I know we shouldn't let it get to us but we're getting very tired of the East Italian Coast. We've both tried very hard. We've spent 100s of hours and lots of pounds learning the language (C'è bellisimo e non è dificile).
We've met some lovely people. We've seen some lovely old towns and, at least for the past two days, we've even been warm and seen the sun.
But
Officialdom is such a pain. Rules and regulations seem to be made in the most awkward way possible and with the intent of forcing us into the hands of those who will extract obscene and unaffordable amounts of money from us for nothing useful in return.
We're just ordinary folk with a limited income. We just happen to have a boat as a home instead of a house. But petty officials treat us as if we are made of money (or at least are on holiday for a week or so - so there is no time to lose in getting that dosh.
Take anchoring.
First there is rule that you aren't allowed to anchor within 300meters of a beach. Any beach. Never mind that there is no possibility of anyone swimming that far out, especially in these temperatures, and never mind that there isn't anyone on the beach anyway.
Why 300m? Apparently because we might rush around and catch swimmers in our propeller or we might shit in the water! Well some might but Rosa moves at a fast walking pace at best and we take it as a matter of pride to always manoeuvre carefully and to dump in the holding tank, not the sea. So why not just ban the things they are worried about? Lord knows - probably because it would be harder to enforce. But the effect is that, because anywhere 300m from the shore is likely to be exposed or just plain too deep, we are forced into harbours.
In the harbours there is often plenty of room to anchor safely or to tie up on the quay. But oh no, petty officials will insist on us going to expensive marinas or pontoons. Why? I'm probably being too cynical in thinking it's because they've been paid off by said marinas who - because we can't vote with our keels - can and do charge extortionate prices.
So what do we do? In the short term we pay up - we have to sleep somewhere. But in the medium term we have to cook on board instead of enjoying wonderful Italian food. We only see the sights if we can walk to them. We don't hire a car to visit further in land. All this diminishes our experience of what I believe to be a wonderful country. In the longer term we just go elsewhere - like Greece. And then Italy gets nothing.
We've met some lovely people. We've seen some lovely old towns and, at least for the past two days, we've even been warm and seen the sun.
But
Officialdom is such a pain. Rules and regulations seem to be made in the most awkward way possible and with the intent of forcing us into the hands of those who will extract obscene and unaffordable amounts of money from us for nothing useful in return.
We're just ordinary folk with a limited income. We just happen to have a boat as a home instead of a house. But petty officials treat us as if we are made of money (or at least are on holiday for a week or so - so there is no time to lose in getting that dosh.
Take anchoring.
First there is rule that you aren't allowed to anchor within 300meters of a beach. Any beach. Never mind that there is no possibility of anyone swimming that far out, especially in these temperatures, and never mind that there isn't anyone on the beach anyway.
Why 300m? Apparently because we might rush around and catch swimmers in our propeller or we might shit in the water! Well some might but Rosa moves at a fast walking pace at best and we take it as a matter of pride to always manoeuvre carefully and to dump in the holding tank, not the sea. So why not just ban the things they are worried about? Lord knows - probably because it would be harder to enforce. But the effect is that, because anywhere 300m from the shore is likely to be exposed or just plain too deep, we are forced into harbours.
In the harbours there is often plenty of room to anchor safely or to tie up on the quay. But oh no, petty officials will insist on us going to expensive marinas or pontoons. Why? I'm probably being too cynical in thinking it's because they've been paid off by said marinas who - because we can't vote with our keels - can and do charge extortionate prices.
So what do we do? In the short term we pay up - we have to sleep somewhere. But in the medium term we have to cook on board instead of enjoying wonderful Italian food. We only see the sights if we can walk to them. We don't hire a car to visit further in land. All this diminishes our experience of what I believe to be a wonderful country. In the longer term we just go elsewhere - like Greece. And then Italy gets nothing.
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