Not quite sparingly in classic Italian


I have long intended to go to Italy, so I have touted the country. The truth was advised to go in the spring when all blossoms, fragrant and frozen tourist from Russia could gentle warm up the May heat. But take a vacation in the spring did not want, and I decided - I'll go in late August.
Money to otdhnut, even with a small, but chic, as always lacked. I had to choose between proposals for bus tours. The cheapest of the proposals were routes from St. Petersburg through Poland to Italy for 12 dney.No stopped me there were some unpleasant things such as: periodichesikie night on the bus and feeding tourists only breakfast, and not every den.Poetomu chose the route of air plus bus with breakfast and dinner. Let a few more, but not so much for my tired, but not flimsy body. Decided to buy a ticket to the tour operator company 'Transavia'. Of course, I was concerned about the few that gives you a visa or not, the Italian Consulate, you will know only on Friday and Saturday after vylet.No, for me, nothing happened, police were seen in Sweden and Finland have not noticed, as I crossed the road at a red light, breaking the rules in the Schengen area, and the role of a prostitute, because of my age I'm not pulling. So, on Saturday, 19 August 2006, I successfully loaded the plane with his luggage and binding EUR 50 for each day of stay in the country, and 3.5 hours, we successfully landed at the airport we were given firm Rimini.V cell phone numbers of top guide, so the problems with the search welcomer hand, as in Egypt , was not expected. We met a Russian representative of the firm 'Curcio viaggi'Serezha. Wait for me, he had quite a long time, I got one of the last, and good old tradition ran to passport control wherever lomanulas the whole crowd ran ahead of me. As a result, behind glass, it was almost two free passes to paspotrny control. But the bus, where we spent Sergei, all waiting for just me and my fellow traveler. I found a fellow traveler in the travel agency, at my request, because I did not want to 'single' to pay extra for another 150 EUR. Fellow traveler was a very sweet girl 26 years old and despite the age difference and the fact that she smoked, and I - smoking, problems have been encountered. The first night we settled not in Rimini (in the holiday season all the hotels in Rimini are busy), and somewhere close. Dinner as we arrived late, was not a classic Italian, but something like 'residues from a buffet table. " But it was the only hotel where the wine is served free of charge to 0.5 liters per ordered. Maybe for someone local wine and did not seem strong, but for me it was enough to slightly swaying in drunken fun, I went to look for your number, that was not so easy to do. Numbering of floors in most Italian hotels is different from ours. So the first floor they have a zero, the second - the first and t.g.No, fortunately for himself and possibly others, I found your number on the first try. In the morning at 6.30 - the rise (you wake up on the phone), 7.30 - breakfast at 8:00, leaving from the hotel. What about breakfast - never mind. I am on the first day did not even notice that he was. A cup or two of coffee or tea, 2 French rolls and things like crackers, which can be spread with butter and jam, the first day of a piece of sausage and ham. This European breakfast I had to get used to all seven days of my stay in Italy . Another option used breakfast tourist from our group. Since she had problems with my stomach, every morning, it warmed up to room kettle water, and fill it with cereal packets 'Yummy' who brought with her ​​from St. Petersburg. By the way, not in Italy evrorozetki, and such as were before us. And, if your devices are designed to evrorozetku then need an adapter. But I was distracted from the topic. In the morning, with our suitcases, we went to Venice. In the bus all sat at the same place as before. Nobody dared to take on another, and then figure out who should sit where. Not a short path to Venice. But in the meantime we appreciate what our gold guide. And last night it was evident that he is very intelligent, honest and nice man (about forty years old, 14 years living in Italy, not married). But still proven to be a wonderful guide. Very correct it, without weed words and word 'tripping'. Encyclopedic knowledge. Then a tourist confessed that at first thought, as if Sergei reads us a book she even got up from his seat to watch - what. To her surprise, it turned out that he talks about the history and contemporary life in Italy from memory. On the way we learn and the cost of additional mandatory services (tickets to the Vatican Museums, Florence, rent headphones, a ticket for a boat in Venice this year) and cost optional tours and services (visits to Padua, Naples, Pompeii, restaurants in Venice and Florence, Rome tour of the night). I decided I better spend their money to get new impressions than nakuplyu, as it turns out I needed a little trinkets. Signed up for all trips. Total, I additionally posted something around 250 EUR. Sergei collected the money on the bus. I read the reviews disgruntled tourists, who believed that collecting money on the bus, the guide always wanted to cheat and to tear them too much. Without suffering excessive 'vigilance', I think - it's better guide will collect money in advance, order a headset and buy tickets for the whole group at once than any tourist would do it yourself for half an hour. In Venice, we were given maps of the city (in other cities also issued cards). And he left on our bus parking and booting on a boat, we sailed to the center of Venice. The grand spectacle. Disembark at the jetty, I finally felt that I really am in Italy and it's not a dream. Especially helped me to see this, well, very black negros, who traded on the pier nonsense like watches from Gucci, Versace, etc. Sergei us immediately warned that if we buy from the traders with hands counterfeit goods, the penalize for 3000 EUR will be us, not the sellers. Therefore, we kindly Negro said, 'Go away with your Gucci Versachchi, go to hell' tour of Venice spent Natasha Russian guide. Our group was given the receivers with headphones, and we went together on a tour of the guide. Well, not quite in unison. The system with earphones can keep up with the group and take pictures without fear to see in the picture instead of a beautiful building or a monument to the mad raging mob of tourists. When you hear this all the information that your guide says to you in your transmitter. Naturally we started with a visit to the studio for the production of Venetian glass. All very nice. That's just what I liked - was expensive, but that cost is relatively inexpensive, Vans and trinkets - I did not need it. Beautiful city, beautiful guide. It is useless to describe the streets, squares and canals of Venice - all must see with their eyes. Local people we met, but it's a good thing. As Natasha said - it's mostly Venetian retirees who reported loud screaming around like they got tired of foreigners. And since it was the end of August, and the majority of Italians was vacation, they left town and left to rest on the coast, with its an old family. This was another plus - not once during their travels, we have not got into jams. And, judging by the large number of vehicles with crumpled bodywork, plugs in Italy are serious. After the tour, at St. Mark's Square, I tried to take pictures with the pigeons. We (me and my fellow traveler) bought a packet of peas for 1EUR and began to scatter it, podmanivaya pigeons. These fat, lazy birds sit on anyone: the young children, the elderly evropeek, even an elderly Indian, but to us they did not approach closer than two feet. I tossed peas, scattered on the pavement, putting it on the palm, pigeons crept to the squatting position. It was all in vain. Photo from the pigeons did not succeed. It is evident they did not like our hungry faces. But pigeons shat on us, and we are comforted. Oh well. We are led by Sergei went to dinner in a Venetian restaurant. Nothing in particular. I remember the delicious fried small fry, the size of a pinky and the fact that instead of olive oil, with all my soul, added to salad balsamic vinegar. Nothing - it has eaten. Naturally finished dinner with wine. And, of course, I was not quite sober, when our group went on a gondola ride (25EUR). As we seated gondola of 4-6. In our four turned out. I sat down and asked for the latest Sergei me to photograph. When I picked up a camera, I almost flipped our boat. Gondolier darkened. He frowned even more, when I tried to help him, pushing ngashu gondola from the house wall, which we almost crashed into another gondola. All of them riding in a gondola periodically broadcast their cameras to each other to be photographed. I was sitting on his nose and I had to move periodically on the gondola to pass the camera. Each time my movements, the gondolier's scary warp face and he looked like Bud was going to hit me with an oar on golove.Ubiystvo Russian tourist in a gondola. Here's what he was getting. Smiled our gondolier, and even tried to sing only when already poplyval to the pier to get us to land. Still, despite the evil gondolier, the trip was a miracle as well. And the terrible smell from the water channels, I do not feel it. Although, after a trip to Thailand , I'm hard to scare any odors. Time flew by and we thought that we rolled fewer promised 60 minutes. After riding managed to climb the tower dei Mori (6 EUR). Beautiful view. Together with the curious part of our group went to the optional excursion to the palace of Doge. A very, very impressive. But you can not take pictures almost anywhere, except for the ladder by which escaped from prison, Casanova. Another struck a very large number of parents with young children and even babies, flooded almost all the museums. I think it would be is perfectly, and if our parents were Russian their children to the Hermitage and Russian Museum, as soon as possible. We left from Venice tired but full of impressions. We spent the night in a hotel resort town of Lido di Jesolo . While dinner in the restaurant (where the first and last time got soup on top and ice cream for dessert) - it was dark. In the darkness, to bathe in the sea was scary, so, take a walk along the coast, we went to bed. In the morning, after breakfast, took a bottle of water from the tap for drinking for the next working day. In Italy, almost everywhere you can drink water from the tap (tested on Russian tourist groups) as well as in water, it comes from artesian wells. We went to Padua (optional excursion). A very nice little town. Headphones were not, Sergei did not speak very loudly, so that almost the entire trip ran next to the guide. It turns out on the streets of a tour can be done only licensed guide of the city. But the information that we received from Sergei, was enough. It was very interesting. Visited the church of St. Antonio, where barely out of the crowd of Polish pilgrims. Prices in the town are lower than in other cities in Northern and Central Italy. In his spare time went on the market, bought nectarines (0,8-1 EUR per kg, in Florence, 3-4 EUR). Drank a cup of cappuccino, plus the present French bun. Twin happened 3 EUR. Further our path lay in Pisa . On the way stop for lunch in the restaurant of the system 'Avtogril'. This is usually three-storey building, built over the route, so that it can go in from both sides and not have to cross this road. On the second floor is a cafe type of cheap 'McDonalds'. On the third - something like a self-service restaurant. When you log into it, you take a tray, you put a paper napkin and gaining what you want. Batch cheese of different varieties, sliced ​​salami and meat, salad mix, fruit salads, on the hand, where the issue first dish (2 types of pasta and risotto 1) can be ordered from one of the dishes can be two types, and can take Triss (2 types of pasta and risotto on a plate). On the other hand give the meat with a side dish. Great choice. By value, I took Triss-6, 5 EUR, bottled wine-2, 5EUR (if the sale is a local wine on tap, it is cheaper), a portion of goat cheese, fruit salad, yogurt. Total paid 14,5 EUR. Exit at the bottom, through the store, on plates uscita, with the city in which you get on this side of the highway. In Pisa we met again with the ubiquitous Gucci negros. There were, of course, and no Chinese traders. Only this colorful bazaar suvenirchikov, but the complex with the Leaning Tower and you can see. The rest of the city clean, but I was not very interesting. I bought a souvenir teaspoons and the magnet (1,5 EUR) with views of the Leaning Tower. Sergei advised us to buy wine, souvenirs and food in the area where they are produced. And how many times we were convinced he was right. In the evening we were placed in a hotel resort of Montecatini, paradise for rich people with disabilities. While we dined, it was dark. Some tourists go to ride on the funicular. Climbing up the mountain on it, in vain they stared their eyes, trying something else to consider at the bottom, except for burning lamps. A few tourists went for a walk along the streets of Montecatini, in the vain hope of catching a rich person with disabilities. People with disabilities were asleep. I am, as always, after drinking wine at dinner, and went to sleep, too. In the morning went to Florence. After visiting the observation deck gave us Sergei in the hands of one of the best guides in Florence - Sandra. Sandra was really a great guide. Excellent command of the material and a good sense of humor will appeal to all, without exception, in the group. By the way, Sandra was my husband in the winter in St. Petersburg. She really liked the winter the city, and her husband said that he would return here only in summer. It was very cold, and in his beard formed icicles that plunged him into despair. Immediately evident - the southern people. Our bearded men in winter, cold, rattle my bearded icicles, and nothing but cheerful. After a three-hour tour, those who wanted to, went to dinner at the palace (palace) Borghese. Served for the first paste (very tasty, one of those that I tried in Italy) with risotto, meat Pelosi (our normal goulash), a dessert cake tiramissu and mineral water. Can be ordered Chianti (black rooster) for 15 EUR, or home-made wine - took Chianti. At the table with me was the so-called 'lzhepatriotka'. All of it was bad. And Chianti at home she drank delicious cheese cake and not feel it. Oh yeah, it's there, but at home she ate all the same tastes. And all in the same spirit. I think apart from the imaginary patriotism and opposition to the new taste is associated with the habit of eating food, getting completely different taste. And not everyone is ready to accept them at once. Because caviar is also initially not everyone likes. Especially since not everyone likes a pretty fresh food. In his spare time to time to visit the bell tower of Giotto (6 EUR). When it rises, and you can see the interior of the cathedral, without spending extra money and time. (To go to the cathedral, is a separate queue, and this is 6 EUR.) Rise in some places very steep, with narrow stairs. And periodically, up and down the tourists have to stand, waiting for the pass counter-flow. Top view of stunning! Came down for a Japanese couple who at every opportunity, stopping, skipping all those who went upstairs. Finally, they realized, to my mind the good that is better and I miss them. And one I'm going down fast enough, beating briskly crawling down polyachek the risk of falling down and be disassembled. I managed to run at large and small markets. Almost identical to each other they do not differ. On a large market for a long time for me was an elderly Italian, waiting for when I get out of another tent. He is a very melodious whistling a tune and just behind me, when I let it rip. I note that several times heard the melodious whistling Italians different melodies. Very nice. As I understand it the most-artistic whistlers. I managed to capture a penny pig, put him into the jaws of a coin and making a wish. Get lost and run off to the station. Go to the park Medici palace for 8 EUR (we saw him from the windows of the Pitti Palace, when they were on tour). From the windows of the park looked more interesting than was in fact. But after the call to close the park, I'm still a little stray from the curves of the side tracks. And 5 minutes before the departure of our team, pushed on road travel and blacks, I had to come running to our bus. On the way the couple told us how all the available, free time, bought from the Arabs, a leather jacket. Bargained for 230 EUR. Others have bought a leather bag, backpack type, for EUR 35 and the Chianti Classico for 9 EUR (without a black rooster on the label). We slept in the same hotel. After eating dinner, classical (pasta, meat with vegetables, wine, fruit), I gathered, how to sleep, but no such luck. Rome. That's great.
Museums of the Vatican is so dense stream of tourists that the frequency receivers guides sometimes overlap. And it was very entertaining to listen to part of the tour in Japanese. In museums, a lot of amazingly beautiful things. Sistine Chapel would have been amazing if it did not look terrible scratching male figures, on a plan of their creator, Michelangelo, misogynist, women-owned. St. Peter's is to create something great. You go into it and realize that it is big. Move on and see that it is simply huge. And at the same time his greatness is no pressure. When they left the cathedral, flew storm. Somehow the Indians jumped out, offering to buy disposable umbrellas, but they were quickly washed away. And we managed to run into the store, located at the Vatican . There I bought a keychain with a picture of St. Christopher, protecting travelers and drivers for 1 EUR. Our tourists napokupali book of four Italian cities for 8,5 EUR, silver icons of 8 EUR, chains with crosses, etc. After the Vatican immediately went to the acus. On the way to lunch at avtogrile. She bought one kind of paste 8,5 EUR, cheese, peppers and sliced ​​salami slices for 6,5 EUR, house wine on tap, somewhere around 350 ml of 1,5 EUR. Acus small town in the mountainous terrain. Especially nothing memorable. Only a huge statue of a dove, and the fact that all the time there was light rain. In the evening after supper in the hotel, located in the vicinity of Rimini, I intended to go bayushki. But it was not there. Entering the room, I closed the door and began to prepare for sleep. When later it was my fellow traveler, the door did not want to open, the inside or the outside (I was able to pass a key). Hope went for help. After a while I heard the tramp of feet of many people. From the outside began to actively pull the door, carefully turning the key, which is constantly rotated. This lasted 20-30 minutes and, after a ten-minute break, it all started again. I sat in the room in silence and waited for the denouement. I hope oklinula and asked to press the door from the inside. It was all in vain. I heard the cries of cheerful young men of Italian voices, but soon all was quiet. After half an hour of silence, I got worried and decided to call the reception desk. Nobody took the tube, can be seen at the reception worked out a plan of my salvation. I had already gathered to call on a mobile Sergei, but he heard the sound of single steps, the noise of a working machine, hacksaw and grinding in front of me came my spasitel.Starenky, skinny, short Grandpa looked sadly at me. Then for half an hour he pick out the lock. He's gone. He returned half an hour and put a new lock, of which only gave the key, trying to explain to me that the key will be tomorrow. But I thought it was better to lack of hot water for tourists on the first floor of the hotel in Montecatini. Hope came and told me that when my door besieging crowd of young Italians who had risen on our floor the Russian-speaking hotel employee put forward the theory that I am afraid of the crowd. She also added that I was closed from fear of the room and the door priperla chair to avoid being discovered. It turns out I look young and defenseless girl, and maybe they think Russian women are very shy. Apparently so merry crowd of young and ran away, and took up my door a quiet old man. Bummer. In the morning continental breakfast and a trip to San Marino . San Marino small state in Italy, like the Vatican. Located on the mountain. Impressions mnogo.Pered start tour visiting a wine shop, where there were natural tasting and a group discount when purchasing wines and liquors. Purchased goods delivered to the bus, which is very convenient. No need to carry a bottle with him on tour, but the cost is obtained as well as in other stores, even a little cheaper. Those interested can go to the post office and send for 1,5 EUR postcard home. You could go to the visa section, where we have accents in your travel visa (which is optional but desirable). I do not remember how much the visa fee, but it seems a little bit. I strongly advise to go on witch's trail to the second tower, view stunning. And prices in the stalls and shops, the higher you climb, the slightly, but below. I bought a ceramic cup and saucer in the form of cheerful cows for 8 EUR, the magnet for 1,5 EUR. Then he just went and viewed the beautiful sword for 6-12 EUR, leather belts for 5 EUR, bags of leather 38-60 EUR, of pressed leather - 26 EUR. After purchasing Tamara 3 EUR, was able to get a funny horn (exactly like a vintage car) for 4 EUR. Sorry, did not know that in some shops where they sell Russian sellers can pay in rubles. And you will surrender to the EUR. Could buy a nice handbag or Vans. But my, now, it seems, not quite 'derevyannye'rubli were hidden away in the bottomless belly away our bus. For hungry travelers are selling pizza for 5-8 EUR, for the well-fed sell pizza by bit to 1 EUR. San Marino charming country, where the beauty of the surrounding neighborhoods and the relative cheapness of goods and tourists love to visit, and the Italians themselves. But all that is beautiful one day, but ends. That I am not about money, they ran out long ago. Our tour came to an end. At 14.00 we arrived in Rimini. Those tourists who stayed at this resort rest and bathe in the local pretty dirty sea, were taken to their hotels. And we fly away in St. Petersburg, left to wait for our plane 23.00. To have something to do, chas remains of our group went swimming at a local beach with usage fee, and another part of Sergei took on our tour bus to the local mall, where you can eat and shop. Shops in the mall a lot, some of them are with us. ('Mango', 'Levi Straus') was a season of sales, and my companions from St. Petersburg and there was nothing to buy Petrazovodsk while we climbed up to 2 -3 hours all shops in this center. Both groaned in unison, that for the money that you can spend here, we can buy more interesting, elegant and just more clothes than in Italy. As a result, passes through the center of .3 hours, nothing but pasta and cheese, which they bought at the grocery store, nothing more is purchased. At the airport, all regretfully said goodbye to our wonderful guide, passed customs and wandered the shops 'Duty Free'. Ware stores expensive. Leather Handbags from 170 EUR cheapest. Tourists who had not had time to buy balsamic vinegar, wine, olive oil, the shop was a long queue, one punched the seller a check, pack the goods and affix the mark to buy a ticket departing. Despite the limitations carried into the aircraft cabin, introduced recently in England , because of the threat of ter acts at the airport of Rimini absolutely calmly carried into the cabin wine and olive oil. flew back in 2.5 hours. But because of the difference in time in St. Petersburg landed around 5:00 am Moscow time. Considering now the photos taken in Italy, I see them as my face more and becoming more and more bloated with drink, tiredness and periodic lack of sleep. But is still happy-ecstatic, and what you want. Natasha Borovkov