Italy on a Shoe String - Living ‘La Bella Vita’ Inexpensively

[NickZ]

Personally I think TIM's off peak deal is the best. Or at least last time I looked. Deals change like the weather.

You don't really need a phone. If you have a laptop they all sell cards to put into your computer. This assumes your laptop has an empty slot. I'm fairly sure they also sell USB modems you can plug into your computers USB port.

OTOH TIM has a new HSPDA phone for about 150 Euros that handles all the speeds. So if you need a new phone you could get that one.

[pigro]

Originally Posted by Violetta

How does this work exactly though? Will I have to change my mobile service provider to Wind, ie take out at new account and, at the same time, say I would like to sign up for their Internet service?

the WIND 20 Euro deal works just fine on a prepay SIM card, and the same connection speeds can be obtained (with a lower monthly data allowance) for 8 Euro/month. so if you were interested in trying it you could get a new WIND prepay SIM, put 10 Euro credit on it, subscribe to the WIND 8 Euro tariff (by sending a text message) and just try it out for a month to see if it suits you. If not, just unsubscribe (send another text message). So, no need for any contracts/accounts or sign up to Internet service. Just a new sim (as NickZ says, best if you put that in a data card or USB modem so that your curent mobile phone isn't affected and doesn't need to be connected to the PC).

Originally Posted by Violetta

And then what happens, I link my mobile to my laptop? I fear a problem as only Telecom Italia has a good mobile signal in my house but would that be an issue?

Yes, if you only have "good" coverage with TIM then the WIND solution is unlikely to work well for you ... but TIM offer a similar package in any case.

Note also that WIND's coverage for their high speed data network (i.e. close to broadband speed) is much poorer than TIM's - so even if you get a decent signal in your house on WIND, it may be a low speed connection (like old dial up modem speed). That said, I have exactly that in my house (WIND prepay sim on 8 or 20 Euro/month, paid only those months I am in Italy. I have pretty low signal, and my area has poor coverage - meaning "dial up" speed ... but thats OK for checking email and the occasional bit of browsing the news etc.)

[Chardonnay]

The leaves you see the people gathering growing wild are a mixed variety of certain weeds and wild rappe ect, they then boil them for quite a while as some can be a bit tough, then serve with olive oil a little salt maybe some lemon juice , if interested you should ask the old lady to show you which ones go with her a few times you'll soon learn . But be very careful picking mushrooms some ar lethal

[Carole B]

Originally Posted by Chardonnay

The leaves you see the people gathering growing wild are a mixed variety of certain weeds and wild rappe ect, they then boil them for quite a while as some can be a bit tough, then serve with olive oil a little salt maybe some lemon juice , if interested you should ask the old lady to show you which ones go with her a few times you'll soon learn . But be very careful picking mushrooms some ar lethal

If you are going to pick wild mushrooms DO GET A GOOD 'ILLUSTRATED' BOOK ON THE SUBJECT! You really can't be careful enough - you may see some varieties that you have been told are 'safe' but maybe you weren't told that they had to be cooked in a certain way....

As for picking wild leaves ('weeds') - I do that too - they are usually the first young dandelion leaves and in Lombardia at least, they are known as 'insalata matta' or Praa de matt' it looks like this and is delicious (and of course costs nothing). This picture is from the 'web' as it's not really the time now to pick fesh tender young shoots...

[Sally Donaldson]

In Safari the picture is just a tiny wee blue square with a question mark. In Firefox no image or image inndication. Can you reupload it Carole??? Cheers

[pigro]

IE6 (& maybe safari?) users can right click on the icon in CaroleB's post then select "show picture".

Firefox/other browsers that on't show the icon - should work by clicking here

Failing that you can cut & paste the below into your browser:

http://www.cookaround.com/cpg134/albums/userpics/10268/normal_insalata.jpg

[Carole B]

Originally Posted by pigro

IE6 (& maybe safari?) users can right click on the icon in CaroleB's post then select "show picture".

Firefox/other browsers that on't show the icon - should work by clicking here

Failing that you can cut & paste the below into your browser:

http://www.cookaround.com/cpg134/albums/userpics/10268/normal_insalata.jpg

Thank you for your help pigro - I do appreciate it.

[Sally Donaldson]

What a guy!!! Thanks Pigro. Your option to click on the blue icon worked in Safari and on an Apple by opening Carole's picture in another window!!!

[pigro]

Originally Posted by Carole B

Thank you for your help pigro - I do appreciate it.

didn't mean to step on your toes (?) ... just thought I'd help out meantime in case you weren't online for a while.

[Carole B]

Originally Posted by pigro

didn't mean to step on your toes (?) ... just thought I'd help out meantime in case you weren't online for a while.

Hey - no way did you step on my toes.... I really was grateful for your help on this. I wouldn't have had a clue on how - or what - anyone could have done to view the photo.