TravelTip: Never forget the Headphones!

Woman from Asia sleeping and people with Headphones

I normally always sleep in the train. Or I read something.

It is July and vacations time, and the train is completely full. I always try not to sit next to children, not because I don’t like them, but let’s put it that way: it’s not ideal having bored or excited children sitting next to you when you want to sleep. They can be really cruel. Especially when they are interested in you. The result can be terrible: headache, no space to sit as they take also your seat, orange juice on the shirt,… I’ve seen it all.
This time it is even worse. No children in the surroundings, but a lady in a seat nearby talking to an older couple.
The old man said to be born in 1946.
She – middle-aged, short hair, very colorful outfit – started a conversation with the couple and told them about how dangerous the internet can be, and about how clever she is as she only has one credit card linked to a bank account with only 500€ on it. Fortunately now nothing can happen during her online shopping.
The old couple agrees.
She feels understood now and stronger in the things she wants to say. So she starts, louder and louder, to talk about her life and her wisdom and her job and her children and her childhood and the society and the school of her kids and her parents and the trains and the Second World War and the role of the women in society and the teachers of her children and her studies and and and…

I definitely have a headache now.
The woman on my right made a small attempt to sleep but that’s impossible. She bristles with anger and looks to her… hoping someone notices. In front of me a woman from Asia. You can see her in the picture here above. She definitely sleeps. Or maybe she fainted as she couldn’t stand it anymore?
On her left is a friendly looking woman that keeps looking at me shaking her head, hoping for some support from me. I wish I had some headphones… As many people around me now have.
The woman does not feel bothered by all the desperate people around her and becomes even louder. She said to be a therapist for traumatized people. Which is a wonderful job to do and I completely respect her for that, but I immediately imagine myself sitting in her office having to listen to her monologue… maybe even traumatized by her.
It is definitely to early for this. I look at the time: two hours of monologue have passed – still one hour to go.
I love my travels! 🙂

Caffè all’Italiana – Instructions Manual.

There is nothing better than starting the day the Italian way: you go to the bar around the corner where you meet all your neighbors and have a traditional colazione (breakfast), which is a cornetto (Croissant) and a coffee, of course standing at the counter.

Italian breakfast: Cappuccino and croissant

But coffee is not just coffee.

There is a big ritual behind this apparently easy way to have breakfast and I first noticed when I had some German guests with me in Italy. I observed this for a while and I noticed that tourists are often confused and intimidated, while baristas are often bothered by every kind of hesitation during the ordering ritual. I have come to the conclusion that there must be some kind of guide.

First of all: you can’t go to the barista straight away just ordering “un caffé”. If you do this (and I saw this quite often) he will look at you as if you were an alien.

You have to first go to the cashier to get your receipt. The cashier is usually sitting somewhere at one end of the counter or even hidden in one corner of the bar. After you have proudly managed to find him, you have to tell him what you want.
You go back to the barista with the receipt and again: you can’t just say “un caffé”. You have to know what kind of coffee. And please don’t ask him what kind of coffee he has to offer. Don’t even dare asking for a list. You just have to know.

First thing to know: if you ask for a normal “caffé” it will be an Espresso. But here again, I have been told by a non-Italian friend that she ordered just a “caffé”, expecting an Espresso but the barista automatically thought that – as she is a stranger – she surely wants a coffee in a big cup. Let’s consider this an exception. “Caffé” in Italy is an Espresso.

Espresso Cup

The coffee in a big cup, which is a “regular coffee” in many other (especially northern) countries, is called “Caffé Americano” in Italy. You normally cannot expect a filter coffee, brewed with coffee in a filter and hot water. In most Italian bars “Caffé Americano” is brewed using the regular Espresso coffee machines, just using more water.

But if you look around you in the bar, you easily notice everyone is ordering something different. There are at least 50 different types of Italian coffee. Here are the most common types:

• Caffè Espresso, or “caffè normale” in Italy.
• Caffè Americano – coffee in a big cup (in a cup Italians would use for drinking tea).
• Caffè decaffeinato – decaffeinated Espresso coffee.
• Caffè in vetro – served in a glass cup instead of the classical small porcelain cup.
• Caffè corto (or ristretto) – is a very much reduced coffee, so called “short” Espresso since sometimes there are just some drops of very intense coffee left in your cup. It gives you the maximum of the coffee aroma and not too much caffeine. It is a very Italian way to drink the coffee; you hardly find it anywhere else.
• Caffè lungo – is a long Espresso, created by adding some more water to the Espresso but still served in a small Espresso cup. Even if not so strong, it contains more caffeine.
• Caffè macchiato caldo – Is a regular Espresso with a “spot” (macchia) of warm foamy milk.
• Caffè macchiato freddo – is a regular Espresso, with a drop of cold milk.
• Latte Macchiato – Is served in a big glass and consists mostly of milk (around 80%), with a small amount of Espresso coffee.
• Caffè corretto, is an Espresso with some grappa or other liquor.
• Cappuccino (so called “Cappuccio” in the Milan area) – I think I don’t need to explain that. Always remember: real Italian Cappuccino does not have cream on top but always milk foam.
  And please – please – don’t order a Cappuccino after lunch or dinner. Even if many restaurants are now used to “these tourists” ordering a Cappuccino after dinner… it remains something you only drink for breakfast in Italy!
  You can absolutely order an Espresso after dinner.
  If you can not make it without your Cappuccino, then order a Marocchino. That’s similar, just smaller.
• Marocchino – Is often served in a small cup made of glass, it is like a small Cappuccino but with some chocolate powder.

  

  Marocchino

• Caffè d’Orzo – Barley coffee. You don’t use coffee beans in this.
• Caffè Doppio Lungo – Double “caffé lungo” (see above)
• Caffè Doppio Ristretto – Double “caffé ristretto” (see above)
• Caffellatte – Coffee with milk. The difference to the Cappuccino is that it is served in a regular glass instead of a cup
• Caffè alla Nocciola – Coffee with nut aroma.
• Caffè al Ginseng – Coffee with ginger aroma.
• Mocaccino – classical Cappuccino, but with some hot chocolate.
• Caffè Shakerato – coffee and ice cubes shaked with a shaker.

One last thing: if you drink your coffee standing at the counter it will cost less than seated.

However, don’t worry too much. You cannot leave Italy without a real coffee in a bar. It is a great experience, not only for the taste of it!

 

 

“Paris is a woman but London is an independent man puffing his pipe in a pub.” ― Jack Kerouac, Lonesome Traveler

Joke Biscuit – Scherzkeks

OK – I admit I was very happy about Italy winning the game against England on Sunday. But still, all is set now. I have booked my next trip to London!
I’ve been there a couple of times, but I can somehow never get enough. I feel there is still so much more to find out… London is a feeling I do not want to miss for too long.

Do you have any suggestions about #donotmiss Pubs, Restaurants, Places, Museums, People?! Thank you for sharing with me!!

PS: Have a look at some pictures from my last trip to London… and: stay tuned for more English adventures soon!

Venus lives in Sicily: Erice

“On the highest top a medieval village rises among bristly towers. It is the small village of Erice where once the most famous temple of the most famous goddess…Venus,… with its fortified walls, with its streets accurately paved”.

Roger Peyrefitte, descripion of Erice in 1952

“Sulla vetta più alta inciela una medievale borgata irta di torri. È il piccolo borgo di Erice, dominato una volta dal più famoso tempio della dea più famosa…Venere,… con la sua cinta fortificata, con le sue strade accuratamente selciate”.

Roger Peyrefitte su Erice nel 1952

Road that leads to Erice

This road brings you back in time – curve after curve – until you arrive to Erice.
Erice is a Medieval town, with only 512 people living in the city center. It is located at a hight of around 700 meters on Mount Erice, with a wonderful panoramic view of Sicily’s west coast, with Trapani and the Egadi islands.

When we first arrived to the top, the town was covered by a thick fog, which gave a somehow fascinating mystical look to the town.
It is a phenomenon that often takes place on Mount Erice and which led to many mythological histories about the town. Since prehistoric times, Erice has been connected to the goddess of fertility, love and beauty: to Venus. Some say it is because of the strong relationship between water (fog) and fertility.

Romantic Palermo

Piazza Pretoria is a Piazza in Palermo, the capital of Sicily.

It is located in the center of the old town just south of the Quattro Canti at Via Maqueda.
The 16^th century square is called after Palazzo Pretorio, the former court palace in Palermo. But this is just the official name: because of the nude statues, the Piazza has always been called “Piazza della Vergogna” (the square of shame). This is still how Palermitans call one of their most romantic Piazzas.