A moment of quiet in Rome

"ImmoralMinority" (araimondo)
03/27/2018 at 10:10 • Filed to: None

Went to the Vatican today and saw the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica, then went to the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. This city is incredibly beautiful, and it is wild to be surrounded by antiquity. This Alfa wagon spoke to me.

So I am sitting at a bar a block away from the hotel enjoy an Italian whiskey sour. It is quite good, but different from what we are used to. At some point, I will download photos from my DLSR for a proper photodump, but until then enjoy these cars. The people in our tour group are already looking at me sideways, confused about why I keep photographing what are to them unremarkable cars. But this city is filled with cool hatchbacks and wagons (and scooters and bikes!) and so many are manuals. The enthusiast DNA here shames the US and our love for SUVs.

What is up with the back of this thing? I even saw my first Twingo in the flesh, but I could not get a picture. SR20 fail.

DISCUSSION (13)

shop-teacher > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 10:27

My wife just shakes her head at the things I NEED to take a picture of. Sounds like you’re having a good time!

Oh, I got my Kymco 150 going last night for the first time since August! Of course it’s been raining since then, but as soon as it dries up ... I ride!

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 10:28

The back of the Megane II is Renault pushing their brand style to the extreme. In some shape or form many Renaults designed between 2003-ish and 2008-ish have this sharp fold in the boot, however non as extreme as the Megane II. It takes a bit getting used to, but I sort of like it, as it is different from most cars of the segment.

Hope you enjoy Italy!

fintail > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 10:40

When I was in (northern) Italy a couple years ago, I had a rental car picked up in Germany. An X5 - I felt like a big shark swimming around with swarms of guppies and goldfish when on the streets of Torino. The scooters and tiny cars may be aggressive by dull American standards, but they are attentive, and traffic flowed freely.

Car spotting and photographing befuddles the normals. I remember visiting a friend in Switzerland, where I spotted an export model Dodge Aspen - I had to examine it and take a pic, he thought I lost my mind.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 10:55

renault went through a phase of adding an ass to their whole line up

ive never liked the ass renaults much... but i may be a minority on that front

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 10:56

That 159 Sportwagon? Gib.

Forget the Ypsilon. Bring me that. I need it. I want it.

Pls file to BlueMazda2 bait.

Thomas Donohue > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 11:02

I did the Vatican tours a few years back....impressive on the largest of scales. I’ve heard the Vatican garden tours is the hidden gem, will have to hit that next time.

So much history in the city. I remember just walking down a side alley near the Pantheon, and there was this little entrance to a ‘church’. Inside was this huge basilica, and oh, as we’re walking around it turns out there’s a pope buried in there as well. You’d never even know it was there.

Enjoy!

vondon302 > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 11:03

That’s a busy day. The 1000 year old water fountains scattered around that you actually can still use blew my mind.

Enjoy!

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 11:39

If you’ll be in Rome for a while and have any interest in another Vatican experience, I highly recommend the Scavi tour. It’s extremely limited in capacity per day, but it’s led by a specialist in Catholic archaeology who will show you the ancient tombs on which St. Peter’s was built (literally the foundation of St. Peter’s), including the tomb of St. Peter himself.

www.scavi.va/content/scavi/en/ufficio-scavi.html

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > Thomas Donohue
03/27/2018 at 11:41

The Vatican tours are awesome. I just left a comment recommending the Vatican Scavi tour.

It’s extremely limited in capacity per day, but it’s led by a specialist in Catholic archaeology who will show you the ancient tombs on which St. Peter’s was built (literally the foundation of St. Peter’s), including the tomb of St. Peter himself.

www.scavi.va/content/scavi/en/ufficio-scavi.html

Svend > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 11:53

Great to hear your enjoying your time in Italy.

Everything seems so rushed but once you step out of the street and into some eatery, life slows down dramatically and you are free to enjoy the great food and drink.

I love it.

Sadly manuals are dying out with some marque’s in favour of autos where the car is able to operate more autonomously such as lane guidance, self parking, etc... thankfully there are still a he’ll of a lot around. The manual transmission is not so much ‘enthusiast DNA’, but more of, the status quo. It’s what we were all bought up with and know just as autos are in the U.S.. In fact many countries have a thing where if you pass your driving test in an auto, you can only drive an auto, until you sit your test in a manual. However, pass your test in a manual, you are free to drive either.

CaptDale - is secretly British > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 12:49

If you don’t bring me back a RS6 C6 Avant I will be sorely disappointed.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 13:31

Man, Rome really surprised us. Saved it for the end of our trip just expecting meh another big city with some history thrown in. But it was amazing, glad we had a few days there at least. It didn’t feel overly rushed and so much wandering you can do while avoiding the crowds (if that’s not your thing). We did the night tour at the Vatican which was excellent, and the food, the markets, and cafes on cobblestoned streets in ancient piazzas…wow, amazing. Turned our rental car in before we got to Rome, but I’m probably OK with that. I’ve had enough crazy driving experiences in my life having grown up in Southeast Asia.

If you’re looking for a legit restaurant try Renata e Luisa. Call in advance and make a reservation, gets booked up. But came highly recommended from some old Italian friends who live in Rome, didn’t disappoint. Down a little alleyway, excellent and delicious without being snooty or fancy.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ImmoralMinority
03/27/2018 at 14:23

Megane! That’s just the way they are! :P