The Old Country-
It dawned on me today while I was walking around in Firenze that I really like the old feeling of this region. Sure, the roads are hectic and the sidewalks are cracked and uneven and other things of this nature, but in the end, I think people are generally more conversational and nicer to each other, more humane, and more grounded. People here take off a few hours in the middle of the day to just relax and enjoy themselves. The air is beautiful and clean and the food is usually homemade. If you don't know something, people are glad to help you find out and are rarely disgruntled or impatient with you, and if they don't know the answer they'll gladly make something up and tell it to you with confidence. It's easy to bike and walk places and there is greenery everywhere you look. It is a way of life that challenges one to think, be creative, to laugh and hug and not get fed up with many of the little things that seem to bother Americans so much. I like it. I feel like I am healthier, more robust, relaxed and able to shrug and smile more often. Viva Italia!