the red queen.

the things i keep forgetting about italy...

friends walk down the street looking like lovers. girls hold hands, occasionally i've seen men arm in arm, and men who greet eachother with a handshake and continue to hold hands while having conversation.

i find the european cheek brushing, occasional cheek kissing exciting, but prefer for my friends to give long tight american bearhugs, occasionally accompanied with cheek kisses, that are actual kisses instead of the usual cheek to cheek brush, fake kissing.

the lunchtime glass of wine. how nonna gave me thick sweet syrupy orange liquor at breakfast and was disappointed that i wouldnt be her drinking partner all day.

i always take cold showers. and they are fast.

how cheap freshly made bread (80 centessimi for a perfect loaf), water (22 centessimi/ 2L), fruit and veggies (i buy handfuls of them at the supermarket for well under a euro), milk (59 centessimi per 1000 ml) and cozze (2 euro/kilo) are.

how nobody uses air conditioning even if they have it, and the few who do use it do so with the door wide open.

how those living on ground floor keep their door wide open and you look into people's kitchens and living rooms as you walk past them on the tiny street.

women do not change their last names when they get married.

divorce was only recently legalized in italy. until then a man had many wives, instead of a wife and ex wife(ves). still the term ex wife is not used, rather 'my wife,' for each of the two or ten.

people give you rides when you ask them for directions to a place.

when the current is against you it takes all the swimming you can do to stay in one place. it reminds me of the words of the red queen.