... as my grandad used to say.
Actually, you can, but it doesn't seem to make much difference.
What am I on about?
Stamps. Italian postage stamps. I've just sent the last of my Christmas cards and that's got me wondering, as I do every year (and quite a few times in between), why it is that the Italian post office still can't produce a stamp that will stick to the envelope. There are always at least two corners of an Italian stamp that curl up at the edges like a week-old sandwich, and no amount of spit or pressure seems to help hold them down. I always push my letters in the post box doubtful whether the envelope and its stamp will stick together for the length of the journey.
Not that I have anything but praise for Posta Italiana. It's an institution that has revolutionised itself over the last ten years. Gone are the dingy premises, the long queues and the rude, lugubrious service of yesteryear. Along with the shiny new blue and yellow logo, they have introduced a ticket queuing system, seats, bright stationery shops and even, miracle of miracles, friendly and helpful staff. Not to mention a revamped post office bank which puts most of the high street banks to shame.
And all of this while in Britain post offices have been closing down.
I was Peru a couple of summers ago and sent my usual flock of post cards back towards Europe. None of them arrived. Not one. But I remember the stamps - prettier even than the post cards themselves, each one with a picture of an exotic bird on in. And above all, after my Italian experiences, I was impressed at how well the stamps stuck to the cards. If the Peruvians can do it, why can't the Italians?
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2 comments:
Hey Bob. It's Frances your long lost friend from Cerca de Ronda. Perhaps Posta Italiana could teach the Post Office a thing or two -apparently something like two million letters and parcels will not arrive in time for Christmas this year. Ah well, have a good one and its great to see you again even if only a cyber version.
Hola Bob . Siendo este un blog destinado al dominio publico, me parece necesaria y coherente expresar mi opinion. Objetivamente, a pesar de ser peruana, o quizas por el mismo motivo , y siendo la primera persona en enterarme del incidente del correo en Peru, pongo seriamente en tela de juicio la afirmacion sostenida en el sentido que "ninguna postal llego a su destino", como te lo comente en su oportunidad estando ambos en Peru. No puedo negar que tuve un sentimiento momentaneo de verguenza ajena, sobre todo al afirmar tu que " los peruanos habian tomado tu dinero para no expedir NINGUNA postal". Me sorprende , y quisiera pensar que pertenece y forma parte de la fantasia de la cual haces gala en tus narraciones tal falta de veracidad en tus palabras. Obviamente este mensaje es una llamada de atencion y un legitimo reclamo al leer la conclusion de "si los peruanos pueden, porque los italianos no?". A mi parecer , y me despojo de toda subjetividad para decirlo, resulta contundentemente llena de RACISMO tal expresion, al comparar ambos pueblos, desde el punto de vista de donde se mire. En otras palabras, quisiera saber porque el correo italiano tendria que funcionar mejor que el peruano, por el hecho de solo serlo??? Preocupante tu afirmacion, sobre todo cuando es expuesta abiertamente..Dai Bob, ti rendi davvero conto di quello che hai scritto?? Ti accorgi del senso di ogn'una delle tue parole?? Spero, sinceramente, di no..altrimenti....
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