Ciao i miei amici!
Today, 1 November, is a national holiday. As I write this, I haven’t yet ventured out. There is no telling what will be open. I think the trains are running, though. There will be no Thanksgiving Holiday here. The next national holiday is Immaculate Conception Day on December 8 followed by Christmas Day followed by Saint Stephen’s Day, December 26.
The temperature is forecast to reach 16°C (61°F). It is clear. Recipes here are usually given in centigrade and I think the weather is broadcast in that scale as well.
It’s fun to watch game shows here in the evening. A favorite is “Caduta Libero” or “Free Fall”. It’s a word game. The contestant plays standing on a trap door. When the contestant fails, the door opens and they are dropped. We wouldn’t fare too well. Our vocabulary is quite insufficient.
Some of the best restaurants are off the beaten track. Same, too, for the gelato.
“Ciao” is somewhat informal. “Buongiorno” is usually pretty safe (“Buona sera” in the evening).
As one of our fellow students explained, when the barista addresses you in the “tu” form (as opposed to the “Lei” form), you’ve been accepted.
Ciao!
