ISSUE
3
1996
Italy
is
perhaps
one
of
the
most
meaningful
countries
in
the
world
to
travel
to
for
us
westerners.
It
is
where
western
civilization
and
culture
began
(for
most
of
us)
and
for
this
reason,
it
is
without
question,
important.
Aside
from
weird
(not
American)
pizza,
icecream
to
die
for,
leaning
towers
and
very
fast
cars,
Italy
has
become
a
hot
spot
for
travel
because
it
hadhas
a
thick
and
strong
culture
which
is
loudly
obvious.
The
Leaning
Tower
of
Pisa
is,
along
with
Venice
and
Rome,
an
area
fre
quented
by
f
tourists-dur-
ing
any
sea-
"
son.
Although
it,
in
itself,
is
the
reason
most
people
travel
to
Pisa,
it
should
not
to
be
the
only
reason.
Pisa,
like
good
'ol
PG,
is
home
to
a
university
making
Pisa
one
of
the
most
fun
cities
to
hang
out
in
due
to
it's
youthful
population.
Pizza
parlours,
cafes,
clubs,
stores
and
a
couple
other
leaning
towers
are
to
be
seen
in
Pisa.
Street
vendors
line
the
street
along
the
tower
and
attempt
(fairly
aggressively)
to
sell
their
wares
to
any
unprepared
sucker;
everything
from
leather
and
silver
jewelry,
to
leather
jackets
are
sold
along
the
"Pisa
Strip".
A
quick
warning:
unless
one
is
honestly
interested
in
actually
buying
something
from
these
guys,
J.
JL
l-1J
jL
just
say
no!
In
Italy,
theft
is
a
major
problem
and
one
should
carry
receipts
for
everything.
Young
men
hang
around
every
major
highway
gas
stations
attempting
to
push
stereos,
cameras
and
other
such
major
equipment
on
you.
"Hey,
you
wanna
buy
a
stereo?
No?
Oh,
c'mon.
It's
worth
(Can.
equivalence)
$900.
C'mon.
Still
don't?
OK.
You're
making
this
hard
for
me.
OK,
the
left
side
of
the
road.
Chaos,
one
can
well
imagine.
Absolutely
chaotic
is
how
to
describe
what
happens
on
the
streets
and
highways
in
Italy.
It's
almost
enough
to
reduce
one
to
tears
even
if
one's
used
to,
at
best,
rush
hour
in
Vancouver
-
no
kidding!
The
highway
has
a
speed
limit,
but
even
in
thick
fog,
everyone,
even
semis
and
buses,
go
over
it
by
at
least
30-40kmhr.
This
of
t
.
i
Cathedral
and
Campanile
(tha
j
.
.iBfr-Z
'lea-.inq
trwfWh
PhrffffilW
JiH9Er?
-o
-'X'
Shi
fBI!
'--2Z";
NL-i
:-i
$250."
In
the
end,
you
are
made
out
to
be
a
jerk,
which
is
likely
part
of
the
sales'
pitch
they
throw
you.
Signs
are
posted
at
almost
every
highway
gas
station
in
5
languages
to
discourage
one
from
purchasing
this
equipment
warning
persons
that
it
has
been
stolen
from
some
other
sucker
who
didn't
watch
hisher
bags
properly.
Driving
in
Italy
is
as
crazy
on
a
day
to
day
basis
as
it
might
be
in
Germany
if,
all
of
a
sudden,
the
rules
changed
without
warning,
and
everyone
had
to
drive
on
course
results
in
major
accidents
such
as
350
car
pile-ups,
which
is
what
happened
in
March
of
this
year
on
the
high
way
between
Florence
and
Milano.
It's
much
safer,
relaxing
and
cheaper
(gas
runs
at
about
$1.80
litre)
to
travel
by
train.
Perhaps
one
of
the
most
beautiful
points
of
interest
is
Santa
Maria
del
Angelo
near
Assisi.
Although
I
believe,
if
you
are
Christian,
it
may
be
very
rewarding
to
attend
a
mass
there,
I
sadly
don't
recommend
it.
Personal
experi
19
ence.
There's
nothing
like
trying
to
attend
a
mass
with
misbehaving
children
crawling
all
over
the
alter
and
to
the
end
is
the
next
wave
of
tourists
filing
in
to
"get
good
seats"
20
minutes
early.
Terribly
disappointing
to
say
the
least.
Rome
is
probably
similar,
but
likely
well
worth
it,
all
the
same.
If
you
have
shopping
in
mind,
Florence
and
Milano
are
the
hot-spots.
Unimaginable
clothes
can
be
bought
in
all
sorts
of
outrageous
shops
for
fairly
descent
prices.
The
exchange
rate
be
tween
the
Lire
and
the
Canadian
Dollar
is
nor-m
a
1
1
y
quite
favorable.
In
other
words
:
our
money
is
usually
worth
a
fair
amount
more
over
there.
In
the
mar
kets
which
surround
the
urban
areas,
shoes
to
whole
roasted
(guts
and
everything)
pigs
can
be
found.
A
cheap
bottle
of
wine,
bread,
sausage
and
cheese
can
be
bought
for
under
$5.00
so
a
cheap
and
good-feeling
budget
can
be
kept
to.
Never
forget,
when
travelling
in
Italy:
there's
bound
to
be
herds
of
tourists
and
huge
problems
with
theft
but,
as
far
a
I
could
tell,
the
mafia
operate
invisibly
and
doesn't
care
about
foreign
travellers,
too
much
anyway.