Things I have noticed about Italy and Turin/Torino

1. There are no dog police here. People let their dogs off leash on the street, in parks, anywhere they want.

2. Dogs are allowed in many more places than in the U.S. I take the Zavier into bookstores, coffee shops (in his dog purse) into grocery stores (in his purse again) and have only been greeted with the comments: "Piccolino"-meaning small boy or small one, "Piccolino feroce"-meaning small but thinks he is ferocious. I thought I was insane making him wear a sweater but I see many dogs with sweaters here, small dogs and one dalmation too. Italians love their dogs even though they do not spay or neuter them.

3. There seem to be no laws that require dog owners to clean up after their dogs, sidewalks are littered with dog feces. This was especially bad in Rome. Bigger city=more people=more dogs=tons and tons of poop.

4. Women all over Italy still wear fur coats, hats and mufflers. Seeing a woman in Seattle wearing fur is very rare. I have told Deme that I am not interested in owning anything furry, ever.

5. Italians love clothes and shoes but I think everyone knew that. I feel like a plain Jane here. 50 year old women go to the market in red stiletto boots and leather coats.

6. There are lots of Chinese here in Italy. I know they work in the cheap textile industry. Deme says it is very strange to hear a Chinese person speak with a Roman accent.

7. All over Rome, Filipino ladies are employed as nannies and housekeepers. I know the language and turn my head whenever I hear Tagalog being spoken.

8. Cars are small and people do not are about where or how they park their cars. Once we were blocked in by a car in front of Deme's mom's apt. I got frustrated, he got in the car honked the horn twice and a man came out of a cafe and moved his car into our spot.