I didn’t go to the kebab shop for dinner(maybe it was self imposed punishment for not being able to spell kebab – nah)…Instead I walked around for a while then went to a pizzeria around the corner…When I arrived at about 8PM there were two old couples there.
I asked the waitress if she spoke english and she said “non”…well done waitress. You get bonus points for trying…
A couple minutes later I ordered by pointing at the menu and then she asked “Deutsch”?
OOOHHHH. I know this one…”ein bisschen Deutsch…” She follows up with a question of “meat…Schinken?”

seriously. This learning german thing is going to come in handy. I later asked her “ist der ein buchladen mit englishern buch” I have no idea if englishern is a word but her answer was “nein…Carrefour”…In the space between the … I made the universal sign of the book. I have no idea if she knew what buchladen was, but I’m continually surprised that people here want to speak more german than english. We’re really not that close to the border. They ought not to be speaking so much Deutsch unless this is the place where the German tourists come for summer.
…then again I know at least one German colleague who regularly visits Itality.

…anyway in the course of my meal 2 more old couples show up (one with their 2 grandchildren) and as I’m leaving a middle ages couple show up with their child…the point I guess is that Italians eat late. Again a stereotype that is accurate…who knew…
In the states the old people eat at 4pm. Not 8pm

I didn’t leave a tip, but they did charge me for table service I think…The table service charge is another new thing. Does that go to the waitress?