Grey Days

June 4, 2008 · Filed Under Milan · 1 Comment 

As I write this, the rain is lashing down here in not so sunny Milan. Funny weather for Italy, especially in June when it is usually hot enough to make you start digging out the remote controls for the air conditioning system, if you are lucky enough to have one.

Weather wise its been an odd year. The summer has been coming and going making this Englishman in Milan feel like he is back in good old England with its famously variable climate. Indeed, I’m not the only Englishman in Milan who is feeling a little let down by Italy’s usually reliable weather. Chris, one of the 442 pub regulars was also complaining about the lack of summer weather.

Now, when an Englishman complains about the weather in Italy, that really means that things are a bit pear shaped ( pear shaped = ‘odd’ in British English for those of you who are not familiar with the fruity expression I’ve just used).

If English people are pining for those hot and balmy summer days, then you can imagine just how many Italians are feeling. Sometimes Italians may ask you if you are ‘meteopatico’, which means, I suppose - ‘weatherphobic’, or in more Italian terms - allergic to bad weather. Coming from the UK I have to say that I’m very meteopatico, and I came out to Italy to escape the randomness of English weather, which I hate.

Our little one was supposed to be taking part in an end of term play today, and this play was supposed to have been held outside, in the sun. However there is no sun, and the play has been postponed, yet again. A shame, because I was free this afternoon, and was quite looking forward to seeing the wee one playing his part in the ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’ themed show. A definite case of ‘rain stops play’, if ever there was one.

Should said play be moved to Friday, I won’t be able to see it, but then neither will his mum who is down in Genova tending to her sick mum. What a shame. Hopefully, and because the postponements are causing problems for other parents, the show will be moved to next Monday. Hope so. Our little one has been rattling on about this school do for a good few weeks, and he is, or was, looking forward to it too.

Whether the weather will get better is anybody’s guess. I’m starting to feel pretty grey too.

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Holiday Blues - Knowing What to Ask for in an Italian Pharmacy/Chemists

March 22, 2008 · Filed Under Information · 3 Comments 

OK, so you are on holiday or business here, or maybe you have just been re-located to Italy and you, or someone in your family, are feeling lousy.

You want to get something to help you over the worst, but you do not speak Italian, and have no idea what the various medicines are called in Italy. If that is the case, then this may well be the right post for you.

Ex-pats who live here will no doubt have noted that Italian concoctions for treating minor illnesses have names which are all but memorable. To help reduce the pain, so to speak, here are some of the medicines my family and I use to deal with relatively minor health problems. All are available without prescription.

Please note that although we use/have used all of the products mentioned below and have never had any problems, we are not you!

While I have translated the dosages from the Italian instructions, please note that the information below is for guidance purposes only. If you or your child suffer from allergies, then seek medical advice as to possible side effects, although the notes within the packs do give details of these. And I am not a doctor. These are treatments for minor aliments and the information in this post is in no way is to be considered as medical advice. If in doubt, seek medical advice from an English speaking doctor - look here.

OK, here are a few things that might help out: Read more

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Confetti, canival, and children

February 12, 2008 · Filed Under Life in Italy · 4 Comments 

It’s that time of year again. A time of children, and adults, in costume, and streets paved in small fragments of coloured paper. A time of processions and street fairs. Of cars covered in shaving foam and party string.

Yes, it the, for me, mysterious carnival season.

I don’t know what the appeal of it is, and I’ve never been able to get into to it. I feel no urge to dress up either. I guess you’ve really got to have grown up in Italy to understand and feel what the carnival thing is all about.

It’s all about religion that I do know, and this is possibly why I don’t find carnival much of a curiosity. This is odd, because I’m quite a curious person. My better half is not filled with carnival spirit either.

Indeed, my other half made a rather chilling observation, after having seen a procession which took place in these parts this evening. She said that all those people mindlessly chanting the same thing was frightening. Nope, as you might have gathered, she’s not into religion either, although she rather more direct in its criticism. She believes that it is little more than indoctrination.

Maybe she has a point, but I’m not sure I fully agree, or disagree with her.

I’ve got nothing against those with faith. If it works for them, fine, but please do not try and convert me.

When the time is right, I’ll convert myself.  But it’ll take more than confetti covered streets to win me over.

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