COMMUNICATIONS

Phones are readily available at bars, with telephone cards, or coins, or a meter to count the cost, the units are called scatti. The phone books often cause problems: first you need the town or village of the subscriber in order to find the number listed under his local village or town. Telephone books are divided by town, with references to hamlets and villages, and then by name; the Hotel Britannico, for example, won't be listed under Britannico, or Hotel, but under Albergo, Italian for Hotel. The restaurants and other commercial establishments will often be listed by reference to the trade or profession rather than the business name. Be flexible with your thinking and you will usually find the number. Often the phone will be in the name of a long deceased relative, or even the former occupier or owner of the house. It costs money to transfer the number to a new user, so many people don’t bother. If you find a similar name, phone it - the person who answers will invariably be a brother, aunt, cousin etc., and will be happy to give you another number.

Fax machines are often at the stationer - carta libreria - in most towns; and the Internet is growing stronger by the day, with access points also in most towns.

Letters to the UK can either be addressed to REGNO UNITO, United Kingdom or, if you wish, INGHLITERRA, England, SCOZZIA, Scotland, IRLANDA, Ireland, and GALLES, from the Gauls, for Wales. The Italians sometimes see the weather maps of the UK on the TV, and with gales from the south east sweeping the British Isles, the maps shows GALES, with arrows. "Are the Welsh invading?" has been asked!