Mr President 12th gennaio 2012

Mr President 12th gennaio 2012

It has been an exhausting couple of days. With work I have driven to Rome, flown to Madrid, performed two technical visits, did a 45 minute ride, a flight back to Rome, two more technical visits and a 40 minute run, followed by a drive back to Siena. I am super pooped and the Ironman training, whilst not so bad or intense or even particularly, makes things hard when holding down a decent job.

Meanwhile, back in Planet Italia the country is looking forward to a new year. Monti is trying to add some  stability to the country, although we will really learn about the confidence in the next few days when bond sales start to get through. However, although Berlusconi is gone, he is clearly not forgotten. It is traditional to burn an effigy on New Year's Eve (Capo D'Anno) (do not say "buon ano" instead of "buon anno" else you will be wishing someone a "good ass"!) and one town near Bologna decided to make their effigy resemble Berlusconi. Frankly, I'm surprised not more towns have done this - but this has caused outrage amongst certain areas of Italy and demonstrates how many people really liked and still value Berlusconi, despite the fact that he was a laughing stock the world over.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16518599


Speaking of presidents...meanwhile, my Hilton Honours status enabled me to be upgraded in both hotels, memorably in Madrid where I got a double upgrade into a Presidential suite, complete with a Jacuzzi. In Rome, I also got upgraded, sadly this time only to an Executive suite - it's all downhill from here on in :(

In Madrid they drink vermouth - however, this is not the Italian drink, rather it is the time between 11 am and 3 pm when the Spanish have an aperitivo. I like this! Sadly, I am on the wagon at the minute so did not imbibe! On the plus side, I learnt some great new phrases:

Va al diavolo - get to the devil (similar to go to hell)
Figlio di puttana - son of a bitch
Ganzo e figo - both mean "cool"
Non levarmi dalle guazze - a really classic Tuscan one here - "don't leave me in the damp" guazza/e is a really Tuscan word for damp
Fottiti - f@ck you
Fare la scarpetta - mop up oil on your plate with bread

The training continues well and weather is cold. This makes my running better as the field where I run is crisp and clear and no longer wet and slippy. My knee still fears me so I am taking the running very slow. On Tuesday it was beautiful - I arrived in the morning and it was pitch black except for a crystal clear and full moon - una luna piena. The fields were white with frost, it was -3.5C according to the car thermometer, and I saw a fox and some green woodpeckers as the sun came up. Also there were holes in the fields where cinghiale had been digging for root vegetables - I love being up and in the cold - reminds me of home! Strange thing is that during the day, around noon it warms up to 12-14C again - marvellous.

In scary news this week, a girl was doing a bungee jump in Zambia when the rope snapped. COuld have been terrible but amazingly she survived with barely a scratch...an amazing video. Also she fell into a crocodile-infested swamp just in case it wasn't bad enough already!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16459489

Arriverderla!