The downside of travelling in July is: you’re travelling at the same freaking time as all the Americans (even POTUS was in Europe in July). The upside is that it provides ample opportunities to observe tourists with giant suitcases trying to get around and large lemming groups following their guide. On the downside, most locals will mistake us for Americans who don’t know what coffee is and who won’t follow the basics of European restaurant or hotel protocol. For our friends planning a trip in Italy, or most of Latin Europe, here are some tips to differentiate yourself:
- Stick to French (or any other language than english) when talking to one another.
- Use as much Italian as you can when interacting with locals (Karine’s broken Italian / Spanish is very helpful to us here). « Bongiorno », « Grazie », « Espresso Macchiato », « Il Conto pot favor » will go a very long way. When in doubt try Google Translate to figure out some key phrases.
- Greet people you meet. When you arrive at a restaurant, say « Bongiorno » to the Maître D. (the guy with the white shirt and the tie). Same is true at your hotel, say hello to the hostess at the counter when ever you walk-in.
- Smile! (Surprisingly, typical American tourists seem to have a terrible time when ever they talk to anybody local).
- Look for the button that opens the door in a train. It’s big, it’s green, has the symbol <> on it, and, most of the time, it says Open on it. Don’t just stand in front of it and wait while locals try to tell you to press it. Jab that sucker as many times as it takes to get the door to open.
After an apero at Enoteca Internazionale and their limoncello spritz, dinner was at the CIAK. Their gnocchi al pesto has become Karine’s top dish in the region.
Enoteca Internazionale · Via Roma, 62, 19016 Monterosso al Mare SP, Italy
★★★★☆ · Wine bar
maps.app.goo.gl
Ristorante Ciak · Piazza Don Giovanni Minzoni, 6, 19016 Monterosso al Mare SP, Italy
★★★★☆ · Restaurant
maps.app.goo.gl
