I have started on City of Fallen Angels, by John Berendt, and it is a very interesting read. I think I like this book a little better because it relates directly to Venice. It is interesting to read that he chose to visit Venice during times when the city is less populated by tourists; this was interesting because we are going to Venice in the "low period" of tourists, so hopefully my experiences there can be more real and less touristic.

One interesting part of the book was the description of the burning Opera House. They weren't able to effectively fight the fire because of the canals and the response time. One of the past projects I reviewed was designing an ambulance system for Venice, since the current one was slow and depended entirely on the expertise of the boat drivers, and how well they knew the tide and the traffic conditions. It seems that they are still having problems with that kind of thing; I feel like that is something they should be, if they are not already, adressing.

Continuing with The Dark Heart of Italy, the author makes a point that the Catholic church has a lot to do with family dynamics. I heard from my friend, Sara, who spent the summer in Italy, that the families stay together. I looked it up, and children usually live in the same town as they grew up it, or very close. The author made an interesting correlation, saying that because of the church, and the Madonna in particular, this is what underlies all of the family values and traditions found in Italy. I wonder if it is true. It seems to make sense.

On a side note, I am very excited to see some of the churches in Venice. I also plan on going to Rome, to see the Vatican, which has some of the best religious and historical art in the world. Only 12 days left!

It is interesting how Italians see style and conversation...from what I can get from "The Dark Heart of Italy", Italians seem to be more "civilized". Certainly they dress more stylishly than Americans, that will be something to remember when we are over there. I have already begun to think about what would be appropriate to wear in Venice. The book discusses the fashion world of Italy, which is very sophisticated. But then, all of the best designers come from Italy. I will have to see what I can and cannot wear over in Venice.

The Dark Heart of Italy - review 1

"The Dark Heart of Italy" has been an interesting read because it delves into the culture and mannerisms of the Italian people. I've noticed some interesting things, some of which I have heard before, like "Italians like to hear themselves talk". But there are other interesting things, like the fact that Italians don't really move out of their hometown; they don't really start working until they are in their 30's. It was not too surprising to hear about the legal systems, Tobias talked about waiting in line at the bank for half the day, and the waiting was as much a cultural experience as anything. People would catch up with each other, discuss and complain about the "system".

What I found most surprising was the information about Italian soccer. As the author says, it is surprising that Italians would be more calculating than passionate in the game, because in real life it seems to be opposite. Of course, some of the feelings the author was having about the game was confusing, because I don't understand all of the intricacies of the game.

So far the book has been interesting; I am working through it and soon will start on "City of Falling Angels" as soon as I have finished "The Dark Heart of Italy".

So here are some things I think are important to know...

costare - to cost
assere - to be

un fornaio - bakery
un supermercato - supermarket
ottobre - October
novembre - November
dicembre - December
caldo - hot
freddo - cold
uscita - exit
antipasto - appetizer
ristorante - restaurant

Scusi - Excuse me
Parla inglese? - Do you speak english?
Quanto costa? - How much does it cost?
Che ora e? - What time is it?
Vorrei... - I'd like...

Hopefully there will be a class for Italian, because I don't think I'm learning much on my own. I can't wait to go, though...I spent yesterday with a tour guide book, trying to figure out what I want to see. Can't believe summer's almost over...

I wonder if this year we'll have a problem with flooding? I almost want there to be at least one day where it is flooded, just so I can walk around in those rubber boots.