This really resonated. Convenience is an addiction and I find when I'm in Italy I gain something from the 'inconvience' (all minus the a/c. I'm with you there haha.) Beautifully written!
Retirement from that cushy U.S. lifestyle, and moving abroad to a walkable city, ditching the cars, walking everywhere, becoming quite self-sufficient on the excellent public transportation everywhere else, and adopting a balanced, self-care lifestyle, has been not only fun, and a good way to meet like-minded people, but also a good class in traveling economically and staying fit at the same time.
Fair point, Dante. You're right that convenience didn't kill the walk; the car did. But walkability wasn't quite my claim. Or at least not the sole claim. The key phrase was "the same faces." Tokyo is as walkable and convenient as cities can get, but it still struggles with social isolation. Sociability that arises from repeated encounters tends to require small-scale and people who stay put, not just walkability. Italian towns, as inconvenient as they are, happen to have both.
That makes sense. However, I think my point is... it's also a mistake to romanticize oldness for its own sake. You can have AC, clothes dryers, new/renovated buildings without graffiti, cheap nuclear energy, an efficient digital first bureaucracy. These are flaws that are post rationalized as morally superior culture. For example, hate to say it, but France is just cleaner and more convenient than Italy, but obviously still very social and healthy.
However, beyond walkability, the secret sauce of Italy from my pov is the people, the "same faces" as you say. Italians are simply just nice people that suffer American fools a lot more than the aforementioned French. And that's worth a lot while we learn the ropes.
Likewise, in North America you can very much eat healthy food, live in a safe walkable community. But these are presented as luxury goods. It's not the default. It should be the default. Once upon a time, we had towns with Main Streets and social rituals. The lost dream of the white picket fence and not locking your doors. Now, in a faceless subdivision off an arterial "street" that is more like a highway with chain big box stores. Definitely not holding up this lifestyle as the best.
LOVE this piece! Totally agree. And re walking: I’m a regular walker and I’m slender. But on my last visit to Italy, I was alone during the day and walked EVERYWHERE (to my delight). I ate the most beautiful meals of my life - every afternoon and evening - and came home 4-5 lbs lighter. Meanwhile, my daughter returned after a year and suffered such stomach ailments in America that no doc could pinpoint the problem - until one asked more questions and simply said, “It’s our food. You’ve eaten purely for a year and your stomach is rejecting all the chemicals and fillers we use. It’s disturbing.”
I got such a shock when i returned to Australia back in 2020. I didn't notice my habits changing until I saw people walking around shopping centres with TAKE AWAY coffee in huge paper cups. My mum never hung washing outside any more and didn't even have a washing line, there was no going into the Dr and having to remember where you were in the queue by asking who was before you. So many things that I now love about life here in Italy, especially in the mountains of Piemonte.
Antonio, thanks for the balanced, non-judgemental comparison of N. America and Italy. Framing these differences based on convenience is a well thought out way to put it. And there are consequences to that convenience, which can be difficult to see when you have lived through its development and have been immersed in it. The most powerful ones might be the loss of third places and the digital culture, both of which can bring loneliness. This gives me a new way to appreciate the benefits of travel, especially to Italy.
Thank you so much for your work -- it's been a great resource and enjoyable reading - as we return to Marche to explore more for a property location there. Could you share where you settled ? Or suggestions year around locations - I guess Bologna is the hub in and out.
This really resonated. Convenience is an addiction and I find when I'm in Italy I gain something from the 'inconvience' (all minus the a/c. I'm with you there haha.) Beautifully written!
Retirement from that cushy U.S. lifestyle, and moving abroad to a walkable city, ditching the cars, walking everywhere, becoming quite self-sufficient on the excellent public transportation everywhere else, and adopting a balanced, self-care lifestyle, has been not only fun, and a good way to meet like-minded people, but also a good class in traveling economically and staying fit at the same time.
Did the same…..in Brooklyn.
Convenience and walkable streets aren't mutually exclusive. See: East Asia.
Fair point, Dante. You're right that convenience didn't kill the walk; the car did. But walkability wasn't quite my claim. Or at least not the sole claim. The key phrase was "the same faces." Tokyo is as walkable and convenient as cities can get, but it still struggles with social isolation. Sociability that arises from repeated encounters tends to require small-scale and people who stay put, not just walkability. Italian towns, as inconvenient as they are, happen to have both.
That makes sense. However, I think my point is... it's also a mistake to romanticize oldness for its own sake. You can have AC, clothes dryers, new/renovated buildings without graffiti, cheap nuclear energy, an efficient digital first bureaucracy. These are flaws that are post rationalized as morally superior culture. For example, hate to say it, but France is just cleaner and more convenient than Italy, but obviously still very social and healthy.
However, beyond walkability, the secret sauce of Italy from my pov is the people, the "same faces" as you say. Italians are simply just nice people that suffer American fools a lot more than the aforementioned French. And that's worth a lot while we learn the ropes.
Likewise, in North America you can very much eat healthy food, live in a safe walkable community. But these are presented as luxury goods. It's not the default. It should be the default. Once upon a time, we had towns with Main Streets and social rituals. The lost dream of the white picket fence and not locking your doors. Now, in a faceless subdivision off an arterial "street" that is more like a highway with chain big box stores. Definitely not holding up this lifestyle as the best.
LOVE this piece! Totally agree. And re walking: I’m a regular walker and I’m slender. But on my last visit to Italy, I was alone during the day and walked EVERYWHERE (to my delight). I ate the most beautiful meals of my life - every afternoon and evening - and came home 4-5 lbs lighter. Meanwhile, my daughter returned after a year and suffered such stomach ailments in America that no doc could pinpoint the problem - until one asked more questions and simply said, “It’s our food. You’ve eaten purely for a year and your stomach is rejecting all the chemicals and fillers we use. It’s disturbing.”
I got such a shock when i returned to Australia back in 2020. I didn't notice my habits changing until I saw people walking around shopping centres with TAKE AWAY coffee in huge paper cups. My mum never hung washing outside any more and didn't even have a washing line, there was no going into the Dr and having to remember where you were in the queue by asking who was before you. So many things that I now love about life here in Italy, especially in the mountains of Piemonte.
Antonio, thanks for the balanced, non-judgemental comparison of N. America and Italy. Framing these differences based on convenience is a well thought out way to put it. And there are consequences to that convenience, which can be difficult to see when you have lived through its development and have been immersed in it. The most powerful ones might be the loss of third places and the digital culture, both of which can bring loneliness. This gives me a new way to appreciate the benefits of travel, especially to Italy.
I love how walkable the places I visit in Italy are,the small vehicles,good food-I feel like life is more intentional there
Yep we like having to walk in Europe. I like american convenience too but daily walks of 10k plus steps with hills is grest for you
Well done - really good observations on cultural difference . So important to acknowledge for both Italians and visitors
Thank you so much for your work -- it's been a great resource and enjoyable reading - as we return to Marche to explore more for a property location there. Could you share where you settled ? Or suggestions year around locations - I guess Bologna is the hub in and out.
In on what's app.
Thank you very much, JW. I would start here, if you haven't checked it out already: https://italywithantonio.com/p/where-to-live-marche From Marche, Bologna is the largest in and out hub, yes.
So well written! Agree 100%!