Celebrating All Things Italian
*******************************************************************
The pope is being buried tomorrow and Sarah is in Italy.
These two events are entirely unconnected. Sarah was already booked to go and see her family months ago, but it is an interesting time to be there. From all the news coverage you would assume that all of Italy is in mourning. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact most Italians couldn`t care less about the popes comings or goings. Having spent a year out in Italy there were many things I found fascinating and contrary to what I would have expected.
For example, I was aware of the papal stance on contraception. So powerful and deeply held is this that in Africa where AIDS is out of control and where protected sex seems like a good idea, condoms are still prohibited by the catholic church. Yet here in Italy the home of the papal see condoms are freely available and on display everywhere.
One would have thought that in the home of the leader of one of the worlds largest religions that seems to have a definite downer on sex you would find a very narrow and restricted television and media system. No, you couldn`t be more wrong. I was amazed to see nudity and semi-hard core sex commonplace on Italian TV years ago. Magazines containing hardcore sex, including bestiality, have always been available from the corner newsagents, certainly since I was first there in 1977.
With all this sexual freedom you would think that Italians are having a great time in the sex department. But not so. I was extremely puzzled to read in an article written in 1989 that a survey showed that many Italian men preferred to watch a pornographic video than experience the real thing.
I don`t understand this. It`s like having a finely tuned Maserati outside on the drive but instead of taking it out for a spin, you sit inside playing with your dinky car.
All you counsellors out there explain that one to me please.
But one thing you would expect and you certainly will find is chic. Italians have style coming out of their ears. It exudes from every pore of their skin. There is no finer entertainment than sipping a perfect cappuccino out on the piazza and watching the floor show that is everday life for the Italian. If living was all about lifestyle then Italians have it with a capital L.
I still cringe slightly when I think of the questions my Granny asked Sarah when they first met in 1976. Granny of course, would have seen two world wars and was born just as the Empire had reached it`s zenith and was on the wane.
“Do you have toothpaste in Italy”? Granny asked.
As Sarah and I were still getting to know each other I was interested to see how she would respond to this.
“Yes, we have toothpaste” she replied sweetly.
So far, so good. Granny sat for a few minutes digesting this information and then to my astonishment asked,
“Do you have soap powder in Italy”?
Well it was obvious that a more detailed description of everyday life in that far off distant land was needed.
Still, when you look back you can see how far we have travelled and how sophisticated our tastes have become.
I can still remember the controversy there was when supermarkets started selling alcohol back in the early seventies. Before this the range of wines and beers were miniscule. Now, in Britain, we can purchase wines and beers from all over the world – something you cannot do in any other European country. You can buy fine wine in France, but it will be French. In Italy, again excellent wines but Italian. Only in Britain can you get such a huge range and variety of wines.
And it`s the same with food. The French and Italians eat very well but it is home produced. You cannot get foreign food. Here in Britain we can eat pretty much what an Italian would eat, or sample food from many other cultures.
I still remember as a kid (so early 60`s) having a long, long pack of spaghetti in the food cupboard. We never ate it. It was there for years till it was eventually chucked out.
Us Brits have come a long way and we can be sophisticated if we want. And on a warm summers day when the sun shines and we are sitting outside sipping our cappuccino……….
************************************************************************
The pope is being buried tomorrow and Sarah is in Italy.
These two events are entirely unconnected. Sarah was already booked to go and see her family months ago, but it is an interesting time to be there. From all the news coverage you would assume that all of Italy is in mourning. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact most Italians couldn`t care less about the popes comings or goings. Having spent a year out in Italy there were many things I found fascinating and contrary to what I would have expected.
For example, I was aware of the papal stance on contraception. So powerful and deeply held is this that in Africa where AIDS is out of control and where protected sex seems like a good idea, condoms are still prohibited by the catholic church. Yet here in Italy the home of the papal see condoms are freely available and on display everywhere.
One would have thought that in the home of the leader of one of the worlds largest religions that seems to have a definite downer on sex you would find a very narrow and restricted television and media system. No, you couldn`t be more wrong. I was amazed to see nudity and semi-hard core sex commonplace on Italian TV years ago. Magazines containing hardcore sex, including bestiality, have always been available from the corner newsagents, certainly since I was first there in 1977.
With all this sexual freedom you would think that Italians are having a great time in the sex department. But not so. I was extremely puzzled to read in an article written in 1989 that a survey showed that many Italian men preferred to watch a pornographic video than experience the real thing.
I don`t understand this. It`s like having a finely tuned Maserati outside on the drive but instead of taking it out for a spin, you sit inside playing with your dinky car.
All you counsellors out there explain that one to me please.
But one thing you would expect and you certainly will find is chic. Italians have style coming out of their ears. It exudes from every pore of their skin. There is no finer entertainment than sipping a perfect cappuccino out on the piazza and watching the floor show that is everday life for the Italian. If living was all about lifestyle then Italians have it with a capital L.
I still cringe slightly when I think of the questions my Granny asked Sarah when they first met in 1976. Granny of course, would have seen two world wars and was born just as the Empire had reached it`s zenith and was on the wane.
“Do you have toothpaste in Italy”? Granny asked.
As Sarah and I were still getting to know each other I was interested to see how she would respond to this.
“Yes, we have toothpaste” she replied sweetly.
So far, so good. Granny sat for a few minutes digesting this information and then to my astonishment asked,
“Do you have soap powder in Italy”?
Well it was obvious that a more detailed description of everyday life in that far off distant land was needed.
Still, when you look back you can see how far we have travelled and how sophisticated our tastes have become.
I can still remember the controversy there was when supermarkets started selling alcohol back in the early seventies. Before this the range of wines and beers were miniscule. Now, in Britain, we can purchase wines and beers from all over the world – something you cannot do in any other European country. You can buy fine wine in France, but it will be French. In Italy, again excellent wines but Italian. Only in Britain can you get such a huge range and variety of wines.
And it`s the same with food. The French and Italians eat very well but it is home produced. You cannot get foreign food. Here in Britain we can eat pretty much what an Italian would eat, or sample food from many other cultures.
I still remember as a kid (so early 60`s) having a long, long pack of spaghetti in the food cupboard. We never ate it. It was there for years till it was eventually chucked out.
Us Brits have come a long way and we can be sophisticated if we want. And on a warm summers day when the sun shines and we are sitting outside sipping our cappuccino……….
************************************************************************
posted by Paul | 8:50 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home