Pizza and the Rest of the Day

Afternoon is reserved for the merenda, yet another snack. By now, you should wonder how those Italians manage to stay fit and good-looking. I don’t know either, it seems to be all about food, all the time. Merenda, in any case, is a Latin words that literally means: that has to be earned. So it’s customary for parents to give their children a snack in the afternoon if they have been behaving and doing their homework. Schooling is very important in a country with high unemployment and more art and architecture than anywhere else.

Eating At a Restaurant

You stroll around, and you start getting hungry. Around you, nobody else is. Typical, isn’t it? Italians start eating lunch around 1:30 PM, and you won’t find many restaurants that open much earlier than 12:30PM. And then you find one that is open, and the you’ll finally know why it’s called a waiter. You’ll wait.

Remember, nobody is in a hurry here. And if they were, they would eat at a fast-food joint (I forbid you from doing the same!). You’ll have to catch the waiter’s attention and start ordering. Remember, you are supposed to eat at least two courses, so choose wisely!

And If You Don't Care About Art?

I am sure half of you couldn’t wait to get to this section… Food is definitely one of the better reasons to visit Italy, and nobody (in Italy) would think there’s anything odd about traveling across the ocean just to eat some real pasta. After all, we used to drive hundred miles just to get fresh water for the coffee!

Regions: The late unification of Italy has allowed the country to develop a set of regional cuisines that are very distinctive and disjunct. What you’d eat in the North would not stir attention in the South, and vice versa. After almost a sesquicentennial, Italy is starting to homogenize and regions assimilate foods from outside. Yet, when you go to a restaurant, always seek the local specialty over the common.

Cities to Visit

If you consider that Italy has only about sixty million inhabitants, a quarter of the population of the United States, it seems odd there would be that many cities worth visiting. Sadly, though, that is the case, and even to get a cursory glance at the most important cities, you’ll have to travel to lots of different places.

One thing helps you: every city except for Rome had one particular moment in time when it flourished and then faded, freezing the city mostly in a particular architectural stage. You can safely skip certain cities, say, if you are not interested in medieval architecture (but then, why would you not?).

The Best Landscapes

Frankly, if you have seen the natural beauty of the States, you won’t be taken aback by anything you’ll see in Europe. America is a huge, diverse continent and has everything to offer to the curious traveler. If you wish to see unique landscapes, stay home and enjoy. I have traveled Europe, I have traveled America – ain’t no valley more beautiful than Yosemite, ain’t no beach more stunning than the Oregon beaches, and you won’t find anything even remotely close to Yellowstone/Grand Teton.

For the Sun Worshipper

You usually fly out to the Florida keys in the winter? Or is Hawai”i your usual Christmas destination? Well, then Italy has plenty to offer!

First thing to learn is that the North-East Coast of Italy is different than the rest. It boasts flat, wide ribbons of sand on calm seas, just like you know from Miami Beach. With the flat and the wide comes a very unnerving Italian custom: the rows and rows and rows of beach umbrellas, rented for good money from a bagnino, a life-guard cum barista. Rimini is the hot-spot of the ribbon, with a nightlife that is worth a trip from Milan, four hours away, judging by the accident frequency on summer weekends.

Where Should You Go?

Would you believe there is a country the size of Italy where there is no place without sights worthy of your visit close-by?

Italy is so rich in art that the Sovrintendenza ai Beni Artistici, the powerful Ministry of Arts, just can’t keep up. Every year some masterpiece gets lost or stolen because nothing the government does is ever able to protect a country that is full to the brim with its past and its desire to impress.

When Should You Go?

Italy isn’t too large: it is under thousand miles long, so that you can, if you want, drive from one end to the other in one, very long, day. Accordingly, the climate varies only mildly from the “cold” North in Milano to the warmth of Sicilia. The winters will be cool and wet anywhere you go, but you”ll see no snow in Messina. The summers will always be hot. What changes is the onset of the warm season – february has wonderful days in Sicily, while it can still be cold in Milan” may.

Hawaii

Marco’s Hawai’i

You all know Hawai’i, have heard of Hawai’i, and maybe already love Hawai’i. I am not going to bore you with things you’ll find elsewhere. I am going to bore you with the things I have found on Hawai’i, and I am going to explain to you and myself why I love those islands so much. {moscontentlink:How did i get there?|(more…)}

{moszoomimglink:The welcoming band at the falls}

Italy

A lot of people, eager to see more than just Baedeker country, have kindly asked me what they should strive to see on their first trip to Italy. Over the years, I ended up giving enough advice that I should have made me an expert, so here you are with my thoughts.

What’s Italy all about?

Each country has its own ideal of its reason for being. The United States of America, say, calls itself the Land of the Free; Japan ended up being the Land of the Morning Sun. Italians call their home “the Beautiful Country”.