On Italy...

We're back! I'm in the process of putting together a trip journal for those of you who want to know the gory details but in the meantime, here are ten things I learned while on holiday....

1. On Tuscany: There are A LOT of hills there.
2. On Italian Drivers: Nerves of steel? Crazy? All the above!
3. On Rome: Roman pizza is the best I've ever tasted. Now I haven't been to Naples yet so I can't say it's the best in the world.
4. On the Sistine Chapel: Magnificent but why did I feel like mooing during the viewing?
5. On Gelato: Il Gelato di San Crispino, enough said
6. On Italian Wine: Brunello truly is king but the red wine from Lazio was not too shabby
7. On Biking: I confirmed that I'm terrible on hills but I finally learned how to efficiently shift gears so I'm not so terrible. Still slow, but better.
8. On Speaking Italian: We learned enough to get directions, order meals, and get to the bathroom. I also learned that moletta means ponytail
9. On San Gimignano: From the haze and smell, I'm convinced they burn a huge pyre of incense every Sunday but we never found the cauldron. Plus they call it the Manhattan of Tuscany....partly because of the skyline and partly (we think) because the town merchants competed over who can build the highest tower.
10. On Tuscany: Did I mention that it was hilly?

Oh, one more thing...

11. On Vacation Knitting: I don't know how the rest of you do it but I never touched the project I packed along.