Italian Thoughts...

So, we've been back for about a week already. Seems like our vacation was like a really really good dream. Yeesin still talks about the molto excellente Spaghetti with clam sauce, and I dream about getting my wonderfully made cappucino from our Barista dude at the Bars...

We sometimes think about how we just decided to go somewhere where we don't speak the language, without a tour guide, just pick up a guide book, and go! It's probably the most fun we've both had in ages! Well I can definitely say we were NOT in Kansas anymore, nor in the same continent for that matter!

Aside from most Italians speaking some English (we had the most luck in speaking English with people trying to sell us something), Italy is WAAAYYY different from USA... So I decided to list them out...


1. Driving - Marco, the driver that picked us up from the airport, very well dressed and polite. However, the courtesy did not extend to the other Italian drivers out there. Coming from Malaysia, we surely respected his aptitude in the following skills: (1) Tailgating within a hair's breath of an accident, but close enough so that no one can "cut" in front of us. (2) Squeezing his nicely detailed black beemer into spaces that only scooters can get through. (3) Running red lights, and cursing other drivers that dare to get in his way... AHHH.... it felt like driving in Malaysia..

2. Italian Bars - We thought the Italians were crazy to be drinking at 9am in the morning as we approached a local bar. Later we found out that "bars" are their equivalent of a diner over here. That said, we had the best panini and cappucino ever at Bar Frattina in downtown Rome! "Una cappucino per favore" will get you an excellent cup of cappucino anytime! Here's Yeesin really pumped that we finally get some food after that looong flight! She's also pumped that she's got some caffine too! Shhhhh... don't tell her that they don't believe in gloves or hairnets when preparing panini's in Italy....


3. Bidets - No. They are not personalized toilets for him and her! Aside from the bathroom being a lot larger than our sleeping spaces, the Bidet was probably the next weirdest thing. The operation of the toilet is pretty much similar all across the world. Now, the bidet, on the other hand is kinda harder to operate. Our one didn't really come with an instruction manual, so its up to your imagination on what position you have to get into to clean your... errr, "special" areas. Just be glad that we didn't try to do laundry in that bidet.. It kinda looks like a nice sink for that!!




4. Caldo. This does not mean "COLD". Just because the faucet is marked "C" it reall just means the opposite. "C" stands for "Caldo", which means HOT. "F" on the other hand stand for "Freddo" which IS "C" for the rest of us. I figure they rather let the hotel guest figure this out on their own... If you turn "C", and it only gets Hotter, then common sense would dictate that you try the other one right?... Well, some direction challenged people like myself take slightly longer (and a little burnt) to find that out !!


5. Trains. Train rides in Europe always seem so serene and peaceful for the passengers. A gentle breeze blows in your hair as you take in the wonderful European countryside. That's all true. Here's a shot of Yeesin relaxing on our Eurostar cabin. But before that, we had to figure out if the train that we're supposed to be on was really on the correct track! They announced it, but it was Italian. If you're not paying attention you'll get on a train that's going to be cleaned, not the one going to Florence. A good skill to pick up is to follow where all the locals on your track is run to when they hear an italian annoucement!

6. Locals. Don't always trust them. Just because you meet an Italian dude, and he says that he is going the same way as you are, doesn't mean that he really knows. Or as Yeesin observed, the phenomenen that men don't ask for instructions is universal. On the way from Burano Island back to Venice we were supposed change boats at Punta Sabbioni. We got off, and ahead of the group is this Italian guy that seemed to know where he was going, so ALL the tourists (50 of us) followed him. We knew it didn't look so good the followers started dwindling as we got further out into the Boonies! In the end, the dock for the transfer boat was NEXT TO where we got off!!!

Stay tuned for our Thanksgiving Adventures.... ;)