Coca Cola in Italy

One evening while dining out with my husband in Rome, we came upon this wonderful little family run restaurant and decided to go in.
What an evening. The waiters from all over the restaurant came to entertain us. They were funny and very giving. They all said we love Americanos and they showed it.
While taking our time and going over an extensive menu I saw Coca cola, that's what they call it there, never just coke.
I used to be one of the most loyal coca cola drinkers there ever was, but I lost so much respect for the company, when in the 80's they tried to change the recipe and when that didn't work, they told us, "hey, we have gone back to the original recipe." Yeah, right," it never tasted the same to me.
For years, I saved a can that said sugar as one of the ingredients.
So for whatever reason, I ordered one out of the blue that night. I took a big drink and I swear I thought I heard snap, crackle and pop coming from my throat. My eyes watered and I gasped. My husband looked at me with concern and asked what was wrong. I said, "I am not sure, but I think this is the original coke, back when it was made with sugar and not corn syrup. Back when it was a great drink.
The old coke used to be such a high, you could feel it and it was good.
I tried to read the ingredients and called our friendly waiter over, could you tell me this word please, I asked. It is sugar he says, while making his brow work overtime. Why? I asked him, " this isn't corn syrup is it?" And he looked almost indignent, no no no, we don't use that here, we use real sugar.
A few years ago I stopped buying coke altogether except for a special occasion when we would have guests that would want it.
"Why", you ask, well, if you believe it or not, corn syrup tricks our brain into wanting more. It is an appetite stimulant.
If you look at all the ingredients in our food nowadays, there it is over and over. And Americans have become a population with dangerous health concerns. Just look at the kids nowadays. More food and less exercise than we always had.
Doubt me....go off any kind of a soda for one month. Diet and regular, drink only unsugared tea, water, tomato juice and small amounts of other juice.
Then go buy a six pack of regular coke and drink just one a day. I bet you, your appetite will florish.
I tried this a few months back with just the small cans. One six pack and I drank one a day. That week, I could have eaten a horse.
When I went off, my appetite went back to normal.
The same for diets drinks, the ingredients do the same thing to you.
American has been tricked into believing diet drinks are good for you. Not so, a large portion of the people that drink them have a problem with weight, but drinking diet drinks has not helped in losing weight one bit.
I was one of those people. You are not drinking the calories, but your appetite has flourished.
Also, using any kind of a fake sugar will exacerbate problems you might have with pain. And many other medical problems such as IBS.
Since being diagnosed with Fibro, I had to become re-educated for my survival. I was doing all the wrong things to be healthy.
Since going off of fake sugars, my arthritis has improved and I now can actually pick up items without dropping them.
I have had to investigate and study health issues and find the correct answers to help myself.
I jokingly told my husband one night that I think stimulating bad health in Americans is because they don't want us to live long enough to collect our social security.
Another thing we found funny in Italy was, when you ordered water, they always asked, "gas or no gas." It cracked me up.
I am a no gas by the way.
Like I had written earlier, you have to look long and hard to find an overweight person in Italy. When they start to age some and can't get around as well, you will find a few with a few pounds extra, but not like here. They eat big, they eat well, and drink wine daily. They don't have alot of junk foods in their stores and they walk, boy, do they walk.
After 16 days there and eating like they do. And walking like they do, we didn't gain a pound. Their meals are so big that some days, we only ate two because we were still full from the previous meal.
They eat lots of fruit and veggies and have pasta everyday, sometimes two or three times, bread at every meal. Their servings aren't as big as we would dish out though.
They had meat, their Tuscan beef is amazing. Their appetizers are not fried like ours. They eat cheese and meat alot.
They don't have preservatives and hormones in their food normally.
Overall, I think they do have it right.
Their farmers markets are incredible, I wish I had the opportunity to shop in them daily. Their vegetables look incredible.
We went to a fish market and what a treat that was.
I think a way of living says it all.

Our Amazing December

December turned out to be an incredible one for us.
We had the shopping done and sent out. The cards were in the mail. The tree was up and the house decorated and my collection of old world santas were staring back at me from their location.
My husband had already taken the last half of the month off for vacation. He had hours to burn and it was a use it or lose it situation. We were sitting back and thinking of things we would do in that time.
Then on Saturday morning out of nowhere he asks, "do you think we could get tickets to Europe?" Yeah, sure when did you want to go I asked. Spring or Fall? No, Christmas this year. Uh? Who is this guy and what did you do with my husband?
Now, anyone who knows me well, know I tend to plan a trip several months in advance and I get my suitcase out weeks ahead of time, "to air it out I always say." but in reality it is for me to start dropping things off into so nothing is left behind. It has become a family joke, hey, has mom got her suitcase out yet?
It was already Dec. 8 and here we go. we thought a Christmas with snow might be nice to see again and experience. I had a zillions things to accomplish in 7 days time. Including finding some winter clothes. Not a big priority here year round. Close the house, find a sitter for our adoptive cat "Lucy" and getting everything paid up ahead of time.
We couldn't find a trip exactly like we wanted until I happened upon this one to Italy. It was a very relaxing one as you stayed in each location for 3 nights. Plenty of time to see the sights. I called the company and they said they would hold the trip for 3 hours until I could confirm flights. Yikes, flights in Dec.??? What was I ever thinking, agreeing to this.
So we put the trip on hold and I began burning the computer keys for flights. We knew it would take a bit to get there, so we decided to arrive much earlier and find a sleepy little hotel to catch up and get used to the 11 hours time change. Our trip was to originate in Rome so we decided on going to Sorrento, south of there a couple of hours.
I found some amazing flights and grabbed them up.
We wanted to experience Italy and the hidden secrets about it. No new, fancy chrome and glass hotel for us. We can get that on the mainland anytime. We finally found one that fit our wants. A beautiful little hotel on the marina, that once was the Harbormasters house. It had it's own restaurants and was the only one down on the water like we wanted. The buses in Sorrento make getting around so easy, right to the front door.
From the greeting at the front desk, by calling us by our names when we arrived and not knowing who we were, to the little 2 person elevator to take us to our room. We were in love. It had 50 rooms, but was situated so it wasn't obvious. Ours was on the 4th floor, with a view of the bay and full length shutters that you can open and little balconey. I may never leave.
You could watch all the ferries leaving to the outer Islands and to Naples

The owner was a multi generation owner and once was a captain for Mobile. He spoke English wonderfully, with that exciting accent.
We never once had a language barrier the whole time.
There were only a few couples checked in at that time and by the time we left, we were the only couple there. The hotels serve breakfast as it would be impossible to find a restaurant that does. Even though we were the only ones there. Mario, our server was there bright and early each morning with a nicely laid table and ready to make us a pitcher of the best European Chocolate you have ever tasted. We always had two in the morning. We were treated likely royalty.
We spent the next few days walking the streets of Sorrento and the alleyways for some of the best shopping on earth. Have you tried Lemoncello? What a drink, better grab your hat for that one. We bought a bottle.
We walked everywhere and ate like kings. We found ancient Roman roads right there in town. Building hundreds of years old. Amazing.
We had been brave and hopped a train from the airport to Rome, about 30 minutes. Then from Rome to Naples and then onto a little scarey local train on into Sorrento. We had no real problems. Their trains are on time. When they say they are leaving at 11:30, you had better be on board and holding on.
When we left, we had made several friends and the owner, Luigi, gave us a bottle of their own wine.

We finally made our way back to Rome and our group. What an eclectic group we were. From all over the world and we had a ball. To be in Rome and at the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel during the holidays, what could be better. And it was our anniversary.
The Italians have it right about Christmas, with 95% Roman Catholic, it is about your family and food and the church, not so much accumulating gifts. It is about spending time with the family and midnight mass. And eating, did I mention that? They know how to eat. And you would have to look long and hard to find an overweight person in Italy. They walk. Not just a few blocks, but miles every day.
Have you seen the driving in Rome? No wonder they walk. You could be driving down a perfectly nice street and all of a sudden one lane is blocked with double parkers, inside a store shopping. No one gets upset.
They are all in tune with the environment and drive very small, tiny cars. We never saw one SUV or large pick up the whole time. Their gas is around $5.00 a gallon, not too far from us over here, but they still walk.
We enjoyed Rome so much and was totally mesmerized by it. I would go back in a nano. The wall around it and the ruins. I was under the impression, they were a few to be seen. Not true at all. There are hundreds, and right in town. Their beautiful buildings were a site to see.
The Spanish steps and the Trevi Fountain, much better in real life.

Then on up to Florence and Pisa. We got to see Michaelangelos David. TV does not do it right. It is breathtaking.
The leaning tower is really another sight not to miss.
All the while we are visiting so many Bascilicas and were in total awe. Some were started in the 1100's.
Back in Rome, St. Peter's is large enough for two Superbowls and has 44 chapels. A mass being held in one 24 hours a day. We got to witness one. Beautiful. We were within a few hundred feet of the Pope.

The Duomo in Florence was one block from our hotel and amazing.
We stopped in Assisi to visit St. Francis's Basilica and couldn't take enough pictures. Assisi is a beautiful little town, right out of the picture books.

On to Venice, aww, were you have to fall in love all over. Our hotel was right on the Grand Canal. Again, walking was the order of the day and on to most noted Piazza, in the world. Can't say enough. Then the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge. Gondola ride and a tour of the canals.
We got to visit the island of Murano where the glass blowing is done. Pricey, but wouldn't miss it.
On to the little island of Burano, where they do the lace and other sewing creations you wouldn't believe. Had a wonderful fish dinner there that evening. When you arrive on the island, the little houses are all lined up and each painted a different color. Our guide had a funny little storey about that. Roberto, our guide was truly an Italian, he loved Italy, and he loved meeting people and he loved his job. He was very good at it.

The euro was easy to handle. Getting used to restaurants being closed from early afternoon until about 7 when they reopen for dinner until about midnight was a little challenge.

Their banks are only open about 4 hours a day. But they have no bank robberys. One person at a time in, you enter a tube and then it lets you in. So if you had robbery on your mind, you wouldn't get out.

Being a teacher was a job that was coveted and it was explained to us in detail. Nothing like American teachers.

Everywhere we went, we met people that loved Americans. Funny you don't hear that on TV. Not much of an language barrier anymore either.

We had a bus driver that took a second seat to no one. Pierluigi was the best I have ever seen.

We found the people nice, giving, and willing to help you anyway they could. We had one young man that wanted to talk about Hawaii. We gave him a picture postcard of Waikiki and you would have thought we had given him an expensive gift. We found the people very grateful for such things.

So all in all, we think this past December will be hard to top. Would we go back again. You bet. So much more to see and do. The history alone makes you want for more.

So if anyone says you can't plan and expedite a vacation in seven days, send them to me. Sometimes, the unplanned is the best.
I thank my husband for a wonderful anniversary and Christmas.