I think everybody has some memories of that day: it did as a matter of fact change our lives and our perception of the world. I remember I was in Pisa that day. I was about to leave for the States in fact: my flight was scheduled to leave on Sept. 13, and I was supposed to go work as a lecturer in Italian as a foreign language at the University of Chicago.

My head was full with all the things I had to do before leaving for quite a while. I had a crazy full morning: I went to the bank to collect the dollars I had ordered, I went to the Department of English Studies, where I worked, to take care of the last things I needed to take care of before leaving, I brought books back to various libraries and ran various other errands typical of those who are about to leave for a few months.

I had an appointment with a friend for lunch, but he called to say that he would be late because he was stuck at work. So I stopped at a bar by the Faculty of Law where he worked and decided to grab a bite while waiting for him. I remember the TV was on, and the images of the first plane crashing in one of the Towers were showing. Not for a second did I think that that was real: I thought that it was one of these disaster movies we are so used to seeing… And as a matter of fact I thought “who watches a movie like that in the morning?! Couldn’t they change the channel and let us see the news?”

Suddenly I realized that most people in the bar were looking at the TV screen with astonished faces and I thought there was something I was quite not understanding… then I heard people cursing, other sighing, and I noticed the red stripe with titles that usually appears at the bottom of the screen during the news. And I understood. It was not a disaster movie. It was a real disaster.

Everybody knows how the events unfolded. I paid quickly and ran to the Department. There were people crying, trying to call friends back home. My first reaction was to call the director of the center which was in charge of the exchange I was about to participate in so as to figure out if it was still happening or if I had to cancel my plans. I wondered if it was even wise to go at that point. What a petty concern that seems now! But when you are in the middle of such unbelievable events, you don’t fully grasp the enormity of the tragedy you are witnessing and how irrelevant your job offer is… Nobody had answers of course, because nobody had any clue what was going on.

I realized I had forgotten about my friend so I went back to look for him. He was still examining students and nobody had heard anything about the happenings. I entered the classroom and went straight to him to inform him of what was going on. He immediately told the other professors, the exam session was interrupted and we all gathered in one of the professors’ office to follow the news. It was unreal.

My parents called me quite worried about my plans… I called Marcel, my husband, whom I had only been dating for a few months back then, and all that follows is kind of blurred.

I went back to my home village that evening, waiting to figure out what would happen. My flight was canceled. The University of Chicago offered to postpone my course in case I didn’t feel comfortable being in the States at that time. My parents pressured me to cancel my trip.

It was in the few days that followed the events of 9/11 that I made up my mind. My cousin and her husband who were traveling to South America, got stranded in Guatemala for a week longer than they were supposed to. And when they finally managed to reach NY from where their flight to Rome was supposed to leave, they got stranded there for a few crazy days. The images they sent, their stories from there made me understand that even only few days after such tragic events Americans had already “rolled up their sleeves” and started their life after 9/11. In Italy we would still have been trying to figure things out…

At that time, I had another cousin who was really, really sick. She had always been full of life and always ready to try new things. I had visited her at the hospital a few days before and I remember she told me how great it was that I had decided to go to teach in Chicago for a few months because life is so short and one always needs to pack as many experiences as one can in the little time we are given.

I could not get those words out of my head and I also couldn’t overlook the pride and courage that Americans were showing the world. So I decided to leave on the first flight I could get on. And I did.

I think it was Sept. 17 or 18… I can’t remember. The flight was half empty. I was the only Italian on it, with the rest of the people being Americans going back home.

I landed in a beautiful, deserted Chicago. I remember my fascination with the skyline of the city after dark. It was the first, and only time actually, that I have been in the States. I was greeted with a sense of stupor and gratitude at the University and the days that followed were kind of hectic because I was late for the beginning of the term and I had so much to learn and understand, as I had been thrust into an entirely different academic world from what I was used to.

I spent three months in the city. Three, beautiful unforgettable months. I made lots of friends, I learnt a lot of things,  I enjoyed the city in the fall and at Christmas time when it’s most different from what I was used to here in Italy, and most beautiful. And with no tourists around to be seen.

I witnessed the various decisions that were made, to invade Iraq, etc. But mostly I directly experienced the strength of a country that despite tragic events kept moving on.

I don’t have any deeply moving story to tell to honor America on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. This is how I lived that day and the months that followed. 10 years later, memories of that day and of that time are bittersweet. But it’s with great affection for all the American friends and guests we have had the pleasure of meeting over these 10 years that I decided to write this post.

It’s not special, but it’s our way to remember a day that changed the world forever and hopefully honour those who were deeply affected by it, both those who died and most importantly those who were left behind to cope with all 9/11 meant and still means.

Over the years, though, we have also had to deal with many “little nuisances” which, we suspect, are often the result of basic cultural differences. I must be getting older and grumpier, because some of these things, which I imagine most of our fellow hosts also have to deal with on an almost daily basis, really start to bother me. So here are a few things that might be some good food for thought when you contact a vacation rental, a hotel, or any service in general.

1. Remember you are writing to a person, and not to a computer, especially if you are contacting a small agriturismo, B&B or vacation rental like ours. We do our best to provide a personal service, and it is always good to be treated like the human beings we are, sitting behind the screen.
2. Remember to sign you email message or to provide your name if you contact someone via a portal: if you are not willing to share your name, why should we trust you with our home?
3. If you are not interested, just drop a line to say that you are not interested. It is a pure act of kindness towards the people who have taken the time to send you a clear and detailed reply as if you were the only person they had to deal with that day. We all in the tourism business know that the choice out there is vast, and that you have probably contacted many other places. No big deal. Just tell us “not this time, thanks”, and we will know we can consider the period you were interested in as available and offer it to the next person that contacts us without having to have them wait so that we can make sure we are not overbooking.
4. If you say you want to book and ask for the details for the reservation deposit and you then change your mind, please let us know as soon as possible. This is the thing that drives me crazy the most. It has happened several times already this year. People book, then ask for the details to confirm the reservation, and then they disappear. And you have to contact them several time before they have the decency to say “sorry, we changed our mind”. This is unacceptable and plain rude. It is nothing but basic good manners to inform the owner of the place that you have changed your mind, or at least to reply the first time. I really cannot find any excuse for this behaviour, and I have to say, when some of these people have contacted us later to reinstate the reservation, we have said “no, sorry. We don’t want you anymore”.
5. Remember that it is not a God given right to be accepted in a vacation rental, hotel, b&b or agriturismo because you can pay for the service. We are opening the doors of our homes to you: you are a guest. A paying guest, and we do our best to make sure your money is well spent, but an inn-keeper always has the right to refuse a reservation if he or she believes the guest is not a good match for his or her place.
6. Remember that laws relative to hospitality are different in different countries: don’t insist that the laws of your country be applied to ours. A simple example: short term rentals in France are supposed to have rental contracts, while in Italy they are like hotels and no contract is required (or exists). Contracts are only for long term rentals. We can’t send you the rental contract before you send us the reservation deposit because no such contract exists. If you want to be sure that the business is legitimate, ask to see the VAT number of the business (tax registration number).
7. Make sure you read the terms and conditions for the reservation before you commit. When you have committed, it’s too late if you don’t like them. This is why they are clearly published on websites, so that you know what you are getting into. If you don’t find them clearly published, make sure the inn-keeper sends them in writing, and make sure you ask what the cancellation policies are. Transparency is the best key to a happy host-guest relationship.
8. If you agree on a check-in time frame, and the host asks you to give a call in case you are going to be late, make sure you do that, as it saves a lot of “wondering” on both parts.
9. If you happen to break something while you are staying at a property, inform the host when you leave. Don’t just put things together in a way that it doesn’t show. You will be surprised by how willing to overlook small problems most hosts are.
10. Last but not least, always ask your host when you need help or information with anything. Asking is always better than assuming and it makes for a much more pleasant holiday.

These are just small things, but I promise that anyone in the tourism business like us will agree that they make all the difference in the world. And for those of you who are wondering who would ever do otherwise, well… it happens sometimes, but luckily most of those people end up staying at much more impersonal places!

In order for the result of the vote to be valid, 50% of the electorate + 1 voter must go to the polls. Since we have just voted for the local governments in several major cities, you might be wondering why these referendums could not be combined with that vote. Most of us are wondering… this will cost the country a lot of money. The official answer is that the government wanted to make people feel free to participate or not. The fact is though that you can choose to accept or refuse (some of) the referendum voting papers, so the truth I suspect lies elsewhere.

The four questions

All the fuss is about two questions, but I believe the most important vote should be the one about the other two laws.

Grey Voting Paper: Question on nuclear power stations

The question voters are asked to answer is whether they want to abrogate the law that allows the construction of new nuclear power stations in Italy. The commas that would be abrogated if the majority of the voters vote YES are n. 1 of the 5th article of the DM Omnibus, which delays the selection of the locations for the new power stations, and n. 8, which sets the date of the beginning of the nuclear program in 2012.

This is the most opposed and promoted question of the four at the same time. The government is actually trying to invalidate the question in order to exclude it from the referendum vote. First they changed the law slightly in the hope that it would be enough for the referendum to be annulled. Then when the Supreme Court of Cassation judged that changing the law was not enough to make the question invalid, the government appealed to the Constitutional Court. The verdict will be made public tomorrow.

The arguments of those who support the project for the nuclear power program in Italy are that no renewable energy source can possibly provide the amount of energy necessary to the industrial infrastructure of the country. The new power stations would be safe, and besides there are plenty of them just on the other side of the border so fears of nuclear catastrophes are irrational.

The arguments of those who are against the nuclear program are that it is too expensive, the time it will take for the new power stations to be ready is so long that the technology used will be obsolete, the country has many areas at risk of earthquake, there is no way to guarantee the quality of the constructions as by law public contracts must be awarded to the lowest bidder. And much more.

My opinion. Personally I am not against nuclear energy per se, but I don’t trust Italy to be able to make it safe, to be able to dispose of the nuclear waste in a serious way (we are still suffering from the bad disposal of the nuclear waste of the 70′s when we did have nuclear power stations), and most importantly, I believe that this is not the investment our country needs at all. How long can Italy remain an industrial power? 20, 30 more years? The future of heavy industry, as sad as it may sound for our economy, lies elsewhere. I believe our economy cannot sustain such a big investment, and the money should be spent more wisely on research, education and other fields that can give our young people more hopes for the future. Besides I believe that research is making progress in renewable energies, and I am not so sure that if a serious effort is made in that direction, green energy cannot represent a valid alternative to nuclear power in the future.

Green voting paper: question on the legitimate impediment law.

The referendum on the legitimate impediment law aims at abrogating this law which has been judged partially unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court in January 2011.

The law says that the Prime Minister and all the Ministers can choose to never appear in court during office because of the commitments entailed by their institutional obligations. This has the practical result of blocking the trials in which they should be involved.

By voting YES, people can have the law repealed.

The people who are in favour of this law say that until proven guilty, everybody is innocent, so there is no point in disrupting government activity for some allegations.

The people who are against the law say that it stands in open violation of the 3rd article of the Italian Constitution, which says that all citizens have equal social dignity and are equal in the face of law, indistinguishable of sex, race, language, religion, political opinions, personal and social conditions.

My opinion. I am in favour of abrogating this law, partly because of this clash with the constitutional law, but most importantly because it’s a risky, unethical law in a country that has had a dictatorship in its past. In civilized countries, Ministers resign when they are even suspected of something as serious as some of the things some members of our government and parliament have been accused of. In this country they have immunity. It’s unacceptable. The people who govern a nation should be model citizens and not just professionals of the political career with no scruples. I don’t care at all if Silvio Berlusconi is brought to trial or if he is made a hero for his conduct. The laws of a country should guarantee that, no matter who the Prime Minister and the Ministers are, justice and equity be ensured.

Red and Yellow Voting Papers: two questions on water

We can live with nuclear power stations and with corrupt politicians. We cannot live without water. For some reason, though, even though these should be the most important questions, they have been relegated to the background of the debate.

The red voting paper allows people to abrogate the law on the ways in which the management of local public services of economic importance (e.g. water…) can be given to private entities. The existing law allows the liberalization of public water management and the privatization of the water network and services (aqueducts, sewers, etc.).

The yellow voting paper concerns the law that allows people who will manage the water network to set the price according to the investment they have made in the project.

People supporting these laws say that this would make the system more efficient and it would relieve the state from a heavy financial burden. The local municipalities are not capable of facing the costs of maintenance and the services are often in the hands of the organized crime.

People who are against this law say that this would allow organized crime and private interests to gain further control over such a precious sector. A fundamental good like water should be public.

My opinion. I believe these are the most important voting papers to accept and that it is fundamental to vote YES to abrogate these infamous laws. Most people worry about the day oil will run out without worrying about the much more serious moment when fresh water will be in high demand. We must protect this public good, we must make sure part of the money the government would be ready to spend on nuclear power stations goes towards the maintenance of the water network so as to solve many of the problems and wastes that make water expensive in many regions. Public, affordable, safe water is a fundamental right in any democratic state. There are certain services that simply cannot be given to private entities, because, no matter how ethical they might be, they will always have private interests to guard. The state should vouch for the preservation of the basic rights, and the right to good affordable water is one of them.

Will the referendum questions get the “quorum”?

I don’t know, but I do hope they will. It will be a serious loss for this country if they don’t, and not because of this or that politician’s future, but because there are certain matters of public interest that should just not be underestimated.

I will go vote and I will vote YES to all 4 of the questions. I hope those of you who can vote, or who have a husband, a friend, a son or a daughter who can vote, will ask them to go and vote according to conscience and not just political orientation.

I thought it might be nice to comment on a few things that I read, because it’s always useful to get a different perspective on things, so that you know what you can tell your guests before they arrive so that they can be ready for what life in Tuscany (and in most cases, Italy in general) is really like. So here is a list of the most popular disorienting experiences for travelers to Italy.

1. Italy is big and there are more things to see and do than most people can conceive of. Tuscany is also big. Seeing the whole country or even only Tuscany in a week, or two or three is simply impossible. There is nothing else to it. To people used to living in large countries where you need 5 hours to drive between two major cities, distances might seem small, but roads are slow, and the density of sites to see even within 30km is huge, and in every major destination (e.g. Florence, Rome, Venice, etc.) there is enough to keep you busy for well over a week. Getting on a tour that take you to 10 cities in 14 days will be tiring, stressful and for many unsatisfactory. My recommendation is to pick a base, and visit the surrounding area, driving for max. 1 hour to reach your destination. Time will fly.
2. Food is different from what you are used to, even to Italian food that you find at home. First of all, every part of the country has its own regional specialties and cooking style. Most of the Italian restaurants abroad refer to the culinary tradition of southern Italy. You won’t find spaghetti with meatballs in Tuscany, and probably not anywhere else either; fettuccine alfredo is not an Italian dish at all; pasta is mixed with sauce as soon as it’s taken out of the water and before being served (some will find the sauce is scarce – we don’t overdo it with the condiments); you won’t be served a bowl of olive oil with bread to dunk in it, it’s just not done; you can order everything at the same time, but you will be served according to the standard order of Italian courses (antipasti, primi, secondi and contorni, dessert, coffee); salad is not an antipasto but a side dish we eat with secondi and soup is not an antipasto but a first course that substitutes a pasta dish; you don’t have to eat a full 4 course meal every time: it’s perfectly normal to order simply one or two courses; in most places you will be charged between 1 and 4 euros called “pane e coperto“ (bread and tableware) but it is actually a service charge and it has nothing to do with bread; water is not free of charge; cappuccino is not normally served after a meal (it’s a meal on its own and it is usually breakfast food) but in more touristy places they are used to tourists ordering it after lunch; pizza will be thinner than what you are used to, and it does not come with chicken, corn or pineapple on top; in most places you won’t be served lunch before 12.30pm or dinner before 7.30 pm; the table is yours for the night so don’t expect somebody to come check on you every 10 minutes, to see how you’re doing or to bring the bill unless you asked because it’s just not done: waiters don’t want to disturb customers while they are eating and a little pause between courses in considered polite; you can share food, just ask for a second plate; in most restaurants you won’t find an English menu; if you see pictures of what you are about to eat, run away: it says frozen food; unless it’s specified on the menu, ingredients will be fresh and not frozen; you won’t find food that is not in season: neither in restaurants nor in supermarkets; kind of sadly, you won’t also find much variety in terms of regional cooking (in Tuscany you will find mostly Tuscan food) or ethnic food (only in larger cities will you find Chinese restaurants, kebab and maybe Indian or Mexican food); bacon is, alas, impossible to find, so are cheddar cheese, bagels, cheesecake, meat pies, salad dressings other than olive oil and vinegar, white vinegar and chicken wings; doggie bags don’t exist (taking leftovers home is considered very rude); many restaurants now accept dogs (ask before you go): if they have outdoor tables there is no need to even ask.
   UPDATE FROM THE COMMENTS
   When ordering an entrée (secondo) it doesn’t automatically come with side dishes. When you ask for a steak, you don’t get your “choice of fries, salad, baked potato or rice”. If you want fries or a salad (never rice) you have to order it separately, it comes on a separate plate, and it shows up as a separate item on the bill. Depending on the restaurant, your side dish may not even arrive at the same time as your entrée. Better restaurants will strive to time everything so that all the dishes of everyone at the table are ready at about the same time, but many others where they just don’t stick to that rule. If a dish is hot and ready, send it out, whether or not the fries are done yet. Better to get the fries later than to leave the steak under a heat lamp for five minutes.
   NEW UPDATE FROM THE COMMENTS
   If you ask for pizza perpperoni, you will get pizza with bell peppers. If what you are after is pizza with spicey cured meats, that’s what you have to ask for: pizza al salamino piccante.
3. Not all bars charge extra to bring your coffee to the table, only the ones in the most touristy spots. It is perfectly acceptable to get your coffee at the bar and then sit down and it costs the same in most places. Some places ask for you to pay before you order.
4. Getting around can be a challenge. Driving is much simpler than people say: do your own thing and ignore what other people are doing. People do not respect safety distances between vehicles, so expect to have someone stuck to your bumper; in no case though is it acceptable to pass on the right, not even on the few three lane highways; road numbers marked on maps mean nothing most of the time: roads are rarely marked with the highway number but instead have signs indicating the name of destinations in the directions you want to head; most of the time street names are not marked, and when they are it’s often on plaques on buildings: be prepared to ask; even numbers are on one side of the street and odd numbers on the other; some cities like Florence have a double numbering system: numbers in one color are residential numbers and in another are commercial number so you can have the same civic number twice on the same street, once for a private residence and once for a store; most city centers are closed to non-residential traffic: you will be fined if you drive past the cameras at the entrance of the ZTL (Limited Traffic Zones) and they are marked, you have to know what to look for; ZTLs are not a scam to squeeze more money out of tourists: they are a fundamental survival tool for residents of city centers and fines are given out to local and foreign drivers alike;  if you are from a non-EU country road signs are different: make sure you learn them before driving in Italy; there won’t be any signs in English: neither on the road nor in most minor train and bus stations; taxi service outside the major cities does not exist and if you get a cab to take you to your hotel 30km outside the city it will be very very expensive; cabs have fixed fares between major landmarks (e.g. from the airport to the train station): ask before getting in the cab what the fare is and make sure you are on a licensed cab (they must have their license number clearly marked on the car); rural areas are not well served by public transportation: if you want to be in the countryside you need to rent a car or be miserable; expect to be stopped by cops for a random check: it means nothing, they just have to do it. Bus and train tickets need to be purchased before boarding: you can buy bus tickets at any tobacconist’s. You need to validate tickets: there are yellow machines on the platforms in train stations and validating machines on the buses themselves. If you don’t you will be fined.
5. Most shops and churches will be closed between lunchtime and 4pm: people go home for lunch; most shops will also be closed on Monday morning, or on Wednesday afternoon (groceries).
6. Information you find in guidebooks and even on the doors of shops and museums may not be valid anymore: it takes forever for people to update their schedules, even if they have in fact changed. In general everything is open between 9am and 12.30pm and 4pm and 7.30pm.
7. We use the metric system: distances are in meters & kilometers, weight is in kilos and grams. Don’t expect people to have any clue when you use miles or pounds: they won’t. Also, gas is measured in liters and not gallons. Temperatures are in Celsius degrees.
8. Drinking fountains and public restrooms are very rare. What locals do is to go to a bar, buy a little something (a coffee, a packet of chewing gums, a bottle of water) and ask to use the restroom. Alternatively most large stores like Coin, Upim, Standa etc. and shopping malls will have public bathrooms, so will train stations (you might need a few coins to get in, so always keep some 50 cent and 1 euro coins on you). Take advantage of restrooms in restaurants and museums. Most public restrooms will not be as clean as those you might be used at home (but they will have full doors and walls…): toilet paper is a luxury, always keep a packet of Kleenex in your pocket. Some tourists are horrified by “bagno alla turca”, which is essentially a hole in the ground. They are quickly disappearing: I can’t remember the last time I saw one in Tuscany. The new laws require for any public place to have a restroom that disabled clients can also use, and it is certainly not the case of a hole in the ground.
9. Some places might be dirtier than others: graffiti is unfortunately a common thing in some cities and so is dog poop and litter on the sidewalks. Controls are becoming stricter, so cities are becoming cleaner. If you travel with your dog, you need to have a little bag with you.
10. You need to have some form of identification on you at all times: if authorities ask to see your documents you need to show them; if the hotel asks for your passport details it’s not because they want to steal your identity… we are required by law to communicate to the local authorities the personal details of any guests we have.
11. Don’t expect everybody to speak English. Most people don’t.
12. If you rent a place, you should be aware that usually showers (and bathrooms) are smaller in size that what you are used to and water pressure is low. Standard bed sizes are 160cm x 200cm for a double bed and 80cm x 200cm for a single bed. There are other less common sizes now too, but these are the standard “matrimoniale” and “singolo”. Some hotels will have two single beds pushed together instead of one large mattress. Washing machines take forever to complete a cycle (up to two hours) and driers are very uncommon: we hang our laundry outside. Older buildings won’t have powerful electrical systems, so if you plug more than one appliance at the time the circuit breaker might trip: remember to ask the rental owner where it is and how you restore power. Voltage is 220, and there are several types of plugs. Make sure you have a travel adaptor for your appliances and that they can actually be used in Italy.
13. The customer is not always right and having to wait to be served is normal. If the shop assistant believes you are wrong you will get a piece of his or her mind. Annoying but that’s how it is. Returning things because you have changed your mind might be your right, in theory, but in practice most people won’t give back your money. Most will offer store credit instead. Credit cards are widely accepted but some smaller places won’t take them. Bars usually don’t take credit cards.
14. People skip the line all the time. It’s infuriating for the locals as well (I hate it) but expect the occasional older lady just to get in front of you because she is older, or a group of kids to get in front of you at the train station or to get on the bus. We are not good at queuing and you might end up seeing some good fights. LOL
15. Time is an approximation… (I am very guilty of this). If an Italian gives you an appointment for 3pm expect him/her to show up any time between 3 and 3.15 pm. 15 minutes late is still on time!
16. We usually don’t tip. Tipping is becoming more and more common in restaurants, but usually we never leave more than 2 to 5 euros, no matter what the total is. We rarely tip in bars (I never ever do), taxis, hotels, shops. Taxes are included in the prices you see on the shelf, so that’s what you will pay at the cash.
17. If you are lucky enough to mix and mingle with the locals and to be able to participate in some discussion, don’t be afraid to speak your mind. We are used to saying what we think about anything. The concept of politically correct is  is an alien concept and the idea of privacy is completely different here. We tend to get personal, we talk freely about religion, politics, social issues and personal beliefs. We speak in a loud voice and often interrupt each other: it might not be polite, but listening in silence until the other person has finished is something you see rarely and some people say they feel uncomfortable not getting any feedback when they talk (that would be me too). Waiting time between turns of speech is short: if you want to say something jump right in. Also we tend to rephrase the same concept over and over even if we have already stated a fact: it’s just a rhetoric thing… we don’t assume you are dumb!
18. Banter and irony are common: don’t get upset, it’s our way to make friends.
19. We dress according to the season, not the weather. Feel free to wear what you want, but don’t get upset if people look at you with a funny face if you wear a tank top in April. Most people will still have their coats on even if it is 20°C outside, stupid but so.
20. It is not normal, and I would like to underline, NOT, if men comment on you when you walk by, whistle, pinch your butt, call you names, or whatever, not matter what ridiculous romantic comedies want to make you believe. Do not expect or accept to be treated with less respect than you would at home. Sane Italian men will look at you (eyes are for looking at beautiful things) but they will keep to themselves: avoid those who don’t and that will keep you out of trouble. Do not use any less judgment than you would if you were back home: weirdos are everywhere, but there is no way that is normal, acceptable behaviour in Italy, not unless you are visiting an underdeveloped area which is stuck in the 50′s and even there, there is some respect to be taught.
21. UPDATE FROM THE COMMENTS: Italian homes are kept cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer than what you are used to.  If you’re here in the summer, be prepared for the heat.  If you’re coming in the colder months, bring extra sweaters and expect to wear them all the time. Energy prices are much higher here and it costs a lot to run the air conditioner all day, or to heat the house enough so that you can walk around indoors in a t-shirt and shorts in the winter. Many places keep heating or air conditioning charges separate from the room charge for just that reason.  Make sure that you know whether heating or air conditioning is included in the price and if not how they plan to charge for it.  Some places charge a fixed rate per day, others read the meter at check-in and check-out which can result in some very nasty surprises if you’ve had the temperature set to icebox/sauna all week.
22. UPDATE FROM THE COMMENTS: Tap water is safe to drink everywhere in Italy. This is not Mexico, nor India. Drinking a glass of tap water will not result in you spending the rest of your vacation in the bathroom.

Anything else that you think I should add? Suggestions are very welcome!

Have fun on your next trip to Italy!

The title of my first post in this series is the answer to the question we chose to guide our first roundtable: “why do you write about Italy?” I confess that I had to think about this before I could come up with something that made sense (and I am not sure I did!). I had never thought about the reason why I blog about the things I blog about. Most of the time, something comes up and I need to vent or talk about it!

I guess that’s part of the answer. I am Italian, I live in Tuscany: by blogging about life in Italy, I am blogging about myself and my life here. I am blogging about home.

I spend my life between Pisa, in northern Tuscany, and my home village, Civitella Marittima, in southern Tuscany, so I mostly blog about living in these places. It’s not so simple though. To figure out what I would write today, I re-read some of my posts. I figured out that most of the time, they are not about places or things I see and do: they are often quite personal posts… more personal than I had realized! I share my experiences, my feelings and my opinions on certain aspects of living in Tuscany or in Italy.

Most of the time I post about “trivial” aspects of local life, like a traditional recipe or about something I saw during a walk in the countryside or in the city… but all these “small things” have great meaning to me and come with the sudden awareness that certain little cultural-specific things are such a huge part of myself that by writing about them I am trying to write about what being born and raised in Italy and living here all your life is really like.

Sometimes I write about them because I am proud of this part of the world. Often I write about my corner of Tuscany because it is more beautiful than people think. And here comes the second big reason why I write about the things I write about: Tuscany is not just Florence and Chianti, Pisa is not just the Leaning Tower, living in Tuscany is not about chilling out under an oak tree all day long and going back to your beautiful countryside villa to chill some more with a glass of red wine in your hand (if you want to read more about what I think about this, you can check this post about hidden gems and popular spots).

I write about my everyday life and about off-the-beaten-path places in Tuscany because I want to express my opinions and beliefs about tourism and its impact on destinations. I feel that, being part of the tourism industry, I have a responsibility towards my home. I manage two vacation rentals (Casina di Rosa south of Siena and Behind the Tower in Pisa) and I contribute to bringing people to Tuscany. I want to contribute to bringing the right people, those who share my view of what traveling means. It’s a bold statement, I know, but there must be a reason if we have met so many great people over the years… I must be persuasive… or terrifying!

I strongly support slow, local and authentic travel, what I defined (a while ago) as “gentle travel” (if you are curious you can also see this post about the various “labels”). I believe that there are many more places that deserve to be known and appreciated than just the usual tourist routes, and that they must not necessarily be transformed in “theme parks” as has happened to very popular tourist spots. I also believe that there are a lot of stereotypes that need to be fought so that people can truly experience life at the destination for what it really is without changing the destination too much.

So to go back to the original question, I guess the main reason why I write about Tuscany is to offer the local resident’s perspective on what it means to live in a very popular area, on what living here is really like, on what people can and cannot (and should and shouldn’t) expect when they come, and at the same time to promote and to protect this beautiful place which for many might be a destination, but for me is home. Of course all the opinions expressed on this blog are just that: my very own personal opinions and experiences.

Italy Blogging Roundtable

This is the first post in a monthly series called The Italy Blogging Roundtable. Here you can find the posts of the other bloggers who participate in the roundtable and who, like me, tried to answer the question “Why do you write about Italy?”

Alexandra (Arttrav) – On Writing about Italy

Jessica (Italylogue) – About Italy

Melanie (Italofile) -What could I write about Italy that hasn’t been written before?

Rebecca (Brigolante) – Why I write about Italy

I was (and am) one of those who were and will be glued to my TV. The truth is that in this times of widespread bewilderment, where it’s getting harder and harder to define where the limits of individual freedom lie, to make sense of changing values and social models, where everybody has his own opinion and feels entitled to impose it on other people, where public lying is standard practice in public debates, I think people look at these events as to two symbols of steady values and hope.

The wedding of Prince William and Kate (or should I say the Duchess Catherine now?) was a fairytale event for the people. William and Kate represent a world which might be surpassed but at the same time is also the image of century-old tradition, of the roots of a nation. They are the head of the nation, they represent the country, they should be “the best exemplars of everymen”, the highest possible “state” in social terms, the utmost goal. The fact that a commoner is going to be the Queen of England one day gives people hope: hope that good things can happen.

Hundreds of thousands of people are going to be in Rome to celebrate a Pope. But Pope John Paul II was not just a Pope. Once again, he was one of those people who are able to give hope. He was gentle and determinate. He changed the world with kindness. He was a good father for the global catholic family. He had a way of talking about the human feelings which went beyond catechesis.

He was the greatest communicator of all, and could speak to the heart. Never before had a Pope said things such as:

“Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.”

“Faith and Reason are like two wings of the human spirit by which is soars to the truth.”

“The earth will not continue to offer its harvest, except with faithful stewardship. We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it for use by future generations.”

“Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

“Without wonder, men and women would lapse into deadening routine and little by little would become incapable of a life which is genuinely personal.”

Incredible words, always uttered with kindness. I am not sure how you decide that someone is a saint, but if respect of otherness is a criteria, it can’t be bad to make John Paul II a saint.

The two figures can’t really be compared… William and Kate pertain to the world of “politics” (and gossip), John Paul II to the world of faith. But it’s funny that much interest in 2011 will be devoted to a king and a pope, like 1000 years ago.

Nothing really changes. People need reference points be them a strong state or a strong church. I believe that they are nothing but the amplification of the most basic need of all: the need of a family. After all, as John Paul II said himsef “as the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live“.

William and Kate are a new family, they chose each other, they have to be the reflection of the future of the monarchy (and metaphorically of British society at large) after decades of scandals and divorces. People want for them to last, to live happily ever after. John Paul II is the good father of the church, the voice of positive values, those which must regulate civil life through peace, love, compassion and respect.

They are symbols of hope: hope that a complex society may find in simple, basic values like love, respect and commitment the way out of this chaotic, individualist, litigious times.

One reason people travel is to have an “authentic experience.” They envision traveling to a foreign country and living, eating, and doing the things locals do. [...] Most likely, they are in for a disappointment.

The reason why I believe this does not necessarily mean that authentic travel is a myth is in the journalist’s words themselves. In a quite contradictory way, he continues:

The problem stems from the expectations people have before they go.

That is, in my opinion, the whole point. As I have stated in other posts, I am a huge supporter of forms of tourism which can be variously defined as “authentic, local, responsible, slow,… travel”. Authenticity is not a myth… it is acceptance of things the way they actually are. The way things are at a destination might not be what one expected, but if travelers are open-minded, able to see the limitations imposed by their own expectations and willing to embrace the reality of the local lifestyle, they can certainly experience the authentic spirit of the place. They might not like it, and they might find out that a certain place is not for them, nothing wrong with that. But the only disappointment should come from one’s own inability to get over one’s expectations.

Expectations are a dangerous thing and come with consequences. Yet they can’t be avoided. They might misguide us and when they are shared by many, they have the power to change a destination. Tuscany is an example of this.

Most expectations have been created by novels or romantic comedies set in the region. Stereotypes, romanticized images, and some misconceptions have been spread. Crowds of tourists have started coming expecting (and often demanding) the very same experiences portrayed in fiction. The result has been that certain areas have changed to adapt to that image and to keep those crowds coming.

Is this inevitable? Probably. Yet, as a vacation rental owner, and a blogger, I kind of feel the need to present life in Tuscany as it is. I always try to prepare our guests by explaining what they will find if they come to our village and what they won’t find. If they want an authentic experience, they have to be ready to give up some familiar habits and “put up” with what we, the local people, also put up with on a daily basis.

It might be for many, it is not for all. Nothing wrong. But experiencing the authentic local life is possible, provided one is ready to accept things as they actually are and not necessarily as one expected.

If you are on Twitter, please spread the word and use the tag #forjapanwithlove! Thanks!

Pisa is believed to have been the first city in Tuscany where Jewish families settled as early as in the 9th century: a historical document records the purchase of a house by a Jewish merchant in 850 A.D. and Benjamin of Tudela’s recount of his journey to Jerusalem mentions 20 families living in the city in 1165. In the 13th century, Pisa was a bustling center with a Synagogue near Piazza dei Cavalieri, the political heart of the city, in the area still known as Chiasso de’ Giudei, literally “the alley of the Jews”.
Under the Medici’s rule, Jewish families were encouraged to settle in Pisa so as to boost its economy, and the population kept growing. The presence of a large community is evidenced by some beautiful landmarks in the city, such as the Synagogue and the incredible Jewish cemetery. The roof of the Synagogue, which has been in use since 1674, was severely damaged a couple of years ago, and the community is working to raise enough money to fix it and bring the place of worship back to its original splendor.

The Jewish cemetery is one of the best preserved secrets in Pisa. It is located just outside Piazza dei Miracoli and yet very few people visit it. We actually went on September 5th, the European Day of Jewish Culture, for the first time in all the time we have been living in Pisa… I had always wanted to go, but never got around to doing it. Now I am planning to go back because it’s is really beautiful and fascinating. Here you can read about our visit to the Jewish cemetery in Pisa.

Another place that is connected with the Jewish history of the city is Vitale Da Pisa’s home. In the 15th century, the building on Via Cavalca 36 housed the powerful Da Pisa family’s bank on the ground floor and a Synagogue on the top floor.

The Holocaust didn’t leave Pisa unscarred. In 1931 there were 535 Jewish people living in the city, 12 of which were sent to extermination camps and 8 more were deported but survived. The most terrible episode was the murder of Giuseppe Pardo Roques by the Nazis in 1944. He was a prestigious philanthropist, president of the local community and a local political figure. Eleven other people who were seeking protection at Pardo Roques’ house were murdered in the same attack. The house, in Via S. Andrea, is now a private residence but two plaques commemorate the terrible event as well as Rabbi Augusto Hasda and his wife Bettina Segre who were deported and died in concentration camps.

A thematic visit of the city is a good way to honour the memory of those who were murdered because of their ancient culture but mostly because of human madness.

A very interesting guidebook is the new Jewish Tours in Tuscany (pdf, 1oMB).

Thing that I have missed

There are a few things that I have missed. First and foremost, Christmas with my family, but I have had a great time here. My husband’s family is amazing. I am really lucky.

I’ve missed our dog. Our 72 pound black ball of fur… I can’t wait to pick her up at my parents’ place on Monday.

I have missed the “Befana” tradition, you know… the celebration of the Epiphany, with the stockings filled up with sweets, and a piece of coal for the few naughty actions I have to account for… We usually have lunch at my aunt’s place every year. She’s waiting for us to be back, so I guess we will have a late Befana anyway!

I’ve missed good fruit and vegetables. Canada has delicious food, but sorry to say… fruit and vegetables are absolutely tasteless. Not sure why… I’ve always heard our guests talk about how delicious fresh food is in Italy and I’ve always thought it was a nice way to be polite… but no. Fresh vegetables and fruit is definitely better back home. Maybe because we mostly only use fruit and vegetables that are in season. Not sure.

I’ve missed our usual diet and meal schedule. Ok, here I’m just using parallelism… I haven’t really missed much. The Indian food that my mother-in-law prepares is to die for. And I would have missed our usual diet and meal schedule back at home as well. It’s the amount of food that I can’t take anymore. I need to go back to eating regularly after the holidays. I guess this is the same everywhere, really.

I have missed the snow. Not because there usually is snow back at home. Not at all. But I was hoping to see more snow here, as that’s something we don’t normally get in Tuscany. Well… we did get it this year… but right after we left! I still got to have a white Christmas, which is all that matters! I am actually glad it hasn’t been too cold.

I have missed pizza… I had pizza yesterday and I ended up with a hot water bottle on my stomach!

Oh… and I have missed the bottom of public restrooms’ doors… people, you have such an overdeveloped sense of privacy for a lot of stuff that really requires much less headaches and you can’t build bathroom stalls with proper walls and doors?! What’s wrong with this picture?! If there is one place you need to be private it’s the freaking bathroom!

Things that I will miss

What I will miss… a lot actually. I’ll miss bagels… boy I love bagels!!! Oh. And chicken wings. Can please somebody start selling those in Italy?!?!?!

I’ll miss the wild shopping. We always buy too much stuff here.

I’ll miss the ethnic food: Italy is quite “boring” in that sense. It’s mostly all about Italian food. (ok… I know I said I miss eating normally… but hey… Thai food is delicious).

I’ll miss the pretty houses, the white landscape, the conveniences of the orderly Canadian cities.

I’ll miss bacon… and pancakes.

I’ll miss the nice evenings spent drinking and chatting with my husband’s family.

I’ll miss seeing my husband so happy at the pub, with a good beer in his hands or watching hockey.

I’ll miss the fabulous bookstores and the large shopping malls.

I’ll miss being able to see movies in their original language at the cinema.

I’ll miss the time spent doing nothing but the things I want to do… I’ve read a lot, and I’ve loved that!

Oh, I’ll miss the fancy cars with heated seats… mmmmm!

Things I haven’t missed and I won’t miss

Something I haven’t missed is the hectic working schedule back home and the drives back and forth between Civitella and Pisa, the rain. Something I won’t miss are the wind chill, peanut butter, blue cheese, the nasty viruses that have kept me in bed for way too long given that I was on my well-deserved vacation, the wine bottles with screw tops (what happened to cork being essential for letting the wine breathe?!), having to dress in layers and taking off and putting on your jacket ten times per hour…

Canada and Italy are different. And that’s fabulous. We are lucky enough that we can get the best of both.

I can’t wait to go home to Tuscany, and I can’t wait to be back in Canada!