Benvenuti to My Blog!

Alright...I caved.  After being badgered for weeks (months by some cough...mysister..cough) to start a blog about our Euro adventures, the day has finally come.  Fall is here and that can only mean one thing- FOOTBALL!  As a result, we've been traveling less on the weekends so that old man Lisa can sit on the couch and watch NFL games all day.  Kidding...(kind of).  After a PACKED month of September, we've taken a break from weekend trips to give ourselves and our wallets a bit of a rest before our next few trips.  Sooo...instead of writing about travels, I'll start by talking about life in Italy and things I've learned over the past 6 months that may surprise you.  Since today is daylight savings time in Europe (and because the Patriots are on late), I'm using my extra hour for this blog creation.  Happy Reading!

My Five Favorite Things About Living in Italy:

1. The Location- Some of you many know that we were originally suppose to be sent to Germany.  Since God is probably part-Italian, He had us moved here to lovely Northern Italy.  Although I was initially disappointed by this news, I take back all the bad things I may have said.  Northern Italy is one of the best places to be for European travel.  We're close to the ocean and the mountains. (Sounds a lot like New England to me!)   We can drive a few hours and be in Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia or another part of Italy.

We have the choice to fly out of several airports on Europe's finest budget-airlines.  The weather is also surprisingly similar to home.  Although summer was a bit unbearable (more about this in another post), the fall has been a lot like home, which of course makes me happy.  I think one of the things I hated about North Carolina was the fact that the weather was whack...people made Santa Claus scarecrows.



2. The Wine- Obviously everyone knows that Italians make, sell and drink great wine. 

Grapes from a vineyard in Cinque Terre

But the greatest part about all the vineyards is how cheap it makes wine!  Americans who drink as much wine as my mother does with dinner should probably consider becoming European.  Wine is generally cheaper than bottled water at most restaurants in our area.  We can go out to eat and get 1 liter of wine for about 6 Euro!  Amazing!  They also sell it by the half and quarter liter at dinner, instead of by the glass.  Bottled wine at the store is also dirt cheap.  I recently bought four bottles at our local grocery store using only change.  I consider this one of my greatest European accomplishments to date.

3. Tips- All that wine talk got me thinking about my other favorite part of dining, and living, in Italy- the tipping.  Now, don't get me wrong- I'm all for server's rights in the States. (I'm the proud daughter of a former banquet waitress- check my birth certificate.)  I understand that you only make $2-something an hour and that I have to give you 20% for carrying a plate to my table or $1 to take the top of my $7 Bud Light.  Let's end all that and go Euro!  Servers and others who work in the service industry are paid decent living wages here, thus making it less customary to tip.  Cheap people like me LOVE this.  I also think it provides decent jobs for people who need them and stimulates the economy blah...blah...blah....Enough of this one.  Just know- tipping is a LOT less in Europe and not nearly as customary as at home.


4. Bicycles- Unless you're living in a cave, you probably know that Americans are the among the most obese folks on the planet.  One trip to North Carolina will tell you why- fast food, drive-throughs at EVERY restaurant, and massive parking lots and cars.  In Italy, everyone rides bikes everywhere.  It warms my heart to see the nonnos and nonnas riding to the market to get their pane fresco and latte.  There are bike riders on main streets, bike riders in the countryside, little kid bike riders and fancy, dressed up bike riders.  Cars watch out for bike riders (for the most part), which is something that I sadly cannot say about Boston (where I once witnessed a bike rider get hit by a car in Allston).  Italians bike everywhere.  If they can't bike, they walk.  It's pretty amazing when I see Francesco or Maria riding in Sunday's best with a box of tomatoes on the back.  I'm pretty sure this is why there are no obese Italians.  When I see a bigger person here, I can guarantee he/she is NOT Italian.  Speaking of big...we're giants here (as if we don't stand out enough).  And if casual biking around town is not enough, the Italians are particularly fond of cycling.  I'm mystified that an Italian has not won the Tour de France lately because they practice EVERY DAY.  Cycle teams race around in packs in their spandex outfits and literally take over the streets.  I know this because I almost got hit by one when I was out for a run.  They were probably laughing at the big, fat American trying to get in shape.

5. Catholics-  I have nothing in common with Italians (remember, I'm a large, freckeled, gluten-free, fair-skinned New Englander) except for our shared love of all things Catholic.  I love that everything in Italy is Catholic- every town has a massive Catholic church (we almost live in the one in our town), Catholic holidays are observed and everything closes, Virgin Mary statues are everywhere (like next to the trash receptacle in our neighborhood) and they let the Pope live here (and gave him his own country!).

This is the view from our driveway.

 Don't get me wrong, I am a very tolerant person and I'm glad the world is not made of only Catholics, but I do like the fact that Italians aren't afraid to mix their everyday lives with a little dose of religion.  I don't think they're arguing here to take sayings off their currency or phrases out of a pledge.  I've seen nuns walking down the streets carrying musical instruments and young priests greeting visitors at famous churches. I grew up thinking everyone was Catholic....and I guess I just should have visited Italy more often as a child where in fact, it is true! On Sundays, everything is closed and you literally cannot do anything but go to church, eat good food (especially if you own a slow cooker) and watch football!  Speaking of things being closed....this will lead me to write more another day about my five least favorite things about living in Italy. 

Until then....Happy Halloween! (which no, Italians don't celebrate)