[misteri d'italia] learning slowly

In the early stages of coming to terms with this place called Italy, helping me greatly is the book by Tobias Jones who moved to Parma in 1999.

Named the Dark Heart of Italy, I couldn’t possibly comment on that at this early stage but already some things have become apparent to a man whose eyes have never been turned this way but rather to colder climes. No doubt most readers would have more knowledge of the two Sicilies than I.

Yet bear with me as I make my discoveries and kindly add things you yourself picked up in your travels, to round out the picture.

Stato

Firstly, there is no state called Italy, except in politicians’ minds. It has gone through so many hands, been somebody’s baby, from the Borgias to Berlusconi and the city state is still so deeply entrenched in most places that it explains why Modicans refer to themselves as either that or Sicilian, the south, part of ‘Africa’, as they apply their northern neighbours’ epithet for them.

‘Provincialism combined with urbane cosmopolitanism’ is the way to go.

Catholicism

The religion is clerical, people’s attendance largely social and yet fervent for all that. As the bells chime just now, it is a contrast to where I was two weeks ago with the Muslim prayer call from the minarets.

One place this comes through is if you are convicted of wrong doing in the law court in Primo Grado. No one thinks that is the end of the matter – you’ll be absolved in Secondo Grado later. Sin on Saturday, absolution on Sunday.

Furbo

Some time back I ran an article on this – the admiration for someone who can con his way round the system and make something for himself. Much better, as Jones says, to be furbo [mildly dodgy] than ingenuo [naïve]. To pay an unnecessary fee, to do things by the book, to declare campaign contributions and resign for irregularities, so beloved by the British – that raises eyebrows here.

Ethics

There is bel and brutto. That’s all. Not right and wrong. One dresses to shop, one’s ailments and poverty is not spoken of and is disguised as far as possible.

Laissez faire and bureaucracy

Anything official involves largesse, obsequiousness, long queues, crawling on the belly and begging, in flowery language, to be allowed to pay your outrageous tax and get that little stamp on the document which goes with the other stamped documents which go with the other red tape to pay your fee on this or that. Legitimacy is everything, even to proving you’re a citizen.

On the other hand, the average life has no end goal, no explanation, no rules – it just is. To feel is more important than to think. The summum bonum is figura – the thing you have achieved, which you have made yourself into.

Fantasy and reality

Somewhere in here is the merging of fantasy and reality. Reality is euphemized or ignored, hidden away beneath a layer of words, which are fantasy, which is the real reality, sometimes in blood through history. History and story are the same word in Italian – storia.

Passing someone on the path

An ASBO was coming the other way in south London once and wanted me to step aside. When I didn’t, I got ‘Oh, for f--- sake,’ and other gems but I dug in and refused to move, even pulling a sandwich out of a bag to eat to while away the hours. Twenty minutes later he gave it away.

In Russia, he saw me coming, I saw him coming, we ignored the other and at the crossing point it was two walruses clashing, followed by his denunciations, ‘But it was my path.’

In Modica, he saw me coming, we both stepped aside, he said grazie and buona sera, I responded in kind.

That’s about as far as I’ve got so far on this place here where a gale is currently blowing through the shutter slats and the tiled floor feels cool beneath the feet as I write this.

[prince charles] what if dot dot dot

Hmmm:

In October 1996, London's Evening Standard newspaper quoted the Grand Mufti of Cyprus, who claimed that the prince had converted to Islam.

"It happened in Turkey. Oh, yes, he converted all right," the Grand Mufti was quoted as saying. "When you get home, check on how often he travels to Turkey. You'll find that your future king is a Muslim."

This was one of several reports linking Prince Charles and Islam highlighted by authors Ronni L Gordon and David M Stillman in The Middle East Quarterly in 1997.

This report in the Asia Times is in the nature of gossip rag speculation and yet what if? Where would that leave Prince Charles on his accession, particularly if he is to be divorced by a bored Camilla?

[hillary] post for nunyaa

This post is dedicated to Nunyaa.

[l'altro posto] modican style

The thing which strikes you about this part of Sicily straight away is the friendliness of the people. It's a word bandied about by all tourist boards but in the case of Modica, it is most assuredly so.

Take that one step further, in the form of the cafe of choice in the choice main shopping street - via Sacre Cuore - and you have the makings of a delight.

Ten years ago, L'Altro Posto [The Other Place] started up on this street and a little gem it proved to be too. In that time it has become the place to eat for the business community in this area so why should we be any different?

Quite frankly, if I haven't had my cappuccino and choc croissant by eleven from Georgio or Marcella, I start to chafe at the bit and Welshcakes is of a similar mind with her prosciutto and melon lunch which I occasionally join her for.

This could be followed by fruit, gelati, then an espresso of local origin - Caffè MOAK.

One is spoilt for choice really and all I can suggest is that if you make it down this neck of the woods, seek out L'Altro Posto and you'll be assured of the sort of welcome I too received after only a few days - a beaming:

Ciao!

This is cross-posted at Welshcakes Limoncello.

[raffaele's] modican style

As with many of the best businesses in Modica, the approach to Raffaele's salon is inconspicuous but once the lift decants you into the reception area [or alternatively you can mountain climb up the tiled steps if you're quite sportif], a wonderworld awaits you.

There is the chic, the hustle and bustle, the girls who assist him and then there is:

Raffaele.

Still some years from 'a certain age', the first thing which strikes you about the man is the warm and open smile, the second thing is his pink polo T and the third the women milling around, planting kisses upon his craggy cheek.

He greets us with enthusiasm then zips away to attend to this lady or that whilst a girl brings us an espresso each and on a plush cushioned divan, we await his attendance upon our cappelli although in my case it's more wishful thinking than any specific style.

Welshcakes is whisked away for the shampoo phase and I take my leave with beaming smiles all round.

Oh, by the way, did I mention the views across the Modican countryside from his large window wall?

This is cross-posted at Welshcakes Limoncello.

[interim report] first two weeks

Pretty boring title and not a lot of time to write.

Thank you so much for your comments - I have not deleted even one of them from my e-mail notification and will get to each of you in turn both on this site and visiting you.

So to Sicily. Well, there is Sicily and Sicily and big city issues are pretty much the province of other bigger cities like Palermo, Catania and so on.

This is a less bustling town and that suits us fine although it can make due process longwinded. The trick is to try not to deal with officialdom - read Welshcakes' post on the election to get an idea.

This town is in three parts - alto, sordo and bassa. Bassa is where the tourists go although I don't particularly think it is better. Modica is on the side of a hill but not running down to the sea - rather it runs down into a valley and the sea is 20km away.

This results in a hot dry climate and it can get into the mid 40s in summer. Today is better - 20 and cloudy but we haven't really started summer yet.

Alto is the higher area where the Church of St George is and I haven't been there yet, still tied up in domestic and official status issues. Here with Welshcakes has proved more than workable and she is one hell of a good chef.

Ellee, I did put on some weight early, then changed to the Sicilian diet and lost some and now am about the same.

Sordo, where we live, is the commercial centre of the town and thus does not hold a place in the people's hearts to the same extent. It is modern in aspect, unlike the really ancient architecture in the other two parts. Still, I particularly like it and it's a hop, skip and jump from Welshcakes' school.

Routines have begun and one of mine is the morning capuccino at L'Altro Posto [The Other Place] cafe in the main boutique street. Not exactly chic but quite elevated in theme, let's say. You want to see a cross-section of Modica - it comes through this cafe and I'm now seen as a regular.

Welshcakes' boss's husband said that in the evening, people do not ask, 'What shall we do?' but rather, 'What shall we eat and where?' and this is true.

Another aspect is the treatment, by the north, of this region as 'Africa' and there is truth in this too, in that Rome does not appear too concerned with the lower tip of Sicily. So they just go about their business in an interesting way. There are problems with African illegal immigration [the boat people] but not so much to this town.

One interesting effect is the 'Lotus Eater' syndrome. A sort of languor comes over a person and as it's necessary for a blogger to have fire in his belly, this has seeped away in my case. We were discussing this last evening and I bemoaned the fact that I've already taken on the feminists, gay mafia, immigration, 'Them', PC and other choice targets so what is there left to get apoplectic about?

You see the problem? Lol.

Anyway, please indicate, in the comments section, what aspects you'd like me to post about as it's difficult to think clearly in this euphoric Welshcakes state. Plus I'm meeting the famous Raffaele at the hairdressers later.

:)

[slow boat to oblivion] your seven reservations

Ever thought of sending out the press gang to round up those seven most obnoxious people in your existence? Well, the long boat is at the ready and you can pack them all on board at a most reasonable charge.

Who would your seven include? You can't include known monsters of yesteryear such as Hitler or Idi Amin but modern pains in the butt such as ... oh ... Greer, Shatner, Hilton and so on

Should make interesting reading.

[election 2008] down to the wire

Right in the middle of municipal elections here and need all the names we can get so if you're at a bit of a loose end, you might mosey on down our way and sign on. I mean, whom would you rather have, Prodi or this energetic lady above with ideas who seems to be going places fast

While contemplating this, you might toddle on over to L'Altro Posto and we'll discuss it over an espresso or eight, before a guided tour of the lower town. But I have to warn you - election campaigns here get quite frenetic so if you're, say, on a heart pacemaker, well best forget it perhaps.

With a date of June 15/16, this blog will keep you posted on all the highs and lows. Stay tuned.

De ja vue

De ja vue

Remember this? I didn't expect to be revisiting it. However, I came across this video today and it and the article beneath supplements the post nicely. For those too busy to spend almost 9 minutes watching a video, here is a 1 minute audio summary.

[thought for the day] wednesday evening

Slumped in a chair dissolute, this blogger, alas [and everyone loves a lass], has no thought for the day to share save:

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