Decorating in Italy – Asian Style: Adding Some Eastern Touches to Our Lake Como Home

When we moved to Lecco, we consolidated the contents of our household from Milan with Enrico’s parents’ stuff from their apartment in Rome (they were by then retired to a much smaller place on the seaside in Abruzzo). In this way we acquired some beautiful furniture, fixtures, knick-knacks, and paintings – all lovely stuff, but…… Continue reading Decorating in Italy – Asian Style: Adding Some Eastern Touches to Our Lake Como Home

Off the Phone in Italy

Since I’ve been in Italy, I’ve gotten out of the habit of telephoning: anywhere, anyone, for any reason. Aside from the enormous difficulties of installing a phone line in Italy and keeping it working (which, if you’re lucky, you will only suffer through once), everything involved in using a phone is simply ridiculously difficult here.… Continue reading Off the Phone in Italy

Vergogna Postale

Ci lamentiamo in molti del pessimo servizio delle poste italiane. In tutti questi anni, pensavo che stesse migliorando, e forse é cosi’, ma soltanto se contrastato con i propri livelli (ancora peggiori) di prima. Prendiamo in considerazione: Dagli USA quest’estate, ho dovuto spedire due pacchi: uno a mia figlia in India, l’altro a me stessa… Continue reading Vergogna Postale

Italy’s Postal Embarrassment

Complaints are common about the Italian postal service, but I thought things were getting better. And maybe they are, measured strictly against la posta’s own previous service levels, which have always been dire. But consider these events: I needed to mail two packages from the US this summer, one to Ross in India, one to… Continue reading Italy’s Postal Embarrassment