EVS experience in Romania

When I first arrived in Romania, I didn’t know what to expect.  I was quite stressed about what was going to happen. Soon I found out that there was no reason to be worried at all!

I work as a care volunteer in two houses for 4 - 14 year old children. Basically, I play and spend time with them.  I try to teach them some English words and in return, they would try to teach me some Romanian words. For example: şurubelniţă (screw driver), dumneavoastră (you formal), domnişoară (Miss), cal (horse) and cinci (five).They find my pronunciation quite funny, so they like it…

Then there was the piano. I got the idea to do a small music project with the children in order to teach them some songs and let them explore what it is like to make music by yourself. Although most of the kids didn’t have the patience to learn a whole song, a few managed to play Jingle Bells and Old McDonald. Whenever I hear them playing it, I’m filled with joy.

Twice a week I go to Sacele, another village nearby Brasov, to assist in creative workshops with children. Although I don’t know the kids very well, I noticed that there are a lot of similarities with the children from the houses. The work in the houses in Tarlungeni and in Sacele is very rewarding for me.

Apart from the work, there’s the new culture and the fact that you meet people from all over the world. You learn a lot of new things, especially because most of the volunteers who come to Romania share the interest of cultural differences.

I’m staying 6 more weeks and I hope the future will be as good as the past! 

by Marjolein Schutz  

In Light of Today's Situation, Arab Culture and History

It is not new that during one period or another, the Occident was in conflict with some Arab countries, and therefore became their enemy.  The Arab World tried many times to recover and emerge from the defeat of the time of the Arab Empire of the Umayyad Caliphate. It had always dreamt of finding again the glory of the past trough any new leader who could reconstitute the Arab Empire of that time.  In our time we have known such leaders as Gamal Abdel Nasser who, along with Muhammad Naguib led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 which removed King Farouk. Many in the general Arab populace still view Nasser as a symbol of Arab dignity and freedom. The other leader, Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti also wanted to be the leader of an Arab Empire. Each one in his own way.

We should not ignore the influence of religion which played and still plays a considerable role in all Arab states. During the time of the Umayyad Dynasty the greatness of the Empire grew considerably with the birth of Islam. In fact before Islam, the Arabs were peaceful and never conquered any foreign land. Their culture played a great role in the life of every family before the appearance of the religion. By wanting to promote Islam, the Arab conquered in every direction. They promoted the religion but not their culture. In fact until today the Arab culture teaches a lot of respect for the other and emphasizes friend ship among  neighbors and nations.

The religion of Islam is divided between Sunni and Shiites. The Sunni whose origin is in Arabia and many of whom are speaking the Arabic language and the Shiites or Shi'ites, whichis promoted far away from Arabia and many of whom are in non Arabic language speaking countries in Asia and in Africa. After the passing of Mohamed the latter suggested during the lifetime of Ali that he should be the leader of the Muslims after Mohamed’s demise.

The various conquests have submitted many populations to the conquerors’ rules. They have created enemies and hatred over the centuries. The Arabs lost not only their greatness and their independence, but above all, their dignity.
Those who grew up in Arab countries know their culture well: the art of food, the music, the dance, the stories, the proverbs, and their loyalty to friends and to neighbors. It is true that the Muslim religion has given an élan to the expansion of the Arab people.

Since then the Arab mass is dreaming of the hero who would recapture their position and their standing in the world.  It is irrelevant whether the hero would be a dictator, a wise man, or a religious leader.  It is clear that after the fall of the Empire, the Arab countries have been conquered and colonized each one at a different time. In recent times, the Europeans have played a big role in conquering Arab countries.  Just to name a few, Turkey, Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, etc.

In reference to Turkey and Iran, which are in the news these days, yes they are Muslim Shiites with completely different languages and cultures. At the beginning, the Arabs have conquered those countries and many others with the Islam. Afterwards those countries conquered the Arab countries. That Turkey and Iran are today trying to interfere with the Arabs like the Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Israel is a question of politic s. These two countries are trying to recapture their own greatness through the common religion of Islam, as they did before. The Arab countries are aware that those countries do not really want to help them, but to advance their own causes.

The Western countries rarely go deep into the Arab cultures, which do not derive from Christianity. They certainly know the history of each people, country or nation and all historical facts, but in order to better appreciate other cultures and civilizations one needs to have lived in them and immersed oneself in their daily life, in order to realize certain values and the feeling of each civilization.

Men feel strong when they know their subject but they withdraw into themselves when they approach an unknown subject. It is actually a weakness not to respect another culture.  The weakness is dangerous as it invites men to aggression or to supremacy dreams.

Today I am trying to sort out among certain cultures and civilizations which I have come to know. I have barely learned to distinguish between the deep values and the superficial ones.

In fact there is good in every culture and in every civilization. It is upon us to know how to extract it. One needs to find the links that unite us. Tolerance and respect for others is the elementary base of coexistence and of peace.

One should accept people as they are, without trying to force upon them our will and our way of life. As Oriental wisdom has it: “Those who do not honor the stranger and the man of another tribe, are not worthy of being called the sons of a great nation.”  Those who do not respect this principle harm others.

We recognize that democracy does not have the same meaning in every culture.  It varies from nation to nation and depends on their culture and their way of life.  What is good for one nation is not always good for another one.  It is essential that each nation should be able to blossom and realize its potential according to its way of life, in security and in peace.

I feel that it is pity that Israel and the Arabs are fighting each other. In fact they have much more in common, which could unite them, than the differences that divide them. But there are other countries which are neither Jewish nor Arab and are trying to divide them. Feisal mentioned in his letter at the Paris Peace conference in 1919 as below:

“The ultimate aim of Feisal is, an Arab federation embracing Mesopotamia, and a Jewish Palestine, all under British mandate”
.
The author’s note: In my view, they should start recognizing each other and take the advice of Feisal, but without any foreign mandate. They should concentrate on forming a common market which could largely benefit their people.   Now that the Arabs saw the revolutions in their backyard, they should abandon their claim to the land; after all there is no shortage of land in the Arab World.  Now is the best time to show the Arab generosity to the world, as it is always mentioned in Arab literature and stories.

Copyright Emile Tubiana

Source: here

It is all about Spain

Hola, Bonjour, & Bonjourno!  My husband and I are back from an adventurous vacation along the Mediterranean Sea.  I wanted to share my experience with you on 1 of 3 countries visited and I hope you will take away some useful information before your next European vacation.




SPAIN 
Madrid | Seville | Barcelona
 


Spain is beautiful and culturally very rich.  The Spanish people are extremely warm and very welcoming towards tourists.  Although I suggest you should know a few basic words in Spanish so you can communicate with the locals, the Spaniards are more than willing to speak in English.  When traveling by train/bus, messages are translated from Spanish to English which was a great help to us. 

In terms of food, I can't say I was super impressed by Spain.  There is a lot of red meat consumption (ham) which makes it difficult for people, such as myself, who eat chicken and very little seafood.  In addition, it is difficult finding vegetarian options, however we managed.

In Spain, tapas or small plates are very common.  You will tend to see people sharing tapas sitting outside a restaurant and people watching.  Each tapa can be shared between 2 to 3 people which is a great way to experience new dishes.  The cost of a tapa in most places is about 3 to 5 euros each. 
 
On the other hand, the desserts, the coffee, and breakfast in Spain was awesome and more than compensated for the lack of vegetarian options.  We started each morning with a hot cup of Cafe con Leche (coffee with milk) and some kind of baked good, usually an ensaimada which is a baked bread topped off with powdered sugar.  I also enjoyed a Spanish cake called a magdalena which is very similar to a Lemon Muffin.

When it comes to wine I am a sort of a novice and if you are anything like me, I suggest going for a house wine, or copa (in Spanish).  Copa is so good and it comes at an affordable 1 to 2 Euro(s) a glass.  You can even order the entire bottle for less than 10 Euros which will get you about 5 glasses of wine.  However, if you really want a true taste of Spain, go for the Sangria which a blend of red wine and chopped fresh fruits, usually apples and oranges.  


Out of all the cities visited, I have to say Barcelona was easily my favorite due to its amazing architecture, widespread streets, and gorgeous weather.  If you do plan to visit Spain, here is a recommended itinerary: 
Madrid - 2 nights or more 
Seville - 1 to 2 nights, more for daytrips
Barcelona - at least 3 nights

Other Places to consider: 
Cordoba | Granada | Toledo | Costa del Sol | Ibiza

---

Travel Tips for Europe: 

- When traveling to Europe, opt for the house red wine which is dirt cheap. Cocktails (hard liquor) aren't as easily available so go for red wine which is also good for you. 

- Know the local cuisine before you go.  For example, pesto is the dish to order when staying on the Italian Riviera. 

- Dining out 3 times a day can quickly get expensive, to be frugal and romantic at the same time, grab a pizza pie and a bottle of wine and head to the beach.  You will find many locals/tourists doing this on the French Riviera, in particular.  

- Most European locals eat dinner later than Americans.  The best time for dinner is usually after 8 pm.  Typically around 5 pm I would grab a coffee and a dessert to curb my appetite for a few more hours. 

- Tipping in Europe isn’t expected as it is here in the United States, however it is appreciated to leave something.  Anything from 1 Euro to 4 Euros would be appreciated.  Also keep in mind a few places do amount for a cover charge, typically 2 Euros per person.  Again, it all depends on you and the service you receive.  

- Make sure you take an electric converter, there are universal ones available which you can use in almost every country. 

- Travel light!!!  I can’t stress this enough, travel light!  There are areas in Cinque Terre where cars are not allowed, so you literally need to drag your luggage to your hotel/B&B.  Also, if you have multiple destinations involved, it helps when your luggage is light.  

- Train delays are very common in Europe, particularly in Italy, plan alternative routes just in case. 

- Typically public facilities aren't the best in Europe so always use your hotel restroom prior to leaving.    

- Pick a city as a primary base and visit neighboring towns rather than checking in and out of multiple places. 

- Withdraw money from a well known bank's ATM to receive the best exchange rate.  Use cash as much as possible to avoid unnecessary foreign transaction fees. 

- Europeans drink their coffee different than most Americans do, and so if you want American Black Coffee, you need tospecify American Coffee (Caffe Americano).  The most popular types of coffee in these regions are as follows: 

Spain - Cafe con Leche (coffee with milk) 

France - Cafe au Lait (coffee with milk) 

Italy – Caffe Latte (coffee with milk) 

- Learn a few words before visiting a country, such as, Hello, Bye, Thank You, Please, Excuse Me, Where is, How much, I would like.  Know how to say the numbers from 1 to 5 at the very least.  Although most Europeans do speak English, as a visitor in their country, it is respectful to learn a few words in the local language to ensure basic communication.  

Now you can LIVE to EAT or EAT to LIVE?!?!?!?  I think I'm the former!  :-) 

source :here

Life in Morocco: An American Experience

Fez, October 3, 2011

Before I came to Morocco several months ago, I had many conceptions and misconceptions about living in a North African, Islamic country. What must I do when I hear the call to prayer? Will I be tolerated as a Christian? Will I be allowed to associate with women? These were all questions that came to my mind when I thought of coming to Morocco. The Morocco of my mind was the Morocco of Hollywood films and when I thought of Morocco, I thought of camels, tents, the French Foreign Legion and the One Thousand and One Nights.

Since I have come to Morocco, my friends and family in America have asked me many questions. “Do they have highways in Morocco?” “Do they have mobile telephones?” “Do they have washing machines?” I’ve also heard more than enough questions about camels and about the desert.

Now I am here. I have lived and worked in Fez for several months and I scarcely see anyone who is not Moroccan. I am entirely immersed in the culture. I eat Moroccan food, my friends are Moroccan, my clothes are Moroccan, and I have done a fair amount of traveling.

Since I arrived, I have seen my fair share of televisions, mobile telephones, highways and European luxury cars. I am however, still waiting to see the desert and those camels that everyone keeps talking about.

Many westerners have misconceptions about Morocco. I myself did not understand things well until I arrived. Muslim women are not shut up in some distant wing of their house where they are forbidden to have interaction with men. The women in Morocco work together with men in just about every job. I should also mention that not all women in Morocco are veiled. Morocco, like every other country has a diversity of people and of culture.

Some women are veiled and wear gloves so that the only part of them that is seen is their eyes as they look over their veils. Other women wear a scarf to cover their hair and they consider that to be sufficient. Then there are other women who do not cover their heads nor their faces and no one seems to be bothered about it.

It is common here in Morocco to see a veiled lady walking with a lady who only wears a scarf or perhaps with a lady who does not cover her head at all. These women who have different religious convictions all get along with one another and are friends.

These women have rights also. Some people make the mistake of thinking that because some Muslim women do not live free lives, then all Muslim women are oppressed. I think that the women of Morocco are among the most free of all of the women in the Islamic world. They come and go as they please. They drive cars. They do business or whatever else is necessary.

One should note that unlike the women of the west, Muslim women have always had the right to hold and inherit property. There have been many very powerful and influential women in Islamic civilization.

For example. in Fez one will find both a synagogue and a Mosque-university which were founded by women. The University is Al-Karouine which was founded by Fatima al-Fihri and it is reputed to be the oldest continuously operating university in the world and the synagogue is Em-Habbanim Obviously these women were not shut away in the harem fanning themselves all the day long. They were an important and influential part of their society.

Another issue should be mentioned, that is that Morocco is a very modern and progressive country. The streets are paved and wide. In Fez, there are fountains at every turn.

There has been much publicity this year about the King’s project of building the tramway in Rabat which apparently has been successful. Contrary to what some people might think, we have electricity, running water, and everything else that one requires for a comfortable life in this modern age. I have not done without anything to which I was accustomed in America save my favorite blend of pipe tobacco.

In Morocco there is a great deal of tolerance as well. Before I traveled to Morocco, I was warned by many friends that it could be dangerous for a Christian to travel to a Muslim land. After all, Muslims hate Christians, they say. Well, perhaps that is true in some places. I don’t know. I am in Morocco. Since I have come to Morocco, I have dined with Muslims. I have slept in their houses, I have been nursed by them when I was sick and they have never insulted me or discriminated against me for not being a Muslim. My friends know that I did not fast for Ramadan and they are not bothered.

In fact, when I visited some Muslim friends during Ramadan, they insisted on preparing food for me so that I could eat throughout the day as I am accustomed to do. They never ate until dusk, but they never asked me to fast with them. Never once has any of my Muslim friends tried to convert me to Islam since I came to Morocco. My religion is simply not anything that they are worried about.

I live in Morocco now. My conceptions now have a foundation and my misconceptions have been corrected and adjusted to correspond to the truth. Now I know that when I hear the call to prayer, I can ignore it. It does not stop all life and movement when it is sounded. Now I know that most people don’t care what my religion is. I don’t have to worry about being discriminated against. Many Muslims call me brother and friend and I know that they are sincere. I can associate with women. I can walk with them in the street and talk with them in their homes and there is no problem. It is easy to live among Muslims and I am quite comfortable here. I think that I shall stay for quite some time.

By Jess L. Norton is Morocco World News’ correspondent in Fez, Morocco.

Source: here

Trip to Estonia and Latvia

I really enjoyed reading Elizabeth Snouffer’s article “Eating Abroad with Diabetes–Hong Kong,” Catherine Price’s interview with world traveller Bridget McNulty, and Catherine’s posts  describing her own trips to Tokyo and Hawaii. So I thought I would follow the trend and write about my own first experience traveling with diabetes.

This summer, I went on a two-week trip to Estonia and Latvia to do research about my grandfather’s family. I had originally been given a grant to do this last summer, right after I had graduated from college, but then I was diagnosed with diabetes in early July. At that point, I couldn’t imagine traveling to a foreign country–I panicked even when trying to estimate the amount of carbohydrates in a Cosi sandwich. Luckily, the people at Penn who had provided the grant were understanding, and allowed me to wait a year before taking the trip.

I’m convinced that a major reason why Estonia and Latvia aren’t bigger tourist destinations is because they were behind the Iron Curtain, and so remain unknown to many Americans. They are both beautiful countries. I spent the first week of my trip in Riga, the capital of Latvia. Riga’s medieval old city is surrounded by rings of parks, constructed after the city’s medieval fortifications were razed in the late 19th century. Beyond these parks is Riga’s truly unique feature–a sprawling art nouveau district that UNESCO has declared a world heritage site. You can walk for blocks and blocks and only see incredibly rendered art nouveau facades.

         One of Riga's many parks

      Art nouveau architecture

Before World War II, Riga was home to a large Jewish population that included my great-grandparents and their children. By coincidence, I found out that the hotel where I was staying was in the same neighborhood as the apartment buildings in which my great aunts and uncles lived. I walked to each one and took photos–the building in which my great-uncle Isak lived is now a Ramada Inn!

I also got to see some of Latvia’s countryside. For two days I went to Sloka, a town about an hour away from Riga by train. Here, my great-grandfather’s family once owned a farm and raised horses. Architecturally, Sloka is now an incongruous mix of small wooden houses and looming Soviet-era structures. Although quite a few of the Soviet-era buildings are crumbling and dilapidated, many of the town’s inhabitants have no other option but to continue living in them. As I took the train back into the city, I looked out the window at the fields passing by and caught glimpses of people picking flowers to make into wreathes to wear on St. John’s Eve the next day.

        the Ramada Inn

Sloka

After all my worrying, my diabetes-related challenges in Riga were few. Since I was only going to be traveling for two weeks, I brought all my supplies with me, in addition to prescriptions from my doctor in case I misplaced the supplies I had and needed to buy more. (I’m happy to report I never did.) My parents, who were curious to see the places their ancestors had lived, came with me for the first week of my trip. It was reassuring to know that, in case of an emergency, I would have two people with me who knew what to do. In addition, many people in both Latvia and Estonia are at least reasonably fluent in English.

Unlike some of the other ASweetLife travelers, I didn’t do anything especially physically strenuous. But I was walking all the time. Our hotel was half an hour away from the Riga’s center, we’d inevitably make the trip back and forth more than once a day–retrieving maps, going out to dinner, etc. And once we reached the city center, we would have to walk somewhere else. It felt great to get so much exercise without even trying, but then my blood sugar started to go low more and more frequently. Finally, I decreased my dose of Lantus, and the problem was solved.

Source : here

My trip to Turkey- July 2012

Here is a detailed report about my trip to Turkey last month to attend the World Deaf Football Championships and the Miss and Mr Deaf International Pageant, both in Ankara, Turkey. I visited two cities in Turkey- Istanbul and Ankara.

I took the nonstop Los Angeles to Istanbul flight on Turkish Airlines for less than 13 hours and it was very tiring and boring. My seat was not that comfortable as I sat in the coach section but had the aisle seat which was convenient for me to get up often and walk up and down the plane and drinking a lot of water. I also had two pillows on my seat to make myself more comfortable and tried to have some sleep with the blanket.

What impressed me most about Turkey is the Turkish people! They were very friendly and I had wonderful hospitality with them. As soon as I landed in Istanbul I took the bus to the city then taxi to my hotel. My Turkish friend from Facebook immediately came to my hotel with his friend and we made arrangements for me to go sightseeing and visiting the Deaf Club during my four-day stay in Istanbul. Even though I was very tired when I arrived to Istanbul, I agreed to have dinner with my two new Turkish friends and had a delicious kebab.

What strikes me the most about Turkey is that I had a wonderful experience there. It is more than the "bridge between East and West" of tourist-brochure cliche as it is a country that combines influences from the Middle East and the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and central Asia.

Most of Turkey is really in Asia ( 97%) so it is not really much in Europe! In Istanbul there is a bridge between Europe and Asia. It is interesting to cross that bridge as you could see many mosques. Turkey has a population of over 70 million and 98% Muslim! Amazing!

In Istanbul I stayed at the fabulous "apartment" called Fullhouse Boutique Residence and it was a lovely one-bedroom apartment with living room and a balcony in the heart of Istanbul at Taksim. Thanks to Booking.com to help me with this reservation. Very reasonable price and better than a hotel. They even have a maid to clean my room every day.

Bargaining is a way of life in Turkey and I bargained to buy souvenirs and other things. There are bazaars and markets in Turkey including Istanbul. Be sure to visit them as they have many beautiful things like carpets,diferent spices, clothes, jewelery, leather goods and souvenirs.

There are many things to see in Istanbul from the Christian and Islamic empires. Including the mosques and palaces that dominate the city skyline.

Be sure to visit the following:

Blue Mosque ( a must!)

Topkapi Palace

Aya Sofya- greatest legacy of the Byzantine Empire

The Grand Bazaar- great for shopping!!!!!

Yerebatan Sarnici- A MUST TO SEE!!! Underground cistern with fish. It is beautifully lit with walkaways to see statues and fish swimming. They are thousands of years old.

If you visit Turkey, you MUST NOT miss Istanbul at any costs. All major airlines fly directly to Istanbul then you make connections elsewhere within the country but please try to stay in Istanbul for at least three or four nights.

After visiting Istanbul I flew to Ankara, the capital of Turkey.

Istanbul used to be the capital many years ago but not any more. It was a short flight, about an hour then I took the bus to the city and then taxi to my hotel, Crowne Plaza to meet other friends and USA soccer players in the World Deaf Football Championships. I stayed at that hotel for a total of about 14 nights at a discounted rate with breakfast. It was a nice 5-star hotel but did not have a swimming pool. It was next to the large Mall and the Metro station which was helpful for my transportation needs within the city.

Ankara was very hot but that was expected. I enjoyed making new friends there especially the soccer players from Spain, Thailand, and of course the USA as we shared the same hotel.

AnakaMall was next to Crowne Plaza and it was a beautiful Mall with many stores and restaurants as well as a huge supermarket. It was a perfect location to shop or to eat. You could have American food there as I have seen fast food restaurants there like Mc Donalds, KFC, and Burger King. Of course I decided to eat at Turkish restaurants and cafes, enjoying their delicious kebabs or other meals.

I attended almost all American soccer games as the American journalist and took photos mostly of people and their Turkish culture. The American men soccer players did not win any medals as they were placed on the 11th place, unfortunately but they did try their best and played well. Turkey won the Men Championship and yes, the American women won the GOLD medal, as they were the first place beating the Russians. Congratulations to them!

There were some interesting places to see in Ankara itself. Among them:

Ankara Kalsei- the old castle on the top of the city. You must not miss it as the view was magnificent.

Anitkabir- museum and the palace of the First President of Turkey. Awesome. It reminded me of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC but bigger.

Markets near the Ankara Kalsei- many shops and souvenirs to buy. Go up the castle first by taxi then walk down ( Ankara Nin Tarihi Yerleri) back to the Metro passing many markets and shops.

Kocatepe Camii- a beautiful mosque.

Kizilay- the main square of Ankara . Many shops and parks there as well as banks and others.

Hamam- the Turkish baths. I had a good massage there by professionals. VEry interesting and a must to see.

Of course I did not go to Turkey just to see the World Deaf Football Championships as I also went to the Miss and Mr Deaf International Pageant ( MMDI) at the beautiful Marriott Hotel which was about a 15-minute taxi ride from the Crowne Plaza. They had events daily and I managed to go there a few times to meet the contestants and their sponsors. They asked me to be one of the Judges for the Pageant and I was happy to accept so it was a big honor to be a Judge there to help pick Mr. and Miss Deaf International Pageant 2012- The winners were Mr. Cevat Simsek of Turkey for Mr. Deaf International 2012 and Natallia Rbbava of Belarus for Miss Deaf International 2012. I really applaud the hard working organizing committee including the leadership of Bonita Ann Leek and Rocco Leo Gaglioti and many others too. The Pageant was at the Kent Plaza Mall, a lovely Beverly Hills-style Mall. Thousands of people were able to watch the Pageant on live television. Of course I plan to see the Pageant again next year!

I really had a very busy schedule attending both the World Football Championships and the MMDI as well as going sightseeing and meeting new friends.

I plan to return to Turkey hopefully next year after the Sofia Deaflympics.

You can see some photos here but I have published many more in my ALBUMS here on Facebook. You can see them on Facebook.

At a market selling spices

The American women won the GOLD Medal at the WDFC!

After the Pageant at Marriott Hotel with John Maucere who came to Turkey as the MC of the MMDI

Presidential Palace

                       Judges of the MMDI

Source : here

My Trip to Italy

I just returned from Italy, visiting Rome, Florence, and Venice over the course of two weeks. I went with my immediate family, along with my Aunt. Originally, the trip was meant as a sort of "reward" for my mom when she started to get a bad diagnosis about her cancer last year. When she was told a year-long course of chemo was ahead for her, I promised to take her and her sister (my aunt) to Italy to celebrate when she was done with chemo. Unfortunately, that never happened and she died soon after, but at a family gathering around Christmas last year I told my Aunt about the trip and asked if we could maybe go anyway the following summer, as a sort of tribute to my mom. She enthusiastically said yes.

It was my wife and daughter's first trip to Europe, and my first pure vacation trip there (I'd only been twice previous, for mostly work-related reasons). My Aunt lived in Germany in the early 1970s (my uncle was stationed there in the military at the time) and they had the chance to take short vacations through Italy so she could often compare today to 40 years ago.

Overall, the trip was an absolute blast. I was worried about culture shock of a new language, new locations, and new food, especially with my young daughter tagging along. Oddly, my two years of high school of Spanish (and occasional use since) made the Italian language feel about 75% readable and it was easy to pick up short phrases (that were mostly tweaked spanish phrases I already knew). The food overall was very good and close to what a lot of high end Italian places serve in the states, and since it was a vacation it was pretty easy to slip into the relaxed Italian lifestyle. I can't imagine an easier non-English speaking country to visit.

Rome

We flew into and out of Rome and knew spending some time there was pretty much mandatory on your first trip to the country. They have a great deal of relics from the original Roman Empire and many other sights and famous buildings in a pretty small section of the city center. Unfortunately for us, while Rome's late Spring had been pretty mild, the day before we arrived a heat wave blew in from the Sahara and temps hovered around 90-95F the entire time we were there. It was brutally hot and tough to spend more than a couple hours out in the sun doing things before a rest in some air conditioned place was necessary (and two showers a day became the norm).

Our first night was spent in a nice hotel near the Colosseum and we spent the remainder of our time in a nice little apartment a block away. As always, having an apartment was great because we could eat whatever we wanted for breakfast and come and go as we pleased (also helped to have laundry in our unit). I have to mention while we had a small CarreFour grocery store nearby, the best fruit and eggs I've ever purchased came from a random convenience store near our apartment. The eggs we got (at the equivalent of your average 7-11 in the States) were as yellow and great tasting as my friend's organic fed chickens. The quality of basic food at small shops and stores was really something else, feeling farm fresh.

We ended up eating in a lot of nearby restaurants, and being close to the Colosseum meant a lot of bad touristy places that cater to English speakers. Friends on twitter steered me towards the iPhone app "Rome for Foodies" which is a quirky but reliably awesome hand written guide to the best food near you from an American ex-pat living in Rome as a food writer and sommelier. Our best meals were had thanks to that app and we also found some great little bakeries listed in it too. We also had the best tasting lunch of our trip by just walking into a restaurant where the waiter picked antipasto for us for lunch, no menus, which sounded like a tourist scam to drive up the bill but everything that came out was amazing.

On the advice of a friend, we hired a tour guide (from this outfit) to take us through the ancient sites (it helped that our guide was an anthropologist) and the Vatican, both to understand everything we were seeing as well as skipping long tourist lines. The ancient sites are really pretty spectacular and it was hard to even grasp the time period in regards to our own lifespans. I found it hard to make sense of looking at a building completed 1900 years ago and thinking how it survived through such massive political, social, cultural, and even atmospheric changes. And even for an atheist like me, the Vatican was pretty incredible. The art was amazing and the massive cathedral was impressive.

Overall, we had a pretty good time in Rome seeing the sites. If it was a bit cooler out, we could have seen more and walked more places and spent more time outdoors at ancient sites, but I would definitely recommend first time visitors to Italy to not miss Rome.

Florence

Florence was even better than Rome. We spent five days and four nights in Florence and the next time I travel this way I will make it at least a week. Food was almost always incredible, using Yelp reviews was key to finding the best options and it helped that finding great gelato was easy. We also took a side trip to the Tuscan towns Chianti and San Gimignano and both served as a wonderful relief from the heat and the crowds of Florence.

Florence was like a puzzle composed of thousands of pieces, so many streets, alleys, nooks and crannies to explore. Over the course of our time there we visited half a dozen museums and churches and there was still another dozen I wanted to see that we never got a chance to see. Every day we'd travel different paths though the city center and every day we were rewarded with new shops, chapels, and bridges to see. We spent several days exploring and had a full day guided tour on the penultimate day of our stay. We thought we'd seen most of the city center but our guide spent the day showing us streets, attractions, and places we hadn't even known existed. The food was pretty amazing no matter where we ate, reminding me of my Italian grandmother's cooking.

We stayed smack dab in the center of town, overlooking the main cathedral and the largest, most crowded city square. It was fun to be in the thick of it and close to everything, but it came at the price of nearly 24hrs of crowd noise outside our windows (ear plugs helped). We didn't plan on it, but our stay coincided with Florence's big John the Baptist celebration day which included a big procession and the opening of some doors in the church that only open once a year. That same night, we got to see the most incredible fireworks I've ever seen (it helps that the big fireworks companies are often Italian family-owned) over the Arno river. The Euro 2012 soccer series was also going on and we got to enjoy watching Italy win some key matches amid the cheering locals crowded around TVs at bars.

Our brief day trip to Tuscany made it clear why people make such a big deal about the region surrounding Florence. The landscape is amazing with views from every hilltop and the weather was really mild. San Gimignano was known as "medieval Manhattan" and even though it was kind of a cheesy tourist castle-as-city, the best chocolate ice cream I've ever eaten was there and it was a nice place to catch an afternoon Sunday concert from local players in their city square. Florence was a real gem and I would love to visit it again someday and explore the region more.

Venice

Almost every American I talked to before the trip said we should see Venice but warned us that it would disappoint. Too crowded, too dirty, and too touristy most said. I have to admit the first couple hours in the city weren't that great. It was very hot, we paid too much for a water taxi, and we ended up lost for 40 minutes trying to find our hotel amid the alleyways. When we finally found it and dropped our bags, our first experience at St. Marks square was being around 10,000 cruise line attendes clamoring for souvenirs.

But every moment after those first couple hours was pure bliss. It was our first relief from the heat wave we'd endured in Rome and Florence. After Florence I had gotten used to the serendipity of wandering back alley paths and Venice was a city that definitely rewarded those that went with it. I found stores, restaurants, and coffee shops I never could find again. When we had to cut across the island to save time we'd see a new museum or specialty shop we loved. The water "bus" system was easy, economical, and fun to use, letting us get from anywhere to almost anywhere else in Venice. We avoided the crowded St. Marks Square for the most part and enjoyed quiet art museums and galleries as well as gardens.

Visiting the San Giorgio tower and getting to see the city from up high was one of the best experiences. It let you see just how fragile the whole city was, this collection of tiny islands with thousands of people in buildings that were nearly a thousand years old, the whole place felt more special and precarious. I have no idea how electricity and fresh water get to the islands, and we frequently saw supplies still delivered by hand cart and construction done via boat.

Our hotel was nice, food was pretty good (Yelp use here is minimal, so I instead switched to the more popular Trip Advisor), but by the end of our time in Venice I think I loved it most of all the places we visited in Italy because it was so relaxing, laid back, and the weather was so mild being on the water. I would highly recommend not only visiting if you get the chance, but spending more than the standard overnight trip (we spent four days/three nights and I could have stayed more).

Some general travel tips

Rome: buying an unlimited Metro pass for the number of days of your stay is a good deal. We found we could get from our apartment to almost anywhere we needed to be in the city using the network of buses and trains. Keep in mind the core area of most attractions in downtown Rome is only a couple miles from end to end so if the weather isn't too bad and you're reasonably fit you could walk almost everywhere. The main international airport (FCO) is fairly far out of town and is about 50 euro to taxi into the center of Rome. Yelp was useful and reliable for reviews of restaurants. During siesta time (about 1-4pm) most businesses closed up shop and didn't post hours. In the heat, we just got used to either resting during this time or visiting a museum.

Florence: there is a plethora of museums and I would highly recommend picking just a handful out and making reservations well in advance if you want to see the original David statue at the Academy Gallery). A tour guide came in handy here to see lots of small things we hadn't spotted before. Everything we did was walking distance except for our trip to Tuscany, and our tour guide/driver came in handy because I didn't want to drive in Italy.

Venice: The water bus system was great and time-based unlimited passes were worth the price. During our four day stay, a 72hr unlimited ticket covered all our needs and let us explore the entire length of the grand canal as well as some of the smaller islands. Water Taxis will take you directly where you need to go but will cost a lot (60 euro from the train terminal to St. Marks). The gondola rides are even more expensive (100 euro for 30-40min) but as a tourist you kind of have to do it once for the full experience. The art/museum pass was also a good deal and let us skip lines at the most popular spots.

Nerdery: I had good results from using a Wind.it microSIM on my iPhone (that was only 20 euro and came with 10Gb of bandwidth), but there was about a 12hr delay until it started working. I couldn't get their data-only SIM to work in my iPad and instead got one from TIM (which worked instantly, also without a PIN on the SIM), another telephone company in Italy. There were no phone kiosks in the Rome airport, but it was pretty easy to find dedicated phone stores in Rome from Wind, TIM, and Vodafone. WiFi was generally available everywhere for either a fee or you had to ask for the password (free open WiFi was prohibited for the last decade due to anti-terror rules). My iPhone's battery ran down faster than I remember, probably because I was using Foursquare so much. I eventually dropped my connection down to Edge-only to get a full day out of my phone.

Food: The best meal in Rome was had at Da Danilo. My favorite meal in Florence was at Za Za (which is touristy and crowded but still worth it). The best meal we had in Venice was at La Zucca. Overall, food was generally great everywhere, I had some of the best risotto of the trip at the cafeteria in the Rome train station. In general, I used Yelp to find highly reviewed places near me. At first I realized it was difficult to evaluate restaurants with only Italian reviews I couldn't read until I realized they were generally better since native Italians were eating there. I used Trip Advisor only when I needed to because their reviews are generally rubbish and untrustworthy (the highest rated place in Florence on TA was almost exactly the same as the food you would honestly get at an Olive Garden in the US. Forgettable crap).

Traveling around: Rome buses were great, especially the tiny electric ones because they went down very small streets and alleys. Rome's subway was reliable and quick. The national high speed trains were great for going from one town to the next faster than a plane and very cheap considering. The best trip we had was a nonstop from Rome to Florence in a brand new train with lots of room and it was incredibly comfortable. Those trains also offer WiFi if you have a TIM sim card in your phone.

Two things I didn't get about Italy:

1. Casual tolerance for tagging-style graffiti. I'm a fan of graffiti art but I find tagging your name on stuff annoying and ugly. We saw some supposedly 14th century graffiti in Florence so maybe people are fine with it for possibly historical reasons, but I found it annoying to see many historical sites with some guy's name spray painted on it. The subway trains in Rome looked almost like 1980s NYC trains they were covered in so much graffiti.
2. Most every museum, almost all churches, and even some stores had "NO PHOTOS" signs posted. I understand not wanting camera flashes to annoy patrons in a museum and no one likes a guy with a tripod blocking up a crowded place, but no cameras at all seemed really weird to me. I ended up taking photos of things using my phone, usually acting like I was using my phone and not taking a photo.

Source : here