1. Certain people have asked myself and my mother what Cefalu smells like. Before I had no answer for this, but now that I have been here for a little over a month, I have the perfect most complicated answer (because nothing is easy when it involves either Italy or Italians). In the mornings, in the historical center it smells like coffee, baking bread, and cigarette smoke. Although it is not stale cigarette smoke, it is fresh smoke, like the whole town just lit up. I like this smell. I know I know...it will KILL me but hey I can't control it. Then mid day depending on where you are in Cefalu, it smells like baby oil, sunscreen, sweat mixed with , icecream, and cigarette smoke. The cigarette smoke is a constant. Then around 7 it changes to a over whelming smell of men's cologne, cigarette smoke, perfume, and food. OH MY GOODNESS does the food smell good. One could become full on the smells of the food alone. Then around 10pm, 11pm it smells even more like men's cologne, cigarette smoke, and alcohol.
So this, my friends, is what the historical center of Cefalu smells like.
2. Two days ago, I witnessed a classic scene. I was walking down and small, cobblestoned street with a particularly large amount of balconies. There was an argument taking place between six old women, each on a seperate balcony, on different sides of the street, and on different levels. Some were shouting up, others shouting down, and they were all shouting at the same time. Then an older man walking along the street decided to engage in the argument. The moment he opened his mouth, there was silence among the women, a beat, and then the women aimed their angry tyraids at him, all at the same time. He turned red, ducked his head, and walked as fast as an 80 year old with a limp and a cane can and disappeared into an ally.
3. Never keep an Italian waiting when he has a soccer game to get to. This is never a good idea. Never.
4. When italians want to get someone's attention, they don't call the person by name, they yell HO! or they make a hissing sound. I quite like this for two reasons. 1. If you call out the person's name and it isn't the person who is actually attacted to that name, it can be embarrasing. By using the italian method, you skip the embarrasment completely. 2. I think it is funny.
5. Maljk is finally open after being closed for about three weeks. THANK GOD. You see, time is very different in Cefalu. Three weeks in the real world feels like 3 years in Cefalu. I think there is a time converter located in this town. I just have to find it and then I can prove my theory. This is why it looks like no one every ages. The people here either look like babies, in their 20's, or old, like really old. There is no in between. For this reason alone, I want to stay here. Just think no one would ever need botox until you reach the really old stage of Cefalu life.
