SICILY SCENE'S REVIEW OF 2014

Here we go again!

Let's start with my event of the year, which was undoubtedly this:

For those of you who are interested, you can now easily access all my "adoption" posts from "My adoption posts" in the pages bar underneath the blog header photo.

My recipe of the year, from those I've invented myself, was this one:

These polpette came a close second:

My gadget of the year - well, more of an implement, really - is this €0,99 easy-ice-cream-scoop:

Of the books I've read this year, my favourite in Italian was this biography of the journalist Oriana Fallaci and my favourite in English has to be Edge of Eternity, which completes the Century Trilogy by my fellow-Cardiffian Ken Follett. More historical novels please, Ken!

My Scrooge of the year award goes to the Comune di Modica for scrapping the "single inhabitant" reduction when they introduced the hated new rubbish tax, the TARI, a few days before Christmas. Come on, Modica! There's no way I generate the same amount of rubbish as a family of five and I think I'm going to start a twitter campaign about this injustice.

Whilst we're being negative about poor old Modica, my most-read post of 2014 was, surprisingly,  this one, which attracted the attention of the local press. Sorry, Modica - I do love you, really.

On a more cheerful, seasonal note, the most original Christmas decoration award goes to Bar Cicara for their cork tree:

The Italian logic prize goes to the shopkeeper who, having discounted certain items by 50% and sold two to customer number one, then told customer number two - me - that the former had been "extravagant" as soon as she'd left the premises. I give up, Italy!

My favourite Italian TV programme of the year continues to be Masterchef Italia, which has just started its fourth series, closely followed by BakeOff Italia.  For those of you who missed it, here is the contestant who endeared herself to the entire nation by throwing her éclairs around the kitchen when they went wrong. Hasn't every cook been there?

I must show you my fun thing of the year:  it is this makeup box, a Christmas present from two of my youngest students and using it to update my all-important look is a very enjoyable way to pass the time!

My heroes of the year are the Italian Navy, Coast Guard and all who continue to risk their own lives and willingly give up their comfort at this time of year to save and help migrants and others, at sea and on land. Let us hope that there will be no more migrant tragedies in 2015, or tragedies like the two we have seen so far this week.

That brings me to my hopes for 2015:  as always, I hope for world peace, for peace in my own life, for more time with my precious Simi [now 16] and, this new year, for more time with my newfound sister.

Happy New Year to all of you and thank you for reading Sicily Scene!

Buon anno a tutti voi e grazie di aver letto la Sicily Scene!

GOOD NEWS FOR READERS

Image:  unlibroèunlibro

It is not often that the Italian government is praised for a tax decision but tonight I join others in congratulating them on their decision to defy the EU and reduce VAT on ebooks from 22% to 4%, thus giving ebooks fiscal parity with conventional books. The change comes into force on January 1st.

The EU, for some inexplicable reason, does not regard ebooks as a "cultural product" and France and Luxembourg have already incurred its wrath by bringing in a similar change. Now Italy, too, could find itself at the European Court of Justice over the matter, but Culture Minister Dario Franceschini has said it is worth the risk in order to protect the cultural industry and the book market as a whole.

Marco Polilli, president of the Associazione Italiana Editori, which started the twitter campaign #unlibroèunlibro ["a book is a book"] has said that the decision is "a victory for the country and not just for the world of books..... it is a success for readers, for [hitherto] non-readers who will now be able to choose how they read and above all, a victory for common sense."

Well done, Italy!

ONLY A GAME

Everywhere I went on Saturday I was asked which team I would be supporting in that night's World Cup match and everywhere I went I was met with blank stares of incomprehension when I explained that as I am Welsh, not English, the England team's fortune or misfortune was of no interest to me. I didn't have the heart to add that I don't care about sport anyway!

At midnight, in a good old British "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" frame of mind, I decided I might as well watch the game, which I did with my twitter feed open, and at first I was puzzled at the number of comments disparaging the Italo-Argentinian player Gabriel Paletta, as his name had been notably absent from the Italian commentary. Upon further investigation, I discovered that the Italian tweeters' enthusiasm to get him off the pitch had nothing whatsoever to do with his footie skills;  rather, the poor man had offended their sense of style by combing his hair, somewhat ineptly, over his bald patch and this was earning him more derision than if he had missed a penalty!

One had to feel sorry for the England team's physiotherapist, who injured his ankle cheering and had to be carried off on his own stretcher; it was such a British sort of misfortune, somehow and the Italians were incredulous.  

When "super Mario" [as young Mr Balotelli has become again] scored Italy's second goal the bar opposite erupted and I'd have known what had happened even if I hadn't been watching the action on TV. And of course, at the end of the match it erupted again and over in Catania old Etna decided to join in.

A sour note was struck at around 2 am Italian time on Sunday, when Maurizio Gasparri, former Interior Minister under Silvio Berlusconi and currently Vice President of the Italian Senate, tweeted that his country had seen off the English, who are "pretentious arseholes." Now, I may not be English but I am British and I object! I have tweeted both Mr Gasparri and Mr Renzi to say so. In fairness, I should add that many Italians have also expressed their indignation and shame at this remark.

Whilst we are on the topic of Britishness, I have only one thing to say about Scottish independence:  if you do it, Scotland, it's going to be even more hellish trying to explain the concept of the UK - or what will be left of it - to Italians!

SABATO MUSICALE

On the night of the Eurovision Song Contest, what else could I post but Italy's entry? 

Emma - La mia città

I only watch so that I can make silly comments on twitter. How about you?

OF AGE, SENATORS AND HASHTAGS

Italy's new Premier Matteo Renzi is a man who likes to make an impression and he certainly did that in the country's Senate yesterday when, a few minutes into the speech in which he asked for the chamber's confidence, he admitted,

"Non ho l'età" - "I'm not old enough."

You have to be 40 to be elected to the Senate, you see and Mr Renzi is a mere stripling of 39 - old enough, therefore, to lead his country but too young for its upper chamber. Yes, I know this is absurd, but pazienza - we are in Italy! Those of you who are as old as I am may remember that the line is the title of the Italian song which won both Sanremo and the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964, when it was sung by Gigliola Cinquetti.  

The joke, along with the rest of Mr Renzi's speech, went down quite well with young people, although some expressed concern on twitter that he doesn't know any more modern songs. And I take my twitter hat off to the tweeter who first came up with the idea of changing the hashtag #nonholeta to #nonholetta - "I don't have Letta"!

Gigliola Cinquetti, now aged 66, said she was pleased that the song had been quoted and hoped it was an omen for an efficient government.

For me the masterstroke of Mr Renzi's speech was the assertion that he hoped he would be the last Prime Minister who would have to ask the Senate for a vote of confidence - a reference to reforms of the parliamentary system that he wishes to bring in. He also said that education will be a priority. I do not wish to be cynical but where have I heard that before?

Gigliola Cinquetti - Non ho l'età 

WE'RE IN HERE!

Yesterday I was surprised and delighted to receive a comment on this blog from Susan Van Allen, author of the wonderful 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go . Before dancing around the room, I contacted Susan on twitter to confirm that the comment really was from her and she kindly replied.  Whoopee!

Susan told me that she has included this blog in the new edition of the book.  Thank you, Susan.  Simi and I are honoured.

MEETING IN CATANIA

It was a great pleasure to meet my twitter friend, the catanese actress Nellina Laganà, in person in Catania yesterday.

Nellina has appeared in many plays and films, including L'Onore e il Rispetto, parte seconda and the Commissario Montalbano film, Le ali della sfinge.  Here are some more photos of Nellina:

Here's to meeting up with you again soon, Nellina!

MEETING "MY DESTINATION SICILY"

I was delighted when my twitter friend Hedvika told me that her husband, Tony Guastella, would be in Modica today and that he would find time to have a coffee and chat with me.  Hedvika and Tony run the My Destination Sicily  online travel guide where you can not only find out all kinds of information about Sicily but also book hotels, search for flights and get help with all your travel needs for a visit to the island.  Hedvika and Tony can show you how to get the most out of your stay, too.

Sicily is literally in Tony's blood as his father is from Torretta in Palermo Province and the couple's enthusiasm for this lovely destination shines through on their site just like the Sicilian sun.  They also have some beautiful photos of Sicily on display so do take a look.

It was great to meet you, Tony and next time you come to Modica I hope you'll bring Hedvika.

Tony and me this morning