it's funny how you can pick up a country's state of mind through its public transportation. while in some countries people don't sit next to each other, in others the tram is the perfect place to beg for money, in others ticket conductors swarm the stations, and in others you can easily go without paying. in some countries (or should i say cities?) the stations are beautiful and well-decorated, while in others more functional.
In Milano i got pushed all over the place. I had to fight my way into the tram, and again as i got out of it. the ride was loud and alive. on one of the trains i took, a group of scouts got on with a guitar and sang a popular song softly. within a few minutes the whole cabin was singing.
I am not saying in israel people spontaneously start chirping the latest hits on the bus, but somehow it felt as close as it gets to israel. nice and warm (no wool hat in the winters), alive and tasty. or maybe i'm just missing home too much?
Italian is a beautiful language. My friend has excellent english, but whenever she is excited over something, whether seeing something very beautiful (que belle [i'm sure i have spelling mistakes here) or whether something bad happnes (a variety of italian words can easily come here), she can't help but say it in italian. and frankly, i wish i could too.
Italy is incredibly rich. In arts and literature, in food, in philosophy, in really cool cars, in a great weather, in the mediterrenean (a gift in itself), and with a temper. the spanish call it savor. i guess i have to visit there as well.
to contrast italy with france, I would say that every french fart is magnified and displayed as a work of art, while the average italian doesn't seem to make such a big deal of his huge, enormous country and culture. they just don't seem to live in the past all that much, you know?
five days in italy was clearly not enough. there is toscana, rome (of course), sicily, and of course the south of the boot.
I will be back Italia, beware.
peace and out.
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