Italian News Snippets: 01.27.08

Some Italian news for your Sunday reading pleasure:

• Some knucklehead has actually proposed moving “David” out of Florence to relieve tourist congestion. WTF?!?
• Finally, finally, finally – the scourge of pigeons in St. Mark’s Square may be over. Venice’s city hall has banned the birdseed sellers from hawking (no pun intended) any more of the stuff, which attracts the flying rats by the thousands.
• Remember when someone turned the Trevi Fountain red? Well, a second act of what might be called performance art saw a half-million brightly colored plastic balls tumbling down the Spanish Steps. Ah, the gaiety of it all. Just watch your step. (Another great photo here.)
• The existence of parking lots for lovers really does mean that if the Fiat’s a-rockin’, don’t bother knockin’. But will these lovers lots survive in such a Catholic country? All signs point to yes.
• Another knucklehead has suggested that all that garbage in Naples be thrown into Mt. Vesuvius for burning. Seriously, do these people hear themselves talk? As it is now, most of the trash has been shipped to landfills in other regions of Italy, but not without protest.
• If you’re coming to Florence from Austria, the Renaiisance city has incentives tailor-made just for you – and the include a few freebies.
• On your next trip to Venice, don’t even try to get on the Vaporetto #3. That’s the new water-bus for residents only.
• Here’s the most recent guide to what art exhibits are currently taking place throughout Italy.
• Italians love to protest so much that even the nude models have gone on strike to protest working conditions.
• Venice’s newest bridge moved a little bit, which has engineers worrying about its stability.
• Florence claims to have the “world’s most beautiful hotel” with the Riva Lofts.
• Apparently, Italians have the cleanest homes in Europe. I guess I’ll have to change my clutter-ific ways to get a visa.
• Olive oil producers in Italy will soon have to indicate on their labels where the olives come from in addition to whether the oil is virgin or extra-virgin.
• Trapani’s Caravaggio exhibit is one of the most popular art exhibits ever in Southern Italy. It runs through March 14, 2008.
• Italians like their cars. They spent $166 billion on them last year, and sales at all the high-end car manufacturers – including Ferrari and Lamborghini – are up. The husband will be pleased.
• 2007 was also a great year for men’s fashion in Italy, with demand increasing abroad as well. One foreign customer (the husband) will become a domestic customer this year, so the 2008 figures may be a bit different.
• Milan’s new congestion charge is reducing traffic in the city, which is good news for residents and environmentalists.
• Nevermind that Juliet’s House in Verona is a 20th century creation that has no connection to the Shakespeare play, it’s still a tourist magnet. Now, it’s been temporarily closed while workers scrub the walls clean of all the love notes that have been left over the years. So, if you left a message for a sweetheart, you may have to plan a return trip.
• Turin has been named the best Italian city for kids, according to a new study.
• For the geography buffs among you, there’s a new version of “Stateris” that’s just for Italy – and while it’s fun, the game won’t let you move big, honkin’ Sardinia to the left past the other Italian provinces to put it in its place. I hope they work this bug out, because for now it’s frustrating and annoying.
• The Italian postal system is the source of much frustration in Italy, but hopefully this list of stuff you can’t send to Italy will help a little.
• The streets of Sicily may be a little safer now, with 39 alleged Mafiosi arrested earlier this month.
• Look out mozzarella lovers, there’s an infection in the buffalo herds that’s led to more than 30,000 buffalo needing to be slaughtered.
• There’s even more art being returned to Italy and put on display, including some from a private collection and a 2,500-year-old vase.