Lunching with a Nobel Peace Prize Winner

Today at work an exceptional experience.
I had lunch, and spent the best part of the afternoon, with Betty Williams, Nobel Peace Prize winner 1976.
Betty Williams was living in her native Ireland when she was driving her children to the local church. She heard gun shots, and saw a car careening around a corner. She was horrified to see the car smash at high speed into a mother and 3 children. The driver had been shot by the British army, and had fallen with his foot on the accelerator. All 4 were killed instantly, and Betty was the first on the scene.
What she saw propelled her to do something, so she went that night to the area in Belfast designated as IRA territory, and started to knock on the doors, asking the inhabitants to sign a petition for peace.
That weekend, she worked with the media, with whom she had never worked before, to tell them that she was organising a peace rally on the site of the accident. Worried that noone would turn up, she started to work the telephones, calling her family and friends.
That weekend 10,000 people turned up, Catholics and Protestants to protest that they wanted peace in Northern Ireland.
Her work in Northern Ireland started a crusade for peace that today led her to Italy, where she is working on a City of Peace for Children in the region of Basilicata.
And today, to the company, where she met with many colleagues to talk to us about her experiences.
She is an incredible person, for her work and the people she has met, but also for her way of just being herself. She is just a fun person to hang out with - she tells stories about her family, and her friends, and then about the Dalai Lama....
It was a pretty great way to spend the afternoon. Even if at the end it means that I am way behind on the rest of my work....
I even put on special green shoes for the Irish occasion!

Marche by public transport

Today I went to Marche to get my car. I have never been to my house in anything other than a car, rented or borrowed. But there is a first time for everything, and, as I was driving back, I had to get there on public transport.
This was quite an experience. After Tuesday's horror on the trains, I was worried that everything would go to pot if a train was late.
The journey was as follows:-
0630 Bus number 17 to the station at Santa Maria Novella
0708 Train to Bologna, arrived at 0812
0905 Train to Ancona, arrived at 1100 (it was late)
1130 Train to Civitanova Marche, arrived at 1201
1206 Train to Macerata, arrived at 1234
1315 Bus to Amandola, arrived at 1430

So 8 hours after I left the residence, and after 7 different types of public transport, I arrived to collect the car. It is certainly the long way to do the trip, its only 3 1/2 hours in the car, but I was so happy that it all worked out with the connections that I didn't mind. Having the car to pick up at the other end was clearly a big help too!
There were a few fun things about the journey too.
The Eurostar trains on the first two routes are lovely. Clean, spacious and quiet. (Especially if you pay the few Euros extra and go in First Class!) There is also power on the trains, so I plugged in the laptop, and watched Gorky Park on DVD to pass the time.
The train from Ancona to Civitanova Marche hugs the Adriatic Coast, and the views out of the window are of endless sea, stretching to the horizon - just beautiful.
The train from Civitanova Marche was tiny - two small carriages and the engine sounded like something from a 3-wheeled Ape.
I arrived at the station in Macerata, and my main doubt was how to reach the bus station. Despite endless attempts at Via Michelin and Google Maps, there was no record of either the station or the bus station in Macerata. I waited in line at the ticket desk (behind the Marchegiana guy, who was sharing his travel plans to Rome with the station attendant - "Ooo, it's been years since I went, I am not sure about the trip, I hear Rome has changed a lot, it's a long way from here, there are a lot of trains to take etc etc etc) and when it was finally my turn, I asked for directions to the bus station.
The guy started to pull oh-goodness-it's-a-long-way faces, and then asked me about the speed at which I walk. Not being sure how to reply, he asked me again, in that international gesture of communication - the same question, same words, just slower and louder! In the end we determined it was at least a 20 minute walk.
Leaving the station, I saw a cab, but as I was about to jump in, someone else got into the front seat. It was the Roman traveller!
Seeing me, he unwound the window, and asked if I was looking for the cab. When he found out where I was going, he asked the cabbie if we could drop me off first. Then they told me to jump in and they would take me to catch my bus.
I figured this was some kind of cab share arrangement - in pursuit of ecology - but when I asked about the price when we arrived they said - oh no, we were passing anyway, we are just giving you a lift! Have a good day, and it was nice to meet you! That's Marche for you!
I persuaded the bus driver to drop me off near to the garage, and then went to peer in the glass doors. There was the car, glistening and ready to go.... but Giovanni, the owner of the garage was no-where in sight. I rang his mobile and he said that there was no way he could be there now, he had had to work late that morning, so was late going home for his lunch - he would be back at 1530.
I had in fact, been up since 0530, and had been on the road 8 hours, but not to worry! I went to the nearby bar for a spot of lunch.
In the end I drove away in the car at 1630. It was worth the journey, and the wait!

The fall of the government (again)

Tonight in the senate, the government fell due to a no confidence vote.
Prodi is out, Berlusconi just itching to get in.
I am watching to see what happens next. Whatever it is, I doubt it will be as unreal as the scenes that came from the chamber today, with politicians popping prosecco corks, and others fainting out cold as they were being harrangued by former colleagues. Its not great advertising for the country that's for sure.
One of my Italian friends told me that it is great news. When I asked for an explanation as to why this might be the case, he said. "This is the time that the government does the least harm to the Italian people." I said, puzzled, "But there is no government right now..." and to which he replied, "Exactly!"

A Social Life in Florence

I have been working exceptionally long hours, but am determined that I can get a better balance in my life once I am a bit more settled.
Once I have the car (Saturday - and counting!), and the apartment, (Feb 15th), I am hoping to also find some friends.
This week, 2 steps in the right direction.
I have registered for the first level course of the Italian Association of Sommelliers, which starts on Feb 4th for 15 weeks. I hear that there is a lot of studying to do, but I am looking forward to it!
I am also going to the first meeting of the new Book Club next week, thanks to my boldness at the Paperback Exchange! We are supposed to be discussing Eat Drink Love by Elisabeth Gilbert - which is a book that I have actually already read, due to the fact that it was part of the selection of English-language books at the Venice airport when I was leaving to go to Dubai.
I am signing the official contract for the apartment on Monday, so life is starting to take shape.
Next on the list is a gym. If I can put up with the hard sell tactics of the one near to the Arno, then i will go there... It's on the list for this week.
Life is slowly taking shape at last!

Another 5 mins...

A trip to Rome today for work.
Dubbed 'The Eternal City,' it seemed to have earned the name today for two reasons.
The first was the traffic - the city is snarled to a halt most of the time, and without Robberto, Gemma (my colleague)'s TomTom friend I am not sure we would have made it anywhere!
The other was the wait for the train. I was scheduled to leave at 1930, meaning that I would be back at the residence at a reasonable hour, even though it meant that I had to sacrifice dinner or drinks with Daniele, from MIB.
But at 1930 there was a delay of 5 minutes. Then another 5. Then another.
Without a seat, and with the hope that, at any minute, the train would leave, I waited and waited in front of the board to see when the train would actually be ready for boarding.
Finally at 2100 there was a platform and we chugged out of Termini station at 2105.
At which point the Capo Treno (like the conductor) made an announcement.
In which he welcomed all of us on the High Speed train to Florence!
I finally got back 2 minutes ago.

The little book of fabulousness

I bought another book about my adopted city. This one is much less cultured than the others I have bought in some ways, but in others is much more practical.
Called 'The Civilised Shopper's Guide to Florence' the book profiles some of this city's most fabulous shops.
So this evening I took the opportunity to check out whether the recommendations were accurate enough to justify the teeth-sucking price of 10 Euros.
When I passed the newly-visible Santa Maria Novella church (it was being renovated all summer) it seemed like I was in an unlikely spot to see one of Florence's oldest Farmacias. But in fact, hidden at the end of the corridor was indeed the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica Di Santa Maria Novella. In fact, you smell the place long before you see it, as you approach down the corridor you are assaulted by wonderful perfumes, from lavender, to cloves, to meadow flowers - it's glorious.
The smells are only a part of the whole experience though. The whole place is awe-inspiring. It's one of the world's oldest pharmacies - started by Dominican monks in 1221, and opened to the general public in 1612. They now make no end of potions and lotions. The prices are steep, but the Pot Pourri I bought is now perfuming the entire office at work.
From the perfume shop, the next shopping stop was The Paperback Exchange. In the book it says that they offer thousands of English-language titles. The great thing is that some of them are second-hand - literally an exchange - so you can pick up books for less than the normal astronomical price for English language offerings here.
The other note in the book about the Paperback Exchange was that the staff are helpful and that there are sometimes community events. It was this latter that was the real reason for going to have a look. Having been back here for almost 3 months, I have yet to start a social life here.
In fact, there were no formal events organised that I could see, but the very friendly Melissa who works there and I fell into conversation, and has since invited me to her book club a week on Thursday. Which makes it more than worth a trip to the bookstore!

200 years and counting

I am now the very proud tenant of an apartment in downtown Florence, only 10 minutes on foot from the Duomo.
The place in question is in a building from the early 1800s, and has, amongst other things, a terrace with a view of the gardens below, a fireplace that is usable in the kitchen, and a four poster bed. It's pretty amazing.
The thing that really blows me away though, is its age. The building, and thus the apartment, is from the early 1800s. This means that I will soon be residing in a place that is older than the oldest (at least the oldest Western-type) building in Hong Kong - the LegCo building which was built in 1847. Its pretty incredible.
The process of renting an apartment is never easy, and here in Italy its no exception. The agency were good, and negotiated on my behalf with the landlady, which was not a simple procedure. And of course the money that needs to be paid up front is prohibitive at best, but I think it will all be worth it.
I am even planning to organise a house-warming drinks party with some of the people from work. (I still haven't managed to make friends outside of work in Florence.)
Opposite me, my neighbours are related to the trainer of the Florentine football team, so the agent said that sometimes there are Fiorentina football players coming and going. They could certainly get an invitation to come in for a drink or 2, although it would be great if they could leave at home the purple shell-suits that I saw them sporting this evening - not exactly the sartorial elegance you would expect from an Italian team.

The Dark Heart of Italy

There is a book about the corruption in Italy that was a hit a few years ago.
I have bought it, but not finished it yet, and so still need to be enlightened about what constitutes Italy's Dark Heart.
Frequently on this blog, I write about the fabulous stuff. Maya Angelou, in one of my favourite quotes says "If you don;t like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your perspective."
So despite the occasional frustrations expressed 'sottovoce', I try to remain positive about my adopted nation.
Sometimes though, it is a little tough to do.
Tonight coming back from work too 4 hours and cost me Euros 41.20. Unfortunately that's not a typo, it really does say 4 hours.
To drive the car to the car hire place in the city centre took nearly an hour and 40 minutes. Meaning the car hire place was closed (it shuts the door at 7). So I had to park in the overnight parking. That's an extra 20 euros.
Then I walked to the nearest bus stop and stood in the cold and damp and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Then I looked around a bit and saw the desperation written on the faces of my fellow would-be travellers. Turning around I saw it - the dreaded piece of white paper stuck to the bus stop with sellotape. "Your reasons are our reasons" said the heading - and went onto explain that there were many reasons why the bus drivers were on strike and that the public were at one with the drivers.
The long and the short of it was that it was at least an hour for the next bus.
So I went into the nearest place for pasta. And a glass of wine. And some water. That's another 20 euros.
Finally I went back outside, and, as is frequently the case post-strike (yes, I now recognise the routine, unfortunately!) two busses on the 11 and 17 routes were missing from the schedule.
At last, a number 17 rattled around the corner, and brought me back to the residence for 1 Euro 20. Some 4 hours after I left work.
I hate to contradict the bus-drivers, but I doubt very much if their sentiment matched mine this evening.

Sales are on at Florence Outlets!

And they must be good.
When I was queuing for 20 minutes tonight to get off the road from Perugia and onto the A1 at Bettole Sinalunga I assumed it was the weekly Florentine crowd returning from weekends in the country that were causing the traffic to snarl up.
Then I wondered if it was in fact an accident.
But as I got closer to the junction, I could see that the the motorway entrance was almost empty.
The carpark for the outlets however was overflowing.
I would think that some of the people in the queue tonight will be there for over an hour waiting to get into the carpark. I hope there are still bargains left by that time.

I'm missing a tongue...

In Marche I think they must have watched the news a few weeks ago when tongue was recommended as a gastronomic delight - delicious, nutritious and cost effective.
I was in the butchers in Sarnano tonight and the lady in front of me was asking for no end of bones, chicken heads and other things. Included in her list was a 'lovely tongue' but the butcher lamented that there had been a rush on tongues this week.
"What can I say?" the butcher complained "I am missing a tongue!"

The best small car in Italy

I bought a car today!
After having spent more than enough money to buy a car on renting cars in the last few years on trips to Italy, I have finally bought one of my own.
I am now the proud owner of a Fiat Panda.
Its new(ish) and blue. I would have preferred another colour - I had heard that there was a grey one on offer - but I have been lucky to find - through friends in Marche - a reliable second-hand car salesman, who has managed to find me a car that has been used by the Fiat group themselves for less than a year, and is in almost perfect nick.
So almost new, I have a discount of almost one third on the price of a new car. It needs some love and attention, but will be mine to drive away in about 2 weeks.
So at the end of the day, the colour on offer was blue. So blue it is!
If I were to choose the car I really wanted, it would not be a Panda. A 500 would be super, or a mini, for small cars. Ideally a little sports car - a BMW, or something else small, but powerful. It's my dream to have something with a soft top, for motoring about in the long summer days.
But for now, other than the price, there are many advantages to the Panda. It's small, reliable, and relatively nippy for a little motor. It should be parkable in Florence, and is much less nickable (I hope!) than some of my other choices would be.
And if anything does go wrong with it, and I am hoping it won't!, there is a Fiat garage about every 2 blocks in Italy.
I have only owned one car before, when I was at University in the UK in the early part of the 90s.
And that car?
Was a Fiat!

Hunters

In the last few weeks with trips back and forward to Sarnano from Florence, I have become almost a weekly commuter.This means that I am now well aware of the route to get back to Marche, and the places to drop off the hire car in Florence.
This morning as I drove to my house I saw all the usual elements of winter life in this part of Italy.
This basically means hunters.
The streets were busy from Perugia onwards, with hunters' cars. These are relatively easy to spot as they either have a container for carcases or snarling dogs in the back, or are panda 4x4s painted in camouflage shades. The closer you get to Sarnano on the street of potatoes and onions that comes from Colfiorito in this direction, the more hunters you see, parked up along the roadside casually swinging guns getting ready for a day's shooting.
It's not just the cars that are camouflaged. The guy I saw in Colfiorito at my favourite coffee stop (they have Illy coffee there - and its my just-over-midway point before passing Lago di Caccamo and going through Caldarola to Sarnano, so its a well-timed break) was dressed head-to-toe in army green, and was sporting a waistcoat, which I suspect had been embroidered by his wife or mum, with a bird in flight and a hunter with a gun stitched on the back.
I couldn't help wishing that the bird in motion would manage to get away ok.

Building a life in Italy

After what has felt a little like a very extended and hard-working holiday, it is time to start building a life for real in Florence. So I am househunting, car hunting and friend hunting!
I am off again tomorrow afternoon to see an apartment that I have seen near Piazza Donatello. Its lovely and I hope for it to soon be mine!
On Saturday morning I will go to Marche again and this time see a car to buy so I can have wheels to dash about the place in. Fingers crossed.
In other news, the stairs at my apartment might be finished, and ready to climb.
I've been working long long hours, and am thoroughly exhausted. But it's an exciting time here in Italy for me. If, by mid February, I can have an apartment to live in, a car to drive and who knows, maybe even some friends here in town too, it will really be progress.
2008 promises to be an exciting year!

Easy to Love

A big welcome to the world to my niece Annabel Holly - born this morning at 0707.
Annabel means 'easy to love' according to the baby names generator on the internet. Her initials are AHH, which my sister, who sounds exhausted!, said, is what people will say when they see her....
Congrats to the new happy and tired family!

Mind my... English?

In English, when someone swears, they blame the French - mind my French is the common expression.
In Italian, I heard during a meeting yesterday, that when there is a swearword they say, excuse my English!
It made me wonder what the French say! - Pardon my Italian perhaps?

The Panettone / Pane scandal

Tonight on the news (RAI1) the story of the price of bread.
Apparantly in Bologna its more expensive to buy bread than Panettone. (Panettone - either pane-t-one, big bread, or pan del tone, bread of luxury, - is a tall bread / fruit cake eaten at Christmas that hails from Milan - and is good with almost everything from Mascarpone, to jam, to a glass of sweet wine or liquer)
One lady on the report said that she feels like she is buying a jewel every time she goes into a bakers.
I guess that's a positive vote for the baker!
Also on the news tonight, an article on how to make the Euro stretch further this Christmas. Sliced tongue (boiled in salted water then sliced) and Tripe of all kinds were recommended.
From the straining buttons on the jacket of the anchorman, I would guess he has been tucking in more to Panettone than to sliced tongue.

There's Florentines on the streets of Florence tonight

I guess they are all shopping, but the ratio of locals to tourists is definitely different from normal and its lovely to see!
It wasn't quite so lovely this morning when it took me an hour to drive to the city (all 3 kilometres) but tonight as I did my last minute (actually, my only!) shopping, it was super.
Amongst those that I saw, some people deserve a special mention.
To the Granny in the full-length fur I saw riding a moped and later in the town - i LOVE your bright red tights. I'm not sure I would ever be brave enough to wear them, (the poem says "When I am old, I shall wear purple", but there is no mention of red!) but good on you for the courage!
To the Sexy Santa in the fur trimmed mini dress standing outside the Disney Store - I SAW you sneaking a puff on your friend's cigarette in the doorway! I guess Santas of any variety are not supposed to smoke - especially if they work for Disney! - but it made me laugh!
To the man in the market who conspiratorily whispered to me the assurance that I was getting local prices, and not tourist ones, I'm not sure if it is true, but I thank him for it anyway!
Tonight the city belongs to the locals. Unfortunately so do the streets and the traffic is horrendous. I am going to stay here tonight and head off in the morning to Marche early. And before that I am going to get a few small things at the Florentine supporters shop - and I'm going on foot!

Fine Family Dining in Bad Lippspringe

Sunday morning in Germany, and my uncle and his wife came over with my cousin, and my Grandad, and we all went out for lunch.
Lucy had booked lunch at the Fischerhutte, a lovely restaurant nearby to Bad Lippspringe where we sat in a conservatory and tucked into such delights as venison and dumplings.
Finally we also managed to have some of the German cake I had been promised before the trip.
My blackforest gateaux was absolutely worth the wait!
It was cold and wintery outside so, after a quick stop-off to pack my things, we went to Paderborn for a look at the town (very pretty) and the Christmas Market.



The Paderborn market was small, but nicely done and seemed to have more handicrafts and interesting items than perhaps the one in Dortmund, which was huge but in some alleys full of tat.
I managed to do a bit of shopping in Paderborn too, buying an incense lady from ex-East Germany. These are carved figures with lots of detail - mine likes travelling and has a coat with e a fur-trimmed collar and a map - into which you put incense. Once the incense is lit, the puffs of smoke come out of the mouth of the figure which is formed in a surprised 'O'. Its kitch but nice.
Following Paderborn, I began the journey back to Italy. It was the end of a great and varied weekend in Germany. I am still not a fan of the food or the wine, but I will be back for the rest!

Cinderella SHALL go to the ball

The ball at the army base was something that Luce and Bruce had had on the calendar for ages - well-organised army folk that they are! But Luce managed to negotiate me not only a ticket, but also a place at their table for the dinner on Saturday night.
Set in the army officers mess on the base (from the outside, the base is a very spooky spot - an ex-Hitler Youth training facility) the people that live in the mess had really gone to town with the decorations, and there were lights, and tasteful garlands galore. When we walked in there was a fire burning in the grate and people were huddling around the Christmas tree drinking mugs of mulled wine - a very warm welcome in all senses!
Once we sat down to dinner, we quickly stood up again, as a part of the carols game, invented by a bloke on our table where the tables all had to sing one line each and then sit down according to the directions hidden under our placemats. It was hilarious - a great way to start off.
Crackers pulled, it was soon time for dinner. And the Chef and his team had rustled up an amazing spread (he was new to the base, so was proving his superior abilities over the former chef apparantly!), with pork, beef, venison, boar, you name it, it was there. He looked exhausted, but happy as everyone complimented the new team - they had even organised a small zen garden by the buffet where the food was kept.
We turned down the dancing as Luce was tired and wanted to go home. But the great thing is, once everyone in out group had finally managed to say goodbye to the bloke in charge - a pass-by is compulsory before the night is out apparantly - the minibus outside took us all the way back to the house.
It wasn't quite a pumpkin chariot drawn by horses, but at 1 in the morning, was possibly even more welcome.
(photos to follow - i have some connection issues)

Dortmund and Gluhwine

Saturday morning bright and early Mum and I got on the train to Dortmund for a look at the Christmas Market and in an attempt to buy me a dress for the ball that evening. (There was a Lost in the Mail moment with the other one that was due to arrive.)
I don't know what the temperature was (COLD) but once we were on the train, we soon forgot the chill - the speed was unbelievable.
The scenery is unremarkable, very flat and not helped by the cold of the winter sky. But Dortmund was busy when we got there, and after a little wandering around, we found the Christmas market.
The tree in Dortmund is said to be one of the biggest of the christmas markets in Germany, and it was enormous! There was a range of food available to warm up with, but Mum and I could not resist the Chinese noodles, washed down with a mug of Gluhwine (make that a cappucino for Mum). Once you have drained the dregs of your cup, you have to get handy with the tissues, because included in the 3 Euro fee for gluhwine with a shot of rum in it, is the cup. At least, the other people we saw at the drinks stand were drying their mugs and slipping them in their bags, so we guessed it was OK to follow suit!
There is a wide variety of things at the Christmas market. From the ubiquitous Chinese-made toys and other rubbish, to beautiful handicrafts - hand spun glass angels, carved wooden items, wreaths and door decorations for the festivities are all there to be had.
But number one priority was a dress for the ball. Heading into a big department store, we eventually found the sale department, and came across a lovely frock on the cut price racks. Perfect.
To celebrate our successful purchase, we had another wander around the market, and stopped for a carved ham sandwich, the hams were boiling and roasting at the back of the stall, and at the front you got a small roll with 4 tonnes of warm ham, some german mustard and kraut if that floats your boat (yes for mum, oh no for me!) Absolutely delicious and just what the doctor ordered on such a cold day.
As we left Dortmund it did seem a pity to be leaving so soon. The crowds were definitely increasing in number as the day went on, and there was quite a party atmosphere by the time we left. Perhaps this was due the choir's rousing - if unsmiling- rendition of 'Feliz Navidad'. Well done girls, you were great! But next time, try to smile too!