When people travel to Italy, they want to see all the Touristic places,which is normal. Sometimes they look for the ” Big Picture ” and they forget the ” little things “. I like to see how people live, which habits they have and which are their festivals or popular traditions.

CIGARETTES VENDING MACHINES :

In Italy people smoke a lot. I was pretty impressed. There are smokers everywhere. I also found something that we don’t have in USA. Cigarettes Machines !!! As in the States we have vending machines for drinks and food…they have Cigarettes Vending Machines! I believe they work 24/7 since in Italy nothing is open through the night.

   

 
TELEPHONE : 

They have this ” Old Fashion Telephones ” in their houses. I asked why they don’t just use cell phones. It was explained to me that, to have wifi in their houses, they need to purchase the whole package that comes with a home phone and a home phone number. They can’t just have wifi like we have. 

  

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES :

What’s Farm Fresh ??? There is no Farm Fresh in Italy! People here eat Organic . There are vendors in the corner of the streets, in which, you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables . Those ailments comes straight from the ground and they don’t end up for sure into a supermarket. The flavor is A M A Z I N G ! Anything taste so fresh !

   

 
COOKIES :

Oreo what? Oreo Cookies ? The Italian Cookies such us Ringo or any Mulino Bianco brand, put our American cookies a shame ! If you go to Italy, try those cookies because you will love them!!!

 
GAS STATIONS :

Forget 7eleven, Wawa and much more! Here when you go to a gas station…you only go for pump gas into your car. In Italy isn’t a place in which you can go inside, mini mart style. On the top of that, they don’t have the self service. There is always someone that pump the gas for you. I don’t truly know if it is a good thing or a bad thing…it is just a different culture.

  

WINE!!! :

We all know that Italy is very famous for their Wine . There is a long process to follow , to make the wine. They use specific utensils and real grapes from their own vineyards . That grape taste so good!!! You have to try the Italian grape if you go there!

 

Torcio Italiano
  

Mosto
  
Mosto
  
Italian Grapes
   
ALCHOOL :

In Italy there aren’t specifics Alchool stores. You can buy it at the Supermarket ! They don’t even ask you for your ID! When you buy cigarettes is the same thing : they don’t ask you for your ID! The Alchool can be found in the isle with the water and/or sometimes around the store…isn’t hidden at all. To them is pretty normal

   

  

ITALIAN MERCATO :

Ohhhhhhhh! What is this ??? It is like a ” Flea Market ” but different for some aspect. The Mercato , changes from city to city, from town to town. It is usually held one day during the week. You can find anything there : shoes, purses,clothes, food, sweets, candies etc…. The Vendors Scream Soooooooooo Much!!! They yell left and right about the merchandise they have. If you have earplugs use them but if you want to live the full experience just enjoy.

TIP : watch out for your purse. A lot of people go there to steal other people purses and/or wallets.

   

  

  

SMALL HIGHWAYS :

Forget the Nice and big Americans Highways ! In Italy everything is small…streets included ! I have no clue how many times I put my hands on my eyes to cover them. They do drive like a crazy…with no room! 

   

OLIVES :

Italians have THE BEST and most delicious OLIVE OIL in the whole World!!! Of course, they have a lot of olives as well. Olives are a pretty big deal in Italy . You can find them everywhere and, I can tell you….I couldn’t stop eating them!!! Olive please!

   

  

  

GRAFFITI :

Italy is such a beautiful, historical Country. Unfortunately , the people that live in, they don’t take care of it. Anytime I turn my head around, I see a wall written on. Teenagers probably got into the habit of writing on the walls. It is a shame that there aren’t many cops patrolling around. It is a shame that years and years of history are being ruined by humans. In the USA, we don’t see this so much.

   

 

HEAT and AC :

In Italy, 98% of the population doesn’t have AC! They only have portable fans!The heat has a different mechanism as well. They have what they call TERMOSIFONI. They are attached to the wall and they produce heat during the winter time.

  

FISH and SUNDAY :

Sunday is a holiday to them. It is a very important day. Family member gather around the table and they have a big meal with more then 3 or 4 courses. Fish is very important and they love to eat past with fish.

   

 
WHAT IS A DRYER ???

There is no such a thing like a dryer in Italy. People dry their clothes in an old fashion way. They just hang up the clothes outside,on their balconies or if they have room into the house. 

  

SWEETS :

PASTICCERIA is a place in which Italian People buy sweets. To them is very important to have good sweets at the end of the meal…along with the coffe, of course. Those sweet treats are always handmade and people mainly buy them on Sundays

   

    
 

COFFEE VENDING MACHINE !!!

Italy is for sure ” The Coffee Heaven ” for ” Coffee Lovers ” ! You might won’t find sodas vending machines around but you can find coffee vending machines!!! For a coffee lover like me, it was amazing! I wish we had those in the USA! …. I would probably spending all my money in it. The coffee is very cheap…only .050 euros which I think are about 0.50 cent. Less then a dollar anyway. It comes already with sugar and it is warm and it taste good…just like in the coffee shops! 

   

 

HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE :

In Italy , the healthcare is free. Italians don’t pay monthly for an insurance. If they go to an Emergency Room they can be sure about one thing : they will never get a bill. That is a wonderful thing and I wish we had that in the US. Free healthcare however,it doesn’t means that anything is perfect. The Italian hospitals are very different then the Ones in the USA. They remind me of the old fashion ” Horror Movies “. The buildings are very old, inside and outside,even if, in Italy there are extraordinary Doctors. If you end up in an Italian Hospital,don’t expect to find a place like ours that,look like more of a hotel then a hospital. Cheers!

SMOCKING in an Italian hospital is also ok. You can even smoke in your room. I saw people and Doctors smoke cigarettes right below the sign ” Entrance ” . That left me speechless but I guess…it is part of their culture.