Readers who are planning a New Year getaway this January should bear in mind the risks of disruption to flights at seven UK airports. Strikes are scheduled at BAA airports on the 7th January 2008 and the 14th January 2008, each starting in the morning and lasting 24 hours. A third strike, on the 17th January 2008, is due to last 48 hours. The airports involved - Stansted, Gatwick, Heathrow, Glasgow, Southampton, Aberdeen and Edinburgh - could be closed down totally during the strikes, and delays may continue for a day or two afterwards. This nightmare for travellers may yet be averted but the prospects aren't looking good, so try to avoid those dates, change your flights if necessary, and check the newspapers for the latest updates on the situation.
> BAA strikes still set for January (The Times, 28 December 2007)
In Italy, the latest provisional strike dates include 8th January when there is yet another Alitalia strike (4 hours). There is a 24-hour rail strike from 9pm on 12th January, and another from 9pm on 26th January. There is a general public transport strike on 28th January. Sometimes these scheduled strikes are cancelled, sometimes they are postponed, and sometimes there is a still a basic service (usually trains run a minimum guaranteed service). But we'd recommend you avoid travel plans for these dates if possible, and check for the latest news on transport websites.
> Italian Transport Ministry: scheduled strikes (in Italian).
30 December 2007
28 November 2007
Important Rome cave find; white truffle; transport strike
The most exciting piece of news from Italy in the last few weeks has been the announcement of a hugely important discovery in Rome. In the honeycomb of the Palatine hill, archaeologists have uncovered (by accident) what is thought to be the Lupercal: the cave revered in Ancient Rome as the site of the mythical founding of the city, where Romulus and Remus were suckled by the wolf.
> BBC: 'Mythical Roman cave' unearthed (article, photos and video footage)
Another discovery - less momentous but still thrilling to foodie circles - was made in the soil of Tuscany, not by archaeologists but by a dog. The white truffle located by Rocco, a mongrel, weighs 1.5kg and is the largest to be unearthed since the 1950s. Traditionally it is pigs who find truffles, the difficulty is that apparently they tend to eat the truffle. Dogs, being cleverer, can be trained not to eat the precious fungi.
> Guardian: Italian mongrel leads owner to record-breaking truffle
And lastly; if you are planning to travel on public transport in Italy on Friday, be warned. A strike (sciopero) has been announced, although it remains to be seen how many workers will adhere (strike on a Friday = long weekend with the family), or if it will actually go ahead. It is due to affect most public transport, including railways, from 9am-5pm, with possible variations in cities. Airports may be affected between 11am and 3pm The smaller airports used by budget airlines, and their dedicated bus services, are often functioning as normal. But check the websites of any transport firms you are planning to travel with and be prepared for delays.
> Italian transport ministry: information on strikes
And finally, if you've had problems catching a taxi in Rome lately, or have seen angry taxi drivers blocking squares, it's because taxi drivers have been protesting over the issuing of licences.
> BBC: 'Mythical Roman cave' unearthed (article, photos and video footage)
Another discovery - less momentous but still thrilling to foodie circles - was made in the soil of Tuscany, not by archaeologists but by a dog. The white truffle located by Rocco, a mongrel, weighs 1.5kg and is the largest to be unearthed since the 1950s. Traditionally it is pigs who find truffles, the difficulty is that apparently they tend to eat the truffle. Dogs, being cleverer, can be trained not to eat the precious fungi.
> Guardian: Italian mongrel leads owner to record-breaking truffle
And lastly; if you are planning to travel on public transport in Italy on Friday, be warned. A strike (sciopero) has been announced, although it remains to be seen how many workers will adhere (strike on a Friday = long weekend with the family), or if it will actually go ahead. It is due to affect most public transport, including railways, from 9am-5pm, with possible variations in cities. Airports may be affected between 11am and 3pm The smaller airports used by budget airlines, and their dedicated bus services, are often functioning as normal. But check the websites of any transport firms you are planning to travel with and be prepared for delays.
> Italian transport ministry: information on strikes
And finally, if you've had problems catching a taxi in Rome lately, or have seen angry taxi drivers blocking squares, it's because taxi drivers have been protesting over the issuing of licences.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)