First things first regarding driving yourself around Italy. If you want to ask a non-English-speaking Italian where the downtown is, you're going to have to pronounce "città centro" (city center) as:
chee-TAH CHEN-tro
I figured that pronunciation out, oh, about a thousand quizzical looks too late.
I thought driving in Italy on my own would be a huge step up from public transportation. I didn't quite realize the challenge. It started on day one when I got off the highway and had to stop at an unmanned toll booth, count up Euros and toss my handful of change into a basket so the gate would open.
Then I had to figure out parking and driving rules.
For the record, parking within the blue lines - good. Driving in the bus lane - bad. (I didn't know I was in a bus lane! I swear!)
Getting to the cities from Serramazzoni, where I was staying with a friend, was relatively easy. I followed the handy signs sporting concentric circles, indicating the way to the town "centro."
It was getting home that was the problem.
Despite coming in on main roads and observing my surroundings as best I could, I typically got completely thrown trying to make my way back out. More often than not, those main roads were one way going in, or I was forced to detour off them for some reason. And, when reversing the trip, I was without the benefit of signs indicating "this is your way home."
Most of the beautiful, centuries-old cities I visited in Emilia Romagna- Bologna, Modena, Parma - don't allow parking in the city center. When I found a place to leave the car, I had to be sure to write down where I'd parked, so I'd be able to find my way back to it.
You know what would have been really good to know? That the Google maps app works in Italy. Oh, you knew? Everyone knew? Why didn't anyone tell ME?
Instead, I spent a lot of time asking strangers, "Scuzi, parla inglese?"
In retrospect, though, half the fun of the trip ended up being my attempts to communicate with random Italians.
Everyone whose day I interrupted was so warm and helpful. They stopped what they were doing to try to guide me. Some could speak a few words of English. Most spoke in Italian and pointed, and because I nodded as if I understood (hey, I'd studied Italian for an entire week before traveling, and I understand pointing), they continued to speak in Italian.
So off I would go in the direction they pointed, and then had to stop a few blocks later, lowering the passenger-side window and asking someone else, "Scuzi, parla inglese?"
Amazingly, I managed to get to all the places I wanted to go. I found parking places, dropped coins in parking meters and was never ticketed.
In Bologna, I found the grand piazza as the sun was setting and walked through neighborhoods, window shopping and wandering into stores. Observing a demonstration. Don't ask me about what. I didn't understand their signs.
The jumble of buildings in Parma surprised me. So varied and interesting. I strolled from ancient piazzas into a modern bookstore, charmed by the juxtaposition of old and new.
Visiting Modena at midday, a sharp sun spotlighted multicolored buildings and the main piazza with its church and cafes where people sipped espresso and observed the passing scene. Beautiful. I searched a few stores for the traditional vinegar the area is known for, but ended up buying it in Brisighella - known more for producing olive oil. And it wasn't the tradizionale kind, sadly.
Because I'm here blogging you know how this story ends. I managed to find the airport and return the car. And I'd do it again. Drive (stick shift, of course!) in Italy, that is. But next time I'll use the maps app from the start - at least where there is a satellite connection. That wasn't always the case.
Happy New Year to all.
Photos: Ellen Perlman
Modena, Italy; Parma, Italy; Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (though not the prized "tradizionale" product)
I LOVED reading this. I had a slightly different driving adventure overseas - in Britain, learning to drive on the "wrong" side of the road and sitting in the right hand seat to drive. I picked up a rental car at Heathrow and my very first experience, right outside the airport, was a roundabout (traffic circle). I had to think quick to figure our the correct way to rotate. Onramps and exit ramps on their version of interstates were also challenging. Thanks for all your great stories!
Posted by: Pete Frenquelle | December 31, 2015 at 02:10 PM
Thanks Pete.
Oh yes, I remember the "wrong side" driving experience. I had to leave my left hand on the gear shift or I'd end up reaching for the driver side door when I wanted to shift. And I had to talk to myself when it came to turns. For example, for a left turn, "hug the curb, hug the curb."
Oh those roundabouts! If they're going to drive on the wrong side over there, must there be so many roundabouts??
Posted by: Ellen | December 31, 2015 at 02:20 PM
Driving in Italy was a bit of a challenge for me, too, especially when I approached a traffic circle that would have, oh, about two dozen signs of different sizes and lettering, including a couple indicating the same town but pointing in opposite directions. But, like you said, the Italians were so extraordinarily helpful that on three separate occasions, they got into their cars and escorted me to where I needed to go.
Posted by: Stephen Garone | January 10, 2016 at 03:04 PM
Stephen,
I know exactly what you mean about all the signs. The friend who I was staying with told me to follow the brown signs to a nature preserve to get to her house - those signs were smaller than other signs and usually at the bottom of a stack of them, and I'd have seconds to scan all the signs to finally find that one. U-turns became my friend.
Several times I drove around and around a traffic circle until I finally found the sign I needed. And yes, sometimes the signs seemed conflicting. Okay, maybe the town was in both directions but which way got me to what I wanted to see?
That's impressive that you got escorted by people. Nice folks those Italians!Thanks for weighing in. I love other people's stories.
Posted by: Ellen | January 11, 2016 at 08:21 PM