My post was based on my own observations; I have been to Italy two times in the last 20 or so years & saw that in my last visit that everybody had a car or scooter. My Uncles cofirmed this, saying yes it's just like the US - 6 people in an apartment, 6 cars. And yes while it seems no one is working, there are plenty of places here in the US where everyone is always having lunch.

The other part of my thesis was that there were other places to go. Germany & Switzerland are close by Italy. An overnight train trip. And there is Australia which is begging Europeans to come before the entire nation is Chinese. And New Zealand.