italiafile

Too much rain... nobody is shopping....shopkeepers have gloomy aspects. And now even the European parliament has cottoned on to the fact the the Italians have been telling porkies about the inflation rate. Berlusconi crows about historically low inflation hovering around the 2% mark, but everyone knows that things have doubled in price since the euro came along. There seems a very real threat of a deep recession here, and as usual the South will feel it more than everywhere else.
To alleviate the misery I go to the museum at Santa Chiara which now houses the world's largest presepe (Christmas scene) made entirely of chocolate. Many salivating people gaze in wonder, then go straight out and drink some incredibly chocolatey hot chocolate. It makes Cadbury's seem like water. This is thick, glutinous and incredibly sweet, and a whole cup is too much for most people. However, when the rain is falling in sheets, it feels like a well deserved treat.
I go.... in a couple of hours I shall hop aboard the Easyjet to London to spend Christmas with my nearest and dearest. Happy Christmas one and all....