Four Mysteries of Florence

Mystery #1. Coffee making is a solved mystery. Having never used this kind of espresso coffee pot, I was afraid it could explode on the stove (why else would there be a pressure relief valve on the side?). Seeing no other coffee pot in my kitchen, I purchased coffee with a picture of this kind of coffee pot on the label. The coffee tasted less burnt after adjusting the flame to the lowest level. My coffee pot makes one regular cup or two espresso cups of very strong coffee. I see, now, that it is not likely to cause injury.








Mystery #2, Electricity. There are three kinds of plugs and two kinds of wall sockets. There is the "normal" two thin-pronged plug, like on a lamp. There is a three pronger, with the third post presumably a ground (like in the U.S.), and then there is a round plug with two fat prongs. Wall sockets are either the three thin-hole type, which can take either the two or three thin-pronged plugs, or a deep set type for a fat two pronger.






Mystery #3. Italians use 24 hour time (18.00 = 6PM) but a 12 hour clock. Must be helpful for children learning how to add.




Mystery #4. Another solved mystery (sort of) is the string pull in every bathroom. I refrained from pulling it for several weeks, not knowing what would happen if I did. Finally, in a hotel room in San Gigignamo, overwhelmed by curiosity, I pulled the darn thing one morning after getting out of bed. It rang the doorbell and woke Bruce up.