Posted 5:01 AM by Danielle
Things about Italy

General

Due to metric system, it is really confusing when figuring out distances, speed, weight, height.

Stores close between 1 and 3 or 4 daily for lunch. They're open later, though, till about 7 or 8.

They use military time which is really confusing.

Tons of tourists. Not all American. Many are Italian.

Americans can be found at Internet Cafe. Large chain called "Internet Train."

Many Italians speak some English. The ones who say they only speak a little speak pretty well.

Film/photo shops sell glasses and optical shops sell film and photo equipment.

Tuscany has a supermarket chain called Coop that has cute signage. There are larger coops called Ipercoop that sell clothes, furniture and other stuff, like a super Walmart.

Every town has a sign for the "carabinerie," the military police, which serves the same purpose as American cops. The polizei sticks more to traffic concerns. Meter maids in Tuscany wear green supermarket style vests.

Fields of grapevines in the distance resemble cornrow hair.

Transportation

The bus in Chianti is called SITA. I saw many "Fermata SITA" signs along the country roads but nary a bus.

Milanese buses are long, with entrances in the back and exits (uscita) in the front. You must purchase a ticket before boarding the bus (at the tabacchi) and walidate it on entry.

Some Internet cafes in Florence will rent you a bike, scooter, cel phone.

Cars and Driving

Cars are so much smaller, rounder, cuter, newer. Fiats, Minis, Smart Cars (made by Mercedes-Benz), Renault.

The highway is called the Autostrada. Toll booths accept credit cards.

Good fast food at Autostrade rest stops, called AutoGrill. They serve panini and pizza and have espresso bars. Also, markets that sell meat, cheese, CDs, toys, liquor.

Gas is much more expensive, about a euro per kg but it adds up.

Road signage utilizes more symbols than in US. Could be due to more foreign tourism or just better planning.

Italian gas stations are named Esso, Totalfina, ERG, AGIP (with a 6 legged fire breathing wolf as its mascot).

Cool carwash mechanism spotted at gas station. Car drives up and carwash moves on a track around it.

Many steep scary roads between Greve and Montefioralle in Tuscany.

Tons of scooters, bicycles, motorbikes, motorcycles. They are even more reckless than the cars. In Milan, many men in suits were spotted driving scooters. In Tuscany, a kind of old lady was spotted on a motorbike.

I saw more than a few people on two wheels chatting on cel phones.

Lots of two wheel vehicles carry additional passengers- an adult, child or infant.

You have to be crazy to drive in Florence. Many one way streets, many streets closed off to traffic.

Tons of people in Milan ride scooters and bikes. Even guys in suits and women in skirts.

Lots of elderly people take their constitutionals at night, frequently on the street, oblivious to the danger of reckless, speeding drivers.

Drug stores

Pharmacies, or "Farmacias," are marked with a green neon cross. They sell some beauty implements, cosmetics, corn and callus removers, and baby stuff. If you need over the counter drugs, you have to ask for them.

Although you can buy condoms within the farmacia, they are frequently sold in a vending machine outside of the store.

Condom boxes closely resemble cigar boxes. Hmmm.

Profumerias sell cosmetics, lotions, perfumes. Neither profumerias nor farmacias resemble American drug stores. Much small, limited selection. However, I did visit one store called DM in Venice which was very similar to Duane Reade.

Smoking

Everyone smokes. Everywhere. Even at gas stations.

Cigarettes are also vended outside.

Cigarettes are sold at "tabacchi" or "bar tabacchi" which have blue/black and white "T" signs posted outside.

You can also buy stamps (francobolli - postcards to the US cost .77 Euros to send), phone cards, bus tickets. Some serve coffee and liquor.

Eating and Drinking
It is almost automatic that you order a bottle of mineral water at meals. The only question is- "naturale" (flat) or "gassata" or "frizzante" (sparkling).

It is also almost automatic that people order "un caffe" after every meal. Once we decided to have coffee somewhere else and the waiter nearly pleaded with me.

Unlike the American cup of coffee which is sipped, un caffee is quickly slurped down, sometimes with sugar, but never with lemon peel. It's a lot less expensive than it is in the US- anywhere from under a Euro to 1 1/2 Euros.

Caffe is frequently drank standing up at the coffee bar. Since it's quickly consumed, why pay a cover charge to sit down? If there's no cover charge, the price is frequently double if you choose to consume at a table. Bars list two prices- at the bar or at the table.

Everytime you sit down to drink or eat, there is a cover charge- "coperto"- which is anywhere from 1-3 Euros per person. This is ostensibly to cover the bread basket, whether you touch it or not.

You must ask for the bill ("il conto"), otherwise you may never get it. Waiters don't seem to care how long you loiter at your table.

Waiters are better paid so they are less dependent on their tips.

If tip is not included on the bill, you don't need to leave more than 10% as a tip. If tip is included, it's called "servizio" and is usually 10%. You can then round up to the nearest Euro as an additional gratuity.

Money

ATMs are called Bancomat. Many are outside of the bank, as opposed to enclosed.

You can change your money at any of the million Cambio joints around. You can also change your money at special ATMs.

Phones

Many pay phones accept credit cards. Look for phone signs. Many bars and cafes have pay phones.

Bathrooms

Public restrooms are called "il gabinetto."

Bathrooms in hotels all equipped with bidets, no matter how small the bathroom. Special towels provided for drying the region. Still not sure about proper bidet ettiquette- for example, which way do you face? Do you sit or squat? Soap or no?

Signs for public bathrooms are stick figures of a woman and man or just "WC."

Flushing mechanishms located above toilet, usually, a large push button/lever. Toilets are empty, except for a little water at the bottom. Lets you examine your evacuation but unfortunately, some of it usually sticks around. This may explain the toilet brush which accompanied nearly every public toilet.

No public toilets had seats, thus eliminating the problem of pee on the seat, but creating a problem for those who need to poop.

Used one toilet in San Gimiginano that was just a porcelain hole in the ground, with a flushing mechanism. Staffed by an attendant who asked for fifty cents.