Friday, May 11, 2007

learning how not to drive.

On the bus, Amante ignores your ranting and raving (because he is so used to it) at the bus driver who careens around the mountain like he is in a car chase, and not driving a bus, loaded with tourists standing, who grip onto rails, and also your clothes, to stop themselves being flung against the seats and doors of the bus. The driver races past a bus stop where two pensioners shake their fists at him, he doesn’t mind, he’s chatting up one of the American girls squashed up against his drivers compartment, while he simultaneously fields a call on his cell from his mother/wife, and hurtles us towards the dock.
It’s a special kind of person who can drive a bus in Italian traffic, a very special kind of person. The bus screeches to a halt at the dock narrowly missing a motorino just pulling out, you fall out of the bus, still ranting and now running, the strap of your sandal snaps, Amante, still ignoring your ranting grabs your hand and propels you up the gangplank of your ferry saying ‘Dai! Su!’ You have almost missed the departure of the ferry, the man in a white uniform smiles a gigolos’ smile at you as he shouts ‘Andiamo’ and unhooks the ropes. How do they keep up the energy levels needed to be forever ‘on the pull’ you wonder. Maybe that’s why you never see adverts in Italy for bus, train and boat drivers, the men are lining up for the chance

1 comment:

Kev Cruz said...

Hellooooooooooo! Graet post by the way!

Como the beautiful

Como the beautiful
walk near the lake

Hidden Italy, the places we visit regularly from Tuscany to the lake district above Como.

When I became a resident in Italy in 2001, I already knew how visitors liked to praise her places, food and art.
I had visited many times as a visitor myself, and been enchanted.
This site is rather designed to show the hidden Italy, the real Italy experienced by it's residents.
The events of the year, from registering as a resident, to celebrating Christmas, Easter and many other festivals, buying a house, working, banking, and still enjoying its beauty, are to be found here.

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expresso machine

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my mother

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BOOKS

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summertime

summertime

My favourite writings on Italy

  • Italian Education/Cara Massimina Tim Parks
  • Where angles fear to tread E.M. Forster ISBN0140180885
  • A small place in Italy ISBN0330338188
  • D.H.Lawrence and Italy ISBN 0140095209
  • The Italians by Luigi Barzini Touchstone books ISBN 068482500

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