And a thing about Italians... learn some basic phrases because they are much more happy to help you if you fumble through a few words of Italian before asking if they speak English. Good courtesy in any country, but the Italians especially seem to appreciate the effort. And once you do inevitably ask if they speak English, everyone answers with "a little bit" and makes the universal sign for it with their finger and thumb. You'll get by fine in Rome and Venice, but when we went off of the beaten path in Southern Italy, there was no "little bit". It was simply charades! Good thing Italians talk a lot with their hands.
|