Annec's activity

A friend in Umbria has just been fined for not providing passport details of a paying guest staying in her holiday home. I reckon this is just one of the many ruses being dreamt up to replace monies lost through austerity measures.  The old passport rules date back the time of the Fascists when government definitely wanted to keep tabs on everyone.  Maybe now they're being revived as a money-making measure. Plus in Umbria holiday home owners are required to obtain a Certificato di agibilita if renting out.  At about E2,000 that's another little earner

Has done wonders for the Faroe islands and their knitwear industry apparently......and according to this article they are self-cleaning!!! http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/sep/02/faroes-killing-wool-sarah-lund?INTCMP=SRCH I'm more of a Guernsey girl myself. And sprostoni, yes you're right yours is cheaper - though we only ever buy the trial for a month each time we are out.  Might give yours a go next time

Yep - definitely faster, despite my rural broadband speeds.  I have to say that I've been put off visiting the site due to slow speeds.  Would be a shame if it disappeared altogether

We're using GetConnected www.getconnected.com.cy and have a broadband speed of .6 It buffers for about a minute when first turned on, then is more or less OK.  WE are also watching The Killing - first time around - how many more suspects will there be in the last 5 episodes!! WE're on good ole Alice and if we were here permanently would seriously consider Fidoka.  However for emails and web surfing we're fine

I will certainly get your book Brian - and add it to my collection of Italy at War books I'm sending you a pm   Anne

Carolina He'll probably be along shortly anyway but have you tried coseperlacasa on here? This is his website http://www.philipwhitefreight.com/Phil_White_Freight/Welcome.html Good luck with the move

I always use Hertz.  One tip - you can always better the online prices by calling Hertz and speaking to a human being.  It works every time.

1. I absolutely didn't beleive this would work for us, but it does.  We are at the end of the Telecom Italia line with I would guess v standard broadband.  You'll need a laptop and the appropriate leads to plug into your TV, but if you subscribe to http://www.getconnected.com.cy/ you'll be able to watch TV via iplayer or itv equivalent as if you are in the UK (though of course the live tv will be an hour later...or is it earlier???)

Anyway, they do a month's trial for about E13.  We experienced a bit of buffering on starting up, but otherwise it was very smooth.  There's no guarantee that you won't have the odd glitch but I have to say I was v sceptical but was amazed at the result. You'll probably need someone with a certain amount of pc/tv techie knowledge, but not much.   We got an extended lead for the modem so the laptop could reach teh tv and then a special lead (??SCART??) to plug laptop into tv.  Actually the lead we got didn't do audio so we also had to rig up speakers and the whoel thing looked like Spaghetti Junction but if we were living there permanently we'd get that all sorted. I appreciate some may have even worse broadband than we do but it's worth a go for E13 Just seen Sprostoni's post - yes what I'm talking about is also a VPN - there's lots of them about

I'd say it's not so much the actual words in teh contract, but all the other stuff which you won't know because you don't know anything about the Italian conveyancing system.  For instance: Will the surrounding farmers sign away their right to buy your land? How do you know that the vendors are the only owners? Who else may have rights over your property? I think it is a requirement that all legal documents are translated to ensure you understand.  But on the principle that you don't know what you don't know - I'd want a professional to be involved.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jul/15/young-italians-flee-corruption?INTCMP=SRCH A