After more than two weeks in Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, and Sicily, I GOT THE FIAK! No, not a Fiat.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Driving Our Fiat in Napoli
- Nebaladan Word of the Day – Fiak!
- Pizza Rating – Sikania, Siracusa, Sicilia
Driving Our Fiat in Napoli
We rented a Fiat Panda “Cross” in Napoli. It was my first experience driving in Napoli.
I mentioned in a previous post about Napoli traffic. Driving in all parts of Italy, including the North not just Southern Italy, is as expected; very few traffic lights or stop signs. Drivers are not really aggressive as much as they are very much aware. The drivers understand that if they don’t move into traffic, they will not be allowed into traffic.
The driving is really no different than crossing a street in Italy. You move out from the curb with purpose. The cars will stop. If you try to cross with any hesitation, you will never get across. It’s like the drivers sense you hesitancy and will simply continue without stopping.
In the case of our little Fiat, there’s very little “Cross” about it other than fog lights in the front. In every other aspect, it’s a Panda; tiny and no pick up. Surprisingly, it had nice, firm suspension. It handled the tight streets of towns and cities well. It also fit four adults “well-ish” but less well for our travel bags.
We put about 600k (370 miles) on the Panda on freeways and out of the way mountain roads. It’s not nearly as fun as our Honda FIT, but a very good vehicle and low rental cost for our adventure.
Nebaladan Word of the Day – Fiak!
FIAK (pronounced fee-awk, like Fiat, but with a “K”)
I’ve searched many Italian and Nebaladan slang sources and have not found a “real” definition for the word FIAK.
FIAK was used by my mother’s (Grandma Joanne) family from Naples and my father’s (Grandpa Tony) from Avellino.
My definition for FIAK is malaise, lazy, tired, not wanting to move
- In context in conversation with Ma:
- Ma – to me after cooking a large meal, “Michael, get up off chair. Let your dad sit down!”
- Me – “Ma, I GOT THE FIAK! I ate too much macaroni, and dad’s meatballs are the size of softballs, and I ate three! I can’t move!”
- Ma – “Move your ass for your father!”
Pizza Rating – Sikania, Siracusa, Sicilia
While heading from Catania to Palermo in Sicily, we stopped in the resort and archeologic town of Siracusa. Of course, at my behest, we stopped at a pizzeria near or B&B!
| Website | https://maps.app.goo.gl/UcWnVTdJrZoUBwKx6?g_st=ic |
| Location | Siracusa, Sicilia |
| Style | Neopolitan-ish (baked in electric oven) |
| Ambiance | Classic Italian Cafe |
| Rating Criteria | |
| Dough | Tasty, yeasty thin crust which had a nice chewy texture Although toasted and slightly browned, it had no char taste from being long cooked in a lower temp electric oven Very puffy & airy cornicione with nice taste. I spent a lot of time taking the cornicione apart with my fingers because the dough/crust taste was pretty good. This place knows how to make dough, too bad about the electric oven |
| Sauce | Tangy but thin, no discernible spice, no real hint of salt either, a little on the shy side of amount |
| Cheese | Moozedell, normal cows milk I presume, the puffy cornicione caused the moozedell to pool to the center and cause the center to have too much moozedell but little near the edge |
| Cheese to Sauce Ratio | Cheese = a little to medium Sauce = a little Balance = the sauce and cheese was balanced, but the crust, although no char, still had the majority of the taste |
| Value | E5.50 ($6) – tremendous as much of Italy |
| Overall | Good, not great, I’ve certainly had better in Italy, but this is not a Meh (which is not good) pizza |
| Would I Go Back? | No, like most of Italy, there are so many pizza options, that unless it’s GREAT, there’s no reason to return |
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