If you have not visited Sicily, my hope is that you get inspired to visit. If you already have, my hope is that you return. If you have not eaten Pani chi Panelli, my hope is that you try them when in Sicily, maybe while visiting its province of Bagheria, which were both mentioned in my first post. If you do visit Bagheria and try Pani chi Panelli, please throw your trash in un cestino, a garbage can, otherwise it’ll look like this…
Did you hear about or remember the garbage crisis in Naples that happened about 7 years ago? Slowly it’s gotten better, much better. You don’t see the garbage you once saw in the Neapolitan streets…
reuters.com
Sicily and much of Southern Italy was hit by the same crisis. Garbage was everywhere…
In Bagheria, it has gotten better too yet reminisce of the crisis still linger…
A very brief and quick overview: the government ran out of money and could not pay garbage pick up. Garbage unions went on strike. A garbage tax was implemented and garbage workers are now getting paid. Garbage is now being picked up and swept up from the streets—it’s looking better…
However, what I’ve noticed recently is garbage being picked up but not necessarily swept up—some garbage still lingers around the bins. What I continue to see is many of Bagheria’s citizens throwing garbage on their streets—eating a Pani chi Panelli, let’s say, and throwing the wrapping on the street rather than in a garbage can! Or throwing a plastic wrapper out the window of an old Fiat 500 as we all wait at the train's crossing…
What I continue to see is many of Bagheria’s citizens NOT picking up after their dog’s business. What I continue to see is Bagheria’s youth tagging, spray- painting love messages on public property and historic monuments…
What I continue to see is an apathetic Vigili Urbani (a division of the Police generally overseeing traffic, and overall street violations)…who do not enforce the law on a consistent basis…
affariitaliani.it
My hope is that Bagheria’s citizens start truly seeing what surrounds them…
My hope is when they truly see what natural and historical beauty hugs their city, they will ALL make the effort to take the extra steps and throw their waste in the garbage bins, pick up after their furry friends, tag love messages on their Facebook walls instead and the Vigili Urbani be a bit more vigil! Let’s keep Bagheria clean! Let's keep Italy clean!
Despite the garbage issue that you see periodically on Italy’s streets due to bureaucracy, ignorance and the ‘menefreghisimo’ (I don’t give a shit) attitude some citizens have, its still an absolutely beautiful country--with some of the most liveliest of people, one of the most delicious of cuisines, and one of the richest histories, art and cultures in the world. Tutto il mondo e' un paese--the whole world is one town (small world) my grandfather used to say. We are all so very similar. We are all so very human and Italians personify that humanness in their culture, their language, their traditions, beliefs, and their over-all enigmatic nature.
A funny little video, in Italian, about Bagheria’s garbage art…
Despite the garbage issue that you see periodically on Italy’s streets due to bureaucracy, ignorance and the ‘menefreghisimo’ (I don’t give a shit) attitude some citizens have, its still an absolutely beautiful country--with some of the most liveliest of people, one of the most delicious of cuisines, and one of the richest histories, art and cultures in the world. Tutto il mondo e' un paese--the whole world is one town (small world) my grandfather used to say. We are all so very similar. We are all so very human and Italians personify that humanness in their culture, their language, their traditions, beliefs, and their over-all enigmatic nature.
A funny little video, in Italian, about Bagheria’s garbage art…
A recent news video on Rome’s garbage strike…
www.presstv.ir/DetailFr/2016/06/01/468369/Italy-Garbage-strikes
An informative video about garbage used as energy in Venice, Italy…
Some Vocabolario:
Spazzatura--Trash/Garbage. Pulito--Clean. Strada/Via--Street. Sforzo--Effort.
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