There’s just one last thing I need to add regarding Rome:

If you visit Italy (and so far, particularly Rome) you must bring along your I-don’t-give-a-@#$%& and just say no, firmly but politely, to anyone who wants to do anything for you or sell you anything. “No, grazie.” And keep on walking and don’t make eye contact.

We already knew this going in, but we learned very very quickly — i.e. within the first six hours we were in Rome — just how easily you can get lured into something.

Lesson One: Learn from the error of our ways, and never allow men dressed up as Roman soldiers to take your picture or take pictures with you. (Particularly if you’re not in Rome…)

We were still jetlag zombies when we were walking through some of the areas around the Colosseum and Palatine Hill on Sunday when we passed two guys dressed up as Roman soldiers. We’d seen them around, seen them taking pictures with people and didn’t think anything of it. Before we knew it, they’d stepped up next to us and were chattering in broken English about posing for pictures with us. Travis, of course, took one. We’d seen this happen with other people, they were harmless. (I still kept a tight awareness of my bag though.)

Then they switched to Travis and I took a picture.

Aaaaand then they said, “Okay, twenty euro each!”

And we were like ummm what?

Travis tried to argue, and they insisted.

A bit appalled, I handed them a fifty euro note and they handed me change back. The last thing we wanted to do at this point was haggle on a price that was obviously astronomical — we just wanted to leave without hassle, wooden swords or not, because we felt like absolute fools. Just get it over with. So I took the change and we walked away feeling like complete and utter idiots, having walked into a trap that we should’ve seen coming, but didn’t. On the upside, the guy only actually charged me ten euro each, rather than twenty.

Lesson Two: Be nice. 

Most of the guys you’ll run into on the street selling scarves, lasers, iPhone cases, light up plastic things, etc. will only quietly gesture your way to get your attention and will leave you alone if you say no. But say grazie too. They’re just trying to make a living, and they’ll respect your answer.

Lesson Three: If someone tries to give you flowers, hand them back and walk away. 

Anywhere in Rome, but particularly it seemed around the Spanish Steps, there are guys walking around with several dozen roses. If you’re a woman walking alone, they’ll try to give you a rose. If you’re in a group, they’ll try to give them to everyone. And if you’re with a guy, they’ll try to give you three roses. Well, “give” is too kind a word — they’ll literally put them in your hands without your accepting them consciously. They’ll strike up a conversation, insist that the roses are free, refuse to take them back, wish you the best of luck and all blessings in your life together, and just as you start to walk away, they’ll ask for just a small donation, just a small gift… no. Just hand them back right away. These guys are insistent and will follow you — unless you do what Travis did and take the flowers from your girl and shove them back at the guy pushing them on her. (Travis said, “I’m sorry for taking those flowers from you.” I said, “I didn’t want those, but if you feel bad, you can buy me others later.”)

After this happened to us, it became our new favorite thing to watch for in the squares and streets around Rome. There were at least one or two flower guys in every place we visited, and it was hilarious to watch them approach their subjects, the flower offering, and people’s reaction — either immediate no, or a highly suspicious yes. Then if they took the flowers, they’d walk away, the guy would make the pitch, and back the flower went. Our favorite was the girl, probably in high school and who had to live in Rome, who took the flower and strutted off with it without listening to anything the man had to say.

The next time they approached us, we were blunt. I would say “No, grazie” and make no eye contact, and it usually took three or four times before they’d walk away. It felt and still feels rude, but I take comfort in the fact that I’m at least saying “No thank you.” And, as pointed out here and here and here, this is a known thing, so be aware.