Someone asked me to report on our stay in the Ospizio San Gottardo on our way down by car. Having recovered sufficiently from the heat on arrival in Italy here goes:

How does everyone here cope with rubbish when they only visit for a few days.

Our commune now does daily collections, umido one day, secco the next, then vetro, and then around again. It's hardly practical leaving out a vetro bin and then returning to the UK and hoping to find it still out on the road when you return some while later on your next visit.

Fortunately for me, my local shop has offered me use of their bins which takes away the burden - but has anyone else wondered how to deal with this situation?

Just trying to identify an insect I saw last night, I was passing the entrance to our little village in the countryside and collecting our mail delivered to the post boxes their, when a large (seemed between a golf ball and tennis ball sized) flying insect came and buzzed around me. It was hard to see but seemed to be black, with hard wings like a beetle and was obviously nocturnal as it was attracted to the lights. I don't think it was a Bat but I have never seen such a large flying insect before and wondered if anyone knew what it might be. It made a loud buzzing sound.

My husband is keen to take up fishing iwhen we go to Lago di Bolsena in Alto Lazio. Could anyone please give advice on how to get a fishing licence just for the lake please ? Thanks.

Hi! I'm having a bit of a clear out and wondered if the following Italian language books/CDs might be of use to someone starting to learn Italian:

- Italianissimo 1 Beginners
BBC book plus 4 accompanying audio tapes (NOTE: These are copies, not originals, and not tested recently as we no longer have a cassette player - sorry!)

- Talk Italian Beginners
BBC book with 2 accompanying audio CDs

- Instant Italian
Book given away free with the Independent (NOTE: I will include the accompanying audio CD, but it doesn't seem to want to play in my laptop any more)

Hi, following on from my last post regarding Festa's for July & August, I searched on previous posts & would just like confirmation on what I have found so far:
Pro Loco Festa- Porto San Giorgio - 5,6,7,8 July
Music - Colmurano - 11 & 12 July
Festa de la cove - Petritoli - 12 & 13 July
Fermo - Medieval Festa- August
Could anyone let me know if I have the correct dates & poss times...Please :-) and any I have missed

Could anybody give me information on any Festa's small or large & of any kind, taking place throughout July & August? I have family coming over to stay & would like to take them! Angie has kindly given me information for market days & Antiques fair in Fermo. Have tried to search previous posts & can't really find anything...Thanks Maxine & Peter