Simple Commentaries

Yesterday, I was walking along Corso 3 Novembre and there was these 2 old gentlemen walking at the same pace has I was and I could not help but listen in to their conversation because it quite loud... At first I was thinking that they had a good reason to be mad like they were but I understood that it was about Immigrants !

I'm pretty sure that something serious happened for them to be in such a bad mood but I wished, there and then, that I could tell them in ITALIAN what I thought about that because I consider myself an Immigrant in Italy. 

What I would have told them was...

< Hey ! Listen !! Your cars are German or Japanese. Your vodka is Russian or Polish. Your kebabs are Turkish. Your democracy is Greek. Your coffee is Brazilian. Your movies are American. Your tea is Tamil. Your shirts are Indian. Your gas-oil is Saudi Arabian. Your electronics are Chinese. Your numbers are Arabic while your letters are Latin. Your pizza is Italian ! We should all complain that our neighbour is an Immigrant, Rignt ??? >

Anyway ! It's not all bad here. Far from that. People are really nice in general. As an example... I offered to buy cake for a party of about 25 people. I didn't think this thru before offering. So I went to my favorite Pasticceria  called Viennese. They sell cakes by the pound at 30 Euros a kilo and for 25 I was told I would need 4 kilos ?!?! 

4 x 30 Euros = 120 Euros - No way !!!

So I went to an artisanal Pasticceria  further down the street and they said also that 4 kilos would cover 25 people but they were selling it at 25 Euros a kilo.

4 x 25 Euros = 100 Euros - Again ! No way !!!

So I asked around and my landlady - Lorenza - told me that the Marketo Poli sells cakes for a lot cheaper. I am there almost every day but I never speak too much having poor Italian conversation skills but this time I decided that I would have it a go. So I said to the young girl that is working at the bar...

< Buon giorno ! Per venerdi, vorrei una torta di compleanno per venticinque persona !!! >

She called an other employee who speaks English, French, Italian and Cuban. This gentleman told me about the Black Forest they have at 20 Euros each and that with 2 I should have enough. But as a side note he told me not to buy it from him. He sent me to a competitor of them, called Coop where I purchase 2 chocolate cake for 18 Euros each. Again only 2 because it was enough... So, from 120 to 36 Euros, the cheap in me was satisfied...............

Anyway ! This time I'm going to show you little things that I have encountered on my daily walks and that is not seen as much in Canada. So, here are a few pictures with comments about our daily life in Trento !

To start
Here is Luisa, our Italiano Courso
A patient lady

Where the gate is, it's Via Mariani
Our place is at the end after the gate
What you are actually seeing is
a parking area off the street.

Same thing as the previous picture but here you see the pathways and a bit of
where is the actual street called 3 Novembre.

In this picture you see the bicycle and the walking paths
I like this and it's like this almost thru the entire city of Trento

In this image I wanted to show you one of the many mirrors
to see about incoming traffic
Very good idea !

This one shows a few of the Italian driving signs
P is for parking
The writing is to show from what time until what time you have to pay for parking in the blue zone
the 0723 is the # to call with your cell if you want to pay that way
The Zona Rossa - I'm not totally sure but I think it's the area
The arrow is a one way street
The blue circle is because there is a path for walkers and another for cyclists

On the far left side you see one of the many fountains of the city
The water is cool and fresh and drinkable
The fountain is just next to the post with all the previous signs on
The street you see is a prolongation of where we were at our gate
Where the black car is, it's a station for recycling
We do not know how to use it yet since we are still using the bac system
On the far right the round sign is a wrong way to go

This picture shows where there are other parking lots or spaces around town
The best way, when you go everywhere is to park your car in a peripheral parking lot
and to either walk or take the bus

A Pay Station for Parking in the blue zones

An actual blue zone

In the white zones it is no pay but during the day you have only a certain amount of time

Handicap parking spaces
Do Not Park

Parking for motorcycles and bicyces
and there are a lot
At least in our area !!!

But you can basically park your bicycles where you want

Now here is an example of all the other building small or big
and I believe it is like them all over Europe/
The Shutters.
''Les Persiennes''

Public telephones

Small Billboard found all over the city.

Bus Stop 

A Billboard found all over the city also

An advert on a Billboard about 2 incorruptibles that I know about !

A city employee replacing an old advert for a newer one that will be coming soon to Trento

Crosswalks and bicycle stands
Notice the 2 posts with flashing lights for when you cross the road
It makes it easier for the drivers to see you from far away

|The official Radio and Television of Italy
Rai

A street sign
What I like about them is that is also shows who and when

An obscure cafe or bar who has tables on the sidewalk and part of the street
It is like this all over Trento even on busy street

So that all for now......
and, hey ! If you like the pictures come and see for yourself 
it's really nothing compared to our reality...

Salve for now !!!

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