by DHales | Jan 21, 2019 | Books, Italy, Language, Sayings and expressions, Science, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
La luna rossa The red moon “Che fai tu, luna, in ciel, dimmi, che fai?” the writer Giacomo Leopardi (1798 –1837) asked in one of his most famous poems. “What are you doing, moon, in the sky, tell me, what are you doing?” On a frigid night in January, the answer...
by DHales | Nov 26, 2017 | Books, culture, Health, Italy, Language, Science, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
Cent’anni! Cento di questi giorni! A hundred years–and many more! This is a common birthday greeting in Italy, but for the residents (abitanti) of Acciaroli on the Cilento coast about 85 miles south of Naples, it’s not just a wish. One in ten (uno su dieci) of...
by DHales | Sep 22, 2016 | Books, Education, Food and Drink, Italy, Language, Sayings and expressions, Science, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
I pesi e le misure Weights and Measures When I weigh myself in Italy, even after third helpings of tiramisù, I look at the double digits indicating kilograms and feel magra (thin). Everywhere else, from the supermarket to the gas station, I’m stumped by...
by DHales | Nov 17, 2014 | Current Affairs, Italy, Language, Science, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
accometare to land on a comet Last week a small landing craft (un piccolo lander) boldly ventured where no manmade creation had ever gone before. After a ten-year journey (un viaggio di dieci anni) millions of miles from earth, “Philaen,” created by the European Space...
