Getchur Boots on, Pa. We're Goin to Rome!
Written: Mar 28 '01 (Updated Mar 28 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Rock solid dependability, accuracy, informative, responsible and respectful travel philosophy
Cons: not enough help for the trip back; not as informative about riding buses
The Bottom Line: If your idea of a dream vacation is to experience Rome from a more intimate, inexpensive and appreciative angle, this book is an indispensable guide to Rome.
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| gracenwilk's Full Review: Rick Steves' Rome 2000 Books |
My God, What Have I Done?
I started to become seriously worried somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. When I turned toward Linda, thinking to secure a reassuring word, I found her slumped in one of those impossible positions that long distance airline passengers adopt when they've finally succumbed to the need for sleep.
It wasn't a very reassuring sight. The only thing that kept me from flying into a panic and running for the emergency CPR kit was the comforting site of her gently rising and falling chest, accompanied by the unbelievably reassuring sound of her gentle snores. To tell the truth, she could have been honking like a Canada Goose (which she wasn't, I swear! You've never heard a woman snore in such lady-like fashion . . .) and it would have sounded comforting to me in that moment.
This is the primary difference between Linda and me. She does all the worrying beforehand. I never stop to give things a second thought until well after it is too late to do a blessed thing about it. Now the two of us had somehow managed to get a large portion of my immediate family into the air and on our way to a country with strange laws, a strange language and, worst of all, strange bathrooms.
A New Member In the Family
Let me hasten to say that I am no rookie when it comes to traveling. Though my overseas experience is paltry, to say the least, in my lifetime I have seen my share of out-of-the-way places. It is just that I did all of those things largely on my own.
Now here I was, 35,000 feet or so over a watery grave, staring at my parents, aged 69 and 70. All I could think about was how I was going to insure that this week in Rome didn't produce any of those "most embarrassing/depressing/ traumatic experiences" stories.
Well, my friends, I am much relieved and literally ecstatic to say that before the plane landed in Rome I found the answer. And I did so with surprisingly little help from my mother or my wife. Sure, there is the fact that they discovered and invested in the answer in the early stages of planning for our trip. And I will admit that they took copious notes and checked their answers against multiple sources until they could have passed a state department exam with flying colors.
But you see, none of that really matters. What matters is that they had the wisdom to entrust this information to me-- because if they hadn't, I would've been a nervous wreck for an unnecessarily large portion of our vacation.
Now you may ask me, what is the secret to building a perfect vacation in Rome? The answer is very short, my friend-- make Rick Steves an honorary member of your family. Usher him into the sacred role of the Unbelievably Useful Know-It-All Uncle. Since most families are in short supply of candidates for this role, Rick should fit in quite nicely.
Before you contact Cousin Joe Bob to arrange the kidnapping, let me tell you that having Rick along in bodily form isn't necessary. For less than the cost of that Texas Chain Saw Massacre Halloween mask and the extremely real looking Wallmart toy gun in which you would have to invest, you can buy Rick Steves' Rome 2000.
Reliable, Accurate and Well-Organized
Steves' book begins with a basic primer on the Back Door Philosophy of traveling. It went down very well with me because it echoed some lessons about travel that I had to learn the hard way, earlier in my life. They boil down to this-- expect the unexpected. Keep your head up and your mind open. Have more, rather than fewer, outcomes in mind that will satisfy your definition of a "successful" trip. Nothing is worse than walking around 4,000 miles from home having the "Life's a B----, Then You Die" gremlin already doing his victory dance over your once-in-a-lifetime vacation.
Steves provides sound travel advice on dealing with long airline flights, essential items to be sure you pack with you, and important information about what to expect at each stage.
Uncle Rick Knows the Way
Over the course of our week in Rome, we found Steves directions to be dead on every time. We found a wonderful, inexpensive place to stay, based on his recommendation, consistently found great places to eat, found and used local transportation, and organized our week and our daily outings with the knowledge that what Uncle Rick told us was reliable.
Rome 2000 offers a variety of suggested itineraries, based on the length of time you plan to stay. The book also offers critical information about the location of each major site. Steves' advice on transportation soon had us doing the "plane, train, subway and bus" tango and feeling like old pros as we did it.
The book gives fair and reliable warning about what to be on guard against, if necessary, in each locale. Perhaps most importantly, Steves provides reasonable overall and site-specific strategies for getting through the often overwhelming collections of art and history so that you have a fighting chance of actually remembering what you saw.
The back door philosophy is a take-it-or-leave-it approach, so we never felt compelled to slavishly do things by the book. With encouragement to interact, experiment and explore, we found our confidence and enjoyment increasing daily.
One of the most humorous bits of advice had to do with the all-important necessity of carrying a money belt. Uncle Rick's advice: "Carry your money for the day in a secure place. Keep your passport and large bills in your moneybelt. As long as you do this, you will have the freedom to enjoy the experience of having someone put their hands in your pockets." I got to test the theory on my first day (quite unintentionally, mind you!) and found Steve's advice to be sound.
Perhaps the most enjoyable part of our trip had to do with the luxury of staying in a real neighborhood. There we discovered the delight of neighborhood cappuccino bars and went shopping in the most beautiful farmers' market I had ever seen. We took opportunities to interact with Italians, Africans, Persians, Arabs, Chinese, and Koreans in a truly cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Indeed, though the history and art were unbelievable, I will always count the warmth of Romans, and their unobtrusive but very responsive willingness to be of help to strangers as my most treasured memory of Rome. I left feeling as though I had made a genuine friend or two.
The only criticisms Linda and I have of Rome 2000 is that Steves does not give adequate help for the trip back, and that Rome 2000 could have been more explicit about the in's and out's of using city buses. These constitute minor criticisms, especially since Steves' advice was dead on in every other category.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
gracenwilk
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Location: Dallas, Texas
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
Chaplain; Father- two phenomenal kids; Husband- wife who loves us like she was making art
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