Saldi!

One of the first words for any sensible woman to learn in Italian is SALDI. On a past trip to Italy it took me at least a week to figure out that this word on every store front wasn't advertising a popular brand name...but letting everyone know that the store was having a SALE. Cefalu is on SALDI at the moment. The weather has been pretty terrible for the past week and a half (rainy, windy, cold). However, we now have sunny weather predicted for next week. The tourists are starting to arrive, mainly Germans and some French, and the stores want to clear out their winter merchandise to make way for string bikinis, pre-shredded jeans and mid rif tops. Thank God we are here off season. I can hardly fit into my jeans now...if I had to wear a bathing suit I'd be in serious trouble.

I walked into a shop today advertising 70% off of everything. They pegged me for an American right away. I realized it was the way I was aggressively pawing through the clothes. At least I wasn't chewing gum! Not only do I walk like a cowgirl,and talk like a cowgirl, but I guess I shop like a cowgirl too. From what I've observed, when Italians shop they ask the shop owner to bring them the merchandise. It's a dance. You ask for a black sweater and the owner brings you an assortment in the size SHE thinks you need. Most baked goods are behind counters, most meat is behind a counter and at a fruit and vegetable shop you do NOT touch anything. You ask for what you want and the vendor picks it out for you. While this practice is old fashioned, it does encourage people to interact and it helps to create and maintain a sense of community. It is much easier to walk into a Supermarket, but I think we lose a little something.

Tony has been talking a great deal with his teacher, Vittoria, about the mafia in Sicily and Italy in general. It isn't something that is obvious at first sight. Even though there is a fair amount of theft and racketeering, the biggest issue is that the corruption is at all levels of government. Sicily has been devastatingly impacted by the hold the Mafia has on business here. A number of European countries have wanted to start operations here in Sicily because the wages are relatively low and it has a well educated population (Ikea has been trying to open a plant here for years). However, it takes so much time get every one's approval and so many palms have to be greased, that most businesses give up. It's a real shame. Palermo is recorded in paintings and history books as having been one of the most beautiful cities many travelers had ever seen (a few hundred years ago). Palermo was hit hard during World War 2 and most of the money for reconstruction when into private pockets. When Amy and I visited Palermo last week I was pretty shocked at how rough it looked. The internal part of the Island (where there isn't much tourism)is especially poor. In most of the guide books I've seen there are warnings about leaving your car parked in one place for too long in a number of cities. Some of these towns and cities have the best remaining Greek ruins in the world. I feel for people here. There is a feeling of helplessness about politics. As if this is the way things have always been...and always will be. No wonder many people in other countries are enamoured with America. As bad as it may seem right now in the states, I can't imagine knowing that everyone in the government is on the take.