THEY are back!

THEY are everywhere in Italy, and THEY suck your blood

They are one of the least pleasant aspects of living in Italy.  They arrive with the heat and attack you when you are at your most vulnerable, that is when you are wearing thin clothes, or when you are naked.There are many devices for keeping these pests at bay.  At this time of year, local … [Read more...]

Cappuccino and non-cappuccino cultures

While chatting with my other half I happened to mention a conversation which had taken place between two students of mine. The subject of this discussion was whether Milan was a better place to work than Rome. One person, who knew somebody who had worked in both cities, was of the opinion that Milan … [Read more...]

Stabbings

Well, I'm not too sure how to tackle this. It has certainly had a bit of an effect on me and left me feeling a little shocked and worried. What the heck happened? I'll explain.About midday on this quiet Easter Sunday, my other half, her friend and baby left the house for a quiet amble around the … [Read more...]

Another birthday prezzie

Should I be embarrassed about this? I mean, I am now 40, that's four whole decades old. So what does my other half get me? Well, er, shall I tell you? Oh Ok, enough dithering, I'll just go and spit the toad out, as they would say in these parts and tell you. She got me a Playstation (PS2 - one of … [Read more...]

The first exodus of 2005

The city was all but deserted this evening. It's Easter weekend and this means a large exodus of people heading off for the house in the mountains, in the hope of finding the last traces of snow, or driving down to the house by the sea. In this case hoping that the weather may allow them to get down … [Read more...]