Un'Osservazione Strana.

Pretend you're on a bus or a train. It's crowded and hot, and as you settle in to your environment, you notice some, erm, odors surrounding you. Now, one of two things is possible, if you are on an American bus or train.

1. The heat has caused several of your fellow travelers to begin to perspire, or
2. Someone near you has opened up a sandwich or a salad that contains some kind of garlic-y dressing and some rather pungent onions.

I think we can all agree that American body odor can be described in this way, give or take a spice or two. But how about Italian body odor?

Amici, Italians just smell different. I noticed it on the metro one day while crammed in between the door and some, well, Italians. It was very strange - almost like pepper, but... warm. I thought it was just the man who was positioned near me, but I have smelled this smell on many following occasions, and I really can't decide which odor is worse.

I'd like to add a small disclaimer: I did not come to Rome with the intent to study the differences between various cultural odors. The study was, in a way, forced upon me due to the frequency with which I must take the metro (every day to and from class).

Spero che non mangiareste quando avete letto questo brano...

A presto, amici!