I drove in Italy a couple of years ago. It was quite a scary experience.

In A Guide To Driving In The Third World, P J O'Rourke lists Italy as a Third-World country.

As I once blogged, the A1 from Florence to Bologna is more than a bit frenetic but otherwise no probs for me.

The Italians really love babies. Adore them. Can't get enough of them. So why the hell aren't they having them anymore?

I was over at the house of one of my former students a few months ago and noticed that she had a hedgehog as a pet. I had never seen a hedgehog up close before, so I spent a few minutes playing with it.

The conclusion I reached was that hedgehogs are simply too passive for me to enjoy having one as a pet, and I would soon become bored with the creatures if I saw one every day. But it is neat to pause what I am doing and play with one if I run across them every few years.

That is why the Italians were cooing over the baby, and making a big deal about it. They probably only see one every few years so it is a novelty. Your baby was the hedgehog in their day.

James

Nice theory, but probably not. The Italians have been known to love babies for years, since before the demographic collapse. My mother-in-law had much the same experience when she took my wife out there thirty-odd years ago.

I love hedgehogs.

Italians are entertaining drivers, it's true.

I once drove right through the middle of Naples, by mistake (took a wrong turning onto the autostrada just outside the airport).

It was a great experience, I enjoyed it hugely and have never forgotten it.

The point is, you see, that the Italians don't actually hate you, and are not trying to kill you; for that, you have to go to Paris.

Give me Naples any day.

Parisian driving is pretty special, yes. That's special as in "special".