|
We just got back from Europe and had a wonderful time. We traveled a circular route (Madrid-Barcelona-Florence-Nice-Montpellier-back to Madrid) and it was fantastic. But one lunch in particular had me shaking my head and thinking to myself "I can't wait to share this on DU."
My husband and I generally try to avoid tourist traps like the plague, but found this a bit more difficult in Florence because the city is small and most of the sights are clustered in a pretty small area. There were quite a few times when I heard more English, German and Japanese being spoken than Italian. I can't even imagine what it must be like at the height of tourist season. Anyway, one day we stopped for lunch in a little pizzeria not far from the Uffizi (mistake number one, but my husband is diabetic and really needed to eat). Surprisingly there were a few Italians in there, which gave us hope for the food. Indeed, it was a delicious lunch and enjoyable lunch, at least until Bippy and Mr. Blackberry showed up and sat right by us.
Bippy came in first, with her husband. They looked to be on their honeymoon, late twenties or early thirties. The place was nearly full and the proprietor and his mother were serving all the tables. Bippy tapped her long, hot-pink manicured talons on the table as she waited for him to come by. When he did come by less than two minutes later a menu, she loudly declared "Uh, can we just order? 'Cause, um, we already know what we want and we have a tour at two!"
The proprietor replied "No, I can't serve you that quickly. I have a restaurant full of people."
"But we just want a simple pizza!" She looked so shocked that he wasn't going to jump to her every demand.
"I make pizzas from scratch and they take fifteen minutes."
"Oh, thanks then" she finally replied, in the most condescending tone she could muster, and left.
See, when Bippy and Mr. Bippy sat down, it was already past 1:30. What did she think was going to happen in the land where the slow food movement was pretty much invented? Oh, and there are about 3,000 places near the Uffizi where you can stop and get a slice of pizza to go (and it's damn good pizza). :eyes:
Next up was Mr. Blackberry. He and his wife looked to be in their late 30s or early 40s and trying very hard to look chic and cultured. He had his Blackberry out the entire lunch and was making all kinds of stupid comments about everything they had seen and done in Italy. The best, most idiotic thing he said had to be this:
"So now where is the Leaning Tower of Pisa again? Is it in Sienna or here in Florence?" :wow:
My husband muttered under his breath "Why don't you look it up on your Blackberry, genius?"
This is why I'm often embarrassed to be an American. :eyes:
|
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
