Thursday, June 21, 2007

Mama Mia Ucciso!

Ucciso! That was one of the first words I learned in Italy. When we first arrived, I would pick up a lot of vocabulary from watching the news (that was before the satellite hook up). The news would scroll Italian words below the news anchor and I would rush to look up the word in my handy dictionary. That was also before the day of the Google translator widgets.

Ucciso! means killed.

So we are at a party for Fabrizia's daughter Luce a few weeks ago and her mom tell us a story about a murder that happened the night before. Apparently a 9 months pregnant woman was killed last night in her home located in a borgo (small group of old homes) near Marciano (about 15 miles from Assisi). Her other two children were asleep. The husband, who operates coin laundry machines, was out collecting money. Someone broke into the home and, when confronted by the mother, stabbed her to death. Must have been someone who knew them.

I offer the US perspective. The husband did it.

Nope! Fabrizia's mom says not in this case!

Oh. I think to myself. Wow. Husbands sure get excluded from suspicion pretty fast here in Italy. No alibi. No forced entry. Maybe he said he didn't do it and cried real loud. I guess you had the be there.

I go on and tell them the Scott Peterson story of that guy in California who went fishing a hundred miles away on Christmas Day! 8 month pregnant wife disappears. Fishy. He sells her car. Months later, Laci's body is found near where he said he was fishing. Fishier. The police find Scott down in San Diego with blond hair (he said it was from swimming), a beard, several cell phones and 10,000 dollars in cash.

I also tell them about that guy down in Florida who told everyone he was going to med school. His wife had called the school to complain that they had not been assigned housing and was informed he was not admitted to that med school. The morning she disappeared, her husband had bought a new mattress. He had put her in a dumpster.

SO- Today we are at Grand Casa and we run into Christina who we had met at the party. We exchange greetings and she starts talking quietly in Italian and try really hard to follow what she is saying. I hear Marciano, ucciso - killed, moglie - wife. But Christina is talking quietly and I didn't remember the story. Finally Christina breaks down and tells me in English that the police suspect that the husband killed the wife. Ahhh.

So this tells me that the police skills in Umbria have improved significantly from the police portrayed in The Talented Mr. Ripley. Clue-- Thomas Ripley did it.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Buying Car Insurance in Italy

So you think that it's just the 8 bucks a gallon for gasoline to gripe about. How about the 2000 bucks for liability only auto insurance? By accident however, I stumbled upon a bargain which hopefully may benefit other people shopping for auto insurance in Italy as well as all over Europe.

While I was shopping for the Vito last year, I had the good fortune of speaking with a fellow American in Texas who selling his VW Transporter in Germany. This fine gentleman told me that Geico also sells car insurance in Italy. Ah Ha! Geico Insurance out of the US sells auto insurance here in Italy.

I saved about 70% since the european carriers generally assume that you have the worst driving record when they issue insurance to you. I used to pay about 1400 Euros for the VW. Now I pay 800 Dollars. An additional 40% discount is available if you can provide a letter from your previous insurer that you had no major claim in the last 3 years. This made a huge difference for me.

Geico info can be found by Googling Geico Italy. You get a list of countries they do business in. There are 4 locations in Italy alone. I selected Aviano where I spoke with Lino at "American Service Center" Lino is very very easy to work with. the beottom line is that I was able to insure each car for less than half what I was paying the European carriers. we were able to complete the whole insurance transaction over the net in about an hour.

I hope this helps.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Pope Benedict is coming to Assisi this Father's Day


Sunday June 17, 2007 8:15 the Pope's Helicopter is landing in Rivertorto below Assisi. Time to get up. The Pope will be at San Damiano at 9 and at Santa Chiara at 9:30. He will pass the Popsicle Cafe . It will from now on be known as the Pope-sicle Cafe.