A many of many scarves

Ciao tutti!

I have beef, I'm afraid. The focus of my ire this week is people, and to be more precise, people on buses. To be even more precise, old people on buses. I have nothing but respect for people who fought in the war (even if they switched sides half way through), etc etc ad nauseum, but here they seem to be particularly keen to provoke me into acts of physical violence. I'm not a violent manboy, but they really do take the Garibaldi (which coincidentally is not a type of biscuit here). When you get on a bus, any sane, normal and right person sits down, or where this isn't possible, stands but keeps the gangway clear. The very thought of standing in the doorway would turn a Scots blood cold with the sheer proposterousnessity of it. Here, not adhering to popular conventions of decency, they don't stand in a place that keeps the gangway clear, and actually want to stand at the exit. Now, if you're getting off at the next stop, fair play. But as Italians don't adhere to the principles of Fair Play (see Juventus, Calciopoli, Pasquale Bruno and Pippo Inzaghi), they think that standing in the exit, kilometres before their stop is ok. Ok it is not. But still they stand, blocking your path like a 300 pound American football player. This has led me to miss my stop a few times, while I try to maneouvre my way through their midst like the mild mannered, increasingly angry young chap that I am. Normally this is ok, but the other day I was taken way past my stop and had to walk along the motorway in Bolzaneto (pronounced, by Stevie and I at least, as Balls-anetto).

In other news, I may have been pre-emptive in saying Stevie was departing Italy. Instead it looks as if he's only departing Genova for Rome, but still, he'll not be around.

So, why am I a man with many scarves? Well....I bought myself one Genoa scarf. Nice. I bought myself one smarter, non-affiliated scarf for my smart business man like persona. Warm. Then, when I joined the supporters club at Fisia, one of the companies I teach at, they gave me another Genoa scarf. Toasty. Then, the receptionist/security guard at Fisia, who I've had many stuttering conversations with gave me another Genoa scarf. Really toasty. It was really nice of him, so I think I'll repay him with a Hibs scarf when I return in January. But yeah, 4 scarves is more than one person needs, unless they're a man-giraffe hybrid. Which I'm not. I'm still refusing to buy gloves, so my neck is warm, but my hands are cold.

I went to see the mighty GCFC on Sunday play Bologna. It was ok, 1-1, but not massively exciting. This weekend sees the Genoa derby, which due to a technical oversight of school boy error proportions, I'll have to watch on TV. I'm going to Parma and Bologna with the burd, and agreed without realising that I'd miss the footy. Curses!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Still, I'm sure it'll be nice,, and I've been told that Bologna has a tower called the Tower of the Donkey. I'm intrigued, as of all the noble creatures on God/Allah/Buddha's green earth, an ass does not spring to mind.

I'll keep you posted how it all goes.

Ciao

P.S. C'mon the Genoa!