Living in San Giorgio di Pesaro and Kingston

We get our electricity through Enel. We knew that the cost of electricity for non-residents was higher than for residents. However, we thought it was only a few cents more. So after 3 years of being resident here we thought that we should go to the Enel office and let them know we were residents as we might as well have a few extra euros in our bank let it go into the Enel coffers.

A very pleasant Enel employee told us that Enel charges non-residents double for its electricity. To get the “residents’ rate” we needed proof that we were residents but also proof of the date we became resident and if we provided this information there would be a refund. We went home to look for the proof. Before returning to the Enel office we mentioned the refund to some Italian friends who let us know that there would be a refund but that like Captain Oates “it may be some time”.

Returning to Enel with our documents the  same pleasant employee tapped some data into the computer and told us that as we had been residents for 3 years we would be entitled to a refund for the electricity used during that period. We asked when the refund would be available. Within one or two months was the reply. The Enel employee was not amused when we mentioned our friends’ scepticism.

A few weeks later we got a letter informing us that a refund of 600 euros would be paid into our bank account and in January the money went in.

Bill and I have families who are very thoughtful at Christmas. My family gives nice gifts such as books, records, scarves etc. Bill’s family is equally thoughtful but they always  include a couple of “unusual presents”.

This year our unusal gifts were “Kapow underpants”. An article in an italian newspaper mentioned the fact the Marks and Spensers are offering a range of male suport garments to keep tummies in and bottoms pert. The “Kapow underpants” are not from the Marks and Spensers range.

The other “unusual gift” was a mud pack with genuine dead sea mud. Bill tried his and while it didn’t improve the skin much it did mean that as the mud hardened speaking was impossible. 

Gifts like these make us look forward to next Christmas.

A week after struggling through snow and Eurotunnel delays it was time to drive back to Italy. Having found France rather expensive in terms of motorway tolls we decided to ask the Tom Tom to work out a route through France without tolls. The route we then followed went through France into Belgium, into Luxembourg and back into France. The majority of the roads were motorways or dual carriageway and the total time taken was about 7 1/2 hours – 1 hour longer than the faster i.e. more costly route. An added advantage is that petrol is much cheaper in Luxembourg and so we saved money when filling up. 

We left Calais about 10.00 and arrived in Mulhouse (on the Swiss border) about 6.30. The only unexpected cost was a tunnel near Mulhouse which cost 7.00 euros. The only problem was the horrible weather in France as it rained all day but it did stop while we wandered round the centre of Mulhouse looking for a restaurant. 

Booked to fly to London for Christmas with British Airways a few months ago. When we discovered that there would be a strike we decided to drive. Soon after we had changed our bookings the strike was settled.

So on Sunday before Christmas at 5.00 am we set out for England. Leaving the icy streets of San Giorgio we were pleasantly surprised to discover that the motorways were clear. We made good progress through Italy and Switzerland and arrived in France about 1.00p.m. The snow also arrived and the motorway, although being kept clear by snow ploughs, became very slow going particularly as our windscreen wash nozzles became frozen and seeing the road was a mattar of peering through the smeers. By 6.00p.m. we had had enough and found a hotel in Verdun. The hotel had a restaurant but the food looked very tired and so we went out to eat. The only thing opened near the hotel was a Pizza and Pasta Bar or “Buffalo Bills” a burger bar. We opted for burger and chips – whatever happened to French cuisine.

Next morning we left at 7.30. Our train on Eurotunnel was at 4.00. We arrived at 11.30 and were offered the next train at 12.20. Our  lucky day. We drove to the loading area and waited, in our cars, for over three hours before the next train left. No information given about why we were waiting. But we believe we were on the last train to leave for the day.  A drive through rain and snow at rush hour meant we finally reached our destination at 6.30 p.m. Phil, our host, made us sausage and mash as a homecoming meal.

Snow has fallen on San Giorgio (see photo) for two days. Fortunately it hasn’t settled and we have been able to get about. However, this morning driving into the hills it was quite scarey going round some of the bends. We slid three times on the way up and in fact, we didn’t quite make it to our destination as on the final curve the car couldn’t grip.

To resolve these problems we are now the pround owners of some snow chains and tomorrow we will be getting a set of winter tyres which, apparently, make driving on icey, snowey and wet roads much safer. The garage will keep our normal tyres in their warehouse and then will keep the winter tyres in storage when we change back to our normal tyres.

Almost overnight a new rotatoria or roundabout has appeared in San Giorgio. It is at the crossroads with Via Garibaldi and the main road from Piagge to Orciano.  It is still waiting the finishing touches but it will help people coming from spicello to San Giorgio as currently it is a blind exit and difficult to get out of. The rumour is that there will also be a second roundabout near the cemetery. In Italy all villages have to have a name e.g. Monte Porzio is the “Village of Parks”, Cartoceto is the “Village of Olilve Oil”. Could San Giorgio become the “Village of Roundabouts”?

Today, the 8th December, is a public holiday in Italy as it is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception – the day Mary became pregnant with Jesus. Traditionally this is the signal for Christmas celebrations to begin i.e. trees decorated, lights up, cribs installed etc. Like the rest of the world Piagge the next village already has its Christmas lights on but here in San Giorgio traditions are adhered to and so although the lights are up they are still not on. We are planning to spend the holiday going to a Christmas Market in Pergola and then a meal with a friend.

Having posted on the blog the news that work had started on the nieghbouring house and that the owners were the Roscoes we were delighted to get a email from Pamela and John Roscoe confirming their existence and the news that they are not English but Scottish. This is good news as currently if someone wants to know were we live they can ask for “gli inglesi” and having “gli inglesi uno” and “gli inglesi  due” wouldn’t be very nice. Having “gli inglesi” and “i scozzesi” will be much better. Much less confusing.

Memi, their neighbour who also makes the best pasta in San Giorgio if not in Italy, was delighted with the news particularly when we told her that they can speak Italian.