This weekend, one of my favorite aunts gave me a very special book that is FULL of interesting random facts about...you guessed it - Italy! So, from now on, everything you ever wanted to know about Italy (and probably a lot of stuff you don't care about) will be posted on this blog.
This book has kept me cracking up (most of the time). Some facts are more interesting or less disturbing than others, but I will definitely be sharing the ones that caught my eye.
The first batch of facts all share a common topic - Women. I thought this was fitting considering
my last post in which I disclosed women's recent victory over my household!
1.) In Italy it is considered unfeminine and improper for the woman to pour the wine.
2.) It is illegal for a woman to be a prostitute in Siena - only if her name is Mary. (I guess the
Susans and
Saras get all the perks?!?)
3.) Venice has had gondolas for more than a thousand years, but never a female gondolier. (In 2007, the Locanda Art Deco hotel
did hire a woman to steer their private gondola, but she is
not recognized by the gondolier's association, cannot officially call herself a gondolier, and, by law, is only allowed to paddle guests from that hotel!)
I guess women get a pretty raw deal in Italy....Unless, of course, you want to be a prostitute and your name is something other than Mary - then you've got it made.