When In Rome
Ciao. Prego. We arrived back from Rome yesterday. Had a great time doing what the Romans do (I think). Well, we ate lots of good food, walked everywhere really slowly, learnt to relax about stuff and tried to look as stylish as possible at all times.
What can I say about Rome? The Eternal City! I'd read it takes a few visits to really appreciate this hectic, dirty city and I can well believe it. The people were great but the city is like many others on the continent - in desperate need of some traffic management. Something I can never work out when abroad is how to cross the road safely. At home a Zebra crossing means that cars stop and wait for you to cross. On the continent it seems to mean something completely different. Still, I enjoyed looking round all the sites.
I'm not really one for visiting things just because they are old. I prefer to see impressive old things. The Colosseum fits both of these and was my favourite thing there. Second only to the Vatican, which is amazing. I love things shrouded in mystery. Did you know that the Vatican City even has its own TLD - .va?
Anyway, needless to say I took a lot of photos. Here's all the touristy ones and the rest will posted at some point in my "gallery".
Now, back to work. Lots to do and some exciting new projects about to begin. Hopefully we'll be able to start 2005 in style at codestore.
One more thing. Can anybody explain the use of the Italian word prego?
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I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't work out how to cross the road in other countries! The amount of times I've stood like a lemon at what looks like a zebra crossing waiting for cars to stop... Then there's the countries where you can get done for jaywalking... How do you know whether you have to wait for the green man or not?
Why do guide books never tell you the best way of crossing the road??
Julie
In the end we found that the best way is to hold your head high and simply walk over the road with some confidence. Cars (and buses!) will stop without complaining.
Traffic will stop for you, but only if you make it.
Jake,
"prego" is the Italian for "you're welcome".
People say it in response to your "grazie" (thank you).
And yes, you're right, zebra crossings are pretty much useless down there.
Try Naples next time, you'll realise how the traffic lights too aren't taken very seriuosly.
It's a leftover from another time, like our own "welcome", which in the sense of responding to a thank-you is a meaningless courtesy. ("You are well come to this place" really only applies to visitors when you think about it.) "Grazia", itself, is a shortened version of a blessing upon the giver that now usually means a mere thanks, and "prego" ("I pray") would have been an appropriate response to the blessing.
Please forgive the misspelling of "grazie" above -- one day I hope to learn how to use a keyboard and my mind at the same time.
Thanks guys. I'm still confused though. As well as hearing prego said after my own attempts at a grazie I heard it used in other ways. For example, I'd hear a prego from the waiter as he showed us our table as a kind of "There you go" or from the guy in the shop as a kind of "Who's next?". It seems to be used as a general term for a word I can't think of in English.
The word "prego" has several meaning indeed, as you can see here: {Link}
*meanings
If an Italian is using 'prego' as a reply to you then it's odds on that it's a swear word.
Either that or it's the plural of pretzel.
As others have said "Prego" is said in response to "Grazie". Learnt that doing 2 weeks backpacking from Pisa to Naples.
If you think the traffic in Rome is mad, I dare you to visit Naples. Also, next time you're in Italy, go to Lucca, San Gimignano, Siena, Capri (visit the blue grotto) and the Amalfi Coast. Superb.
Complements of the season to you and your family Jake!
Hmm...looking forward to travelling to Rome myself - only 8 weeks until I leave little old New Zealand for London and the biggest adventure of my life!
Bring it on!
For a first hand experince of traffic in Italy :
{Link}
Rather slow, but worth the wait !
Love the pictures - thanks!
I think (not certain) that prego may be used as "please" and "you're welcome". At least that seemed to work in Rome ...or they were simply being nice as we butchered the language. Naples is without a doubt the home of the wildly insane driver....actually a whole lot of them. We were fortunate in that when we were there we did not drive, and were in a bus driven by a gent who had grown up in Naples. So we trusted him as he drove down the train tracks in the center lane (!). If you ever make it back down to Rome, do try and tour the catacombs...I don't remember which location we visited, but it was incredible (and a welcome break from the summer heat). And the Colosseum, Forum, and Vatican are of course must-sees!
prego is usually used as an answer to 'grazie'. (with an exlamation mark).
Sometimes is used in an interrogative form ("prego?") when you do not understand what have been said (as 'can you repeat?').
In a more formal version is used to mean something like "you are welcome" or "come in"
Must be nice to travel so much!
I really do not understand how people can afford it! I can barely afford to travel to the next town over much less across the country or around the world!
If it helps, think of "prego" like the French "sil vous plait". It means: You're welcome, No trouble, etc.
I just returned from 2 weeks in Italy for my Honeymoon. Our Roman tour guide, Constantina, on our 4 hour walk through Ancient Rome said, "In Rome, we say we have two types of tourists, 'The Quick and the Dead,'" walking the streets of Rome. I think "prego" is much like the French Canadians use "bienvenue," as in "welcome" upon entering a restaurant, or you're welcome in response to "thank you," or "Grazie."