What I Know About Italy / Sicily!
**Note to Readers: I’m going to add to this one, as often as observed, so check back . .
1. Driving is not about rules – because if there are some (which I highly doubt) – Italian’s ignore them all. It is OK to:
a. drive next to a car in the same lane
b. ignore the line and straddle it (a little bit or a lot – totally discretionary)
c. to pass on the right (yes, Dad, the right!)
d. to pass when a car is coming towards you in the opposite lane
e. to pass when there’s a double line
f. to pass when the line is solid
g. to pass after the broken line ends
h. to pass on a blind curve . . . really, the OK applies to “whenever you feel like passing”!!
2. When the GPS tells you a road is closed – assume it’s lying. There may be construction cones, orange tape & dirt paths – but the Italian road crews WILL HAVE found & created a path for you to use – complete with lots of one way stretches that are controlled by hard to see traffic lights that are propped up on the side of the road (usually below eye level).
3. There really is NO speed limit in Italy – but you better know what it is anyway – because there are speed monitoring cameras everywhere to catch you speeding. Most confusing (I finally asked someone) are the speed limit signs that you are supposed to follow ONLY when you are exiting a highway ramp. The mafia must be manufacture & profit from speed limit signs, because there is one (on average) about every 200 feet that conflict with the last one you saw. Personally, the speed limit signs make me a little psychotic!
4. All the highways are under construction – and my assessment is that they will be for a VERY LONG TIME. Note – if you’re coming to Italy in the next 10 years – expect BROKEN roads (broken is what the Italian’s call them).
5. Toilets – really, don’t even get me started. How does a country that values clean bums (by installing a duvet in every home & hotel bathroom) NOT put toilet seats on EVERY toilet? (**Sue, you would be so proud of me – I actually have learned to squat and not get pee all over myself. This of course will come in very handy for hiking this summer!!) Sometimes, they have toilet paper, sometimes not. Soap & paper towels for hand washing are rare. And you better have a big stash of coin – because most public bathrooms (and they are scarce) will charge you! Opt to buy a bottle of water or a gelato and use theirs instead – still no promise of a toilet seat.
6. It’s OK to let your 5 year old eat Nutella pizza for dinner!
7. Sicilians are VERY helpful! . . but they really don’t speak Italian.
8. Way too many Italians smoke!
9. The evening walk is a favorite past time – but I’m not sure if it’s motivated by social connection OR exercise. Regardless, far too many Italians walk & smoke, and far too many women wear uncomfortable shoes while doing it.
10. Older women walk in pairs – with their arms entwined. Sherine & I tried this out a couple of times and found it really is a good system – especially when you’re walking down a narrow road and have to pull your friend out of the car’s trajectory so it won’t hit her!
11. It’s OK to let you teenager have french fries & ketchup for dinner – while you suck down a big, old plate of steamed mussels!
12. Italian women wear a LOT of perfume – and I like the smell of all of it!
13. Italians use the word “allora” way too much – it’s like “um” in American – but technically translates to “then”. They know they use it way too much!!
14. The place is filled with ancient ruins, statues, paintings, palaces, gorgeous villas, small quaint streets, and even some pretty run down places. And you NEVER, EVER get tired of seeing them all!
15. It’s OK to park – ANYWHERE! It doesn’t matter if:
a. You’re parked where there are NO PARKING signs (and I mean lots of them)
b. You’re double or triple parked
c. You’re double parked and facing the opposite direction that the traffic is coming
d. You want to put two wheels up on the curb while you park
e. You block the traffic for a little while or a long while . . if you want to park there, everyone else can find a way around you!
**NOTE – the streets are filled with no parking signs & tow away signs & resident only signs and NO ONE observes them. Of course, if I dared to do any of these things, THEY WOULD KNOW I WAS A TOURIST & A BIG OLD, PARKING TICKET WOULD ARRIVE IN THE MAIL 6 MONTHS AFTER I GET HOME, COSTING $150. I’m just saying!
16. EVERYONE in Sicily owns a puffy, down coat and they wear them ALL THE TIME! They say it’s still winter here, think I’m crazy for walking around in sleeveless shirts & sandals, and believe until it gets to be 25 degrees (that’s 77 to you & me) it’s not even warm!! It hit 23.5 (74.3) here the other day and I swear, they were all still wearing their puffy coats (and most had sweaters on under those)! Go figure!
17. The kids NEVER seem to be in school – despite my being told they go 6 days a week. They are ALWAYS out playing soccer on the street and /or sitting at pasticceria’s eating gelato & pastries.
