Archive for December, 2008
Gran Sasso Mountains of Abruzzo
Posted in Abruzzo20th December, 2008
Mediterranean seas, Dolomite rocks, Scandinavian snow. Italy’s Gran Sasso mountains are almost an exaggeration in their size, their contrast of colours, their testimony to the cold, stark magnificence of Mother Nature. This giant mountain range in ...
Italy’s job deaths scandal
Posted in News from Italy10th December, 2008
One near Belluno, north of Venice. Another in Pavia, south-east of Milan. A third near Bergamo, north-east of Milan. One day. Three deaths. Two badly hurt in hospital. Almost zero surprise. Why? They were simply further additions to an already g...
Rome’s bird crisis
Posted in News from Italy andLazio6th December, 2008
Rome may play host each year to hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world. However, there is one group that is no longer welcome in Italy’s famous capital. Perhaps it was the ignominy of hundreds of them forcing a Ryanair jet into a...
Just what are Italians doing to English?
Posted in Culture4th December, 2008
One of my many duties at www.homesandvillasabroad.com involves translating into English the property descriptions we receive from Italian estate agents. One issue that crops up frequently and – initially at least – puzzled me no end (apart from the ...