Driving in Italy

Arriving in Firenze by car can be quite daunting. Any slight hesitation results in honking and stares like you are directing traffic in your underwear as vespas whiz by on all sides. It is not for the faint at heart but it can be done. After dropping luggage at our new home, we were off to return the rental car. The confidence I gained driving into the city quickly diminished as Siri led us astray several times telling us to turn the wrong way down 1-way streets! What should have taken 10 minutes wound up taking 25 as we drove in circles like a dog chasing its tail.  None the less we made it without being honked at and with minimal arguing. A true feat in a foreign country.

Grocery store

After our 3 mile walk home we headed to the grocery (Penny Market) where we were immediately reminded of one of the MANY reasons we love this country. Walking into an Italian grocery is like a kid in a candy store; with mind-blowingly cheap, fresh food all available to us. Walls lined with fresh pasta for less than €2, bottles of vino for €1; how could one not love this place? Feeling like Homer Simpson staring at a burger, we wiped the drool from our face grabbed some wine and all the fixings for some of the best Caprese one could eat. *Hint try the buffalo mozzarella*

Jet-lag is a real b*tch

As a kid through my twenties I could travel anywhere and never feel jet-lag. I can remember my parents discussing it but never understood. Then 30 hit and the jet-lag we experienced the first 5 days can only be blamed by our old age. Wide awake all bright-eyed and bushy tailed at 2am does not make it easy to wake up before noon. The feeling is strange as your brain is saying GET UP!! but your body is saying HELL NO STAY IN BED!! After giving in to the fact that we couldn’t kick this feeling I purchased some melatonin and just like that we were asleep at 10pm and waking at 9am. Finally feeling normal we could start exploring the city in the morning hours. Moral of that story purchase some melatonin and take it day one; especially if you are on a short trip you don’t want to spend majority of your time in a foggy haze.                                                             *For more tips on beating jet-lag see our travel tips page*

These heels were not made for walking…in Italy

Generally, I have no issues walking in heels or wedges but the historic sidewalks and cobblestone streets can leave you with severe feet problems without the proper shoes. Last time I was here I walked around in wedges for a couple days and tweaked a nerve that didn’t heel for close to 5 months. Most days we walk on average about 6 miles wandering here to get pastries then over to the park to let Chloe run and play; it’s amazing how fast the miles add up. Another reason we love this city so much; daily life is active there is no way around it and why would you want it any other way?  How else can you eat pizza and pasta every day and still be able to move?