 | Rome Local Customs | Tips 41 - 50 of 405 |  |
Popular Local Customs | Other Local Customs Tips | All Tips (405) The second night's celebration of Italy's victory culminated with over 1 million people in Circus Maximus tonight - a sea of waving flags greeted Italy's soccer team as the entered in an open bus winding through the streets of Rome, hours late due to huge crowds along the way. Many other piazzas were filled with people celebrating.
Once they reached the Circus Maximus, the players appeared on stage, dancing and waving, as the crowd stretched out before them waving Italian flags. Alessandro Del Piero, who scored a goal in the semi-final win over Germany, took off his shirt and threw it into the crowd, posing bare-chested in front of the masses.
TV coverage has been constant and the party continues on into the night.
|
Visiting Rome?
Read reviews about Rome Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
If we are not in the midst of a festival, there is one on the way. Check the Rome meetings/events often as I do try to list them as they are approaching. You are welcome to e-mail me at any time if you are here, in transit, or planning your trip. I'll do my best to find out what is happening or direct you to where you can find the information you would like.
The Festival of San Lorenzo was celebrated in various locations throughout Rome on August 10. This legend urges you to pick a star in the sky and make your wish and prayer to Saint Lorenzo - he's very generous on this day especially. As my nephew is yet another Lorenzo (although no saint, to be sure!) we did celebrate. I attended this concert and then joined Lorenzo the unholy and the multitude at a rousing wine tasting celebration on the grounds of Casa Cine in Villa Borghese produced by the vintners of Lazio.
This concert took place in the courtyard of the Church of St Ivers on Via Risorgimento and the photo of this facility speaks for itself. I met and sat with two lovely ladies - one I have been able to keep in touch with from Florence.
|
 | |  |
Nope - we really don't think it was an ancient local custom to throw the Pope in a well. But it is a custom to dedicate a Christian monument to our martyers.
Photo left - S. Callisto (pope in 217-222) was killed by being thrown in a well near S. Maria in Trastevere. The Friars of Cassino dedicated to him this little church near their palace.
In the 1920s each historical quarter of Rome was presented with a little fountain.
Photo center - Trastevere because of its many trattorias got this "Fountain of the Wine" which is located in the narrow alley opposite S. Callisto.
Photo right - The "smallest house of Trastevere" is at the end of the same alley.
Photos and reference text by permission Roberto Piperno for non-commercial purposes only.
|
If you go into most coffee shops, like Tazza d'Oro in Rome, you might benefit from knowing the accepted protocol.
If you want coffee (of any kind), you go to the cashier first and place the order, get the receipt, then go over to the counter. The coffee guy will then make the coffee you ordered. Don't go right up to the counter like you might in America to order a drink. They will just ignore you for a while and then tell you to go over to the cashier first. Maybe others have had a different experience, but it is the protocol I noticed most places.
Oh, and if you just order coffee, you'll get Expresso. You only will get about an ounce of that really strong coffee. It cost's a little less than a euro. There is usually sugar at the counter. If you accidently add too much sugar, don't worry, you can't tell the difference it's so strong. I only saw cream at the counter once. You'll finish fast, so you will liklely just stand at the counter. If you want to relax and sit a long time, then you can go to a table first (if they have them)(and many cafe "bars" do not) and get a waiter/waitress to serve you. Of course, you will pay more and you will want to leave a tip for that service.
If you want regular coffee, not expresso, you need to tell them or else you get expresso. For regular American coffee tell them, "One Cafe' Americano" and they will know what you mean. You may need to ask for milk.
|
| | |
Italians love their cars - and I have become endeared to these little cars I see in our neighborhood. The only model I recognize is the Citron and the "naked" Smart - so, someone help me out here if you know what the others are.
|
Visiting Rome?
Read reviews about Rome Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
Appropriate dress is required to visit any church in Rome. This means, essentially, that you must cover your knees and your shoulders. For women, tops cannot be sleeveless, and skirts or long shorts must fall at least below the knee. For men, it's best to wear full-length pants. If you want to wear sleeveless tops when walking around in the heat, you can bring a shawl to throw over your shoulders when you visit churches. There will probably not be anyone to stop you from walking into the smaller churches dressed inappropriately, though of course you should adhere to the rules out of respect anyway. To enter St. Peter's Basilica you will have to pass about a dozen hawk-eyed guards, and there's no way you'll get past them without proper attire. Some of the souvenir shops around the Vatican have capitalised on this and now sell throw-away, paper pants to desperate tourists. Don't waste your money on paper pants; come prepared. To visit most of the Vatican museums you can wear what you like, but when you get to the Sistine Chapel the same rules apply, so unless you want to miss the chapel you should cover knees and shoulders when going to the museums as well.
|
| | |
On June 1st, we had just left the house and turned the corner onto Via Veneto and I stopped in my tracks - this group of Caribinieri in full formal dress, all mounted on white horses was passing by us heading South on Via Veneto. I was told they were celebrating an anniversary of some particular event - I'm still trying to find out the significance of June 1st in the Carabinieri Corps.
Italy has both a local police force (Polizia) and the National Carabinieri.
The new Corps, created to perform both military and civil functions, was called the Carabinieri not only to avoid any comparison with the former napoleonic "Gendarmerie" but mainly because, like all elite units of those years, it was equipped with carbines.
The Carabinieri Corps was created on July 13, 1814, by resolution of Vittorio Emanuele I which established a Corps, known as Carabinieri Reali, of mounted or foot soldiers rigorously selected "... for their distinguished good conduct and judiciouness" whose task was "to contribute to the necessary happiness of the State, which cannot be separated from protection and defense of all good subjects."
These particularly sensitive functions, specified in the Regie Patenti (Royal Licenses), the official document comprising the aforementioned resolution, underlined the importance attributed to the personal skills required of the selected soldiers, as well as their dual military and civil task. From the very beginning, the Carabinieri demonstrated a heartfelt sense of duty, honor and top level conduct, and quickly gained people's respect and devotion.
|
| | |
The safest way I found to cross the street in Rome was to follow the nuns. Especially near the Vatican, flocks of nuns are everywhere, and seem to have a heavenly force field which causes otherwise maniacal Roman drivers to yield to them. If you can find a group about to cross, follow closely behind them! Make sure to stay close enough to be in the nun safety zone, but not so close as to be creepy.
|
These tents actually provided some of the best nibbles and the vendors were all open to bartering - some really nice hand made goods. All last month we had the Portal floating stage and music from Tosca to Big Mama blues - this month we have the Festival along the same space! We were here at night through the weekend (August 5/6) and the food was just great - along with a few good shopping ops. I can't believe any country celebrates pomp and pagentry quite the way Italy does - and, at moment's notice.
|
Hey - I can't believe this - Its St Patrick's Day so, of course, I want to go out and celebrate at an Irish Pub. My nephew refuses because it is "Friday the 17th" and THAT IS BAD LUCK DAY in Italy!!! Da ya balieve it???
*Note this is classified as "Religious travel" Other Contact: someone call my nephew
|
|
 |
 |
Search Hotels
Find the best room rates |
|
 |
|
on July 10, 2006
on January 18, 2007
on June 16, 2006
on January 15, 2007
