One Month in Italy

The Tuscany countryside

We decided to build in a layover somewhere as we flew home to America so we could take in a new country. Our first choice was Syria, but sadly, that became impossible. So we chose ... Italy! Off we went with too many suitcases, carry-ons, backpacks, computers, cameras, a stroller and two children. To all that commotion, we added Grandma Kate (Josh's mom), who flew out to join us for our whirlwind adventure.

Vacationing in Italy would be interesting no matter when we did it, but coming to Italy directly after leaving Saudi Arabia presents possibly the greatest contrast between countries that I could imagine.

Pizza in Florence - pepperoni, ham, cheese, or artichoke heart. But as we learned, "pepperoni" means "red pepper" in Italian. If you want American pepperoni, you have to say "salchicha picante."

Within our first two days, we marveled at the number of things we had already experienced that would be frowned upon in Riyadh. Women in short shorts. Live music in the park. Men and women dancing. Wine. Real pepperoni. Advertisements with nearly-naked models. Couples caressing (to put it mildly) in public. Women driving, and not just cars. One of the most amusing sites I saw happened as I was standing on a street in Florence: a well-dressed woman in heels exited a store, crossed the street, and placed a pink helmet upon her head before mounting her motorcycle and roaring away. My mother-in-law and I shared a smile. Now THIS is an Italian woman!

A kiss at the Palatino in Rome.

In Italy, Josh and I could show affection in public - sharing a kiss without feeling guilty, walking hand in hand when we wanted - neither of which were acceptable in public in Riyadh despite the fact that we are married.

Two ever-present images could be seen on souvenirs from magnets to posters at tourist stands in every city in Italy: the Pope's face and close-ups of David's most famous feature - neither of which you would ever, ever find in Riyadh!

While pork and alcohol are banned in Saudi Arabia, the Italians thrive on both. The meat section of the grocery store is 90 percent pork products, and they love their proscuitto so much that they puree it and package in jars with cute piglets gracing the label so that even their youngest citizens can enjoy it. Wine, ranging from 1 Euro on up, is in every grocery store as well as corner specialty stores for cheese, bread, or other things. Vineyards, with their beautifully budding vines propped up on sticks in neat rows, cover the countryside, creating such picturesque scenes that we had to stop and take photos every few minutes. We couldn't get over how green it was - not one spot beyond the narrow winding road was left without something green growing on it.

A toast in Montecatini at the Gatto Bianco restuarant.

Another huge change was the mindset of conservation in Italy. In Europe, the land of narrow streets, Smart cars, tiny bathrooms, and itsy bitsy elevators, nothing is to be wasted. Public bathroom lights have motion sensors to turn off automatically (if you're left sitting in the dark, just wiggle a bit!), and restaurants have tables so tightly packed in that you are often back-to-back with another customer. The cobblestone roads are like little tunnels between stone buildings, and the big tour buses that come through always create the panicked thought of "Is that thing going to fit??" Traffic is so thick and gasoline so expensive that the admirable Europeans have no problem riding bicycles or motorbikes, even in suits and ties or dresses.

All of the above is a huge contrast from Saudi Arabia, where consumerism and waste are rampant. Women are not allowed to ride a bike in public, let alone drive, so they are toted around by taxis and personal drivers. The wide, sprawling highways of Riyadh are jam-packed with Bentleys, Lexuses, SUVs, trucks, and Hummers. In our little Hyundai sedan, we always felt like could be easily crushed on the highways of Riyadh. Gasoline in Saudi sells for the ridiculously cheap price of 25 cents a gallon, but in Italy, with gas at about $9 a gallon (which makes American gas prices not worth complaining about), people are very conscious of how much they drive. Everything is built to encourage types of transportation other than driving: trains, buses, trams, biking, and walking.

Italy and Saudi Arabia do have something in common, though - lots of traffic, fast drivers, and a serious lack of parking. As we meandered at our leisure through the beautiful Italian villages, we all got a huge shock each time a speed-demon came zipping down the tiny road, passing us in a blur. They drive as if they're still playing X-Box!

We divided our trip to focus on two main areas - the Tuscany countryside and the heart of Rome. It was like getting the "Country Mouse, City Mouse" perspective of Italy. In between, we spent a few days in Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis.

Country Mouse

We rented a quaint little house 3 km outside of a tiny village called Barberino Val D'elsa, from which we could take day trips to all kinds of medieval towns scattered throughout the region. When we first showed up at the house, we found the scenery so breath-taking that we wished we had booked ourselves more than 10 days in Tuscany. However, it proved to be enough time, mainly because everything was so very touristy.

The view out our window

Our vacation house. The top floor was all ours. The owner, who lived on the ground floor, surprised us by bringing up coffee and cake every so often!

Josh and Kate enjoy the patio.

The yard was perfect for the kids to play in.

Sebby trots along the balcony, ready to play.

The flowers were another gift from our host.

Spaghetti time! Renting a house meant we could easily prepare our own meals. Not only was it cheaper, but it was more relaxing with kids.

Playing in the olive grove behind the house.

This church was at the heart of the oldest part of Barberino.

We rented a car, so we could explore at our leisure. Most days, we chose one new village to see. We took more photos than I could possibly post, but here are some highlights:

Greve in Chianti:

The Saturday market.

Fresh parmesan!

Taking a break at a cafe.

Then we took a scenic (and hot) walk up the hill.

The path took us right beside beautiful vineyards until we came to ...

Montefioralle:

This village's cobblestone roads and side-by-side stone houses have been expertly preserved. It feels like you could almost be back in time - except for the crowds of tourists walking down every street.

Monteriggioni:

This tiny town is completely encircled by this stone wall.

At one of the entrances to Monteriggioni

Sebby walks around the outside of the wall with Grandma Kate, whom he affectionately calls "Cake."

San Gimignano:

This was our favorite city. It was more pedestrian-friendly than the others and had great atmosphere. I love this photo of the kids running in an open square.

Siena:

Misha could have watched this sidewalk artist for hours.

The kids got a huge kick out of this mime. He would remain perfectly still until someone dropped in a coin, at which point he would start reeling the camera as he moved side to side.

The famous piazza in Siena - the perfect place for the kids to run; that is, until they get lost in the crowds!

And of course, we spent one day in Florence:

The Duomo was amazing with its intricate designs, patterns and carvings.

Giotto's Campanile beside the Duomo

When we saw the carousel, we couldn't resist!

Something else we couldn't resist - a caricature for Misha.

To Be Continued. Up next - Assisi and Rome.