The city of Lucca has always been my favourite. Not only because it is only 25 minutes away from our home and I go there at least two or three times a week, but also because you do not feel like a "tourist" there.
Gala Placidia's activity
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In this icy cold weather, hot drinks and comfort foods are a must. Preparing and consuming them are good ways to spend time when we cannot venture outdoors.
Wed, 02/08/2012 - 06:10
The cold weather is affecting most of Italy and creating difficulties concerning energy supplies. Russia, the most important supplier, has been reducing the provision of gas up to 30% due to increasing demand in their area.
Tue, 02/07/2012 - 02:22
The San Francisco Chronicle publishes today this most interesting article:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/
Sun, 02/05/2012 - 12:45
Whenever we are in Italy, we love to visit antique and vintage markets and fairs, looking for that special piece that we would love to have. Sometimes, we find it...
Wed, 02/01/2012 - 02:47
One of my favourite activities in Italy is to visit those markets that sell antique and vintage items.
Tue, 01/31/2012 - 06:38
Some members may have noticed that I have been fairly quiet for the past month and a half. The reason for this was that we have been visiting our daughters who live in San Francisco (CA).
Fri, 01/20/2012 - 02:59
The new Italian government has been announced and it is obvious that we will have a fight between technocrats and politicians.
Wed, 11/16/2011 - 14:24
A lot has been written about the dangers of overheating Teflon coated cookware. Toxic fumes can be extremely dangerous for our health. Personally, I have never liked that type of cookware and I do not buy it anymore.
Sat, 10/29/2011 - 06:24
In another thread, we were discussing Tuscan herbs and "funghi porcini". Tuscany is a paradise for herb lovers and many varieties, such as rosemary, sage and "nipitella" grow wild.
Thu, 10/27/2011 - 11:23
Comments posted
I think that you are right.... but this is a fairly recent move. I will try to contact the Admin to see what can be done. I was never informed about any changes.
I think that RAM is absolutely right.... As usual
The Northern Tuscany Group was one of the most active groups here and in the Old Forum. You only have to check on the posts through the "Search" facility to verify this. On the other hand, some groups which are not particularly active are still there..... If this is "housekeeping" it is not very efficient. Is it?
Sorry Sprostoni, no offense meant... but every now and then you come up with the same comment. You are right, you are one of the members who contributes the most; however, just reacting to this particular post is not going to keep the community alive. Yes, I was surprised that nobody was mentioning any of the events, particularly relevant in the case of Italy, which were taking place. I was about to start some threads and then... to be perfectly honest, I am feeling a bit tired about starting threads, groups and hitting my head against a brick wall. I am still the top poster here....but I am not enjoying this "privilege". So I am sitting back and waiting for new blood (or even old blood with different names) to take over. I get easily bored nowadays.... I must be getting old.... or I find greener pastures somewhere else....
I think that health cover is a difficult problem and it depends on the interpretation of local authorities. It only makes sense that the European Card covers emergency treatment only, otherwise, many Europeans will be choosing where to get treated or operated causing absolute chaos for the guest country. This was happening in Spain, particularly in Marbella, a few years ago. It was stopped and now they deal with the needs of those requiring emergency treatment or European residents above the age of 65. I think that the "spirit of the law" is that you get that basic cover; however, if you are going to reside in a foreign country you have to comply with the local laws and this means having your own health insurance, which could be through the country's system by joining the Social Security system or a private health insurance policy. Italian Police mentions that you will have to show proof of health insurance to process residency. This does not apply for those over the age of 65. I know, Penny, that you have being battling with this topic for a long time and that you could possibly write a book on the subject; but I worry about those moving to Italy permanently and having expectations that cannot been fulfilled. Atessa's case shows that there may be problems. Also with the current economic situation and cuts being applied in the health system, we can only expect more problems in that area.
Again, this is a personal decision; however, I would recommend you to see a lawyer to ascertain your situation and what you can do to remedy it. Good luck!
We have double-glazed PVC windows (they look like timber) in our old 18th Century watermill and they are superb. Best thing we could ever have. They were not installed by us, the former owner did it and I thank him for that. I love old buildings and try to keep old features as much as I can, but certain modern conveniences are simply great and difficult to beat. My husband (retired architect) thinks the same. After all, we have modern bathrooms and kitchens which are just part of our lives. On the other hand, aluminium doors would not look the same. Obviously, that kind of PVC is expensive, but worth the extra money.
Penny is right, the NI EEC card only covers emergency treatment outside your country of origin. If you are under 65, you need private health insurance. Over 65 you need a transfer of your health benefits from your Social Security office. If you do a quick search on this site, you will find plenty of information on the topic.
Don't worry. Sprostoni seems to be the self-appointed Prophet of Doom in our Community and every few weeks he has to let us know his latest prophecy... It is becoming sort of boring....
Here is all the information you may need concerning Italian residency: http://www.poliziadistato.it/articolo/view/10930/ You have to justify a minimum income of some 5100 euros for 1-2 people, which is not much.... And you will need to sort out the healthcare paperwork. I agree with the advise given by other members regarding checking on taxation issues. Best wishes