Italy Unfiltered

We loved:
Cake for breakfast!
Mist sprays at outdoor restaurants
Gelato

Free snacks with drinks (crisps, nuts, even pieces of pizza). First pic below left is the “snack” box we each got with our drinks in Cesenatico … no extra charge (skipped dinner that night!) 🙂
Decent size glass of wine and rather heavy handed with alcohol in cocktails 🙂

Wine is cheaper than rest of Europe so far
Hairdressers are OPEN and good haircuts to be had
Great Laundromats – spotlessly clean and like Switzerland, dispenses washing powder and softener
Grateful that English is very widely spoken
Tuscany

Groceries are cheaper than Oz
Cinque Terre – stunning!
Alberobello
Vibrators for sale in vending machines (yes … those vibrators)
The sea, coastline and grottos of Capri
Venice

Not so much:
Pisa
Toll Roads
ZTL zones
Cover charges
The heat and humidity

Tasteless bread in the north (no salt)
UNSALTED BUTTER – Europe, there is a reason why we add SALT to things – it enhances FLAVOUR
Italian drivers
Italian roads – potholes and entire chunks of the road have disappeared down the sides of cliffs (Cinque Terre)
For the most part – food was mediocre to not good, have had better pizza and pasta in other countries
Rome
Italian Parking – basically if you have the front two inches of your vehicle vaguely near the kerb … you’re done
Social distancing, Italian-style (see below, boat in Venice)

Third world country in many ways – reminds me of Africa

Just Is:
Can’t make up my mind if I’m for or against paying to go onto a beach
Jarrah’s hair not a novelty here! Every second person has hair like hers
With the exception of Pizza – portions quite small (not altogether a bad thing! Esp when it comes to pasta)
Melba Toast for breakfast ?

And last but not least, if all you fashionistas are wondering what’s vogue in Italy right now …. (coming to Oz in 18 mnths no doubt) 🙂

Someone found Italy exhausting …