I find it hard remembering to get to the shops before they close at 1.30 p.m.and then at 7.30 p.m.because after that - nothing is open; One cannot even buy a loaf of bread because there are no convenience stores open at odd hours. Closing time means that - everything and I mean everything is shut. You either starve or go to a restaurant to eat.
Time here in Italy is relegated – the work day is split around food, into morning, lunch, siesta (closing of shops for 3 hours) and late afternoon and then dinner at night. Pasta is always eaten at lunch then meat and vegetables for the evening meal. I am glad I am not an Italian housewife as they are literally tied to the kitchen bench always cooking at midday and then at night. In the late evening you see the piazza full of men and young people having an aperitivo – no women because they all have to stay home and cook.
The poor mother of the family is the house slave. She cooks and cleans and washes for grown children that have to say at home until they get married and even then as housing is so expensive they might continue to live with their parents. Often now the young women do not know how to cook and still return home for mamma’s cooking.
As well, mamma will then have to care for the grandchildren full time if their children do have the good fortune of work. This is the reason that Italians have such small families now as they have their children to support financially until they are way into maturity – perhaps forever if they do not get work. A Father is bound to support his child by the government until they at least 27 years. With the high level of unemployment here for the young, most parents are financially strapped forever supporting grown adults.
