Leonardo Da Vinci

Nate, our 7-year-old, was tasked with preparing a biography report and he chose Leonardo Da Vinci.  What can I say, he's excited about our trip!  So here, from the perspective of a 2nd grader, are some important facts about Leonardo Da Vinci:

• Leonardo Da Vinci lived 500 years ago between 1452 and 1519

• He was born in Italy

• He is thought to be the greatest artist who ever lived

• He was a Renaissance Man, which means he was skillful in many subjects

• His most famous painting is the Mona Lisa

• He was prolific, which means he created MANY works and projects

• He had to make his own paintbrushes and paint, he couldn’t buy them at the store

• He wrote in cursive, backwards from right to left and was left-handed

Our trip philosophy

Yes, Brian and I have been to Italy before, but never with kids and certainly never for the length of this trip.  So, we are going to approach it quite differently.  First, we will be staying in apartments instead of hotels.  No room service but also no exorbitant bills for having laundry done.  All apartments have washing machines (and air conditioning!!).  We will eat at restaurants, sure, but we will also shop for ingredients and cook for ourselves some times.  We will do our very best to follow the pace and culture of life wherever we find ourselves.  So - here is what we want to try to see and do while we are there:

• Food.  We love food.  We love exploring, cooking, trying.  Not just new foods but new ways of enjoying it.  We will have our daily gelato, many picnics, breakfasts standing at the local bar and in Sicily we will try granita with brioche for breakfast like the locals  http://www.lovesicily.com/blog/food-and-drink/2004/07/28/the-perfect-sicilian-breakfast-granita-and-brioche .
• Science.  This is, after all, Galileo, Tesla, Marconi and Fibonacci's homeland.  We would like to find some of the lesser-visited places that honor these and other noteworthy Italian scientists.
• Music.  Live music - anything from a free concert in the park to Don Giovanni at the open-air arena in Verona  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verona_Arena.
• Art.  Yes, I know, everyone goes to Italy for the art.  We are no exception.  But, because of the kids we are going to take it in bite-sized pieces, avoiding a lot of the churches and dull museums, preferring to find the art in parks, piazzas and public places.  We will attempt a well-rounded view with different eras and forms.  
• Public places.  We want to enjoy Italy for Italy as much as we can.  The grown-ups can sip a cappuccino or beer at a piazza while the boys run around the fountain.  That's fine by us.  I have no problem spending a few hours at a local playground while the boys strike up friendships with local kids. I will not consider this a waste of vacation time.
• Kid fun  pools water parks factory tours amusement parks.  We WILL go into some museums, but we will also do some purely child (or child-at-heart) oriented stuff.  Amusement parks (we plan to go here for Nate's birthday:  http://www.gardaland.it/resort-en/ , water parks, factory tours are all allowed.
• Time for discoveries.  Except for a few mandatory pre-booked museum reservations and 2-day side trips, we will be unstructured and have time to explore.  Go walking in Venice until we are "lost", take a side trip to see the town of Vinci or follow our stomachs and noses to Bologna for a gastronomy day.  With cameras and journals in our backpacks, we want to be free to discover.  

And, through it all, lots of pictures, as many blog posts as I can manage and memories for a lifetime.  

What We Will Take a Miss On

I just went to my almost-monthly Italian conversation group today.  There are only 5-6 of us, two native speakers and the rest of us "learners" in one form or another.  Today, the moderator and hostess, Alessandra had her mother visiting from Italy.  For a little while, we discussed my upcoming trip to Italy, where we were going to stay and what we might do.  The fact that I was going to be traveling with two young boys was an important aspect of the conversation.  I mentioned that Nate and Sam were excited about seeing things underground in Rome like catacombs and indications of former buildings and structures that had been built over as the city developed.  One of the women asked if we were planning on going to Pompeii and I shocked them by saying, "maybe not".  I think there are a few iconic Italian sights that we will probably not go to see - by design not because of the crunch of a tight schedule:

1. Pompeii.  I have heard that it's incredible, but I have also heard it's huge (a LOT of walking), it's unbearably hot and dusty in the summer, it's a long trip from Rome, AND that there are a couple of interesting options instead.  We will likely make it to Ostia Antica and perhaps Herculaneum, but probably not Pompeii.

2. The leaning tower of Pisa.  Everything I have read says, ho-hum to me.  The town of Pisa itself is not much to see, a bit tourist trap-y and some even say, "Why are we celebrating a building that was so poorly engineered and built that it started leaning before it was even finished?"  That being said, if the boys can't stand the idea of a trip to Italy without the "Torre di Pisa", maybe we'll make a road trip from Florence.  But I'd rather go to Bologna for a fantastic meal or two...

3. St. Peters Basilica et al.  As non-Catholics, this just doesn't hold our interests the way it would to some.  Brian and I saw the basilica in 1994 and that was probably enough.  And, while I know there is some famous art there, we will probably skip the crowds and find some unusual off-the-beaten-path thing to see instead.

4. Cinque Terre.  I might like to see this cluster of villages some other time in my life - just like I might like to meander around Tuscany in an old Fiat.  However, we are trying our best with this trip to find things that are entertaining to all 5 members of our traveling party, and I'm pretty sure "picturesque" and "quaint" don't mean much to 4 and 8 year olds.

Ok, if you think I'm off my rocker or you have other sights to miss to add to my list, let me know!

Italian Idioms

There are many expressions in Italian, like in any language, but the ones I love the most are the ones which are similar to English idioms but literally translate quite differently (and humorously!).

Instead of "to throw a wrench in the works", we "mettere il bastone tra le ruote" or put a stick between the wheels.

Instead of "creme de la creme" (which is arguably french, not english), we have "fior fiore" or flower of flowers.

Instead of "don't judge a book by its cover", we have, "l'abito no fa il monaco" or the clothes do not make the monk

Instead of "to kill two birds with one stone", we have "prendere due piccioni con una fava" or to take two pigeons with one bean"

Instead of "when it rains, it pours", we have "piove sempre sul bagnato" or it rains always when it's already wet

And then, there are a few that are SO close, but just different enough to make one wonder...  The Italians "essere come un elefante in un negozio di cristalleria" - to be an elephant in a china shop.

But, at least one thing stays the same: someone good with plants is "pollice verde" - green thumbs!

Italian Ettiquette

Brian and I have been to Italy twice before, once in 1994 and the other time in 2000.  We learned then and still know some of the more well-known etiquette.  If you want to fit in at least the slightest bit, don't dress in jeans and sneakers; you won't be allowed in to most churches with bare knees or bare shoulders, no matter how stylishly you are dressed; lunch and dinner times are later than in the U.S. and Italian men loudly display their appreciation for the female form.  Then, there were things that we learned while we were there, like in a shop, you greet the shopkeeper as you arrive (buona sera or buon giorno), not waiting until the cash register AND, the revolving doors of banks only have room for ONE person at a time!

But, since we are going to be in Italy for almost 2 months, I wanted to look into other matters of manners.  How can we be respectful of the culture and perhaps a few snickers from locals...

Dining

• Italians hold their silverware "continental style" with the knife in the right hand and fork in the left.  You do not need to switch hands or set your knife down in between each cut.
• Lunch and dinner are long drawn out affairs.  You will not be hustled out
• No one will usually bring you the check until you ask for it - don't wave or call for your check, but wait to be able to make eye contact with your waiter
• Don't put your hands in your lap when not eating, but instead rest them on the table (forearms, not elbows)
• If there is not a designated bread plate, you may place your bread on the tablecloth next to your dinner plate.

As a guest at someone's home

• Flowers are not as common as hostess gifts.  A gift of a nice wine or chocolate will be appreciated and fussed over a bit, not put in the corner
• Don't sit until invited to do so
• Take small portions and ask for more later - this shows appreciation of the food
• Wine may continue to be topped-off throughout a meal.  When you are done, just leave it full.

General

• Good discussion topics: good, wine, soccer music, philosophy and current events
• Bad discussion topics: private family matters income, stereotypes, WWII, Vatican politics, mafia and "What do you do?"
• Italian don't form lines well.  Don't be offended if someone "cuts" in the line you perceive and don't wait for someone to tell you it's your turn.
• If paying by cash at a store, the clerk may expect you to put the coin portion of your payment into a small dish on the counter.  He or she will, likewise, place your change in it.
• It is easy to make friends with locals by complimenting their town.  Most Italians are very proud of their region.

Some of it is pretty common sense.  I look forward to practicing my new manners!

Next post is going to be about idioms and expressions...

Child security

Traveling to Europe with two young children prompts questions about security and safety.  Beyond just the first-aid kit, I realize I need to have conversations with my kids about what happens if we get separated and what to do if more nefarious types of people enter their lives.  I don't want to be alarmist, but I also don't want to be stupid.  I've researched a bit on this topic and found surprisingly little.  But, I have decided we will do two things before we go.  1) I will talk with both of them about the kinds of scenarios that could happen - primarily, getting separated from each other.  The best tip I found is that make sure children know to STAY PUT wherever they were when they first noticed us missing (as long as they are not in the middle of a street or somewhere else unsafe).  Don't come looking for us.  We will always come looking for you and you will be easier to find if you don't get yourself MORE lost.  Then, knowing to ask for help right away.  Find a kind looking person, preferably someone who has kids, too, and say "I can't find my mom, can you help me?"  Or, "Non posso trovare la mia mamma.  Puoi aiutarmi?"  This leads to 2) Buy and wear, at all times, these bracelets: http://www.roadid.com/kids/?referrer=4252&gclid=CJO-_5ynha4CFULd4Aods0al4w  Bring a second (or third) set in case one gets lost.  Then, the boys can always communicate to someone how to contact us.

Any other advice?

The next step toward speaking Italian

So far, I have really loved learning Italian.  I have come to realize that, in general, I love learning.  When I think of the jobs I have really enjoyed, they are the ones where I had a "steep learning curve".  But, I think, beyond generalities, there has been something in particular about learning Italian that I love.  Possibly some special mix of time and place in my life but that's not all.  Italian, some time,s has a silliness about it that is endearing - the compounds words for example.  Produce stalls are "fruttivendoli"  or selling fruit, escalators are "scala mobile" or moving stairs and a towel is "ascuigamano" or dry hand.  Italian also, and this is not my own secret discovery, has a rich and fabulous sound.  With the rolled "r"s and the round vowels, it not only sounds great, but it feels good in the mouth to speak it.

So, when I finished the last Fluenz Italian level that was available (3) and wanted to learn more, I had to find something else.  I bought a few "dud" Italian learning books which were so dry and unimaginative that they would literally put me to sleep.  Then, I found a school/community in Philadelphia called The America-Italy Society of Philadelphia .  I signed up for the second level course, hoping I had learned enough on my own and gave it a try!  The teacher of my course was the school's director, Franca Riccardi, a native of Italy, a great teacher and molta simpatica (very likable!).  The class had 3 other students and it was great.  All of a sudden, I had to speak and practice out loud!  I continued with that class and then the next.  By the time I finished "103", I had booked our Summer trip to Italy and was feeling like I wanted to do everything I could to learn as much as I could before I went to study in Rome.  So, for the new year, I scheduled a weekly private class with an instructor Franca found for me from Tuscany who is here in America teaching Italian at Temple University.

My new teacher, Chiara Montera, is great.  We speak 99% in Italian together (exhausting AND exhilarating) and I feel like the hour flies by.  I'm not sure what our goal is or what kind of progress we can expect to make in the four months before our trip, but I'm very happy with it all.  Buon lavoro e buona fortuna a me!