# Daughter traveling to Italy this summer, do's, dont's, and general advice needed **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 21, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231 "2014-03-21T14:56:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/41 "2014-06-04T12:37:07Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Let me ask, are “American” restaurants like McDonalds in Europe much different than in the US? In any tourist city in Europe, the McDonalds cashiers will be able to take your order completely in English. Big Mac, Fries and Chocolate Shake need no translation. (Local food is, of course, better. But sometimes you are homesick, or need fast, or need familiar, or need no bother. If you eat McDonalds at home, its near perfect for those needs all over the world. My last trip to Germany, my first meal was a McDonalds - we had mid travel flight changes, a ten hour trip took twenty hours - I had kids with me who were hungry - and wurst and cabbage isn’t the best first meal with hungry tired kids. And there was a McDonalds two blocks from the hotel). ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/42 "2014-06-04T13:58:56Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > … > > - Crossing the street in Rome. Roman drivers are aggressive and I have never figured out the rules of the road. So I just find a little old lady and cross the street with her. Little old Roman ladies are fearless! And fearsome. Don’t piss them off. Though the joke was directed at Sicilian drivers, I heard this one several times during a summer in Malta: In Malta, we drive of the left. In Italy, they drive on the right. In Sicily they drive in the shade. Seriously, when it comes to being a pedestrian do not expect that drivers will abide by traffic regulations. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/43 "2014-06-04T15:54:39Z")
> [@ouryL](#): > > See “Taken” & “Taken 2.”😃 Working on “a certain set of skills” between now and then will get him in better shape and keep him out of his daughter’s hair. Good call…! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/44 "2014-06-04T16:01:53Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Let me ask, are “American” restaurants like McDonalds in Europe much different than in the US? Well, there’s the bit from Pulp Fiction, of course. And the last time I was in London I stopped for a quick snack at a nearby Subway and wound up with a chicken tikka masala sub. I would be very happy to find that recipe here. Anyway, another vote for something from PacSafe. It’s probably overkill for most places, but the peace of mind can be worth it. I got myself a little belt pouch for travels to Mexico–again, I’m not that likely to have a problem in the tourist areas but in Mexico you are supposed to carry both your passport and tourist card on you at all times and the cops can give you a hard time if you don’t. A minor amount of protection to avert a potentially major problem. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/45 "2014-06-04T16:47:18Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > Though the joke was directed at Sicilian drivers, I heard this one several times during a summer in Malta: > > In Malta, we drive of the left. > In Italy, they drive on the right. > In Sicily they drive in the shade. > > Seriously, when it comes to being a pedestrian do not expect that drivers will abide by traffic regulations. Re: pedestrians. You are either quick or dead!😃 ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/46 "2014-06-04T17:24:15Z")
Have her read \*Near Here Nor There \*by Bill Bryson. Funny, a little risqué and spot on even twenty years later. Also bring a really good pair of walking shoes and a water bottle she can take with her for drinking. Italian water is delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/47 "2014-06-05T16:51:11Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Let me ask, are “American” restaurants like McDonalds in Europe much different than in the US? Generally not, although there will be some differences. I’ve told before the story of the rude guy who wouldn’t accept that a McD in Madrid did not have barbecue sauce (it had his choice of ketchup, ketchup or ketchup - he could also get more ketchup); different places will have slightly different menus. But a Whooper™ is a Whooper™ and a quarterpounder with cheese is recognizably a quarterpounder with cheese even if it’s been tranlated creatively. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/48 "2014-06-05T18:33:23Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Pacsafe makes backpacks, and my favorite messenger bag. My beloved messenger bag lies absolutely flat on the body, is both steel meshed bodied and steel cbled strapped, and can be clipped or locked with a little lock. It has 2 compartments, and one pocket inside is RF shielded. Combine the pacsafe backpack, and messenger bag and perhaps add the around the neck under the clothing neck pouch for a passport and money/credit cards and she will be good to go. > > Always keep yourr money in 2 parts, about 20$US in a pockeet for spending money to pay for lunch or whatever, and the rest in the neckpouch. Some people keep a public wallet with crap in it and the real one elsewhere so if someone mugs you directly you give them the crap wallet with the public $20 in local cash, a subway rewards card and some random gift card either mastrcard or visa with a nominal $10US on it to make them think they got the goods. Right. I always make a “decoy wallet” with cards, petty cash, bus pass, whatever. This is the one you take out all the time for minor purchases. If it gets stole, no problem. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/49 "2014-06-06T13:03:57Z")
Bring your own reusable bag(sack) to the grocery store. You get charged for the plastic ones. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/50 "2014-06-06T13:20:48Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Let me ask, are “American” restaurants like McDonalds in Europe much different than in the US? Last time I was in Germany, the McDonald’s would sell you beer, which certainly made it easier to eat the food. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/51 "2014-06-06T15:22:01Z")
_L’acqua italiana è deliciosa?_ I would hope so; I wonder how an Italian waiter would react if a teetotaler like me, were to decline wine with a meal. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/52 "2014-06-06T15:45:43Z")
They wouldn’t bat an eyelash – it’s not mandatory that you drink wine. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/53 "2014-06-06T17:48:32Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > They wouldn’t bat an eyelash – it’s not mandatory that you drink wine. Possibly a little sneer if pop is ordered. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/54 "2014-06-06T18:35:19Z")
I might order ice water, coffee, hot tea, or even pineapple juice. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/55 "2014-06-06T22:15:05Z")
A house wine is less expensive and almost always good! ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/56 "2014-06-07T01:05:10Z")
> [@eenerms](#): > > A house wine is less expensive and almost always good! :Sigh: I said I don’t drink. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/57 "2014-06-07T13:11:49Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > :Sigh: I said I don’t drink. Sorry missed that…I was so excited for you…sigh we lived in Florence for 18 months and I mourned it when we left… ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231/58 "2014-06-07T14:51:37Z")
> [@eenerms](#): > > Sorry missed that…I was so excited for you…sigh we lived in Florence for 18 months and I mourned it when we left… Che sciagura. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/daughter-traveling-to-italy-this-summer-dos-donts-and-general-advice-needed/684231.md?page=2)