During the recent US presidential campaign, Berlusconi, the leader of this land, became famous (or infamous) sadly for the wrong reasons. Commenting on Barack Obama he stated just how much he liked his tan. Italians, and non-Italians alike, cringed all over Italy.
But this time, Berlusconi, its really too much.
There have been a number of violent attacks against women in Italy recently, and a response was needed. Explaining last week his proposal to add soldiers (presumably Carabiniere) to the streets, Silvio Berlusconi expressed that there would always be a risk of women being raped in Italy. "You can't consider deploying a force that would be sufficient to prevent the risk," the ANSA and Apcom news agencies quoted him as saying.
"We would have to have so many soldiers because our women are so beautiful."
He went on to lament that there are only 100,000 people in law enforcement, but millions of beautiful women in this country.
His comments have been picked up and reported from New Zealand to Turkey, from Sao Paolo to the UK.
All my friends are as outraged as I. Even the ones that voted for him in the first place!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Good Game - or just a scarf?
I had left my car at work over the holidays, so yesterday morning set off on foot to the station which is about 5 minutes from home.
Walking past the fire station, a guy walking out of the entrance smiled at me and said - "great match" as we passed each other.
Puzzled, I walked on.
At the corner of the road, someone else walking by said "great match", smiling.
It was then that I realised that the purple scarf that I was rugged up in was the same hue as Fiorentina - the football team that is followed like a religion here in town. I had no idea of the result, but presumably the locals were winners!
Walking past the fire station, a guy walking out of the entrance smiled at me and said - "great match" as we passed each other.
Puzzled, I walked on.
At the corner of the road, someone else walking by said "great match", smiling.
It was then that I realised that the purple scarf that I was rugged up in was the same hue as Fiorentina - the football team that is followed like a religion here in town. I had no idea of the result, but presumably the locals were winners!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Almost first impressions about Florence
Returning to Florence today after a break of nearly 3 weeks, i had a kind of first-sight experience. Compared with Asia, there are a number of things that struck today almost like a first impression, even after a brief absence.
In no particular order:-
* The quiet. I know that Florence is considered busy on a Sunday for many of my friends, but, this afternoon walking into town, it was really so still. There was an old man and a cat on Borgo Pinti, and the throng of the Christmas shoppers has notably passed, even in the centre. (I should note that the one place is was not quiet was Intimissimi where the Euro3 knickers led to a heated discussion between the Russian oligarch wives, and between a man and 2 middle-aged female queue-jumpers)
* The football cheers. Perhaps the reason why it was so quiet on a Sunday! Walking down the empty streets, I could, nonetheless, hear the roar of delight from the stadium and the houses where people were watching the box. Not being a fan of the game will not stop me from going to see a live match this year.
* The graffiti. It is out of control, covering reams of space with a combined history of 1000s of years. It somehow wouldn't be so awful if it was artistic, or a form of political protest for something so strong that the only way to express it is to scrawl it on a wall. But amongst the new scribbles I saw today were racial slurs, small moans, love notes (outside a school) and the equivalent of I WAS 'ERE branded on a beautiful wooden door.
* The light, Being an amateur photographer, you notice things like the light. But Italy really does have the bluest of skies, not the pale ice blue of England, or the grey blue of Asia (sometimes brown-blue, sadly, depending on the pollution. Italy's skies are a saturated traditional sky blue, with golden flecks. And the sun, even in the winter, casts a golden sheen over everything, Sunglasses are mandatory!
* The variable service culture. In Asia the service tends to be extremely good quality throughout, but professional as opposed to warm. Here in Florence, there are places where you can have a natter with a shop owner for ages, whilst they recommend you things - even in other shops! Then in the next shop you can find someone who thinks that they have done you an enormous favour just coming into the place, and certainly needn't be any help at all.
* The disproportionate level of contentment you feel when you find out that the local supermarket is open this Sunday! Supermarkets still tend to be shut on Sundays here in Florence, they open in rotation, and I thought I was seeing things when I passed a bloke in my neighbourhood with a few Esselunga purchases.
* The beauty. Florence is certainly far from a perfect place (where is perfect?) but strolling around the city this afternoon seeing the Duomo with its facade lit by the sinking sun may never cease to take my breath away.
In no particular order:-
* The quiet. I know that Florence is considered busy on a Sunday for many of my friends, but, this afternoon walking into town, it was really so still. There was an old man and a cat on Borgo Pinti, and the throng of the Christmas shoppers has notably passed, even in the centre. (I should note that the one place is was not quiet was Intimissimi where the Euro3 knickers led to a heated discussion between the Russian oligarch wives, and between a man and 2 middle-aged female queue-jumpers)
* The football cheers. Perhaps the reason why it was so quiet on a Sunday! Walking down the empty streets, I could, nonetheless, hear the roar of delight from the stadium and the houses where people were watching the box. Not being a fan of the game will not stop me from going to see a live match this year.
* The graffiti. It is out of control, covering reams of space with a combined history of 1000s of years. It somehow wouldn't be so awful if it was artistic, or a form of political protest for something so strong that the only way to express it is to scrawl it on a wall. But amongst the new scribbles I saw today were racial slurs, small moans, love notes (outside a school) and the equivalent of I WAS 'ERE branded on a beautiful wooden door.
* The light, Being an amateur photographer, you notice things like the light. But Italy really does have the bluest of skies, not the pale ice blue of England, or the grey blue of Asia (sometimes brown-blue, sadly, depending on the pollution. Italy's skies are a saturated traditional sky blue, with golden flecks. And the sun, even in the winter, casts a golden sheen over everything, Sunglasses are mandatory!
* The variable service culture. In Asia the service tends to be extremely good quality throughout, but professional as opposed to warm. Here in Florence, there are places where you can have a natter with a shop owner for ages, whilst they recommend you things - even in other shops! Then in the next shop you can find someone who thinks that they have done you an enormous favour just coming into the place, and certainly needn't be any help at all.
* The disproportionate level of contentment you feel when you find out that the local supermarket is open this Sunday! Supermarkets still tend to be shut on Sundays here in Florence, they open in rotation, and I thought I was seeing things when I passed a bloke in my neighbourhood with a few Esselunga purchases.
* The beauty. Florence is certainly far from a perfect place (where is perfect?) but strolling around the city this afternoon seeing the Duomo with its facade lit by the sinking sun may never cease to take my breath away.
Friday, January 02, 2009
New year New start
2009 is upon us, and I have made a tonne of resolutions.
There are those that I will not share, and those that I will not keep. But up amongst those that I will share and (I hope) keep is the desire to keep writing the blog.
So here goes. Thanks to all of you that have tole me that you have missed it. And to those of you who continue to read and comment despite the poor updating performance!
Whatever this year may hold, here is hoping that it is a good one for all.
Buon anno,
There are those that I will not share, and those that I will not keep. But up amongst those that I will share and (I hope) keep is the desire to keep writing the blog.
So here goes. Thanks to all of you that have tole me that you have missed it. And to those of you who continue to read and comment despite the poor updating performance!
Whatever this year may hold, here is hoping that it is a good one for all.
Buon anno,
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