Bread is generally hard in Italy - you can buy morbido - and even my little shop - does as above - you want half a loaf you can have half a loaf - shopping in Italy is a way of life - not a hard sell - where the shop keeper does the shopping for you - I love it!

And if it aint on display - not as in the UK - it probably is in the back! A shop with no parking - but has everything! Even gas bottles!

And again - I agree - a lot of people in large villages like mine - grow vegetables - its not like suburbia in the UK - where people take prowess in just lawn and flowers -

Its normal to see people working on the land - my lovely neighbours gave me tomatoes, zucchini and eggs!

I am missing Italy...