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Buongiorno!
While traipsing around Italy we found that most things are fairly universal -- a smile, a good meal, a kiss -- and that most folks are just like us.
I think most people around the globe are inherently the same. We all want the same things: a roof over our heads, food in our bellies, to love and be loved. We are really NOT as different from each other as some might have you believe (and ironically, THOSE people, with their loud voices, who try to convince you of our differences, are typically the ones who have not travelled very far from their front door.) I don't think this means you have to be a globetrotter to see this - just maybe step outside your weekly radius once in a while. Or boldly move outside your 6-degrees of Kevin Bacon. This might also do the trick.
We all enjoy a delicious meal, a warm smile and time spent with our loved ones (and Nutella. Apparently everybody, everywhere LOVES Nutella.) And, anywhere you go, time stops for just a tiny moment when someone looks you right in the eyes and holds your gaze. For just a moment longer than usual. And in that moment you just might feel "seen" by another human. You just might remember for a second that we all belong to each other. This can happen (if you let it) at your local Target or the grocery store (but maybe not at the DMV.)
All that said, things in Italy are definitely NOT the same and I would argue that it's not the big differences, but the little ones, that make travel so much fun.
So here you go. Some leetle theengs-uh:
-Random fun snacks that might be lame at home but here, they are EXOTIC. Exotic WATER BOTTLES! Exotic juice from the ORANGE! And little packages that I don't want to open because then I'll know what's really inside (and they might be kind of lame and I want everything here to be fabulous.) And, of course, let's not forget the ubiquitous Nutella.
-And when was the last time your 16th century monastery hotel room had a REAL KEY?!?
- Romans don't have street signs, but rather, BUILDING signs. This is fine. Really. I'm TOTALLY ok with it. I just think someone could've given us a little heads-up when we got here. Would've helped a girlfriend out a LOT. Just saying…
-Pizza by the pound (ummm…I mean by the Kilo.)
A girl walks into a bar…ummm…A family walks …well…A family walks into a pizza deli…and because the nice man behind the counter didn't "habla inglesi" we used the old point-and-smile technique. We point at the pizza. He places his knife on the pizza and raises his eyebrows. We beckon his knife forward with a slow-motion-come-hither-sort-of-wave. He moves his knife forward. We beckon. He moves. We beckon (What?!? We're hungry.) We smile (universal) and give a thumbs-up (also universal.) His colleague strolls in and breaks the exotic, foreign spell by speaking fluent English. He learns we are Americans, looks us in the eye and says (very seriously),
"Please don't vote for Trump."
-Everywhere there is espresso, cappuccino and (watered-down) "Coffee Americano." And tea Always lots of tea. But THIS tea…I'm no expert, but I have had some serious tea in my time. Lots of tea. Exotic tea. FANCY tea. But THIS tea? Where the heck did THIS come from? Maybe I missed its debut on this side of the pond, but this Prince of Wales tea is new. And apparently "Morbido & Delicato." So…it will be morbid, but delicately morbid? Alrighty then…
-Apparently they have apples here! And juice! And although wheat and I have broken up (some of you know this, and still love me) I just HAVE to do it…I might pay for this recklessness but LOOK!!! They CUT THE CRUSTS OFF FOR YOU! How nice is that? And their butter is better too. Ok… Ok…it's DIFFERENT. It's creamier and less salty. Since you only need 2 people for a quorum over here, Anna and I vote. It's unanimous. We like their butter better.
-Ok my lovelies, we've been together for a while now, so I feel like I can discuss this delicate issue with you (but I promise, unlike the tea, it won't also be morbid.)
Are you ready?
We need to talk about the bathrooms over here.
Some things are just cute - like the toilet paper that comes out like Kleenex.
Some things are cute, but odd - like the vacuum cleaner hair dryer.
Some things are, like I said, "delicate."
So…ummm…all the bathrooms here have bidets. I guess, if we're going to be honest with each other, of ALL the parts of your body that really need a good washing, it would be your hands and your…ahem…bidet parts. Makes TOTAL sense. I get it. And I think the CDC would agree. Still, Zac and Anna flat-out refuse. Once, in the spirit of adventure, I…I…
I'm sorry. I can't talk about this. It's just too soon…
Take a closer look at the picture. All the bathrooms also had little toilet scrubby brushes. We couldn't decide if:
A: these were just conveniently placed for housekeeping.
B: it was to help guests sharing the bathroom avoid potential embarrassment.
Or…
C: there was some sort of unspoken expectation here.
Oh, and the toilets flush on the WALL. Again, a little heads-up would've been nice (and yes, I'm talking to YOU ALL who have already "wall-flushed" before. You know who you are.) To make things more confusing, there's a big button and a small button. I wasn't sure if the big button was for bigger jobs, and the small button for smaller jobs, so I always pushed both. Just to be sure.
Finally…look closely at the shower…
See the little cord that hangs down? We saw it too! And pulled it! Again and again…thinking that a little light would go on somewhere, enhancing our showering experience. Actually, experienced travelers might tell you (if they were so inclined) that this cord should be pulled in an emergency - in an I've-fallen-and-I-can't-get-up sort of situation. And that the hotel staff would be alerted. And they'd be VERY concerned. And they would come running to see if you were ok.
Again, information that would have been useful ahead of time.
Ciao!
- comments
Fred I've truly enjoyed all of your entries and your expressive, humorous style and i especially like you saying, "Wish you were here" because Paula and I really wish we were with there with you. One request: Please go back to tell that pizza man we are with him; we'll do everything we can to defeat Trump.
taugher_family Awww. Thank you. I really DO wish you were there with us. Tell you what…lets go back there and tell that pizza guy TOGETHER. And for the record, I reassured him that we were NOT voting for Trump, that I didn't know anybody who was and that, as an American, I was embarrassed that he was actually in the race. Ciao!