Italy Lovers

Just found this great 8-Part series that clearly explains a lot about the practicalities of driving a car in Italy for foreigners. I found it really helpful - have not seen anything better really.

Part 1 - Overview

Part 2 - You and the Autostrada

Part 3 - Understanding the Signage on the Autostrada

Part 4 - Autostrada Rest Areas

Part 5 - Paying Tolls on the Autostrada

Part 6 - Buying Gas for Your Car

Part 7 - What to do about Paying Driving Fines

Part 8 - How to Avoid Getting Fined

Part 9 - Understanding Italian Road Signs - Part 1

Part 10 - Understanding Italian Road Signs - Part 2

Part 11 - Parking

Florence Scene with Ponte Vecchio

Free Fashion and Art Tours in Florence

YES! The city of Florence has begun offering free fashion/art tours of Florence. It seems the majority of the tours visit a couple of fashion ateliers and a museum or church (full of artworks). Anyone who plans to be in Florence between now and June 21, 2010 should check out this website and make a reservation for one or more of the tours.

Here is the link to the website homepage. Click on the link on the lower right that says "Fashion Itineraries".

Fashion in Florence: Art and Craftsmanship

Do leave your comments if you take one of these tours. I'd love to hear your experiences.

Save Money on Smartphone Charges when Traveling in Italy

When we travel to Italy (or other foreign countries) we like to spend money on dining, shopping, sightseeing and other fun stuff.  But since we are now so conditioned to be on our smartphones so often, it would be easy to rack up quite a hefty bill.

Here is a great explanation of how to keep your mobile charges at a minimum from the New York Times:

Cheap Mobile Calls Overseas

Authentic Italian Cooking Lesson Videos

This is a great find - lots of quick videos on how to prepare great Italian food. The recipes are not complicated and, with few exceptions, can be prepared with ingredients that can be found easily outside of Italy. It seems like lately popular cookbooks and magazines call for a lot of hard to find and expensive ingredients but this website is different. They seldom call for ingredients I can't find even in my small town in the middle of nowhere.

Italian Cooking Lesson Videos

After you click on the link above, wait a couple of seconds and the most current video will start. On the right are other recipes to choose from. Lots that look simple and delicious.

I think you will like them. You comments welcome.