There actually ARE gypsy beggars -- as in, families of Romany who hang around tourist areas and look pitiful to try to get your money. (As you'd imagine, the REST of the Romany community is really, really embarrassed by them) The thing is, they're just not as GOOD as beggars in the United States. They just sort of sit there, trying to look pathetic, and maybe waving their canes at you or something. In the United States, beggars have signs explaining how they're homeless veterans down on their luck, or that they need money for ninja lessons, or "so what if I blow it on booze and drugs -- that's what YOU were going to do with it, weren't you?" American beggars are just more skilled at begging.
The ancient world is EVERYWHERE. Like, you've got collapsed ancient columns lying on the ground in parks, which are your park benches. And, well, you're just walking down the street, and BAM! The Colosseum is in front of you.
Rome prides itself on its fountains. And by "fountains", I mean both "decorative fountains like the Trevi which are artistic marvels for the ages" and "drinking fountains." They've got these candy-cane shaped pipes, which have water coming out of the end, and a hole drilled at the apex. Block the end of the pipe, and the water squirts out the top, so you can just use it as a water bubbler. And their municipal tap water is DELICIOUS. You can also just fill up your water bottle or a bucket or whatever from the end.
Romans dress AMAZINGLY. You'll occasionally see a poorly-dressed Roman man, but it's rare. And you'll NEVER see a Roman woman who's less than picture-perfect.
Crossing the street in Rome is nowhere near as terrifying as people say it is. Romans want to get from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible, while avoiding any obstacles in their way. All you have to do is make your trajectory clear, and people will drive around you. They don't want to hit you any more than you want to be hit.
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Date: 2013-11-15 01:23 pm (UTC)The ancient world is EVERYWHERE. Like, you've got collapsed ancient columns lying on the ground in parks, which are your park benches. And, well, you're just walking down the street, and BAM! The Colosseum is in front of you.
Rome prides itself on its fountains. And by "fountains", I mean both "decorative fountains like the Trevi which are artistic marvels for the ages" and "drinking fountains." They've got these candy-cane shaped pipes, which have water coming out of the end, and a hole drilled at the apex. Block the end of the pipe, and the water squirts out the top, so you can just use it as a water bubbler. And their municipal tap water is DELICIOUS. You can also just fill up your water bottle or a bucket or whatever from the end.
Romans dress AMAZINGLY. You'll occasionally see a poorly-dressed Roman man, but it's rare. And you'll NEVER see a Roman woman who's less than picture-perfect.
Crossing the street in Rome is nowhere near as terrifying as people say it is. Romans want to get from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible, while avoiding any obstacles in their way. All you have to do is make your trajectory clear, and people will drive around you. They don't want to hit you any more than you want to be hit.
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Date: 2013-11-16 02:52 am (UTC)