Italian life

[italy property]
ITALIAN banks were always parsimonious about handing out loans and Italians traditionally dislike credit. This means Italy could escape the worst effects of the credit crunch, said Pierpaolo Benigno, an economics professor at Rome’s Luiss University.
“Lending to companies, which has been well monitored, remains consistent and although private mortgages have dipped, that’s due to rising interest rates. There is no fallout from the credit crunch here.”
Consumer lending is now on the rise but Italy has some catching up to do, said Benigno. “Banks are traditionally more familiar with the people they lend to and are more vigilant, and there remains a cultural bias against credit.”
But crunch or no crunch, Italians are suffering from soaring food and fuel prices, with consumer spending dropping 2.3% year on year in April.
Shoe purchases were down 6.4%, while supermarkets report Italians are abandoning the Mediterranean diet they made famous for cheaper frozen foods.
The daily newspaper Corriere della Sera summed it up last week as: ‘The Italian paradox – fewer debts, greater pessimism’. Italians, it said, now faced the ‘Syndrome of the fourth week’ as fridges are emptied before payday.
The employers’ group Confindustria believes economic growth will hover at about 0.1% this year – well below the 0.5% predicted by the government – and Italian business confidence fell to a three-year low in June, as Italy’s legions of small manufacturers fear for the prospects of domestic and foreign sales.
Car crashes are reportedly decreasing in the capital at the end of each month as car-mad Romans run out of money to buy petrol, while managers at one low-cost supermarket run by a charity in Rome’s suburbs were surprised to see far more Italian than immigrant families showing up for cut-price food.
House prices did rise by about 1.6% in the first six months of the year, the economics institute Nomisma said, but house sales are set to fall this year by 5%-6% compared with 2007. Benigno said:
“There is a stability in house prices right now because both supply and demand have fallen but demand is now set to fall faster, with prices in the suburbs the first to fall.”

Drive UK to Italy

[italy property]
I have just driven from Lancashire to Northern Italy and thought i'd outline my route for others to comment on.

Destination :Lake Iseo, Northern Italy.
Departure : Lancashire,UK

Date : Friday 20/6/08
9pm left home with target to catch 4:15am ferry from Dover to Calais.
Luckily i left early heavy traffic and roadworks on M6, M1 and on M25.
M20 to Dover was clear, it is early morning by now.
Arrived Calais 3am !!
Just time to buy a european map and get that UK car sticker.

Date : Saturday 21/6/08
Calais local time 6:30am now driving on the wrong side of the road. Stop to adjust mirrors.
Destination target Lille for a stop over sleep and shower in friends house.
Calais to Dunkerque (E40/A16)
Dunkerque to Lille (A25)
arrive Lille vieux (the old city centre) 7:30am
Sleep , shower, lunch.
Leave Lille 15:00
target to get to southern germany before night fall.

Lille to south Bruxelles (E42,A7,A4)
Bruxelles to Luxembourg (A4) the only toll i paid 4euros
Luxembourg to Strasbourg (A4), over into Germany directions Kehl.
Strasbourg to Basel (A5)

22:00 Getting dark and tired so pull up into a local village, few beers and watch the Euro 2008 football, return to motorway service station and pull over to sleep.

Fantastic service station for drivers,campers, lorry drivers. 50cents and access to showers, which was even deductable from the coffee in the morning (keep the receipt). location and name will post later.

Date: Sunday 22/6/08
Wake up 6:00am
Shower and coffee and on the A5 for Switherland by 6:30am
Swizz border bought the "vignette" for 40euros (very quick and easy).
Follow signs for Italy, Gotthard Tunnel (18km long !!) all way through Swithzerland, via Basel, Luzern, Lugano on the E35/A35.
Into Italy, Chiasso around 10:00, here the tolls are unavoidable. First 4 euros for entering in to Italy (why?) Then same again before Milan, then follow signs for Milano then A4 to Venice.

took exit Rovato, south of Lake Iseo and pulled up at 12:30pm at my destination !!

Overall total drive : 6hrs (fri) 8hrs(sat) 6hrs(sun) Total 20hours.
Petrol : 3 top ups for circa 150 euros
Tolls : 12euros & 40euros(vignette)
Ferry : £45 single

Can anyone beat that !!!

Damage : one slow puncture, dirty windscreens and one tired Fiat Punto !!! Total miles 1068 !!