1. There are many places that offer audio tours of the attractions. We never got one. There are also many places where complete strangers ask you to take their pictures and you ask complete strangers if they will take your picture. Also, there are times when you see complete strangers having a hard time taking a picture of themselves and so you offer to take their picture for them. They are usually very happy for the help. Yesterday we were at the Castile San Angelo right by Hadrian's tomb and this couple was (I thought) taking a picture of themselves kissing by Hadrian's tomb. I don't know why anyone would do that, but I thought I'd help them. I went up and was like "photo? I help you with photo?" They gave me a very dirty look and said "no photo!" Then they went on listening to what I thought was a camera but was actually an audio guide. I was quite embarrassed.
2. Crossing the street here is a bit of an adventure (unless you are in Venice...then it's a canal and it's romantic). You just walk in front of moving cars and hope that they stop. However, sometimes there are lights and the cars have the right of way. I walked in front of a car once and she didn't stop and I yelled at her! I was supposed to have the right of way. She yelled right back at me. There was a light and she had the right of way after all. Mom and I laughed at the yelling. No one got hurt and I got to feel a bit Italian and a bit sheepish at the same time.
3. Everyday mom has tracked our steps. Our goal was 10,000 a day until we realized that we average about 20,000. Today at dinner we were up to 17,000. That's why after dinner we had to walk about an exceptionally boring piazza (they do exist) until we got to exactly 20,000 which happened right outside our hotel door. We've been dedicated walkers, as we should be.
4. There is a strict rule at some places about no pictures. Many places it doesn't matter but some places they are very strict. At this one museum (Barbarini) a man had taken a picture and the docent asked him (in Italian) to delete it. They got into a big argument (in Italian) about it. She kept saying something like "I told you no pictures." And he kept saying something like "Oh, it doesn't matter." And she kept after him and after him until we had to walk away because they were never going to stop arguing about that picture. For all we know they are still arguing about that today.
5. Buying stamps for postcards happens in official Tobaccaria shops (Tobacco) indicated by a T sign. You also post your cards there. In Venice you can only post in the small black boxes NOT THE RED ONES (that was told to us more than once). It took us a while to realize that in Florence and Rome you CAN post in the red boxes, but only the split ones that have Rome / Everywhere Else. Some of you got postcards and that was tough, so if you didn't get one, don't be sad. Who had time to write postcards with our schedule? Only Button Cat and Button Cat doesn't have anything remotely resembling hands, let alone imposable thumbs.
6. The trashcans here are cute.
7. We filled our water bottles up at the many potable water fountains found all over the city.
8. We were walking (getting our 20,000 steps in) and we walked by a ristorante and the waiter said to us "Table for two? Me and you?" and he pointed at me. We thought that was pretty funny. Of course that earned a "No grazie!" and some giggles.
9. I'm a little nuts about money when I'm on trips like this. Mom will tell you how crabby I got when I didn't have a chance to count my euros before going to bed. Tonight we have reconciled everything with the conclusion that I owe mom five (American) dollars.
10. We miss you all but we miss the babies the most. Ciao ciao!
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