When in Italy, Bring a Map

Don't ask Italians for directions. They don't know where anything is. It has happend so many times now that I feel the need to write a post about this.

First instance: Gigi told Fabbio and Graspa about something that happened to one of the teachers in Piazza Garibaldi. Their response: "Piazza Garibaldi??? Where is?"

Second instance: Gigi and I told Pelo about what happened to one of the teachers in Piazza Garibaldi. His response: "Piazza Garibaldi??? But, where is?"

Third instance: Gigi and I were looking for Piazza dei Signori the other night and asked some Italians out in the street where it was. Their response was "Piazza dei Singori???" They looked at us quizically and pointed in a random direction, but were not sure about where it was. They only thought it was that way.

Fourth instance: Today one of the guys called to ask me to go English book shopping with him, so I said ok. He told me to meet him at the international Feltrinelli bookstore. I asked him what street it was on, and the conversation went a little something like this:

Me: "What street is that on?"

Boy: "You know the Italian book store Feltrinelli? It is on the other side of the street."

Me: "Ok, but what street is that?"

Boy: "You know where is the book store? Ok, it is next to there on the other street."

Me: "Ok. See you there"

I ended up checking the phone book to find out what street it was on. Italians.