italiafile

2006-02-11T23:28:00.000+01:00

So it's been a month... I blame parla.it, French Telecom and most of the telecommunications industry. I ordered an adsl line in November and the 60 days for activation now stretches to 90+ and still no sign of man and ladder. I connect using my mobile phone and try and run a fledgling web based business at 56kpbs. I ask you...Life in Modica is all spills and thrills. I've spent an inordinate

2006-01-08T22:51:00.000+01:00

It's been a week. And to cap it all I had my first earthquake today. So did most of Greece, but I was in the Carrefour doing my shopping and things fell off shelves. Just thought I'd let you know that Im living on the front line here.Apart from that, Ive been sandpapering for most of the week. Not my favourite job, in fact it's up there with ironing as things I would happily never do again in

2006-01-01T19:10:00.000+01:00

New Year, new start....2006 finds me in Sicily, a long way from Naples and from all that it had to offer. Now Im based in Siracusa, though am setting up a business in Modica, about 80 km away towards Ragusa. Why? Well, Modica is bloody lovely. Enchanting even. Ive been swept away by the light, the food, the kindness of the people and perhaps not least, the price of property. I am now the owner

2005-10-09T18:14:00.000+02:00

Lawks... nearly 4 months since I put digit to plastic and typed something here. Shameful. No excuses, I take the rap. From next week it's all change. Naples will be no more. I'm relocating to Sicily, to see whether life in the deep south will suit me dandy. And Im sure it will. I've spent all of the last four months there, and it now seems the natural progression. It's been a few weeks

2005-06-14T21:23:00.000+02:00

I've been in Tuscany with my parents, and missed the most important day inrecent Neapolitan history. Maradona came to town! The entire city ground toa halt while the once fat one went walkabout and visited the stadium. it'sthe first time he's been back since he left in semi disgrace 15 years ago.The Neapolitans didnt care though, he is semi divine for the people here.Florence meanwhile was full

2005-05-29T18:22:00.000+02:00

I'm vexed. May of the Monuments came to a close today, and the final weekend promised the opening of the cemetery of 366 tombs... a remnant of the Borbonic era, finally used in the cholera epidemic of 1888. For weeks I have been asking various tourist offices where this cemetery is, no-one seems to know. But this morning, bright and early, I set off and walked to the where it was, under a

2005-05-28T10:35:00.000+02:00

Video mobile phones.. what are they all about? They are the latest thing to incense me. As the techonology is as far advanced as the early housebrick cellphones were in 1989, I really cant see the point of them at all, unless you work in the porn industry.On the ferry back from Palermo, a bloke called his mate. At six in the morning they had a video conversation. It went like this...Ciao...

2005-05-28T10:04:00.001+02:00

2005-05-23T16:20:00.000+02:00

I was intending to email posts to this blog from Sicily, but i was let down by technology, or more clearly, technology hasn'tyet arrived in Sicily. There is a dearth of internet bars, and those which do exist all have bizarre opening hours. Anyway Im now back in Naples and full of gobbets of news.Firstly, the newspaper article that made me choke on a croissant yesterday morning. While any

2005-05-15T19:28:00.000+02:00

I sort of take it back. The scooter ban is holding up. In a comparative sense. The main drag is scooterless, every other street is chocabloc with the things. However, tourists seem happier. May of the Monuments is going great guns. Attendance is up hugely on last year, as are museum admissions and all that jazz. It might be because the summer hasn't yet arrived, today has been the first

2005-05-08T13:23:00.000+02:00

To combat the microcriminalità the comune is planning to ban mopeds and scooters from the entire centro storico at weekends. Like last years plan not to sell alcohol in glass bottles after 10pm, this is entirely unworkable. The idea of a Neapolitan pushing his scooter the breadth of the historic centre before he rides off is laughable. Already the pedestrian zones of Via TOledo and Via Chiaia

2005-05-02T14:31:00.000+02:00

Summer has arrived, and the people flock to the sea. I am fascinated as to when the youth of Naples actually go to school. Every time I go near the Villa Communale or the lungomare, the palce is packed with school children whose idea of attendance seems to be sitting round drinking beer at 11 in the morning. As the sea front is within sight of the nearest school you must assume that the

2005-04-24T00:15:00.000+02:00

I have been lax. I put it down to the non arrival of Spring, the end of courses and the onset of exam time. Anyway what news from Naples ... Tomorrow is the Naples marathon, half marathon and fun run. There's also a football match, and an ecological SUnday where all traffic is banned in the town centre for 5 hours. To police all of this there will be 350 Vigili. The capo says 'Im very

2005-04-10T19:42:00.000+02:00

I have been astonished at the amount of column inches written about the Pope's death. Here in Naples, the papers informed me that thousands of people went to Piazza Plebiscito to watch the funeral on a maxiscreen, all the shops shut and the streets were silent. Just to put things on a more truthful level, some shops closed, the streets were their usual bustling selves and as one of the

2005-04-04T10:28:00.000+02:00

Back from Blighty, and the Pope promptly dies. I was expecting a universal wailing and gnashing of teeth, but Naples has remained untouched by the event. Flags are at half mast, and neon signs remain unlit at night, otherwise life goes on. Part of me thinks that had he died in the week people may have taken to their beds, but as he expired at the weekend, there were far too many pressing

2005-03-22T20:55:00.000+01:00

I'm off on my Easter hols... so all will be quiet for a week or so. A few days of sun and all the kids have decided not to go to school. So I'm joining them. Happy Easter one and all.

2005-03-19T17:06:00.000+01:00

News Not a great story.. or a great week.. the highest smog level in Naples ever, and now 20 nuclear torpedoes left by the Soviets on the seabed in the bay of Naples. But, the sun is out and spring is sprung.. so no-one can bring themselves to give a toss.

2005-03-13T15:03:00.000+01:00

Finally. it seems like spring is coming. This morning was a good indicator as the streets were packed with young and old trying out their new thinner clothing. And about time.. but just in time for Easter which is a blessing, or there would have been ructions.My busiest time of year is coming to an end, and to be honest, I can't wait. Despite my protestations I still haven't won the 50

2005-03-02T12:42:00.000+01:00

A very Scottish castle

2005-03-02T12:27:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was the coldest day in many parts of Italy for 50 years. Up in the Veneto it plunged to -35 degrees, which frankly is a bit much in March. Here in Naples Vesuvio is still snow capped which is rare when Spring is around the corner. We are assured it will arrive next week, and not a moment too soon.I'm reading a book written in 1886 by a couple of Etonians who describe daily life in

2005-02-28T12:58:00.000+01:00

BBC NEWS | World | Europe | 'Naples crime boss' held in Spain The big news here this weekend... unless you discount the escalation of the rubbish collection, problems with parking, the state of the roads, the appalling weather....

2005-02-21T21:17:00.000+01:00

I'm getting dilatory again in my postings. Must do better, though in mitigation I am just off the train from Siracusa in Sicily, where I spent the weekend looking at houses. Got back here to see that the Sunday Times has a double page spread advocating buying wrecks in the south of Sicily and spending years having them done up. That'll mean the prices will double by next weekend, and Easter

2005-02-11T15:02:00.000+01:00

BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Number 53 brings relief to Italy Finally the No 53 has been drawn in the Venice lottery after a two year wait. There are no big winners in Naples, but alot of people have won between 300 and 600 euro apparently.

2005-02-11T09:46:00.000+01:00

News The Independent: a story that I knew nothing about; the ethnic cleansing of Italians in the Balkans after the last war. The Foibe, as it is called in Italian, only now being remembered.

2005-02-10T20:39:00.000+01:00

I think the Sunday Times check this weblog.. this week I have been spared the vile and venal from the Homes supplement. Unfortunately this is more to do with Murdoch making more money than any consideration for my feelings. THe European edition has a new 64 bumper 'best of' supplement, which replaces the 64 pages Culture sectionand the 40 page Homes Section but gives me Jeremy Clarkson

2005-02-06T18:56:00.000+01:00

Carnival is in full swing, as testified by the number of Little Bo'Peeps, Spidermen and Spanish Senoritas walking the streets with their parents, chucking confetti at all and sundry. Obviously, being Naples, there is food associated with such an event. Biscuits called chiacchiere.. (chats) are the staple diet, almost like English biscuits but saltier. But the expensive and luscious choice is

2005-01-31T20:34:00.000+01:00

Why are the columnists in the Sunday Times Homes section so uniformly repellent? Not content with the vile woman with Hero and Tybalt as children (see previous posts) last week there was an article with a couple whose children are called Solomon and Sesame. The latter child is a girl. Do her parents not realise they have condemned her to a lifetime of inadequate men sidling up to her and

2005-01-29T10:07:00.000+01:00

BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Italy's dolce vita turns sour A BBC article on how much prices have gone up since the euro came in... something everyone living in Italy knew a week after the shiny new coins appeared for the first time. It's only Mr Berlusconi who doesn't seem to have noticed the price rises. When I first started coming to Italy the idea of credit cards and 'Buy now pay later'

2005-01-28T20:48:00.000+01:00

From the sublime to the ridiculous. The weather is now typically English, grey, rain, sleet, hail.. large macho Neapolitan men look out from shop windows oohing and aahing over the sleet declaring it to be snow and 'like goose feathers'. To cap it all the papers are now leading with articles such as, 'traffic nightmare', 'a bit of snow and the whole place grinds to a halt', demands for

2005-01-23T23:03:00.000+01:00

Goldliocks at large.... everywhere this morning were small people dressed up in their best fancy dress costumes

2005-01-23T23:01:00.000+01:00

Naples has seemingly declared the start of carnival this weekend...

2005-01-23T23:00:00.000+01:00

Sunday morning in January and Naples is out taking the air by the sea...

2005-01-22T22:05:00.000+01:00

It's all happening here. Last night Cosimo di Lauro, the son and effective leader of the Di Lauro mafia clan was arrested by the police. As he was being led out of his safe house the women of the area pelted the police with stones and water bottles. Across from Scampia where the scissionisti.. (the breakaway camorra clan) have their base, there were wild fireworks and celebrations. Of course

2005-01-20T21:52:00.000+01:00

Further to the 'thing they are a'changing' post of the other day, it seems they are indeed a'changing.. which would please Mr Dylan. Shopkeepers in Forcella have revolted and not only refused to pay the protection money but have named and shamed the perpetrators. Police swooped.. (why do police always swoop? In contrast they never soar... ) and have arrested 7 men. It's a start. To balance

2005-01-20T12:08:00.000+01:00

Independent News A story from the Independent about the infamous 'pizzo' or bribe that shopkeepers have to pay to the mafia...

2005-01-19T19:50:00.000+01:00

BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Italy urged to battle the bulge

2005-01-17T23:20:00.000+01:00

Perhaps things are changing.. though I won't hold my breath. Within 12 hours of the murder of the woman on Saturday, someone had phoned the police with names and addresses. Six young men have been arrested, one of them 16 years old. It seems that if you butcher women and children the code of omertà means nothing, and you get grassed up. Hopefully it will be the thin end of the wedge.

2005-01-16T23:00:00.000+01:00

Well, the man mountain Maradona wants to play a farewell game in Naples on October 30th this year, his birthday. Neapolitans are delerious, all I have spoken to conveniently ignoring the fact that Diego is obese, has a severe heart problem and hasnt stepped onto a football pitch for years. If he makes it to October I can't believe that any Neapolitan would want to see such an embarrassing

2005-01-12T21:06:00.000+01:00

Incredibly the first fine imposed for breaking the anti-smoking law was dished out in Naples, at one minute past midnight on 10 January. Since then there have been only a handful, but the police are seen as being highly devoted to searching for offenders. They plunge into bars, bingo halls, university corridors searching for miscreants, while immediately outside the 'parcheggiatori' (illegal

2005-01-09T13:45:00.000+01:00

At midnight the new smoking laws come into force. The coverage in the papers over the last few days has equalled the column inches devoted to the tsunami. For Naples, where 50% of the population smoke, this law will be about as effective as the crash helmet, seat belt and not talking on the mobile while driving laws. Basically, smoking will be banned in any internal space, bars, pubs, shops,

2005-01-08T22:39:00.000+01:00

I'm nicely back, as my mum would say, from Rome... well, it's the first day of the Lazio sales and the siren call of Prada called me as my most comfortable boots are wearing thin. For the usually 'oh so bored by shopping' Romans, today was a turnup for the books.. queues down Via Condotti to get into Gucci. I dont know what they were offering, but it was more than Prada opposite, which had

2005-01-07T17:47:00.000+01:00

News An article in the Independent about the Camorra clan war.... Interesting... but the Spanish Quarter, where I live, isn't Forcella... nor is Forcella a stones throw from the famous bay. The Spanish Quarter has its own camorra clan, which isnt involved in the current war. Forcella, which lies between the central station and the Duomo, is historically the centre of the Camorra in Naples,

2005-01-06T21:12:00.000+01:00

The Mercato Vecchio area of Naples is seen by some to be real heart of the city. Not only is it one of the oldest areas, it has the venerable Church of Santa Maria della Carmine, and one of the largest open spaces, which is used as a semicircular car park. Across the diameter of this would be circle, has been built a block of intensely ugly flats, which look out at a permanently scaffolded church

2005-01-05T17:01:00.000+01:00

Mr Berlusconi has 'forgiven' his attacker, and all is right with the world; the PM now being seen as more Christlike.. see entries passim. On the other hand a well known Italian poet has had the brass neck to compare Mr B to Mussolini... it may have been because they both sported large plasters at one point during their leadership, or it maybe Berlusconi's increasing sense of infallibility.

2005-01-02T15:42:00.000+01:00

One of the safer years for Naples New Year... only 57 casualties. Included in those are one man who blew his hand off, and a boy of 7 who was shot in the chest. Despite the lack of official fireworks, the locals bought everything they could find from the illegal fireworks makers. There is an increase in eye injuries this year. Instead of hurling rockets from windows.. which would be dangerous

2005-01-01T00:54:00.000+01:00

I can't begin to describe New Year in Naples. i was here 2 years ago and was shocked, tonight I was plain scared. For anyone who has lived in a war zone, Naples is the same on new years eve. The huge home made mortars (the Bin Laden as it is called) shake buildings when they explode. They are meant to be detonated 100 metres from people and buildings. Here they are put on the landing outside

2004-12-31T15:12:00.000+01:00

Here am I, back in Naples for the New Year. And a rather sombre one it will be.... for Naples. In common with most of Italy, the council has decided to cancel the huge fireworks display and send the money to the stricken coastlines of Asia where it is needed. Solidarity and Respect are the apt buzzwords, as the toll of Italian dead is now above 600. It doesn't stop the locals, however, who

2004-12-19T15:19:00.000+01:00

Too much rain... nobody is shopping....shopkeepers have gloomy aspects. And now even the European parliament has cottoned on to the fact the the Italians have been telling porkies about the inflation rate. Berlusconi crows about historically low inflation hovering around the 2% mark, but everyone knows that things have doubled in price since the euro came along. There seems a very real threat

2004-12-12T20:59:00.000+01:00

There is a busker who has a marionette which he makes dance to some pretty ropey music he has on a ghetto blaster. It’s happy accordions with a bit of mandolin thrown in, the puppet ‘grooves his thang’ and occasionally people chuck a few coins into his bowl. Today he had a new addition to the team. A large Irish wolfhound appeared from nowhere and went and sat on his haunches beside the

2004-12-08T20:42:00.000+01:00

Alice Douglas. Remember that name. If you ever see her in the street - you'll know her, she looks like a fat Afghan - please tell her I despise her. I loathe her not only for her nasty outpourings in the Home section of the Sunday Times (see earlier rant), but now I learn she has called her unfortunate offspring Hero and Tybalt. I'm not convinced that Shakesperean names should be de rigeur in

2004-12-06T15:18:00.000+01:00

I would bet good money that the electricity consumption of Naples doubles in the weeks leading up to Christmas. In the centre every street is bedecked with lights; every shop is twinkling, flashing, chasing and slow fading . It makes the West End of London look as though its in deep mourning during Advent. The Neapolitans have also grasped the concept of the Christmas tree to their collective

2004-12-01T20:22:00.000+01:00

It seems that the Times article was veering towards the scaremongering if not blatantly untrue. As I don't take the Times I shall instead vent my spleen about the Sunday Times, which I religiously read. Why? I hear you cry as one. PIcture the scene; a Monday morning at the local edicola; I am faced with an Observer, over half of which is devoted to Sport; an Independent on Sunday which is only

2004-11-29T22:31:00.000+01:00

Even the Times is reporting on the Camorra now, and apparently publishing maps of where it isn't safe to stray. The body count is now in the 120's, hundreds of extra Carabinieri have been drafted in, and businesses are being torched on a daily basis. Apparently tourism is suffering, though if you had tried to walk through the city centre yesterday you wouldn't have thought so. The weekends

2004-11-20T23:42:00.000+01:00

What's the most dangerous job in Italy? I have a nomination. On the Via Garibaldi 4 lanes of traffic and at least 2 lanes of parked cars vie for space on a 2 lane road. Buses and trams negotiate the tracks and overhead powerlines, while the scooters, more often than not, plump for the pavements as a clearer route through the city. In the midst of this a man stands on a rickety and very tall

2004-11-16T22:24:00.000+01:00

Big Brother 5 (Italy version) is in full swing. The big news is that one lad has been thrown out of the house...... for swearing. It is indicative of the difference between Italy and the UK. In fact there is an English girl in the Italian house. Out of the entire group she is the one who screams, shouts, bounces around and is generally a pain in the arse. The rest of the housemates got

2004-11-11T19:04:00.000+01:00

It rained last night. The palazzo which houses the internet point seems to have suffered. This morning, the entrance was full of rubble which had fallen from the walls. The firemen arrived and sealed it off, while taking a hammer to most of the exterior walls and knocking off all the render, presumably to stop it falling

2004-11-07T20:29:00.000+01:00

Autumn has signalled its intent with a six hour thunderstorm and 12 hours of rain which has left huge holes in the roads in Posillipo. Dodging the raindrops I went off to the Gaudi exhibition which has had rave reviews. The first room is a few posters telling us all about Gaudi's life and work.. the second houses 15 monitors which have slideshows of his signature pieces... I suppose it isnt

2004-11-05T20:00:00.000+01:00

Salutary news today, other than Bush feeling grateful/smug/appointed by God. Today we have reached the 100th murder of the year in Naples.. that's 100 Camorra killings. It's back to a level last seen during the bloodbath of the 1980's apparently. The main problem seems to be the feud between two rival families for the control of all the Camorra activities which range from drug running to

2004-11-01T21:55:00.000+01:00

November 1 I went to the city cemetery today. I had never been before but finding it was easy. I just followed every other Neapolitan who was laden down with chrysanthemums to decorate the graves. It’s a real social event, and seems that people who only meet once a year do so at the graveside of a distant relative. I wanted to see the tomb of Toto, the great Neapolitan comic actor, but it was

2004-10-31T19:33:00.000+01:00

31 October Its Halloween, a new festival in Italy, and felt to be a little too pagan. Schools in Sicily are being paid to avoid the mention of it, in the hope that the traditional All Saints Day customs are kept alive. Children receiving sweets from the spirits on All Hallows Eve, troop off en famille to the cemetery the next morning to thank the dead people for yesterday’s goodies. Apparently

2004-10-29T21:29:00.000+02:00

Another summer's day, but I chose to spend it at the Capodimonte art gallery. A new exhibition has just opened... the last four years of Caravaggio's life and they have pulled out all the stops. They have managed to garner virtually every picture, apart from the ones he did in Malta. The Maltese don't feel like lending them apparently, they are all the culture they have. Nevertheless they

2004-10-24T16:44:00.000+02:00

The first question any student asks when they know I am English is, invariably, 'Do the English have a cup of tea every afternoon at 5pm'? They seem genuinely astonished when I say that it isn't the case any more. The reciprocal question... 'Do the Neapolitans eat pasta every day?' is met with a resounding 'yes'. Two years ago in my diary I wrote: 'October 15th, and 28 degrees. Yesterday, being

2004-10-20T20:58:00.000+02:00

Huge excitement on the icecream front. As the weather is apparently getting colder and more wintry, last night saw the dawn of ‘hot’ ice cream. Bizarrely it isn’t, but isn’t cold either, sort of room temperature, so doesn’t harm your teeth and can be eaten in the belief that you don’t need cooling down. Its marvellous stuff, like a solid mousse. I had almond and was much taken with it. Thank

2004-10-02T22:04:00.000+02:00

Back from Venice and back to work. I'm easing myself in gently this year, starting with a mere 8 hours a week before the onslaught arrives at the end of the month. And it's just as well, the weather is still gorgeous and I'm able to go and sit by the sea most days. My residence is seemingly sorted, and all is well with the world. Or it would be if I could understand the famed 'bandi di

2004-09-17T18:49:00.000+02:00

Another lapse, but I have an excuse. I've been in Venice. All the same there is little to report. I am not one of those people who come over all misty eyed at the very mention of La Serenissima. In the summer it's crowded and smelly, and in the winter it's the coldest place I have ever been. Ultimately, Venice is just a planning error and one which won't be with is for very much longer. A

2004-09-02T19:33:00.000+02:00

I'm a happy chappy. My phone is connected, I'm back on the net, and it's still hot enough to burn my feet on the terrace. The downside is that soon I shall be back at work. I've spent most of the last four days unpacking boxes of household effects which finally arrived from London this week. Now I'm surrounded by my things instead of the crap which most landlords expect you to live with. And

2004-08-31T19:28:00.000+02:00

Italians are obsessed with logos. At the moment, anything written in English is ‘cool’, and I mean anything. Of course, in the south where there is less money, you don’t see much Paul Smith or Tommy Hilfigger. In Naples, the designer of choice is Calvin Klein, because, I was assured by a shop-owner in Florence, CK is the cheapest designer label. Of course if you intend to buy CK it’s better

2004-08-27T21:33:00.000+02:00

Thursday dawned bright and cloudless which,unusually, meant a trip to IKEA. The Swedish giant has recently opened in Naples, after a wait of years - it was the Camorra apparently, which was making things difficult. Even now, it is rumoured that the Swedes pay huge bribes to stop the store burning down in the night. Being carless I went on the bus, which meant I arrived at 9.20. Far from

2004-08-23T10:57:00.000+02:00

Naples is the only place where a trip to the bancomat turns into a nice day out. I stood behind a group of three men, one of whom wanted money. The other two decided to check their balances while having an animated conversation about travel agents. It took them twenty minutes, and they were completely oblivious to an increasingly annoyed Englishman sighing and standing behind them in a bored

2004-08-22T11:01:00.000+02:00

For a change, I decided to go to Capri and see what all the fuss was about. I've been before and loathed it, s now Im hoping that familiarity will stymie contempt. I opted for a ferry rather than a hydrofoil not just for reasons of expense, but mainly because there were so many obese Americans in the hydrofoil queue it would have a) been a lopsided and possibly dangerous voyage, and b) felt

2004-08-21T16:48:00.000+02:00

I know it's been a month, but I have an excuse this time. I've been moving house. Twice. First of all it was two weeks in London boxing up the contents of my house there, then back here to do the same before I shunt across town to my new 5th floor apartment. With terrace. Apart from the stairs it's lovely. So the last month has been bubblewrap, boxes and being buggered about by bureaucracy.

2004-07-24T23:19:00.000+02:00

http://www.ostellionline.org/ostello.php?idostello=348 is the link for any bargain holidayers out there, or snowbirds looking to spend the winter in warmer climes. Did I mention theres a golf course nearby? The train down through Basilicata was a trip and a half. It's a harsh part of Italy. Lacking Tuscany's billowing curves, Basilicata is starched pleats and folds - but with fantastic river

2004-07-23T23:05:00.000+02:00

It's all go... I'm just back from Puglia where I have had three blissful days in 40 degrees of dry sundrenched heat lying on white sand with the Ionian sea as my bath. Now it's packing and off to Blighty to pack and move and, I hope, complete on my house sale. In the interim I'm back in Naples for the weekend, allowing me to pack here too, as I am moving from this vile damp pit to a 4th floor

2004-07-12T20:47:00.000+02:00

Another lapse, and it's hard to give a reason. Nevertheless, I shall try. Firstly, the sun came out and the siren call of the sea called me. In my not so many spare hours I ventured forth with factors in hand and lay garnering Vitamin D. Secondly, I'm just nicely back from Florence. It was the desire for superb summer sales that made me jump on a train north. In that respect I failed

2004-06-19T22:57:00.000+02:00

You can tell the academic year is coming to a natural end, as the posts to this blog increase in frequency. Today, being a Saturday, I took myself off to the sea, not the epic journey from London to Brighton, but a leisurely ten minute stroll through the city centre. It was at Santa Lucia, famous courtesy of Dean Martin, that the rash decision to hire a boat was made. I am not a natural

2004-06-17T21:50:00.000+02:00

Well, England have just won against Switzerland, I was watching in a deserted bar. The Italians only come out when Italy is playing, remarkably partisan for a sports loving people. Just look at the Olympic television coverage when they only show the Italian athlete in isolation during the race. Until the last 10 metres you would never know there were other athletes running. Anyway, imagine my

2004-06-02T21:11:00.000+02:00

Another month slipped by, and nothing to show for it. Least of all a suntan. Spring has resolutely refused to arrive this year, which only means that there will be no water shortages in summer. It's all very displeasing. The city is geared up for sweltering long days, and all that arrives is a stiff northerly breeze, cloud cover and heavy, frequent showers. I blame Donald Rumsefeld, and why

2004-05-02T11:19:00.000+02:00

Finally, Spring seems to be arriving. May of the Monuments is in full swing and the city is bemoaning the lack of tourists. This is because of a) the weather and b) the organisation of events in Italy. Anywhere else in the world, a whole month of guided tours, unfettered access to normally private buildings and exhibitions would have been planned months ahead and holidays sold on the strength

2004-04-03T23:10:00.000+02:00

Even the English newspapers picked up on the latest camorra outrage last week. A fourteen year old girl was shot by a camorra boss, who was the subject of a drive by shooting. He has now been charged with her manslaughter, and is in the prison. Its murkier than that though, as this particular camorra boss was a pentito - a supergrass - who turned himself in two or three years ago. It doesnt

2004-03-28T20:35:00.000+02:00

The clocks have gone forward and it’s officially summer. The Neapolitans eschew New Year’s Resolutions and instead start their diets when the clocks change. It gives them two months to get into shape before they will be strutting along the beach in the tiniest swimwear available. I, on the other hand, celebrate the longer evenings by buying a large icecream and filling my face with cassata.

2004-03-24T15:31:00.000+01:00

Tufo is an amazing thing. It's used for everything here, buildings, roads and pavements. The most desirable form of this stone is the Vesuvian, which comes from just down the road. In recent years the commune has preferred to import tufo from Etna, but ours is not to reason why... merely assume that organised crime has something to do with the awarding of the contracts. Here its been raining

2004-03-21T18:39:00.000+01:00

The first day of Spring, and the weather in Naples is less than springlike. Cloudy and damp. All over Italy the Fondo Ambiente has thrown open the doors of buildings for the interested to have a nosy round. In Naples there are just two buildings on the open list. This is mainly because May is the month when tourists and Neapolitans alike can poke around otherwise closed buildings. Today was

2004-03-19T14:24:00.000+01:00

March 19 Today is Father’s Day, not in the vulgarised American tradition of ‘pick a Sunday in part of the year when Hallmark doesn’t sell many cards and invent a day to ‘honour’ your male parent, but because it’s Saint Joseph’s day. Nit picking Bible buffs may say that Joseph wasn’t the biological father of the Baby Jesus, but that is only a minor detail here. More importantly Saint Joseph is

2004-03-17T20:32:00.000+01:00

The evenings are lengthening and there is real heat in the sun. Consequently the via Partenope and the other roads on the sea front are submerged under parked cars, 3 and four abreast. Needless to say, the papers are full of outrage, the latest victims being taxi drivers. I find it hard to say victims and taxi drivers in the same sentence, as in all my dealing with Neapolitan taxis the only

2004-03-07T16:41:00.000+01:00

A keen north wind sends me seeking shelter in the Museum at Capodimonte, due to a cock up on the washing front and a distinct lack of thermal vests. I had avoided this museum for six months on the grounds of a) waiting for a cold wet day, and b) not having a passion for baroque Neapolitan art. It served me right. The place is stuffed to the ginnels with Old Masters, and it’s huge.

2004-02-22T15:33:00.000+01:00

So Mr Bush has been ignoring a Pentagon report into Global Warming. Here there is no need of a report. Yesterday in Milan there was half a metre of snow, in Palermo it was 26 degrees. It all tops off a strange week. Firstly, it's carnival. Tiny tots are being paraded around the streets in elaborate costumes at all hours of the day and night. Teenagers amuse themselves by throwing eggs at

2004-02-15T11:24:00.000+01:00

I'm having one of my, admittedly rare, weekends when I hate Naples, though even as I write this the weather is unseasonally mild and you can sit in the sun merely shirt sleeved. However, I shall nurture my feelings of injustice and loathing towards Naples at least until I have finished this post. So.... where to begin? For a start Neapolitans have no sense of pavement etiquette and should be

2004-01-25T20:56:00.000+01:00

Finally! My New Years resolution of starting a weblog suffered a glitch as my pc died a hideous death. Now, reincarnated, here is the electronic version of my life in Naples. To start with, I should say that Im here because I love the place. Naples is the most Italian of italian cities, where family, food, faith and football are all the 'f's' you need. I have been coming here reguarly for