Something I never quite managed to do while I was living in Italy was to get pictures of all the hilarious signs and business names that struck laughter into the heart of the middle-school aged part of my American brain. I can’t remember them all, but 2 company names stand out: Assitalia and Lamecop. Not particularly amusing to Italians (much like an Irish breakfast pack is not that amusing to Irish folks), but HI-larious if you look at it from an (immature) English-speaking perspective.
Not wanting to miss another opportunity to demonstrate why Americans should patent eye-rolling and charge for its use (we’d make tons of money!), I decided to grab pictures of everything remotely silly and yuk-worthy as soon as I could. The only one I am missing is actually a deliberate omission on my part, a tiny exercise in restraint, lest I embarrass the adult part of my mind any further.
Those ubiquitous rental signs, found nearly everywhere in the world, are really quite harmless in Italy: affittasi. Nothing particularly snort-worthy there. In the US, it’s simply, “For Rent.” In Ireland, however, it is, “TO LET.”
. . .
I’ll let you stew on that for a moment. To add to the mental picture, I’ll pass you an imaginary brush and a bucket of paint. You’re welcome.
And now, Signs of Laughter in Ireland: Part the First!
Shot this on 8 June 2010 while seeing the O, So Scenic coastline of Co. Cork. I cannot remember if, earlier on the road, I actually saw a sign with a strategically missing letter or if memory is merely manufacturing that recollection in self-defense. I do know that this caused me to snort and giggle in a most unseemly fashion. (Apologies to the Irish.)
To be fair, this peanut butter was manufactured by a British company. But COME ON! ”Contains peanuts. May also contain traces of nuts.” *facepalm* More accurate, perhaps, would have been “…Label may have been written by a person who is nuts.” Which leads us to the next sign…
Now really, would you trust food made by a looney? Hmm, yes, perhaps they should be taken away. To a nice place with soft walls. (Do you think it would be possible to send part of my brain along with them?)
I would like to thank you for reading. I will bring you more from the mind of a perpetual 7th grader in future installments. (…huh uh. Huh uh. She said “wood.”)
