Travel

[pinkmochi]

@abbeythe 8th You're so lucky! What a great life you have!

Yes, the people were really nice, so I can see how you wouldn't be alone. I'd love to learn the language. I want to bring my son to Japan next, hopefully within the next few years, and we should really learn Japanese first.

[Mz iMac]

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PinkMochi wrote: I want to bring my son to Japan next, hopefully within the next few years, and we should really learn Japanese first.

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@pinkmochi

You & your son should watch this old tv mini series called Shogun starring Richard Chamberlain.  98% of the mini series is subtitled.  I guarntee, by the time you & your son finish watching, you will both be fluent in Japanese.

Anata no ryokō rebyū o arigatō

[pinkmochi]

@Mz iMac I remember when that aired! I heard something about water usage increasing during that miniseries because everyone took bathroom breaks during commercials. That was before we all had 200 channels and Netflix.

I'm 4th generation Californian, and most people in my generation don't speak Japanese. My dad was born in internment camp, and they had to prove more than some other ethnicities that they were American, so my parents were spoken to in Japanese and had to reply in English. My parents can understand Japanese but don't speak well. Our house was 99% English, which is how I am with my son, too. He knows "you're too loud," "that's dangerous," and "you're in my way." Hahahaha!

[World Traveler]

@pinkmochi Thanks so much for posting your very informative and interesting report. It brought back many memories of my visit there many, many years ago. Think I need to return based upon your posting 

[SANNA]

Love,love,love Italy and always ready to go back there!  But not with the organized tour! Not my cup of tea. I am very individualistic. My DH is my favorite company. 

But i understand people who enjoy it, oh well, as long as people do travel..

When tours jam too many regions and cities in their tours it robs you from getting to know the real deal about the places. 

See, I think Capri is one of the most beautiful, romantic and unforgettable places on Earth, but to realize it you have to spend couple a days there, not follow the same crowds in a crazy pace.  Same with Venice and Florence, they are magical when the crowd go back to their ships and buses...I plan my museums in advance, book restaurants in advance and this way miss craziness altogether. Love to get lost in old streets,piazzas and churches....

The only place that left me cold is Rome ( except for art), too dirty and unproportional.

Famous Via del Corso was like a garbage dump, sad....

Still need to explore the Italian Riviera and some other areas, looking forward to it, maybe next year!

Thanks for your review!!!

[pinkmochi]

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@SANNA wrote:

Love,love,love Italy and always ready to go back there!  But not with the organized tour! Not my cup of tea. I am very individualistic. My DH is my favorite company. 

But i understand people who enjoy it, oh well, as long as people do travel..

When tours jam too many regions and cities in their tours it robs you from getting to know the real deal about the places. 

See, I think Capri is one of the most beautiful, romantic and unforgettable places on Earth, but to realize it you have to spend couple a days there, not follow the same crowds in a crazy pace.  Same with Venice and Florence, they are magical when the crowd go back to their ships and buses...I plan my museums in advance, book restaurants in advance and this way miss craziness altogether. Love to get lost in old streets,piazzas and churches....

The only place that left me cold is Rome ( except for art), too dirty and unproportional.

Famous Via del Corso was like a garbage dump, sad....

Still need to explore the Italian Riviera and some other areas, looking forward to it, maybe next year!

Thanks for your review!!!

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@SANNA I didn't know about going on a tour either, but I think it was good for me for a first trip. The local guides were really informative; I never would've known all of the details without them. I also appreciated that the trip was jam-packed so that we saw as much as possible during our short time there. Now I know which places I would like to return to! And it would've been better to go during the off-season, but my son's school made that impossible. I'd love to return without a group and revisit certain places and be able to spend more than a couple hours in some of the museums. I know the time constraint isn't ideal, but it worked for this trip. 

And of course there's always one or two in a group who grate on your nerves. One Bay Area woman told me that she was worried that my son had an anaphalactic reaction and that she had "done a lot of research on this." Uh, I'm a medical professional, and he has the same allergic reaction to mosquito bites that I did as a kid. 

Thanks for your response! It's good to hear about other people's experiences.

[SANNA]

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@pinkmochi wrote:

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@SANNA wrote:

Love,love,love Italy and always ready to go back there!  But not with the organized tour! Not my cup of tea. I am very individualistic. My DH is my favorite company. 

But i understand people who enjoy it, oh well, as long as people do travel..

When tours jam too many regions and cities in their tours it robs you from getting to know the real deal about the places. 

See, I think Capri is one of the most beautiful, romantic and unforgettable places on Earth, but to realize it you have to spend couple a days there, not follow the same crowds in a crazy pace.  Same with Venice and Florence, they are magical when the crowd go back to their ships and buses...I plan my museums in advance, book restaurants in advance and this way miss craziness altogether. Love to get lost in old streets,piazzas and churches....

The only place that left me cold is Rome ( except for art), too dirty and unproportional.

Famous Via del Corso was like a garbage dump, sad....

Still need to explore the Italian Riviera and some other areas, looking forward to it, maybe next year!

Thanks for your review!!!

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@SANNA I didn't know about going on a tour either, but I think it was good for me for a first trip. The local guides were really informative; I never would've known all of the details without them. I also appreciated that the trip was jam-packed so that we saw as much as possible during our short time there. Now I know which places I would like to return to! And it would've been better to go during the off-season, but my son's school made that impossible. I'd love to return without a group and revisit certain places and be able to spend more than a couple hours in some of the museums. I know the time constraint isn't ideal, but it worked for this trip. 

And of course there's always one or two in a group who grate on your nerves. One Bay Area woman told me that she was worried that my son had an anaphalactic reaction and that she had "done a lot of research on this." Uh, I'm a medical professional, and he has the same allergic reaction to mosquito bites that I did as a kid. 

Thanks for your response! It's good to hear about other people's experiences.

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Oh , I totally hear you! Most of my friends go with the groups, and many with Gate 1, which they love. ( I pick itinerary for them since I ' Ve travelled a lot). Especially the first time with Mom and a kid.  I enjoy to plan and organize my fun!!!!

[Bibione]

 I also just got back about 9 days ago.My mother lives near Venice at a famous beach resort.I have another ticket to go back in 6 weeks.I might have to go earlier because she had to go to the hospital a few days ago.

I purchased trip insurance, but when I called I was told I would have to pay 500 dollars to change day of departure.

The goverment allows about 3.000 illegal aliens to arrive from Africa every day.The situation has to change because most Italians are tired of the corruption.

[haddon9]

I love Italy too!

What a wonderful family trip you've had and so nice to create those memories!

We've gone to Italy both through a tour and on our own.  When we went on our own my son was in college at the time and he spent a semester in Rome.  He shared an apartment with other students from his college in a neighborhood near the Vatican. It's amazing to think he was able just take a walk over to St. Peter's. (Of course we had to go visit him among other places on that trip).  

We moved around Italy via train which was an adventure.  Our favorite spots were Cinque Terra & Siena. Everywhere we went the food & wine was amazing!

I would LOVE to go back!!

[SandPiper]

@pinkmochi What a spectacular trip. I am going to show your post to my husband. Italy is one of the countries I want to visit. However, he will not leave the USA. He says it isn't safe. He drives to work every morning on crazy highways - now that's not safe!!!