Random Impressions of Bergamo

A few random impressions of Bergamo:

- Sometimes a scene, except for the language and the size of the cars, could have been transplanted directly from Connecticut Avenue.  I’m thinking of a group of four or five women doing an exercise walk.  We passed each other on several mornings when I was going to my Italian lesson.  They had the same combination of windbreaker and warm up pants you’d see on a similar group in Washington, including, in a couple of case, the North Face logo.  Walking at a brisk pace and talking, they could have been headed for a Starbucks.

-There appears to be money in Bergamo.  I judge this by the number of expensive cars I see.  Of course most of the cars are small Fiats, Citroens, Smart Cars, Renaults, and such.  But the streets also include Maseratis, Porches, BMWs, Audis, and, surprisingly, station wagon-sized Jeeps.

- I’m in the Legami bookstore one day.  I notice that the store's background music is some nice jazz.  Then an announcer says, in un-accented English, that we’ve been listening to Mose Allison.  Are the people in the store -- the clerks and customers -- listening?  Or is it just pleasant background?

- People seem to smoke more than in France, especially young women.  But then I dig up some WHO data from 2008.  According to their report, Italians, in fact, smoke less than do the French.  And it’s particularly surprising that more U.S. women smoke than do Italian women.  So much for that impression.

                 Men        Women
Italy          33            19
France      37            27
U.S.           26            22

- Stores in Bergamo don’t even wait for Thanksgiving to start putting up Christmas decorations.