Proposals in the UK to ban or curb "happy hour" alcohol sales are being reported with some surprise in Italy: first there is an explanation of what the "happy hour" actually is and this is followed by statistics on the behaviour of alcohol-fuelled British youth which would dismay any Italian parent thinking of allowing their offspring to visit our country.
Incidentally, the one negative aspect of the UK mentioned by one of Marco's sons [just back from a long stay there] at yesterday's lunch was that he felt threatened by crowds of hostile youths in city centres in Britain during the evenings. What a testimonial for us!
It may not seem so, but most Italians drink very little, limiting themselves to a glass or two of good wine at lunchtime [maybe a little more on a Sunday or feast day, when they don't have to drive afterwards or go to work the next morning] and spirits are rarely drunk, except for a tot of the homemade limoncello at the end of a long, leisurely repast. [However, see here for evidence that this is not always the case.]
Being very much a g & t girl myself, I am hardly in a position to pontificate, but I don't drive and what Mutley calls my "terrifying liqueurs" are rationed for home use these days!
10 comments:
Too right, it doesn;t say much about us...I feel threatened even if they haven't had a drink..it is disgusting how they are...I know I like a drink...but a lot of young people, and it is not always the lads go way over the top..you just have to watch some of programmes when Brits go to Greece or Cyprus or 18 to 30 hols..
We went to Happy Hour in Argegno in the small bar Cafe Columbo, it was great, all the business men coming in for a drink on their way home...it was a small bar, but the big difference for us was that small snacks were provided and the pizza restaurant owner next door brought it pizzas for us as well..Happy Hour was from 6.30 til 9 pm when the place closed.
I take your point about how Britain must look to those in Italy, but why should I be prevented, by law, from benefiting from a cheaper drink after a day's work?
PS: Becky says thank you for your kind comments about her flowers.
I think that alcohol is being used as an excuse, it is down to lack of discipline, respect and values. The hostile youths know they have the edge, because the police have had their powers eroded away so they can't intervene effectively!
Just my thought on this xx
They used to have happy hour here and advertisements to entice drinkers with freebies are now against the law. They act like hooligans and many are blaming the pubs and clubs but I think the ones going to such places should know there limits and also learn how to behave in public. All things in moderation ha except for one or two LOL :-)
Sad to say drinking here in the states is a sport. Most people arent content with a drink or two but with a drink till you are intoxicated enough to pass out throw up or need to enter detox... or quite sadly all of thee above.
Drinking for minors and adults is really quite similar. It's abusive and with a pub, lounge, cafe, disco on nearly every block liquor is easy to be had by one and all.
very sad.
M
I think many of the young in Britain are in despair, but don't know it as such because they haven't been given the philosophical apparatus to recognise it.
It does sound very scary to live in Britain these days. You must be glad you moved Welshcakes, although I am sure it is not so in all parts of the country, hopefully.
I can vouch for this too.
O dear I wish I could say that felt unfamiliar to me...
when I really was "young" ie about 10-15 years ago, I remember the worst excesses of alcoholic indulgence I saw were Friday-Saturday nights in Wales... friends I had from Tyneside and other parts of the North said it was like that there as well.
Norwich, where I chose to live (university) and London, which I chose second, were far calmer towns (more drugs than alcohol - that was all. I remember being in the queue for the 24 hour garage and literally EVERYONE was somehow chemically altered in an eye-spiralling way... oh how time goes in that neverending circle... binge drinking seems so fashionable now. The most dangerous thing is, the kids are taking drugs as WELL and on TOP of all this!!
I think the Italians have been lucky in that their country tends to be chosen by the more upmarket end of the British holiday maker scene... know what I mean?!?
If things weren't so very different, you could well have groups of braying British union-jack wearing drunks all over the nighttime beaches of Sicily (heaven forbid!)
Hi, Anne. I know exactly what you mean about feeling threatened and th comparison you make speaksd for itself.
Ciao, Andrew. I agree completely, believe me. Yet another case of the majority of responsible people having to pay for the abuses of the few. Say "Ciao" to Becky from Simi and me, too.
Hi, cherrypie. Yes, a sad statement on British society. When I was teaching, they would say things like, "I'm phoning Childline 'cos you shouted at me!" [!]
Nunya, "all things in moderation" -I agree.
Interesting also to now how it is over there, M. It's all very sad, I feel.
Sackerson, I agree here also: I worry bout a society that does not value the arts and really take your point about the lack of a philosophical appatus for young people to be able to deal with their problems.
I'm glad I moved when I did for all sorts of reasons,jmb and you are right: it is not like that in all areas of the UK. Of course I am not getting a true picture, listning to the media sensationalising everything, but it is worrying nonetheless.
Thanks, James.
Thanks for your very honest and interesting comment, Gleds. I know exctly what you mean about §Italy being lucky so far!
Post a Comment