Annec's activity

I used to criticise this forum for being rather too happy clappy about Italy.  I agree with abruzzo that people's motives for reacting to criticism of Italy are as interesting as the criticisms themselves.For myself, I've just moved in the UK from country (20 years) to town.  I've got sick of being asked why - so my stock answer now is "The countryside is not all it's cracked up to be".  It has in part to do with ease of shopping/cinema/theatre trips, but also for a rather more cosmopolitan view of the world.  And my social life has improved - it's so much easier if at the last minute you can just invite your neighbours round because you've cooked too much - or get a group to go to the cinema without it needing a 3-day preparation period.We had a couple fo journo types who lived in our village for a while, and then got fed up and went back to London.  They  wrote similar articles about why they were relieved to get back to the Big Smoke, and we were all mortally offended!They weren't very nice people anyway....I've no problem with comments of all sorts about Italy and the Italians (big of me eh?).  And I've no truck with the "everything's perfect and if you suggest otherwise I'm going to cry" brigade.  But if I suspect another underlying agenda then that devalues what's said.  And in my experience TV people ALWAYS have another agendaSo thanks penny and abruzzo and others for interesting personal views.  Shall we put them together in book form??????

Fantastic PAS.  And a Calendar as well!  Was it one of those with them all dressed up in their historic carabinieri costumes? 

Couldn't have put it better Seb. Given (particularly the older generation's) life experiences round our part of Marche - we must be the equivalent of Martians landing in London!  So their curiosity and overall welcoming attitude - rather than mobilistaion of death rays - is pretty miraculous. 

Nothing worse than a floppy dongle.....

Would that mean the Osteria ending up under water??

My first job on leaving Uni was to work for the Demarco Gallery in Edinburgh.  Ricky Demarco had this theory that the Renaissance had messed up the relationship between art and the people, because subsequently it became increasingly divorced from their lives.By contrast (secondo Ricky), ancient art such as standing stones etc played a central part in people's lives, and therefore artists should travel to those sites around the world to reconnect with the primeval.....So every summer he organised Edinburgh Arts - a trip around Europe to look at ancient sites - megaliths everywhere, nuraghe in Sardinia - you get the idea.I was the administrator for the 1978 trip.  3 months of up to 40 all sorts of artistic types tripping around Europe.  It  was exhausting and hilarious in equal measure.  Fights, affairs, disappearances, reappearances, smuggling people on and off transport (I never knew how many would be on the "Journey" at any one time - so forward booking of tickets etc was impossible), "performance art" in Gozo with astonished locals attending: you get the idea.Anyway, the point is that ley lines featured very heavily in all of this.  Standing stones are often described as being aligned along them.  Never mind tree-hugging, a lot of stone-hugging went on. (and people hugging too - hey, we were young, or divorced, or both!)I haven't a clue as to whether they really exist or not.  But Italy certainly has ancient stones; http://www.stonepages.com/italia/fossa.htmland I'm sure we inadvertently left a couple of people behind  - they're likely to be there still!

You're right Fox, on balance I'd rather have this than the rose-tinted version.  I'll give my prejudices another boot.....

Thanks Alan for the article. Reminds me to pop out for the paper.I'm trying to put my prejudices against TV people (I'm an escaped Meeja type myself) to one side. BUT "Marchigiani women wear checked pinnies all day (and possibly night) "!!!  There's more than a touch of the Peter Mayle in their attitude to the funny locals.  And I don't think the young and the sophisticated women of Ascoli or Macerata or even Comunanza would recognise themselvesI don't quibble with their premise that rural Italian life isn't for everyone.  Not sure that warrants a book and an article in the Guardian though.  Plus a massive plug for their business.I almost feel my once-every-decade letter coming on to my paper of choice!

Thanks S&M - good to keep this on the radar

I suppose the only upside is that you can still pretty much guarantee a decent meal in most places in Italy, whereas in UK you'll pay the same price but take a big chance on  the food (Pub lunch anyone??)