what are they like, the Italians?

Yes indeed, they were all out and about today, the Lupa. And here they are (1st pic) visiting the Aquila Contrada on their triumphant tour around Siena. Yesterday they baptised 48 new little Lupa members-some seen parading around the Campo above- they had been 'stacking up' during the last year and a half of Covid restrictions. This is another Sienese tradition- you are baptised into your Contrada and remain a member forever. 

I saw a part of quite a bad film yesterday- ‘Eat, Love, Pray’. Although I knew that I really didn’t like it, I nevertheless wanted to see the Italian part, the ‘Eat’ part. And I was struck at how much popular culture relies on tired old stereotypes- we seem to want them. If we see a film about an American woman arriving in Italy we expect her to run into some sort of charming chaos where women who look like Gina Lollobrigida shout insults at each other from their windows across the street; where the plaster is peeling tastefully off the ancient walls, where all older women are cheerful but garrulous, toothless ‘mammas’ who are good at cooking spaghetti; where all young men are handsome but very pushy and ride vespas and above all, we expect there to be washing hanging everywhere.

The thing is, a couple of these presumptions are undoubtedly true.  Especially the washing. How is it that Italians get away with it, and it seems a perfectly civilized thing to do, while to hang washing from my window in Ladbroke Grove would be unthinkable? And if anyone else dared, I would get straight onto the council and complain- if that didn't work I, and the rest of the neghbourhood would push for eviction!

 

As far as Italians being chaotic, a cherished concept,  this is not true according to Paolo, my only friend here so far.  (A contact dear Lucy was kind enough to share with me. ) He is very irritated by the conformity of the Italians. They all take their holidays in August, and (and this is the source of most of Paolo’s irritation): they all have to have their Cena (dinner) precisely at 8.30 at night. It is almost unthinkable that they don't. This means that mostly there are no tables to be had anywhere.

                                                                                                                                   And just look at the orderly way the Italians like to behave at their sea side holidays: they like rows upon rows of perfectly symmetrically placed umbrellas – I know because I saw it the other day in the lovely old seaside town of Castiglione della Pescaia... lovely white sand, beautiful clear, warm water- really quite salty, but not for me, really, the regimented beach style of Italians, in Tuscany anyway!

                                                   

And  finally, some hopeful  news about the Monte di Paschi di Siena: it seems a deal will be struck with the Milan based UniCredit after all...so the threatened strike might be averted.