For Sputter

[Sunnie]

Larger version of my av

http://media4.dropshots.com/photos/500183/20081002/220603.jpg

[Sputterduck]

Wow! That is amazing. :D

[Sunnie]

We took the Roman metro all over the city rather than driving. When we got off and the Coliseum stop and came up out of the station, the Coliseum was just right there. I mean BOOM! Smack in our faces. We thought we'd have to walk a little bit but it was just there! Stopped us dead in our tracks a minute.

[Sputterduck]

Wow!

What is the culture like in Italy in general? Are they more laid back than Americans? Are they in general friendly?

[Sunnie]

definitely more laid back. More child friendly. They take 2 hrs for lunch and don't eat dinner until 8 or later.

Kids go to school on Saturdays. Saturdays are a working day for most Italians.

There's no concept of personal space. If you are waiting in a line with an Italian behind you, they will literally stand within an inch of you.

coffee...*drool* A real Italian Cappuccino is nothing like what you get in the states. And it's much, much better. Same with pizza. I've had some fanfuckingtastic pizza over here.

Italians are really good at making the most out of the least amount of space. They have to be. Things are jammed in really tight over here.

Last Saturday I went to a little village not far from here called Capua. Spent the morning wandering around and doing a little shopping. I just loved exploring all the little family run stores.

If you buy tomatoes from a family run stand or store, they'll ask you if you are using them for pasta. If you say yes, they give you fresh basil for free. Nothing like fresh Italian basil.

Caprice....buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. mmmm.

FOOD!

[Sputterduck]

:hugegrin:

[JudyJudyJudy]

Awesome!

[colleen0419]

So, what are you saying? That I need to lose 80 pounds before we go?

[Sunnie]

Yup, so you can gain it right back. LOL

[colleen0419]

Yup, so you can gain it right back. LOL


Sounds heavenly...bring on the fat pants!

[Meredith]

Reading about the food there makes me drool.

[MissionaryMomma]

I know what you mean about "space" and "personal space", Sunnie.

Do people constantly ask you how much something costs? I can't get over that.

Also, do they always want to know where you live?

These people are so curious. They ask questions innocently, but I don't just throw out that info.

What about obesity? Do you see much of that there? We didn't until more convenience foods and fast foods creeped in.

Do you have open air markets (called bazar's here)? Do they compete for your business? Do they encourage you to taste their food?

Can they tell that you are a foreigner just by looking at you? Do they refer to you as "English"?

What is the pizza like?

So many questions. I guess some of that curiosity has rubbed off. How much did you pay for that? Where did you buy it? Where do you live? What street and what number? LOL!

[Sunnie]

Yeah, I stick out as American/English pretty badly. Though one guy did mistake me for Spanish but that's because of the Italian mispronunciation I made.

We do have open air markets here though I haven't found them yet! There's one I really want to go to that we keep getting lost whenever we set out to find it.

There is some obesity but what is refreshing is that a woman with my typical post 3 kids figure that isnt' really fat but has a little belly flab can go out in whatever she wants and people don't care. I could wear a little belly shirt and low riders and Italians don't care. They aren't as self conscious and hung up as Americans are.

People tend to mind their own business too, though I do get Italians asking me who I am voting for when they realize I'm American.