Pizza by the Pound and Skinny French Women

Levanto. On the north west coast of Italy.

We can certainly see why Andrea and Trevor loved this little town when they were here four years ago. It is a charming mix of the old and the new. We arrived about 2 p.m. after feeling like moles on the autostrada. We passed through more than a hundred tunnels on the way here, blinking in the light as we exited each one.

Already we have hiked through the Old Town, bought pizza and focaccia by weight, gone for a swim at the beach, wandered through the shops, and had appies and dinner in a little outdoor enoteca, or wine bar. Tomorrow is market day here, so we will be shopping for locally made pesto to bring home in our suitcases.

We've had the opportunity to do lots of people-watching on this trip, and now that we've been in two countries, I just have to comment on the women! The French women are gorgeous. They are all thin. They dress for lunch like I would dress for a wedding or for New Year's Eve. No exaggeration. I remember sitting next to a mom who was taking her young son out for lunch. She was wearing a black frilly georgette dress. I cannot comprehend how they walk on cobblestone streets in the heels they wear. They all sport an expensive bag that matches their outfit and they wear lots of bling. Clothing that we might consider risque looks feminine on them. Even the older women are slim and well turned out and perfectly accessorized. Everyone wears dresses. It is rare to see jeans. And yet, they sit in cafes and eat buttery croissants for breakfast, have 2 hour multi-course lunches complete with wine, and dinner is another major event of the day. The only joggers I have seen were on the street early in the morning in Nice and judging by their clothing, they looked like North American tourists. Go figure. Italian women, on the other hand, don't seem to follow suit. They all seem to be quite comfortable in their own skin, if their choice of bathing suits is any indication. No worrying about a little muffin top here! However, the sad part of this observation is that they all seem to smoke. We had read that smoking was banned in public places in France, but we have yet to discover where those public places might be!