Men At Work

Ok, I admit it. Two of my favorite times of day are in the morning when I am walking to school, and in the evening around 6:30, when I sit in the Piazza della Republica, people watching. These two times of day happen to coincide with all of the Italian business men going to work.

A sight I have not often seen, until I arrived here, is a man dressed in an Armani suit, riding a bicycle. Many times, not only are they riding a bicycle, but they have a child on the back or on the handlebars and they are transporting them to school.

In the evenings, they stroll across the piazza, and sometimes stop in the middle in groups to chat with friends, or stop at one of the cafes for an apertivo. It’s like being at a Fashion Show. Armani, Gucci, Versace. Even in the heat, long sleeve shirts, suit and tie, beautiful leather shoes or boots, and designer sunglasses. Oh la la!