Having spent roughly six weeks total in Italy this summer, there are several observations I made which have helped to clear up a couple of issues.<BR><BR>1) I always noticed all those wonderful optical shops all over Italy -- with fantastic eyeglasses. At last I discovered the reason for them. It seems there has been a long standing law in Italy that no bathroom can have more than 10 watts of light in it. Thousands of Italians need to wear eyeglasses as a result of trying to do hair, put on makeup, or shave in front of almost pitch dark bathroom mirrors.<BR>However, there is good news on this issue. Since the invention of halogen lighting, many bathrooms are being redone with brilliant halogen lighting. This is good, because now they can also boost the sales of those spectacular Italian designer sunglasses.<BR><BR>2) There is a very bad current epidemic all over Italy of body lice (commonly called The Crabs). It has apparently affected every male between the age of 12 and 70 who now are forced to stand around in public places constantly groping and scatching their most private parts.<BR><BR>3) I was surprised this summer by all the wild shades of red in women's hair. Generally speaking it looks as if there is a contest to see how can have the most unrealistic shade. Streaks of what look like red food coloring are quite common, and sometimes these red shades actually seem to glow in the dark. Since this has affected women in Italy of all ages and classes, who all seem to be totally non embarrassed by these bizarre hair colors, I have concluded that there must have been a massive problem with a popular women's shampoo (it doesn't seem to happen to men, so it must be strictly the women's shampoo) that has caused this problem. Apparently there is a bizarre chemical reaction when it is mixed with water. No one has figured out how to do the recall, because the problem continues.<BR><BR>(before you slam me, please accept this post is the friendly spirit in which it was intended -- yes, I love Italy!)

Patrick,<BR>As a general note, red is the most difficult hair color to attain through artificial or chemical means.<BR><BR>The reason is found in the basic principles that are key to the application of the coloring itself: open the hair cuticle, apply the color, close the cuticle. The molecules that comprise the color red are larger than other molecules. Therefore, when one goes to close the cuticle, it often does not close all the way, or does not stay closed, due to the size of the red molecules. When this happens, the red molecules begin to leave the hair. (This often results in those "pink" looking redheads or very metallic redheads that one occasionally sees here in the states.)<BR><BR>I am not a redhead, but my hairdresser explained all of this to me one day when I told her I'd seen a "fake redhead" and could tell. She has been a hairdresser for 26 years, and says red is the most difficult shade to properly attain for a client who wants to color her hair.<BR><BR>Best Wishes,<BR>BC

Very funny, Patrick. Assume you found lots to enjoy as well on your trip.<BR><BR>The mystery we solved was how all those laid-back, charming Italians could turn into such speed monsters once they hit the expressway. Then we noticed them tanking up on double espressos before hitting the highway. Could there be a connection?<BR><BR>Bookchick -- fascinating info on wannabe redheads. But I believe the redhead fashion these days has nothing to do with looking like a natural and everything to do with making a statement.

Very droll. Any more good ones Patrick?

We saw alot of those weird red shades in France and Amsterdam.

Thanks, Book Chick, for telling me more than I ever wanted to know about hair coloring, but on the serious side, yes, this has nothing to do with trying to look natural. This current fad is rampant in Italy. We saw women in their 60's perfectly dressed in expensive restaurants with hair that looked like something the punkers in London were doing 20 years ago. It is a bizarre fashion statement.

So, my husband and I weren't the only ones who noticed all of the not-so-subtle crotch action going on!

After our last trip to Tuscany, my sister and I were amazed at the number of what we termed "brunello heads". Seems to be the craze all over the world. Certainly are worse things they could do to themselves!

<BR>More power to anyone who doesn't mind doing something to their appearance that's not considered "normal"; it makes for more interesting people-watching.<BR><BR>This isn't a slam at you personally, Patrick, because I understand the spirit of your post, but many cultures, especially American, are far too obsessed with what is "normal", in appearance or behavior.

Again, another observation. Have spent a lot of time in Spain in the winter and noticed there also, many various shades of red, some on the purple side, etc and since I do admit to coloring my own hair, do know that a lot of the darker colors when exposed to a lot of sunlight (as in those regions), a lot of them turn to various shades of red, purple, etc so don't feel it is all by choice. Enjoy the view. MJ

well, Patrick if you love Italy so much what about stop wasting time in pointing out whether Italian men groped themselves or the shades of red and start posting something useful. I see six weeks in Italy didn't do a thing for your usual pompous ass.

Thank you, Bobby, it is so good to be welcomed back, just like old times. You may notice, but probably won't, that I am doing trip reports of a more "positive" nature, but I'm sure you'll find those just as pompous.

And, Bobby, I do apologize for not including my name in the heading of this post so you could have avoided it. Hopefully, when you see "Patrick's Trip Report" in a heading, you will skip over it, rather than waste your time and ours reading it then making nasty comments, since you already know that anything I say will be "pompous". I am deliberately including my name in those posts so that people like you have no reason to even look at them -- you can safely skip right past them.

;o) They are really not meant to look natural. Dark purple, bright red (I mean Santa Claus red), and clear orange have been fashionable lately. Usually they are used in stripes.<BR><BR>Yesterday I saw a woman with black hair and bright blue stripes. It actually looked good. At least on her.

As an Italian I have a good sense of humour and found Patrick's post to be very funny, sorry I have to leave as I have to scratch my ehm my intimate parts....

will someone explain why this very funny post is considered pompous? bobby, i have been following patrick's trip reports and have seen a lot of his helpful comments since he returned. could you point out some of your more helpful and less pompous posts so we could compare?

As a natural redhead (or more specifically, a natural strawberry blonde*), I can easily spot a fake redhead. For one thing, the hair color and skin tone usually don't "coordinate." And yes, we see a lot of naturally brunette women in Europe who dye their hair this weird eggplant color. I don't know why it's so popular because on many of these women it just makes their skin look sallow. However, to each his own. <BR>BTilke<BR>*A few years ago, I read a report in a scientific journal that from a genetic standpoint, strawberry blonds are the only *true* redheads. The rest are actually shades of brunette!

As an Italian I have a good sense of humour and found Patrick's post to be very funny, sorry I have to leave as I have to scratch my ehm my intimate parts....

XXX, you are not fooling anybody; you are Patrick. See what I mean?

Bobby Trendy -- take off those Cranky Pants, kid.