There are more, but this is meant to amuse...
About Driving in Italy
1.) The driving experience was less hazardous than I had imagined. This shocked me.
2.) Italians seem to be aware of everything around them, which is what really explains their driving. You too should be aware of everything around or behind or in front of you at all times. Failure to do this adequately is likely to upset them. To understand this, your thoughts should go something like this.....What, didn't you know that I was coming up behind you going over 140kmhs in my bright yellow Ferrari? How could you miss me? What? Do I have to get an even *brighter* color? Why didn't you get out of my way? It's not as if your little Fiat Punto could keep up with my Ferrari, what were you thinking?
3.) Street lines, turn signals, and traffic signs/signals are treated much like “Captain Morgan’s Code of the Brethren of the Coast” (the Pirate Code), they are not so much rules... really more like guidelines. The ability to ignore them seems to be based on who has the most courage or the sportiest car (see Ferrari comment above). Only Polizia beat a Ferrari, and no one beats the Carabineri or the motorcyclists.
4.) Roads in Italy are at least 2 feet less in width than average roads in USA, but that's okay, because no one intends to stay on their side anyway.
5.) Fiats are designed for these tiny roads, but still will not be allowed to go into the older Tuscan hill towns, which allow absolutely no traffic at all. Did you get a hotel in town? Hope you brought your walking shoes & rolling luggage!
About Italian Food
1.) All gelato is good gelato, but some gelato is better than others. "Artiginale" is another word for "we didn't make it but we want it to sound good". It's still not "produzione propria," which is always best.
2.) I like living where the really good champagne is $28 a bottle, Laurent Perrier, and fantastic wines are $10 a bottle.
3.) Bistecca can be ordered "cruda" which is raw. This will cause the locals to lecture you about your health loudly in rapid-fire Italian for a good five minutes even if they know you only have a limited understanding of most of what they are saying. However, this will produce "medium rare" which is what I was after anyway, totally worth it. Bistecca is also served slathered in olive oil w/ lemon wedges, in case the $9 "barely fits on the entire plate" piece wasn't caloric enough for you. Seriously yummy.
4.) Whatever "Pavlomel" is I want more. Must find a source for Pavlomel....tasty tasty tasty...
5.) Yogurt in Italy is still better than anything I can get here; it's actually edible and not bitter.
6.) Some price fixed menus are actually labeled "fatto". One of these included a large soda, a large slice of pizza, coffee, what looked to be an eclair, and chocolate. Yes, fatto is what I'd be if I ate that for breakfast every day.
About Italian Everyday Life
1.) It is not difficult to find our fellow Americans in Tuscany - They’re everywhere. So much so that it took me 2 days to find a restaurant that didn't have any in it, and where the menus weren't printed in English. This does not mean that the natives will forgive you for assuming they speak English without first asking. They won’t, I watched it happen.
2.) Walking, hope you *love* it.
3.) Cotton is too hot for summer in Italy. You will broil, and even if your hotel has AC, nowhere else does. Linen is king for a reason, and no your sneakers really are not going to let your feet breathe. Go buy some leather sandals & linen clothing before you pass out.
4.) All roads in Rome lead to the ancient city, the coliseum, & the forum, if you are me. No matter how many times I check the map, and the extra roads, I end up in the Forum. There is very nice opera there at night on the weekends.
5.) A five star hotel in the heart of the shopping district in Rome is $75 Euros per night if you let the nice nuns (in whose convent you happen to be renting a room) make your reservation. Even locals will not believe this rate & will kindly check it for you about 3 times.
1.) The driving experience was less hazardous than I had imagined. This shocked me.
2.) Italians seem to be aware of everything around them, which is what really explains their driving. You too should be aware of everything around or behind or in front of you at all times. Failure to do this adequately is likely to upset them. To understand this, your thoughts should go something like this.....What, didn't you know that I was coming up behind you going over 140kmhs in my bright yellow Ferrari? How could you miss me? What? Do I have to get an even *brighter* color? Why didn't you get out of my way? It's not as if your little Fiat Punto could keep up with my Ferrari, what were you thinking?
3.) Street lines, turn signals, and traffic signs/signals are treated much like “Captain Morgan’s Code of the Brethren of the Coast” (the Pirate Code), they are not so much rules... really more like guidelines. The ability to ignore them seems to be based on who has the most courage or the sportiest car (see Ferrari comment above). Only Polizia beat a Ferrari, and no one beats the Carabineri or the motorcyclists.
4.) Roads in Italy are at least 2 feet less in width than average roads in USA, but that's okay, because no one intends to stay on their side anyway.
5.) Fiats are designed for these tiny roads, but still will not be allowed to go into the older Tuscan hill towns, which allow absolutely no traffic at all. Did you get a hotel in town? Hope you brought your walking shoes & rolling luggage!
About Italian Food
1.) All gelato is good gelato, but some gelato is better than others. "Artiginale" is another word for "we didn't make it but we want it to sound good". It's still not "produzione propria," which is always best.
2.) I like living where the really good champagne is $28 a bottle, Laurent Perrier, and fantastic wines are $10 a bottle.
3.) Bistecca can be ordered "cruda" which is raw. This will cause the locals to lecture you about your health loudly in rapid-fire Italian for a good five minutes even if they know you only have a limited understanding of most of what they are saying. However, this will produce "medium rare" which is what I was after anyway, totally worth it. Bistecca is also served slathered in olive oil w/ lemon wedges, in case the $9 "barely fits on the entire plate" piece wasn't caloric enough for you. Seriously yummy.
4.) Whatever "Pavlomel" is I want more. Must find a source for Pavlomel....tasty tasty tasty...
5.) Yogurt in Italy is still better than anything I can get here; it's actually edible and not bitter.
6.) Some price fixed menus are actually labeled "fatto". One of these included a large soda, a large slice of pizza, coffee, what looked to be an eclair, and chocolate. Yes, fatto is what I'd be if I ate that for breakfast every day.
About Italian Everyday Life
1.) It is not difficult to find our fellow Americans in Tuscany - They’re everywhere. So much so that it took me 2 days to find a restaurant that didn't have any in it, and where the menus weren't printed in English. This does not mean that the natives will forgive you for assuming they speak English without first asking. They won’t, I watched it happen.
2.) Walking, hope you *love* it.
3.) Cotton is too hot for summer in Italy. You will broil, and even if your hotel has AC, nowhere else does. Linen is king for a reason, and no your sneakers really are not going to let your feet breathe. Go buy some leather sandals & linen clothing before you pass out.
4.) All roads in Rome lead to the ancient city, the coliseum, & the forum, if you are me. No matter how many times I check the map, and the extra roads, I end up in the Forum. There is very nice opera there at night on the weekends.
5.) A five star hotel in the heart of the shopping district in Rome is $75 Euros per night if you let the nice nuns (in whose convent you happen to be renting a room) make your reservation. Even locals will not believe this rate & will kindly check it for you about 3 times.