Aria Condizionata, Berlusconi, e birra (guess what these things are)

Yesterday I experienced the world-famous Italian strike/demonstration.  But this one was different that the one I wrote about in Torino, which was a one-day national strike in which all major transportations (train and buses) shut down to protest high income taxes.  So, there exist three main workers unions in Italy.  The one which put on the demonstration yesterday (all around Italy) was called the CGIL, and is supposedly the farthest (politically) union from Berlusconi (the most anti-Berlusconi).  Here, in Tuscany, though, everyone it seems is anti-Berlusconi.  Monica wears shirts that say "I didn't vote for him" in 5 languages.  And Andrea tells me that all of Tuscany hates him.  Only the south and the north (especially Milan, where Berlusconi comes from) fell prey to his tactics when he bought up television channels and cunningly used them to gain political power.  Today, he has been president of Italy for 20 years, is the richest man in Italy, owns a whole lot of television channels and some newspapers, and until recently, Catholic bishops supported him (b/c he somewhat defended Christian values on his platform despite his backwards personal life; this is awfully similar to the way that Republicans gather votes in the Bible belt) unfortunately. (I don't think bishops should be supporting any politician at any time.)

The strike was basically a parade of noisy Sienese people (Andrea and Monica were constantly talking to people they knew) who paraded through the streets in a big mass.  I joined.  We started at the bus station, paraded through the streets to the Piazza del Campo (the main one) and then into a smaller piazza finally where a stage was set up for several speeches which followed. This particular strike (which occurred nationally via the CGIL) was in protest to Berlusconi's proposition to raise tax rates in order to pay for Italy's developing financial crisis (similar to the crisis currently being experienced in Spain and Greece).  Income taxes are already high in Italy, and I would think, although not an expert, that a better solution would be to cut unnecessary spending (military comes to mind as many Italians are anti-military).  

Funny thing I think: Andrea was telling me that one year ago Berlusconi was hosting Quaddafi (the bad guy in Libya) in Roma and they were great friends.  Really odd: Berlusconi had an expensive tent set up somewhere in a park in Rome where Quaddafi stayed. Security was intense for this 'event.'  Really strange: As a spectacle of their "friendship", Berlusconi presented to Quaddafi several Italians who then proceeded to convert to Islam (as a display of openness to Muslims, I suppose).  What a way of doing foreign relations, huh?  And the kicker: In weeks past, Berlusconi has been bombing Libya. 

What can you do?   Che cosa ci puoi fare?

'Nother funny thing.  We were in the car yesterday (mind you, with the windows down, A/C was off, as usual) when Andrea and Monica were talking about how they thought their new post lady was exceptionally weird.  When I asked why, Andrea explained that she always has her windows rolled up and the air conditioning on.  She must not like working in the country, he said.  ....I never realized that this might be weird to them.  Thinking back to the spring and summer months of South Carolina and how we have the A/C blasting as high as it goes.... But here A/C is either regarded as silly or a waste or simply unnecessary.  Granted, I don't think even the worst of heat in Tuscany can measure up to the heat we get in Columbia, SC.  Still, it's something to think about.  Not yet, in any vehicle or house in Italy have I felt the cool breeze of A/C.  And I'm still alive.  Also, Andrea often states that it's humid, but compared to Columbia, it's pleasantly dry. 

Alcohol

Last night, a famous symphony from Israel/Palestine played in Siena. The theater was booked solid, and as a courtesy, the theater set up a live display (with projector and speakers) of the concerto in the Piazza del Duomo (actually, right next to the cathedral).  Since Teo and I didn't have tickets, (Andrea, Monica, Camilla and boyfriend Fillipo had gotten theirs long ago), we hung out in Siena. 

Over a beer, we got to talking about the drinking culture in our countries. The drinking age in Italy is 16, but he told me it is easy to buy alcohol in bars even younger, at 14.  Contrary to my expectations, teenagers in Italy do drink to get drunk in their early years.  However, by the time they are legal to drive (age 18), usually the excessive drinking stage has passed.  In contrast, in America, as we know, the binge drinking lasts throughout the college years. 

So which is better?  Learn to drive and then learn to drink.  Or learn to drink and then learn to drive.   ?  

The other thing in Italy are several liberties with alcohol that we don't have in the states.  Like the liberty to walk in the streets with a bottle of alcohol.  To sit down next to a fountain in your favorite piazza and have a Birra Morretti or even share wine with friends.  We in the states can't do that. Nor can we buy alcohol or certain days and certain times.  

Upon telling Teo that he's lucky to have more liberal municipal laws, he told me that Italy has plenty of nonsensical ones: it's illegal to walk shirtless in a city, and it's illegal to drive shirtless. 

Andrea, Monica, and friend demonstrating

Lavoratori (workers), members of CGIL

Andrea got pretty angry during the strike

March through Piazza del Campo

Living 'Sustainably' with the Fantaccis

I'm sitting here during my pausa (siesta) after lunch, and have decided to write a little about my current whereabouts. I'm at my second wwoofing site, having been here now for a week.

I am currently living in my own small apartment which is part of an old house built in the 1850s (the walls are 1.5 feet thick). The family of four - Andrea (who I work for) is the father, Monica the mother, Camilla (24-yr old daughter, student), and Teo (typical 16-yr old boy, student). Although not a farm, the family has a good sized orto (garden) and also tries to live sustainably in the countryside outside of Siena.

Here are some examples of how they live...

• they have 10 chickens which they feed kitchen scraps as well as organic feed
• water collection from rooftop feeds an enormous concrete cistern which we emptied and cleaned the other day (Initially I estimated that nothing less than a pressure washer and hydro-vacuum would be necessary to clean this monster. We did it with buckets of water and rags.)
• since the stored water is not necessarily potable, they fill glass jugs when they go into the city (it is free public water)
• solar panels for heating water. Also other solar panels upload electricity onto the grid. (Unfortunately, the electric company will not let them use their own power on an exclusive line; but they do get paid for the energy they contribute).
• they recycle paper, plastic, glass, and metal
• no clothes dryer; they use the Tuscan air
• the orto produces a good quantity of produce. So do the prolific fig trees and pear trees. No commercial fertilizers used. Only an anaerobic mixture of chicken poop.
• they make their own bread -traditional tuscan bread with only mother, flour, and water - in a brick oven attached to the house (original)
• they jar fruits (fig jam, pears) and tomato sauce from the orto
• roof is traditional clay roof, bought locally, and lasts a long time
• they use homeopathic medicines
• rechargeable batteries
• the car runs on methane. Plus, Teo drives a moped into the city often.
• no air conditioning. windows often left open, but it is always cool inside. I think the stone walls/clay roof helps.
• the family is very conscious of the origin of the food they eat. They try to buy organic often. And on Wednesdays, they buy from the weekly outdoor market in Siena. They also go to the grocery store, "Co-op"

Also, you know how there are certain things that you always keep on your dinner table because you use them so often. This family always has these seven things on their table:

1. Glass jug of water
2. Red wine
3. Salt
4. Tuscan bread
5. Balsamic vinegar
6. Extra virgin olive oil
7. Another jug of water

While we're in to listing things, here are some of my tasks so far:

• gathering wood in the forest to make posts for a fence around the orto (and later scraping the bark and staining)
• cleaning out the big outdoor underground cement cistern (this water for garden only)
• cleaning out the two big water tanks used for household
• removing vines from on top of a 4-ft wall around the orto (this wall is from the late 1700s and was built without cement or binder; very sturdy; the previous owner planted things on top though which would have eventually weakened it)
• general orto maintenance
• chopping firewood

I'm guessing you're tired of list, but I'm not.

Things I've done with the family:

• eat lunch and dinner together everyday
• talk about Neil Young, Simon and Garfunkel, etc (Andrea and his sister Lucia saw Neil Young when he came to Rome in the 80s)
• big concert in Siena last Friday by famous Tuscan artist, Silvestri. Music was awesome. He plays piano and guitar and has a band. Played everything from lullabies to heavy rock stuff. Anti-Berlusconi from what I can tell. I thought he was awesome. So did the crowd - ages 2 to 95. Really diverse following.
• dinner at a friend's house, an artist friend named Francesco, who happens to be well-known around Siena. Incredible dinner. Art nice too. That reminds me, I need to talk more about food.
• Dinner with a small community of 13 people who live nearby.
• Card games, native ones, and poker
• yesterday we went to the weekly market and then "Co-op" - grocery store. (noticed that the back wheels on the grocery carts were also swivel wheels - unlike in the US - making steering a bit difficult). I bought nutella.
• wii sports

All-in-all terrific family. Andrea only speaks to me in Italian to help me learn. He worked in a bank for 30 years (hated it), retired, and now raises a family out in the country. I speak English to Teo to help him learn.

The aspect you're missing is the food. I need to write about the food.

So do you like lists? I doubt it. You'd rather read stories I think. Tell me in the comments.

Fennel,cabbage, and eggplant

The house (from 1800s)

Teo, me, and 1/2 Camilla

Andrea at his best

L'orto (garden) from the side