European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 13, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Travel Europe 1992 the Medland of Sun and culture by j. King Cruger Mediterranean Bureau the countries of the Mediterranean Region have certain things in common sea and Sand ancient history wonderful Art great cooking and Lively people. But they also have their differences. And knowing something about them in Advance will make it easier for visitors to get  Italy is a bit like a conjurer s trick in that nothing is quite what it appears to be. Change a hefty sum of dollars into italian lire and you Are an instant millionaire. The emphasis is on instant for in a currency where the Greenback currently equals around 1,240 lire it takes a pile of paper to pay a hotel Bill and Mounds of coins to make the most trifling of purchases. A menu posted outside a restaurant states that the establishment charges 9,000 lire about $7.25 for a dish of lasagna. Sounds reasonable you think As you sit Down to eat. But wait by the time the restaurant tacks on heaps of Standard charges that americans Are not used to paying that simple pasta dish is going to turn into a pricey repast. First comes the Coper to cover charge to cover the Cost of bread and the use of linens and tableware. Figure on a minimum of 2,000 lire about $1.60 per person for that item. The Bill will also include a 15 percent Iva value added tax and quite Likely a service charge of another 15 percent for the waiter. And naturally the waiter will appreciate a gratuity on top of that. If you be had some bottled water and wine you will be facing a Tab that will quickly lighten your lire Load. Italy is fiercely expensive nowadays and is no shopper s Paradise. Nevertheless Sharp shoppers while looking out for fake Gucci and Luccis can still come by Good buys on shoes handbags and leather Ware. Italy s Best value however is its glorious sightseeing. Mountains beaches fishing ports ancient cities and towns. And what it has More of than any country in the world is cultural holdings. Art and Italy Are nearly synonymous. Italy according to the United nation Spain a line of boats navigates Venice s grand Canah the Lagoon City is one of Italy is perennial top tourist attractions. Educational scientific and cultural organization has 60 percent of the world s cultural holdings in its churches Public buildings museums and private collections. For More than 18 years a professor has been compiling a registry of known Art pieces for Italy s ministry of cultural affairs. To Date 1.5 million pieces have been catalogued and it is reckoned that this May represent Only about 5 percent of the total. Getting to see the Art in t always easy. Museum admissions Are expensive and visiting hours Are inconsistent. Museums and Public buildings Are often closed afternoons mondays and Public holidays. Be sure to Check with local tourist offices every Good sized town has one to make sure the sight you have travelled so far to see will be open when you get there. Getting served in an italian cafe also requires some planning. Let s say that you want a capuccino a Frothy espresso Coffee with steamed milk. Incidentally italians drink capuccino Only in the morning. You can t stride up to the bar and order your drink of Choice. Instead you must decide what you want order from and pay the cashier and then a and Only then a approach the bar with receipt in hand and give your order. To ensure prompt service noisily slap Down 100 or 200 lire along with your receipt. Keep that receipt. Italian Law states that customers must produce receipts on demand if queried by authorities while in the immediate area of the Point of Purchase. A Fine of As much As 300,000 lire about $240 May be levied on scofflaws and the unwary. A amps files amps this is Spain s year. Expo 92 is already under Way in Seville the summer olympics will be in Barcelona this summer and Madrid is the cultural capital of Europe 1992. For those who like crowds and plenty of activity this is the place. But there Are a few things they should know first especially if they re looking for entertainment. Spain is for night people the kind of folks who shrink in horror from the Dawn s Early Light. Spanish hours Are a bit Wacky but they suit the National temperament. Most shops work a Jornada Partida from about 9 or 10 . To 2 . And from 4 30-5 30 . Until 8 ., although nowadays a growing number of offices work an uninterrupted Jornada intensive of 8 . To 3 . Some do the interrupted Day in the Winter and the straight stretch in the summer. Whatever they do it is usually keyed around somehow getting enough sleep either in one go or in Short takes to make the night As Long a possible. Restaurants proper ones and not fast food joints Don t open their doors until about 8 . And spaniards Don t Start flocking in especially in cities like Madrid until perhaps As late As 10. What do the locals a both male and female a do in the Early evening hours they go Tasca hopping. Simply put it s a leisurely ramble from one tavern or Tasca to another to partake of tasty titbits known As tapas. For the uninitiated a Tapa is an appetizer or  however in Spain such Ordinary pedestrian fare has been elevated to a place of Honor. No matter How Humble or Highfalutin tidy or tarnished the one thing common to All Spanish taverns is a Long counter or bar lined with tens of tapas a heaped upon dishes and trays. Typical ones Are shrimps in hot Olive Oil with garlic Parsley and chopped Sweet red Pepper Salt cod in a Tomato and garlic sauce with Pimento strips tiny squids cooked in their own Ink 26 travel Europe May 13, 1992