Italian Condo Barbeque

I come from a country that is famous for its barbeques but I have never quite seen a barbeque in USA like the one I was invited to the other day. It was part of a phenomenon I like to call the Condo BBQ.

At the bottom of an apartment building or condo unit, you can usual spot a grill. During the summer, the residents of the entire building group together for a meaty dinner, prepared on that single grill. They set up a big plastic table and chairs, make sure there is a temporary canopy or umbrella overhead and then get down to the business of grilling sausages, pork chops and ribs for everybody.

The man, who wanted to invite my dog and me to his building's event, was donning a white paper chef's hat that was really cute to top off his plump figure: the perfect image of a barbequing enthusiast!

For me, the interesting part is that these people are celebrating not necessarily with friends, but trying to share a fun experience with their neighbors, who sometimes can even get on their nerves. In Italy, you learn to live with the good and the bad. There's no use in trying to isolate yourself, even from annoyances. There are always going to be people around to share in all parts of your life. You can't avoid them in this over-populated country.

Did you know that Italy and Japan have the highest human density per square foot of territory in the world?