#1: Brits Don't Eat While Driving.
I asked Brian the Cameraman if he ever eats while driving. He looked at me and said "Do I what?" I repeated said question, and he looked at me horrifyingly. I said "Eat food.. you know. Like have a burger while driving. It's quite common." and he replied "Common indeed!" So that about sums that whole situation up. Although, who doesn't like a nice burger while driving.. it's so much fun to navigate the roads with a big ol' meat patty in your palm. Juicy.


#2: Brits Don't Worship At The Altar Of Thanksgiving.
Yes, yes, I know that this is all in celebration of the Pilgrims leaving England to settle in the colonies and eating a nice hearty "gifted" meal of stale corn and gamey meat that was probably not cooked adequately. But if anything, I think the English are the ones who should be celebrating this one moreso than the States.. I mean, come on. The Pilgrims sucked. The Brits should be happy they left the country! They were boring (obviously), wore homely clothing, didn't like anything "fancy" ..I mean they didn't even celebrate holidays, yet there's a holiday dedicated to them. It makes me sad that no British person will ever know the joys of eating copious amounts of delicious meat, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatos with marshmallows and GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE and then taking a nice long nap on a chair in a corner by yourself. Plus get a break from classes. To quote an outdated Twitter phenomenon.. " #winning "


#3: Brits Don't Think Of Austin Powers When They Hear The Word "Shag."
They just don't.
 Although to be fair, in my mind I think of shag carpeting, then Austin Powers, but then I think of Austin Powers on the shag carpeting, and then I can hear his voice speaking Austin Powers words, and then I just shut my mind off because well.. I don't really want to think about that.

#4: Brits Don't Have The Joys Of Junk Food.
I miss dearly my Cosmic Brownies, Pop Tarts, Cheez-Its, Star Crunch, Twinkies, Fruit Snacks.. Potato Oles and Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supremes. And free refills on soda. I dearly miss these things, and I bet British people would too if they ever got to taste their sweetly saturated caloric goodness. They just really don't have comparable things here. Even their "naughty" cereals are just like Cocoa Krispies (well, they're called Coco Pops) or they 'frost' something that is usually unfrosted. Our "naughty" cereals are small cookies that you happen to pour milk onto. This also means that.. #4.5: Brits Don't Often Look Like Contestants On "The Biggest Loser." and #4.55: Brits Don't Have "The Biggest Loser."

#5: Brits Don't Get To Say "Like Oh My God Totally."
Not entirely true, because they can say it, but they really can't get away with it like us Americans can. Let's face it. We assimilated Valleygirl speech into our normal vocabulary, everybody from every other country assumes we speak like it anyways. So just embrace it. Because no matter how hard anybody with a non-American accent tries, they just can't perfect it in like, such a totally right-on way. Ohmygod, I'm so right! So just like, own it! (Or don't.. hahaha. Or DO.)

1. The traffic is absolutely ridiculous. I don't think they have lines on the road, and even if they did they'd completely ignore them. Being a pedestrian.. HA. You're lucky if you get a curb to walk on, much less a crosswalk.. But it's also kind of fun. Lots of honking. And cat-calling.. meh.
2. To go along with the traffic, there are people trying to sell things everywhere. They walk between stopped cars wanting to sell roses, wind socks, wash the windows with their soapy water.. you name it. You're worse off as a pedestrian, because beggars send their children up to you while you're eating to beg for money or food or sell you roses. Even on the beaches people walk up and down trying to sell kites and food and all kinds of weird stuff.
3. I ate octopus. BLEHHHH.
4. If you ever visit Palermo, be sure to go to the Catacombe dei Cappuccini. It's so freaking creepy to be surrounded by dead people who are mummified. Everywhere. In multiple corridors, hanging from the walls. There's even infants and children. It was awesome/terrifying. We weren't allowed to take pictures in there obviously, but here's a link to the Wikipedia page.. To see better photos than the ones on there, just go to Google Images and type in "Catacombs Capuchin Sicily" or something along those lines and you'll find pictures.. Enjoy, ya sickos. Heh heheh.
5. Try to learn basic Italian if you go there, at least a few key phrases because the language barrier can be frustrating, especially when most people clearly understand English but refuse (or can't?) speak back to you in it. Here's a few to get you started: Ciao [hello/goodbye.. duh. It's my favorite standby word if you're in a jam], Grazie [means thanks.. people will always respond to this with 'Prego' which is not a crude way of saying you look pregnant, but a catch-all phrase that's like you're welcome/thanks/ready?/etc.] and my personal favorite, Acqua "Senza Gas" [means still or natural water.. aka not bubbly mineral water, ew.] Also, the word 'stop' in Italian is 'stop' ..True story.

View of mountains from the plane.

Views of the Italian coast.

The plane and some of the mountains of Sicily.

First views of the Sicilian coastline from the plane

Palm trees! :)

Pomegranates at the Capo market. Mmm

Melanzana (eggplant) at the Capo market. If you're familiar with Neopets at all, I think these look like Ummagines.. hahahaha. Er.. forget I said anything...

Streetside in Palermo

Laundry drying on balconies

A very random, elaborate Baroque church we stumbled upon while walking through the markets.

The Cathedral of Palermo

More Cathedral

A park filled with palm trees between the Cathedral and the Palazzo dei Normanni

My own self in aforementioned park.

The Politeama theater. [pronounced pol-eetz-ee-ama] It's not as cool as the Teatro Massimo which our hostel was right by, of which I didn't even get a picture of the front. Ha

Palms :)

The Cappella Palatina, which was the chapel for the Norman kings of Sicily. The whole chapel is covered in mosiacs, which date from 1132 to the 1160's. It's absolutely stunning to see, especially how intricate and elaborate the designs are.

Houses in the Northern part of the city.

Buildings downtown.

The port and docks.. and lots of boats.

Plants :)

I don't actually know what these are, but my best guess is they're some sort of gate to the city from the port. Haha

Looking out at the sea.

Chickening out about stepping on the rocks.

Palm tree and it's orange dangly things.

Dusk over the port in Palermo. :)

Sunset over the Old City.

Pizzaaaa for dinnerrrrr. !!!

Gelato! Be careful when saying 'gelato' though because the waiter might think you're asking for money from him..

Train ticket to Cefalù! :) :)

Cefalù!

The Tyrrhenian Sea

Gorgeous beach.. although I think I reached my quota of seeing bare-breasted old women for the year..

Beachhh. :) :)

A tiny seashell! (and my super well-manicured nail.. haaah)

What you receive when you order "mixed fish" ..lots of octopus complete with suckers and baby shrimps.

TIRAMISU. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

An advertisement for someone who specializes in ceramics painted by hand, I believe.

Homes and businesses in Cefalù.

A pretty doorway.. I could have taken pictures of every single door in Cefalù probably.. they were all so unique and gorgeous.

A nice selection of magnets. Of which I did not purchase any, although I do kind of like that mosaic starfish now that I'm looking at them..

The Cathedral in Cefalù

Virgin Mary and the lil J-man.

So.. these exist. And I'm obsessed.

Mondello Beach! :)

This was considered winter.. Yeeaahh.. Upper 70's. Really rough.

Wavves

Hello Mondelllooo

Sea!

Fun Fact: That's Melissa's towel.

Swimming awkwardly and probably discovering that the water is salty.

:) :) :)