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7 members have voted

February 10th, 2017 at 7:01:23 PM permalink
stinkingliberal
Member since: Nov 9, 2016
Threads: 17
Posts: 731
Quote: FrGamble
You know what, I should lead a trip to Rome for members of the DT forum. I would promise the very best food for not a lot of money. I also promise I would not preach or say anything and just lead us to some of the greatest Churches and sites in Rome. Having lived there for five years I know which tourist things to avoid and where the best places off the beaten path are. The list of top tourist sites given early I would only have two or three on my top ten sites if you really want to see Rome.


I would like to go on a tour of all the sites where the early Christians were slaughtered, fed to the lions, crucified, etc. Mmmm...Christian...now that's good eating! Four out of five lions prefer it.

Seriously, the Christian sites and churches, to me, are about 1/10 of what's interesting about Rome. I was most struck by how much of ancient Rome is still somewhat intact. Strolling through the old Forum is like being in a time machine. I also like interacting with the Italian people. Every man thinks he is the world's greatest singer, lover, and chef, while all the women roll their eyes. The entire country is one giant dysfunctional clusterfook because the people there would rather drink, dance, sing, and fook than do anything "useful." They drive cars that fall apart almost the day they leave the factory and fight wars as if they were deliberately trying to lose them. But they enjoy life and have a good time. I mean, where else does dinner take four hours? Live it up!
February 10th, 2017 at 7:41:42 PM permalink
Wizard
Administrator
Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
Quote: FrGamble
You know what, I should lead a trip to Rome for members of the DT forum. I would promise the very best food for not a lot of money. I also promise I would not preach or say anything and just lead us to some of the greatest Churches and sites in Rome. Having lived there for five years I know which tourist things to avoid and where the best places off the beaten path are. The list of top tourist sites given early I would only have two or three on my top ten sites if you really want to see Rome.


Thanks Padre! Any chance you could be our travel guide over the summer? I would be happy to pitch in for your time and expenses.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
February 10th, 2017 at 7:43:16 PM permalink
Wizard
Administrator
Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
Quote: stinkingliberal
I mean, where else does dinner take four hours?


When I went to southern France and Monaco they also took that long.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
February 10th, 2017 at 8:01:55 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: stinkingliberal
I mean, where else does dinner take four hours?


I think in France that qualifies as a quick, hurry-up dinner by uncultured peasants who have to catch a flight at Orly.

A better question is: what was Italian cooking like before the introduction of the tomato from the New World? My hypothesis is that, much as Italy itself, it didn't really exist.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
February 10th, 2017 at 10:57:58 PM permalink
stinkingliberal
Member since: Nov 9, 2016
Threads: 17
Posts: 731
Quote: Nareed
I think in France that qualifies as a quick, hurry-up dinner by uncultured peasants who have to catch a flight at Orly.

A better question is: what was Italian cooking like before the introduction of the tomato from the New World? My hypothesis is that, much as Italy itself, it didn't really exist.


Olive oil. Lots and lots and lots and lots of olive oil. And herbs. The real question is, what was it like before traders/Marco Polo brought the idea of pasta/noodles back from the Far East?
February 10th, 2017 at 11:08:17 PM permalink
stinkingliberal
Member since: Nov 9, 2016
Threads: 17
Posts: 731
Quote: Wizard
When I went to southern France and Monaco they also took that long.


OK, then 4.5 hours for Roman meals, because the service is slower in Italy. The difference is that it doesn't take nearly as long for the French waiter to spit in your food as it does for the Italian waiter to sample all of it and have a glass of wine or two as well. I approve of the latter. After all, how else will you know if your meal has been prepared properly?

While I consider France to be a more pleasant, more scenic, and climatically a more comfortable place than Italy, those considerations are trumped by the sad fact that France is full of French people. If they could do something about that, then I'd return. Give me a nutty Italian over a snooty French person any time. I've traveled to over 70 countries, and I can unequivocally say that France is the only place I've been that treats tourists with open hostility. And Paris is a giant tourist trap BTW.

My favorite place in Europe is Austria. German efficiency without the rigidity. Great music and culture without the attendant stuffiness. Incredible scenery without the high prices of, say, Switzerland. Food that takes the best of French, Italian, Hungarian and German and discards what sucks. And no designs for world domination.
February 11th, 2017 at 5:03:55 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: stinkingliberal
While I consider France to be a more pleasant, more scenic, and climatically a more comfortable place than Italy, those considerations are trumped by the sad fact that France is full of French people. If they could do something about that, then I'd return. Give me a nutty Italian over a snooty French person any time. I've traveled to over 70 countries, and I can unequivocally say that France is the only place I've been that treats tourists with open hostility. And Paris is a giant tourist trap BTW.


Wow, 70 countries. You must be neck and neck with the Wizard. Why don't you ease off on politics and post in the Travel section.

I've only been to a fraction of that number.

United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Japan,
Canada,Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands,
Bahrain, Oman, in Middle East
Norway,Iceland layovers

My favorite hotel room was in Zacatecas Mexico in a converted bullring where a Master suite is about US$100 per night.

http://www.quintareal.com/fullreserv.php
February 11th, 2017 at 7:26:45 AM permalink
Wizard
Administrator
Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
Quote: Pacomartin
Wow, 70 countries. You must be neck and neck with the Wizard. Why don't you ease off on politics and post in the Travel section.


SL is way ahead. If you don't count countries where I saw the airport only, I've been to:

US, Canada, Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Curacao, Argentina, Uruguay, Dominican Republic, Bahamas

England, France, Germany, Italy, Monaco, Poland, Finland, Russia, Malta
China (including the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau), Australia, New Zealand

Not that long of a list but I feel I'm pretty well traveled. Many of those countries I've been to multiple times or spent a good amount of time. For example, I've been to China five times and seen quite a bit of it.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
February 11th, 2017 at 8:02:47 AM permalink
stinkingliberal
Member since: Nov 9, 2016
Threads: 17
Posts: 731
Quote: Wizard
SL is way ahead. If you don't count countries where I saw the airport only, I've been to:

US, Canada, Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Curacao, Argentina, Uruguay
England, France, Germany, Italy, Monaco, Poland, Finland, Russia, Malta
China, Australia, New Zealand

Not that long of a list but I feel I'm pretty well traveled. Many of those countries I've been to multiple times or spent a good amount of time. For example, I've been to China five times and seen quite a bit of it.


I've only been to Hong Kong and (briefly) Shanghai, neither of which I consider representative of the "real" China. I'd love to travel extensively there. I speak a little bit of "tourist Chinese," and as in so many other places, knowing even twenty words of the local language really melts the ice and opens doors.

I highly recommend J. Maarten Troost's "Lost on Planet China" for a great read on how China is so different from the rest of the world.
February 11th, 2017 at 8:12:08 AM permalink
SOOPOO
Member since: Feb 19, 2014
Threads: 22
Posts: 4157
Just was in Rome/Vatican this summer. Who cares if it was hot. Travel is great. I've been to a lot of countries. To me traveling is more important than having a nice car, jewelry, expensive suits, etc.... Some of the countries I've been to are no longer countries, as I've been to Yugoslavia. Probably 3 of the 6 countries it has been split up into but actually not 100% sure. Here is my list, and I am not sure if some of the Caribbean ones count.

USA, Canada, Mexico, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Antigua, Bahamas, (Seneca Nation of Indians? plus others...)

Peru, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador (including Galapagos Islands)

China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, (Tibet and Hong Kong, often just considered part of China)

Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania

Scotland, Ireland, England, Iceland, Spain, France, Portugal, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Liechtenstein, Yugoslavia (will only count as 1 country), Greece, Switzerland, Italy, Vatican City, Sicily, Malta, Austria, West Germany, East Germany (was a separate country when I was there), Belgium, Hungary, Russia, Monaco
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