[jims69camaro]

i've never been to sicily, but i did two weeks in portico di caserta in '95. we went as far north as florence, saw rome, the sistene chapel, st peter's courtyard, one of the active archaelogical digs near naples, pompei, naples, capri (the boat ride over was amazing), and we visited a lot of her (the girlfriend at the time) family all over central italy.

one thing you will be amazed at (or should be) is the amount of time some of the structures have been around. our country is just a little over 200 years old, and some of the structure you will see will be five times that much.

pay attention and i am sure you will learn quite a bit. their drinking age isn't really enforced, so as long as you carry yourself well you'll get served. be careful, though, as their alcohol content can be quite a bit more than our beverages. 2 beers and you'll feel buzzed. more than that and you might cross the barrier (don't get smashed).

many parts of the country are very laid back, but i wonder how sicily is compared to the other regions. you know the mafia started there, right? and they just got rid of the capo de tutti capos a few years ago. be careful with your money and don't wear jewelry or expensive 'designer' clothing, as that might label you as a 'mark'. be careful and have fun.