth of knowledge and many stories to tell that will make your visit all the more interesting and worthwhile. In a group tour each person is issued with a headset so nobody will have to strain there ears above the noisy crowds in order to hear what the guide is explaining.

 Many of the sites of course don’t need tickets or a guide, places like the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Spanish Steps and the many piazzas of Rome can be seen whenever you want, a guide isn’t really necessary for these, but having someone who knows the history is always recommended, having someone who is passionate about the city and who is able to tell you stories and facts that you won’t find in any guide book, really makes a difference.

 Planning your holiday makes it a much less stressful experience.  Booking ahead will save you time, and money, and by booking a guided tour you will be able to see all of what this city has to offer and still have time to relax.  Remember, Rome also has many restaurants, bars, shops and parks to see!  If you have time, why not book a trip to the island of Capri, Castel Gandolfo( the summer residence of the Pope) or even Pompeii?

 Whatever you end up doing in the Eternal City, a professional tour will make your experience and unforgettable one.  This city is a treasure when it comes to architecture, history, artists and food, make sure you make the most of your time by planning ahead.  If you are not sure what to see, book a general tour of the city so that you can see the main points of interest and then you can choose where you would like to spend more time.  Whatever you see or do, one this is guaranteed, you won’t be disappointed.

JE

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Roma gypsy fail

 I stepped out for some food yesterday afternoon and ended up embroiled in some kind of argument with a Roma gypsy from that part of Europe which we all know and... Having ordered a plate of rice and vegetables, the lady encroached upon my space demanding that she was poor and had not eaten for several days... She waved a photo of assorted well fed relatives in my face and continued to make aggressive demands which were dismissed out of hand by both myself and the proprietor of the establishment. She proceeded to threaten and make several “curse” gestures in my direction before hobbling off, cussing all and sundry all along the way.

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Rome, Rome tours, and Romanians

 They live out in the sticks, betwixt and between the back of beyond. They bus into Rome every day to hammer and drill holes in the walls of apartments owned by middle aged Italian women who either 1. need the company, or 2. want to remind the neighbourhood that they are still Madrone. No neither unfortunately, but aneither serve nay real purpose. Romanian builders are perhaps the most misunderstood immigrant sub-set in Italy; do they really come all the way here from Dacia to build / destroy walls? The more likely reason is lack of work back home, but opportunities here on the peninsula are middling at best. As for the Italian ladies who hire them, why? History tells us that the most accomplished builders the world has ever known were Roman. Well, second generation Roman-born North African slaves. I wonder if our Rome tours retell the lives and times of slaves during the reign of Trajan, or that of Augustus? Yes, I am sure they do. Certain of it.

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The Wedding Cake (Altare della Patria)

 Before the funeral of Vittorio Emanuele II, who died suddenly at the youthful age of 57 on January 9th 1878, the possibility of erecting a monument in honour of the first King of a unified Italy was discussed during the assembly of the municipal council. As King of Sardinia and then Italy for almost 29 years, he had been the protagonist of epic deeds in the eyes of his people. His reputation was heroic, a king heaven sent, a father figure to all.

 On March 16th a decree was issued by Minister Giuseppe Zanardelli. It was the green light for a national monument dedicated to the memory of the king. Eight million lire was set aside for the triumphal ark.

 Construction of the monument meant that considerable sacrifices would have to be made as regards artistic and archaeological heritage. An entire medieval district was demolished. The convent of Ara Coeli (Heaven’s Altar) was demolished. Paolo III’s tower and the viaduct connecting it to “Palazzetto Venezia” were demolished. Giulio Romano’s home was demolished. Pietro da Cortona’s workshop was demolished. The old “Via della Pedacchia”, “Via Macel de’ Corvi” (crow’s slaughterhouse), and Madame Lucrezia’s alley also disappeared.

 On March 22nd 1885, the ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone came to pass in the presence of the Italian Royal Family. Sacconi’s project was inspired by monumental classic complexes such as Pergamon’s altar and Palestrina’s temple. The monument was intended to have been an open space, an agora, open to all citizens inside a sort of banked square in the heart of Imperial Rome.

 A legoland staircase flanked by two winged lions leads to the “Altae of the Motherland”, which itself supports an “alto-rilievo” (high relief) by Angelo Zanelli. A colossal equestrian bronze of Vittorio Emanuele II by Enrico Chiaradia is the highlight, lowlight, or darklight, depending on your point of view. The grand portico (porch) with columns reaching 15 metres high, and two statues of the goddess Victoria riding on quadrigas – an allegorical representation of supreme victory – were created by Carlo Fontana and Paolo Bartolini.

 Today it dominates Piazza Venezia, obscuring much of the Roman Forum. Those of us who have a vested interest in ancient Roman history would pay well to see it demolished. Italians are ambivalent and they have plenty of less than endearing nicknames for their wedding cake, including “English soup”. Either way, tens of thousands of snap happy tourists love it. Mildy disconcerting to say the least.

MG.P

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Rome

 Rome, whose crest is the Capitoline she-wolf (after the bronze statue portraying the legendary animal feeding the twins Romolus and Remus, founders of Rome), is the capital of the Italian Republic. It is the most densely populated city in Italy and among the main European capitals for territorial extension.

 Rome is also the city with the world highest concentration of historical and architectural goods. Its centre, circumscribed by the perimeter of the Aurelian walls, which materialize and document an overlap of almost three thousands years of history, is the unique expression of an enormous historical, artistic and cultural heritage whose influence has spread all over the world; in 1980, together with the extraterritorial properties of the “Holy See” inside the city and San Paolo’s Basilica “outside the walls”, it has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage. Rome, heart of Catholic Christianity, is the only city in the world to host a foreign State within its territory – the Vatican City’s enclave: for this reason it is often defined as capital of two States. More than 16% of world cultural goods are located in Rome (70% of the whole Italian territory).

 With its 52,000 hectares of rural areas, Rome is also the “greenest” city in Europe. Beside the historical villas, there are many other green areas, and many cultivated plots of land in the outskirts. Protected areas covers an overall surface of 40,000 hectares, and with a surface of 517 square kilometers destined to agricultural use (about 40% of the total municipal territory) Rome is also the biggest agricultural municipality in Europe.

 Today Rome is one of the most important tourist destinations of the world, due to the incalculable number of archaeological and artistic treasures, its peculiar traditions, the lyrical beauty of its panoramic views, and the majesty of its parks. Visitors and resident can enjoy plenty of museums (Capitoline Museums, National Gallery of Modern Art, the Vatican Museums, Galleria Borghese, and many others) historical buildings, churches, palaces, the monuments and ruins of the Roman Forum and the Catacombs. Roman fountains and its imposing acqueducts (water system) are also very distinctive elements of the city.

 Rome is the third most visited city in the European Union, after London and Paris, and receives an average of 7-10 million tourists a year, which can double on holy years. The Colosseum (4 million tourists) and the Vatican Museums (4.2 million tourists) are respectively the 39th and 37th most visited places in the world. In 2005 the city registered 19.5 million of global visitors, up of 22.1% from 2001, and in 2006 Rome has been visited by 6.03 million of international tourists, reaching the 8th place in the ranking of the world’s 150 most visited cities. Rome has also been nominated 2007’s fourth most desirable city to visit in the world after Florence, Buenos Aires, and Bangkok.

MG

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Scootering in Rome

 When I first moved to Rome, I had never been on a scooter in my life, to be honest I was petrified of them. I was fine on my Raleigh Boxer zipping round the streets as a kid, but any form of motorbike was out of the question. Once in Rome, I met a girl who’s only form of transport was a scooter, and so whenever we would go out I was forced to perch on the back and cling on for dear life. Despite the fear, it was a great way to see the city. If you are brave enough to open your eyes you get clear view of everything around you, the sites, the smells, the sounds and of course that feeling of freedom as we’d ride on the pavement to avoid the traffic, even if they were blocked by those pesky pedestrians…

 After a while I got used to riding pillion whilst my girlfriend would confidently zip through gaps with only centimeters to spare on each side and speed round corners using her stilettos as a counterbalance. It was fun. It was only a matter of time before I plucked up the courage to have a go myself, and as it turned out it wasn’t half as bad as I thought. Despite being surrounded by a thousand Evel Knievels, you feel surprisingly safe on a scooter, everyone seems to know what everyone else is doing, and once you get used to it you discover that there really is no better way to get around. Parking is never a problem, they are cheap to run and it doesn’t cost too much to hire one. Of course, there are many horror stories of people who have had accidents on scooters abroad, they are a dangerous form of transport and I would really only advise hiring one if you have previous experience, Rome is not the place to learn how to drive a scooter. However, if you know what you are doing and with a little bit of common sense, awareness and confidence, the back of a scooter can be a great way to see the many beautiful sites of Rome.

 If scooters really aren’t your thing, then there are other mobile site seeing options. Eternal Tours Rome offer bicycle, Segway, and rickshaw tours on request, all great alternatives to the scooter experience.

JE

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Villa Ada

 I want to tell you about a magical place that I know. The only thing is, you have to keep it to yourselves okay? It’s such a magical place that the other day I saw four bright green parrots flying in formation, squawking amongst themselves. Parrots I tell you. In Rome. At first I wasn’t sure if they were parrots, but once they had settled in a nearby tree I saw that they were, in fact, parrots. In Villa Ada you can already find red squirrels jumping amongst the pines trees, terrapins and fish swimming in the lake and countless dogs bounding around happily in the many open green spaces, and these are just a few things that make it so special.

 Villa Ada is Rome’s second biggest park and can be found off the Via Salaria in the north of the city. There aren’t many tourists here, visitors to Rome prefer the just as beautiful and more well known Villa Borghese which is a little closer to the city centre and thus more popular with foreign visitors. Villa Ada is a mainly public park, the only private land belongs to the Egyptian embassy, and is covered with vast open spaces as well as scenic pathways that snake their way through the awesome pine trees that provide shade on a hot summers day. Families come here to picnic, to enjoy time together and to play.

 Villa Ada is named after the wife of Count Tellfner who owned the park in the 1870’s, since then it’s been home to several kings and during the second world war a bunker was built by Mussolini next to the Villa Savoia, it was here on the 26 July 1943, soon after the Allies invaded Italy, that he was arrested and taken to prison. The villa and bunker still exist today, but unfortunately have been left abandoned and in a state of disrepair. While visiting Villa Ada, why not take a guided tour of the nearby Catacomb of Priscilla, which can be found by the northside entrance to the park.

 At the lake entrance you can hire a bike for 3 euros, an ideal way to explore, if you are the sporty type there are many jogging routes and even an ‘outdoor gym’ with wooden exercise equipment. For a more gentle visit, just pick one of the many park benches that line the banks of the lake, close your eyes, bask in the sun and…….relax. Villa Ada is an ideal park to explore, to discover, but mostly to relax.

 I'm not sure why I’m telling you all this, I want this place to remain my little secret, so don’t go telling everyone about it. It’s bad enough that the parrots have come, you know how much they like to talk….

JE

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Destination: Rome

 "What’s Rome like for a long weekend away?” I’m often asked this, and I always answer the same way, “For a long weekend away it’s rubbish”. You see, coming to Rome only for a long weekend is frustrating, there’s just too much to see and do in just 72 hours. It would be like walking into a room and being presented with the world biggest free buffet, full of delicacies from all over the world, but only having enough time to butter a bread roll before being ushered out again. Beautiful site, great experience, but if only you’d had more time…

 As a weekend destination, Rome really does have it all, we all know about the amazing beauty and charm of the main cultural sites, but seriously, you could spend a whole day having a tour around the Vatican museums and still want to go back for more in the morning. The first time I went into the Colosseum, I didn’t want to leave, it really is that magical. Book a tour of the Roman Forum and let your guide reconstruct Roman life as they walk you around those cobbled, ancient streets. You could easily get lost in your imagination and spend hours there.

 As night time falls, it get’s worse. There are so many restaurants to choose from, so many dishes you will want to try as you pass through the bustling streets of Trastevere, mouth and eyes wide open as you spy other peoples dinners as they eat ‘al fresco’ on the outside tables as you make your way to your chosen restaurant. After dinner, you could head down to the river and enjoy a cocktail and the open air cinema, or you could pop along to Gregory’s Jazz Club at the top of the Spanish Steps. If Jazz aint your thing daddy-o, then there are always the bars and clubs of Testaccio, San Lorenzo or Pigneto.

 And then there are the other pleasures. Sitting on the bench outside Caffe Peru (just off Piazza Farnese) having breakfast takes up at least an hour and a half. Not because the service is terrible, Salvatore the owner wouldn’t allow that, but because it’s the best place in Rome to sit back with a coffee and watch the world go by. How about a stroll through Villa Ada, one of Rome’s lesser visited parks? It’s absolutely beautiful. A day trip to Anzio? Tivoli? Castelli Romani? Where are you going to find the time?

 No, a long weekend in Rome just isn’t enough. With two main airports that cater to both the main and low-cost airlines and thousands of excellent hotels and beautiful apartments to rent, you have no excuse not to come again and again. I should know, I came here for a long weekend 11 years ago and never left.

JE

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Riscaldimento? No.

 Heating, at home. Not that simple here in Italy, you can’t just turn on your central heating and be warm if you live in an apartment block. As Italians feel the need to check, double check, and check everything all over again ad nauseam 25/7, systems and procedures are in place to make life hell at almost every turn. Each apartment block is controlled by an administrator, or an agency of uncontactable administrators. If your administrator lives in your block, he’s usually grumpy, rude, and difficult at best. Imagine a German Shepherd patrolling the entrance to your home every god given day, spying on your every move, who you’re with, and what you’re doing / wearing / the type of air you’re breathing. Schifo.

 Block administrators decide when central heating for residents is turned on when Rome gets cold, and off, usually in March. How this works for anziani who live in the same building as people half their age, I have no idea. Why does this happen? Because the state of the Italian economy ensures that only some people can afford to pay their bills on time. There is a monthly charge which keeps said administrators in a job, and a part of what they’re paid covers the heating for the entire block in winterrr.

 Brrr

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Rome bans food

 Yep, you read it right. The mad insane mentalists who populate the steaming pile of bureaucratic dog turd which besmirches the people of Rome and their beautiful city, have passed yet another unfathomable law.

 From now on, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, and many other places in Rome city centre will be patrolled by food hating numpties in uniform. In any another city it would be normal and acceptable to see tourists milling around monuments while eating an ice cream, a sandwich, sweets, or drinking from a can or a bottle.

 Not here.

 One of Rome’s many police forces now have the right to fine anyone caught eating or drinking anywhere near Rome’s famous landmarks.

 The madman mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, passed the law. His ‘Polizia Roma Capitale’, a distant relative of Mussolini’s Blackshirts, will be dishing out meal tickets with a smile.

 Comments, please.

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American English AS Roma

 A few months have elapsed since the official website for AS Roma underwent surgery. It looks great and by all accounts is firing on all cylinders. Imagine being a born and bred Romanista (a Roma fan, tifo). One day you wake up, log on, and visit your team’s website in a different language. English is default, to be precise.

 Now we all know how many English football fans have been stabbed in Rome since Heysel. We all know that raw hatred between English lads and Roma fans will never leave us, and no one really understands why ‘British casual’ shop Stretch markets our culture so successfully to those who gave Rome the name ‘Stab City’ back in 2007.

 They want to be English by any and all means possible, which means adopting the music, the fashion, and the swagger. One has very good reason to ask why Jekyll and Hyde Romanisti target their perceived nemesis, typically in groups versus a lone Englishman (or family, as has been documented on several occasions), when European football brings them face to face with something they can’t even copy correctly let alone aspire to be.

 So, back to the new American owners of AS Roma. Do they have any clue about the population of their own Curva? No. None. Great website, built for new American soccer fans, not Roma ultras in Rome.

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Video Thing

 Eternal Tours Rome

 Hi! Please share this video, like it on YouTube, pass it around on Facebook and Twitter etc. It’s taken a while to get the project done and dusted but here we are, and we have ideas aplenty in the pipeline too!

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The Baths of Ilica

 There’s a few Christopher Rudders online, an e-millionaire, a few writers, and one who posted a video on YouTube entitled ‘When in Rome’. Not unlike a blood red rag to a raging bull in a china shop tucked away somewhere cosy like Harrogate, here I am writing about it. The video is historically accurate and lovingly packaged with an interesting perspective. The title of this article plays on the fact that Christopher is blessed with an endearing lisp. Addthis to his infectious pronunciation of names and places in Rome, for example, ‘Papal’ (say ‘apple’, not ‘aypple’), ‘Clement’ (say ‘lament’), ‘Capitoline’ (…), and you’ll be smiling. The only let down in an otherwise uplifting ten minute ride through Rome is when Christopher informs viewers that he took a ‘hop on hop off’ bus tour, which as we all know is tantamount to sacrilege in this part of the world. Not good when the route is point to point sightseeing of pilgrim churches. Outside the Colosseum, he threatens Rome’s reviled fake gladiators with death by plastic sword for attempted extortion (one photo, 20 euros). Christopher, a burly dread headed hip hopper from Canada, threw them a fiver instead of a bunch of fives.

 Watch Christopher’s ten minute take on Rome here: http://youtu.be/0U9P4hAAD6E

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Venti Centesimi

 Three peaches, 16p. Cheap! Any given Sunday morning, head for Linea B (Rome’s blue metro) and alight at Rebibbia. Not only will you be able to buy fresh fruit at a fraction of the cost anywhere else in Rome, you’ll return home and be grateful that you’re not Ukrainian. Determined people who struggle to survive, but do so with humility and honour by tolerating a nomadic existence and rejection because of where they were born.

 It is common knowledge that Poles, Romanians and Ukrainians do Italy’s dirty work, namely cleaning, caring for the elderly, building walls and making B&B beds. However, the ‘camp’ which brings many of the latter to Rome, occupying waste land close to Rebibbia metro station, is shocking. Early warning signs flashed bright red on the metro; our carriage was full of dishevelled middle aged women with heavy luggage and even heavier boxes. None of them looked Italian. There is no airport link at the end of Linea B, just a small bus terminal which serves east Rome.

 It’s an unseemly environment for newbies, as I was this morning. We walked through a gate and down a slope as Italian security staff mingled with stall holders selling Ukrainian and Russian magazines, fruit, snacks, and beer. A long line of men and women was hemmed in by a string cordon upon which hung hand-written signs. ‘Cerco lavoro’ (looking for work), any work. Perhaps 10 or 20 young women were in the line when we entered the camp, all gone by the time i’d left. Whisked away to a better life, no doubt. Staring back at the hopefuls, or rather hopeless, 500 hand-written advertisements offered room shares in and around Rome. No apartments, not even flat shares, just lowly room shares.

 Fifty metres further on, we stumbled into another world. Road weary vans were everywhere, packed to the rafters with boxes, bodies and beer. It was an ugly, depressing sight. Loading, unloading, cash handling in every direction. Most of the drivers we saw were carrying half empty beer bottles. Fortunately, the person allocated to ferry my companion home was not, but I later learned that her minibus of ‘three other women’ was drunkjacked at the last minute by three pot-bellied Ukrainian men.

 This is where most people who come to Rome from Ukraine in search of work and a new life arrive, and many of them never really leave it as they trade with others who use the transport network. There are many thousands who must do so to survive. Pineapple fruit is a luxury item in the Ukraine, vodka is brought in by the truck load, I saw a hapless couple pushing a fridge freezer into the back of a van, and a disturbing number of elderly women milling around with no money and no ride home. Even if they could pay for a cramped seat in a van with no air conditioning, luggage piled high, and a journey time of at least 24 hours, it was difficult to refrain from analogizing the scene with transit camps we’ve all read about and dread to imagine. It all looked so very wrong. A PA system barked instructions and immigration ‘advice’ at bystanders, some of whom pricked up their ears in vain hope of useful information.

 Pleasantries and farewells over, sentiments of ignorance, prejudice, and poverty prevailed.

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What the Butler Saw

 Joe Orton. Circumstances surrounding his brutal murder apart, and that I watched ‘Entertaining Mr Sloane’ at Manchester Royal Exchange in 1984 when Adam Ant played the lead, the plot of ‘What the Butler Saw’ never really grabbed my attention, a veiled parody of British sexuality in the sixties with a twist at every turn, a Carry On on any other rainy day.

 So what did the butler see? Too much, according to Vatican authorities who have incarcerated their nemesis for leaking sensitive documents. ‘Sensitive’ meaning evidence of collusion between the Vatican and Italian politicians, vast amounts of money, policy on sex scandals in the Catholic Church, and other matters of a disconcerting nature.

 Paolo Gabriele, known as ‘Angel Gabriel’ to the godly good, is currently detained at His Holiness’ Pleasure in cells somewhere beneath Saint Peter’s Square. Paolo is permitted to attend Mass once a week, but his future looks somewhat bleak according to the Swiss Guard who offer him blessed bread and the blood of Christ when the cock crows thrice round about noon each day. Gabriele’s ‘aggravated theft’ (lifting papers from the Pope’s desk) was an act of faith, committed to promote honesty and integrity in the church. If he is sentenced, he’ll serve time in a Roman jail with common criminals.

 Pope Benedict XVI has the authority to pardon ‘little Paul’ at any time, but for now, under the watchful eyes of a commission of cardinals, insider sources report that he’s biding his time until a September hearing at the earliest. The official line suggests a 2013 trial, if at all. Worst case scenario for Gabriele is 8 years behind bars for stealing state secrets, but a lifetime of smear and scapegoating is more realistic.

 Meanwhile, Vatican tourism carries on regardless, a few hundred metres away from the mouth of truth.

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Bad Medicine Waltz

 http://youtu.be/DNs8Cq68OQY

 I remembered this one, incorrectly, as ‘Butterflies’ from Cult album ‘Dreamtime’ some time 1984. Amerindian Rock, Goth Sioux and similar namealikes never even made it into the Urban Dictionary let alone mass vocabulary, but what should have been often never was. A lyric in the link, ‘it’s funny how people stare’ prompted me to write about Italians (again…). They just can’t stop staring. I know it’s a ‘cultural thing’, but in any other country they’d run into problems (‘what the * are you looking at’ and ten million variants thereof). They stare at men, they stare at women, they stare at young women, they stare at old women, they stare at anything which remotely resembles a woman (akin to skating on extremely thin ice in this town), and when they stop staring to adjust the backscatter scanner behind their insectoid sunglasses, they’ll start all over again when the next passer-by unknowingly stimulates the field of the visually deranged. Pass the pyrethrin, if you please.

 Meanwhile, it’s back to business in the business of Rome tourism – what a life :p

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Electruck Avenue

 Italy does not work. The most recent episode of rank dysfunction was the simple matter of a power cut which blacked out my block on Friday. A full day of flickering lights in a semi-basement apartment where luce is a luxury made daily life like a night in jail. ACEA parked a white van right outside the entrance and dug a ditch tailor made for anziani. A British tourist died in one of Rome’s metro stations some years ago after falling into escalator machinery because workers didn’t make sure that (1) their work was cordoned off with warning signs, and (2) that the escalator was switched off. Little has changed. For the record, the two maintenance workers who failed to replace escalator parts were sentenced to more or less two years in prison but neither of them served any time, and directors of their employer, OCS, were also let off as first time offenders.

 The overnight supply truck worked wonders. We could see, eat, wash ourselves and check Facebook, that is until the following day when the episode went into past forward. A handful of numpties in blue jumpsuits started hammering away in the magazzino next door and bulbs started to fizzle then pop. Just add TIM call centre operatives cold calling twice daily, timed to within seconds of my leaving home to work on some new fangled Vatican tours project, and it’s easy to feel somewhat cornered by lackies.

 Beautiful country, but getting things done is a constant battle.

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Dirty Naples, dirtier Rome

 Leaving rubbish out after dark has led to a huge increase in numbers of the dreaded ‘red’ cockroach in Naples. Really. Naples has been sinking in it’s own stinking filth for a few years now, and as local Mafia types run waste disposal collections in much of Campania, the infestation is unlikely to get any better any time soon. Piles of rubbish still blight the city of thieves.

 Here in bella Roma we have a similar problem, but worse. Worse because Romans and all the rest who leave their rubbish on the street 24/7 do not have the Mafia to use as an excuse. They don’t put their rubbish IN the containers, they leave it ON the pavement BESIDE the containers, a dirty, lazy habit which attracts vermin and wafts foul smells into shops and homes. Perhaps an infestation of red cockroaches in Roman apartments would remind the slovenly occupants that how they live is truly disgusting. I saw an Italian mother with young daughter in one hand and two bags of trash in the other dump her load on the pavement a few weeks ago, and experienced fleeting murderous intent.

 Understandable if one is English living in Rome.

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18792539

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Michael Wells and Lee Newman

 GYAPDMN76NWN

 This post is in the name of good copy, it’s about Rome, and will be tagged ‘techno’ and ‘head’. Talented people, greater than one, got to go…

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Burn, baby burn…

 We were discussing the music of Ministry yesterday afternoon during the fourth videographic session for Eternal Tours Rome under searing heat. At day’s end, Jello Biafra’s speech before outro ‘The Land of Rape and Honey’ in 1990 came to mind, and his prophetic ‘burn, baby burn, whenever I see you I see red’ speech (8/9) made painful sense. On returning home, I found myself horribly burned in the name of having recorded the best of ancient Rome for those who are about to receive a piece of Roman holiday land. We captured some nice sequences inside the Roman forum and on Piazza Farnese, the best of which will enhance company video content. I decided upon Dvorak’s ‘The Noon Witch’ for audio rather than tour guide commentary, and I am confident that it’s splendid appeal will permeate the masses, similarly Ministry 1988 – 2004. We have plenty of videos planned for release between now and the end of the year, they’ll be published here and everywhere else online in due course. If you love Rome as much as we have to, enjoy ??

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Rick Steves Italy

 Money no object? Of course Mr. Steves. At just $75 for calling one of his operatives who’ll help you organize your Roman holiday, why shop around? Oh, and if you run over time, say 15 minutes over time, he’ll bill you an extra $25. His business marketing team have really come up trumps with this one, which comes gift wrapped as a ‘Consulting Appointment – Plan Your Trip with our Expert Consultants!’ Whatever became of honest, old fashioned customer service?

 So, before you book your Rome and Vatican tours, don’t forget to pay for advice before you leave home! (We prefer to help visitors by writing interesting and relevant blogs).

 Here’s the link: http://www.ricksteves.com/about/consulting.htm or just read this: ‘To schedule a consultation, call our Travel Center at 425/771-8303 ext. 298. We’d love to do a little travel dreaming with you!’.

 When in Rome…

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Monochromacy

 Disgusting headlines this morning from ‘Tuttosport’, hot on the heels of similar gutter journalism by Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this week have rendered Italy’s fine victory over Germany to nought. Whatever happens on Sunday night against Spain, the European Championships 2012 will forever be remembered as the tournament when the star player, a native Italian, was ridiculed by his compatriots for being black.

 Mario Balotelli, 21, born in Palermo on grousing day 1990, is the most exciting footballing talent in the world. Whether he is white, black, neon pink or transparent is irrelevant. It is an accepted and proven fact that Italy is not a conducive environment for non-whites to live a normal, happy, working life without prejudice. There are many reasons for this, and if I listed each and every one i’d exceed the word count time out a hundred thousand times over. One can only hope that the emergence of a new, black, home grown idol will inspire positive change.

 Anyone who follows Premiership football in England knows that Mario Balotelli is very popular with supporters of all clubs. His legendary off the field antics and tremendous strength of character have elevated him to superstar status, and if any tabloid dared publish a cartoon / article which referred to his ethnicity in a derogatory sense, either directly or indirectly, it would be boycotted, fined to the tune of thousands, and eventually shut down.

 So what inspired this post? Google ‘Balotelli racism’ and you’ll find yourself reading and cringing about what Italy’s sporting dailies really think of their hero. ‘Tuttosport’ are based in Turin, and Juventus fans there have always hated Balotelli for being black and successful. Perhaps the dark and twisted connection in a city known for Freemasonry and the occult makes some kind of horrible sense.

 Apologies? None. Well, nothing genuine, just excuses and a dismissive air.

 Here are the links you need to read:

 http://deadspin.com/5921797/even-italys-a-little-racist-toward-mario-balotelli

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jun/29/euro-2012-newspaper-mario-balotelli-slur?newsfeed=true

 http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/06/27/italian-press-depiction-of-mario-balotelli-as-king-kong-is-naive/

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Roman Wine

 In Rome and the surrounding area, wine consumption is held in high regard. It is an ancient pastime which pre-dates the Roman Empire and has since evolved into a culture, an art form, a throwback to past times for some, always a pleasure for all.

 The consumption of wine in Rome did not follow the ancient Greek tradition of the symposium (‘drinking together’), nor the form of religious excitement which was said to affect those who became inebriated, thought to be possessed by deities such as Eros, Dionysus or the Muses. In the bars and banquets of ancient Rome, wine was treated as a beverage rather than a ‘drug’, but it was also considered a rarity, even a luxury.

 Drinking wine was a privilege reserved for the head of the family and adult males, occasionally bestowed to wives but strictly forbidden to young unmarried women. Wine was a precious commodity and never wasted, therefore ‘watering’ was common (hot water added to wine) prior to serving in oversized cups. ‘Pure’ wine was only consumed during votive libations or for medicinal purposes.

 Victorious military campaigns and the consequent presentation of the spoils of war to the people of Rome gave rise to a dramatic increase in wine consumption. Newly opened taverns in the city encouraged the drinking of wine for fun, and it soon became commonplace for wine to be served warm with food. To show off their wealth, some drank wine filtered through snow for some kind of early prototype refreshment. The appreciation of vintage wine has changed little. A vintage was essential for important gatherings, and Petronius describes a 100 year old bottle of ‘Falerno’ served at the sumptuous table of Trimalchio. Pliny catalogued Italian and foreign wines, the proverb ‘In vino veritas’ (in wine, the truth) has been ascribed to him. Let it be known that his words referred not only to the fact that wine helps the best of us speak the absolute truth, but also the power it grants to those who indulge, establishing a connection with the gods.

 One can only imagine how wine tasted in antiquity. Latin texts indicate that a ‘Magister bibendi’ (master of drinking) was selected by the roll of dice. Ironically, he had to refrain from drinking and ascertain how many parts of water should be mixed with the wine. Nobility loved to dilute wine with all sorts of ingredients, and the most common mixture was ‘Vinum mulsum’ (wine with honey). Romans drank to the health of their friends, lovers, and important people in society, as we do today. When men drank to the good health of a woman, they imbibed from as many cups as the letters in her name.

 The best known Roman wines are those produced in hills due south of the city in the Castelli Romani region. A green and fertile volcanic basin boasting two crater lakes and 16 picturesque towns. Wine making in the Castelli is ubiquitous. Many white wines, particularly from Marino and Frascati, are of a very high standard, and have been awarded the prestigious DOC certification of quality. While red wines from the region are not as well known, they are no less appreciated by today’s Romans who run to the hills for wine, pork, cheese and bread when their city roasts in July and August.

 Our Wine tasting in Rome is another option for visitors who prefer to remain in the ancient city centre.

MG.P

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Monti. The good, the bad, and the brutal.

 A year ago, an endearing article about the district of Monti was published in the New York Times. The author, Susan Spano, was resident there for three years between 2007 and 2010 before returning to the states. Her musings about the area are quaint, attractive to those of us who live here and socialize in Monti, and also perhaps to tourists who are considering a vacation rental in one of it’s typical tiny, winding streets. However, unrest in Monti has never been too far away. The NYT article was published on July 1st 2011, a few days after the attempted murder of popular musician Alberto Bonanni by feral local youths with connections to AS Roma. This shocking event, which took place between Piazza Madonna dei Monti and Via dei Serpenti, resulted in nine year jail sentences for two 21 year old Romans. Four alleged accomplices will learn their fate later this year. The courts have set a trial date of Wednesday, September 26th. It’s a beautiful part of Rome during the day, but after hours it pays to be attentive as busy crowds of locals, expats, tourists, giallorosso ultras and skinheads hang out betweeen Cavour metro station and Via dei Serpenti, some of whom drink on the street with an eye for the main chance. "Bring to life the bawdy, roiling, red-blooded world of fourth century A.D. Monti" still rings true in 2012.

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The Round Room, Vatican Museums

 The renowned Round Room (Sala Rotonda) is a masterpiece of neo-classical architecture, built during the papacy of Pius VI by Michelangelo Simonetti in the late 18th century. Simonetti designed some of the most elegant rooms in the Vatican Museums, using light and space to capture and then magnify the presence of rare antiquities. The Greek Cross Room, Room of the Muses, Octagonal Court and Round Room are his creations.

 The dome is styled on that of the Pantheon, by the shaped design of it’s interior and central oculus, which together span 21.60 metres. The room is dominated by a monolithic porphyry basin, the circumference of which measures thirteen metres, width five metres. Believed to have been used in Nero’s Domus Aurea (Golden House), it was brought to the Vatican Museums in the late 18th century. It’s placement in the Round Room resonates throughout the entire Vatican complex. Hewn from porphyry, a dark, reddish-purple stone, the type in use here is known, perhaps appropriately, as imperial porphyry. It’s shade matches that of purple dye extracted from shellfish, which was applied to the tunics and togas of the Senatorial class to form the legendary purple band. Imperial porphyry in Italy was imported from a single mine in Egypt, Mons Porphyrites, and used in floor tiles, columns, and to embellish ceramics.

 The floor of the Round Room is adorned with intricate mosaics from Otricoli Baths (Umbria) which date back to the 3rd century. Each mosaic depicts scenes of battle between Greeks and centaurs, mythological sea beasts, tritons and nereids, which together evoke a ‘water theme’. Each tile was lifted and transferred to the Vatican individually. The room per se is enclosed by ancient sculptures, all of which tower above awe-struck onlookers. The effect is quite remarkable. Among the precious busts and colossal statues of old, one can admire Jupiter’s Bust of Otricoli, a 2nd century Hercules in gilded bronze (unearthed in 1864 in the area of the Theatre of Pompey), Julia, Barberini’s Juno, Plotina (wife of Trajan), Demeter (Ceres), Claudio, Faustina, and several others. Perhaps most precious of all is the statue portraying Antinous, Hadrian’s young lover, depicted as Dionysus. Researching ‘Antinoo’, I found this website which is worth a couple of minutes of anyone’s time. Maybe less.

 The Round Room is explained in detail by our expert Vatican tour guides on all our Vatican tours be they private or small group.

MG.P

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Nuns on the run? Almost!

 "Socially active" nuns in Iowa, USA hit the headlines this week. Ladies working beyond the call of duty, something which the Vatican disapproves of, have been doing their utmost to help the downtrodden in the wake of hard line Republican social policy. The rallying call to arms came courtesy of an organisation which goes by the somewhat sinister cyberpunk name of ‘Network’, and there was no holding back the battling nuns at the fight for the rights of the poor sign up desk. However, before battle lines could be drawn, the Vatican made it known that they would rather see the poor continue to suffer for the sake of ‘doctrinal values’, ergo their teachings on abortion and same sex marriage.

 Network is a catholic group seeking social equality, and their plan was to send a bus load of goodly nuns across the not insignificant matter of nine states to protest and educate, timed to interfere with budget cuts by Congress. Not a slap across godly chops, nor a swipe at stateside bishops, whatever you have been instructed to believe from on high. Rather an act of goodwill, pure and simple.

 Support for 14 doughty nuns who are working ‘kindness shifts’ from their technicolor ‘God Squad’ coach is growing, despite the mandate thrown across the pond to three servile bishops. The Vatican has given them five years to bring similar society ‘The Leadership Conference of Women Religious’ into line, and quell any further displays of kindness.

 Equality in it’s many forms is perhaps purge priority #1, but whatever the Vatican elite decide, there’ll always be millions of Catholics out there who disagree.

Hyper Smash

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TripAdvisor Disparity Index

 Our Rome Tours fell six places last week courtesy of a particularly vicious ‘review’ planted on our TripAdvisor Rome page. The author didn’t even take her Vatican tour, she just couldn’t get her head around the fact that we were not able to refund her deposit the way she wanted. In the end, we bent over backwards to wire and lost money in her name by doing so. At time of writing, ten days after the fact with the same number of five star reviews newly published and said slander removed by user, we’re still six places worse off. Curious situations on the internet apart, what do TripAdvisor have to say about their flailing disparity index?

 Hello,

  Thank you for contacting TripAdvisor.

  We inform you that TripAdvisor’s Popularity Index (ranking system) is driven by the information travelers highlight in their reviews. Here’s a link to more information: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/help/how_does_the_popularity_index_work.

  As I hope you’ll understand, we cannot divulge any specifics about how this process works, as that would reveal proprietary information which could compromise the impartiality of our system. Encouraging your guests to write a review of your establishment on TripAdvisor, when they return home from their trip, is the best way to improve your ranking.

  You’ll find more helpful tips and information about our service in the dedicated Owners Support section of our Help Desk: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Owners.

  We remain at your disposal.

  Kind Regards,

  TripAdvisor Support Team

 Will TripAdvisor Towers return us to our previous standing? Unlikely, but watch this space anyway…

 Not a rant, just a presentation of tedium.

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The staff of nightmares

 Jobs in Rome are hard to come by, so the last thing we expected was to have to endure months of the recruitment equivalent of trench warfare. Diabolically poor CV’s, apparently over qualified applicants who struggle with elementary grammar, IT skills which stall / capitulate / (type here) at mere mention of the middling challenges presented by the pedestrian likes of Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer. Wait a second, IE? Why do people list Internet Explorer as an IT skill?

 To add insult to injury, the covering letters we had to trawl through were even worse. Having removed all personally identifying information from this latest contribution to rising unemployment in Rome, enjoy ?? …

 Estimable Manager,

 I send you my cv in italian laguage for the position about turism’ job.

 I have a degree in political science – and specialistic in international relationship  and i worked, more then two years, in a cattolic hotel – S. Maria Consolatrice in Rome where I rental prenotation by phone and greet the client a warm welcome and with smile always
for the best accomodate. I worked during the accademic period and i send my cv too for another information about me. I am certain a serious person and very smiling behaviour.

 Thank for your time
 send offs

 Cordials

 …

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Rome Limo To

 Each time I go to St Peter’s Square, the limos roll up one by one. Mercedes Benz, tinted windows, chauffeur, any number of tourists crammed into the metal box for a photo stop. I often wonder what these people learn, or wish to learn about the Basilica, or if they even pass by the Vatican Museums, let alone venture inside. If one draws up a list of the places which make Rome great, which they’ll miss, it’s sad. The limo companies which have come to boss TripAdvisor drive home smiling. Rome cannot, I repeat cannot be appreciated from a car seat. Even if you only have half an hour, walk. It’s the only way.

 Limo transfers and limos for local excursions to the coast or Castelli Romani apart, all of which can be booked on our website, are necessary, however. Our limo service is the backbone of our shore excursions in Naples, Rome, and elsewhere in Italy. When in Rome, walk as the Romans do? Yeah, something like that.

 This is an Eternal Tours Rome advisory to improve the Rome tours experience for all.

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For the sake of clarity

 The world is a busy place, so busy in fact that people use the internet without reading. Really? How is this possible? Does everyone just YouTube, click Facebook ‘Like’ and browse trillions of other people’s polaroids on Flickr? Perhaps I am being paranoid but the number of e-mails we receive along the lines of ‘Hi, what does this tour include, how much is it, where is the meeting point and what time does it start on which day’ is increasing.

 It is of the essence to ensure that these bare basic facts are displayed with absolute clarity on our Rome tours and Vatican tour pages. If they are not, please let us know!

 E-commerce has regressed into an environment where the masses expect to view, click and pay in under a minute. The days of illustrating web content with creative, descriptive text and images have faded for the sake of the hard sell. It’s a crying shame, and while we are duty bound to market all our Rome sightseeing services, we’ll never lose sight of the importance of presentation for presentation’s sake.

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The Italian Outsider

 Online expat rag in Rome ‘The Italian Insider’ does not come cheap. For the right to read their articles one must pay a euro a week. Now, let’s look closely at what they expect people to lay out for. A Google ‘site:websitename’ search shows us that the insiders have just 512 web pages, many of which are not news articles. Another Google site search shows us that The Times has a whopping 271,000 web pages which one can access for £1. Full website access for a quid, for 30 days. And they have five other subscription options to boot. A search for ‘Rome’ on The Times website shows 14,429 results. All of this recalls a day in Frankfurt 1994 when a tog asked to photograph me making a phone call. Some days later my image illustrated an article entitled ‘Can Europe keep pace?’. He introduced himself as ‘working for the London Times’. Anyway, the English rag wins the day.

 Writing about a subscription cost comparison is not going to interest people who are searching for information about Vatican tours or other Vatican tourism services, but that’s precisely what I attempted to do this morning when I visited the insiders website, only to discover that it’s bounce rate will assuredly banish any prospect of home page advertising.

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