Padova Pride Village

Padua has a strong gay population and their summer extravaganza has been growing every year since I got here 7 years ago. Padova Pride Village packs a month of entertainment, food, dance and stands into the city's fairgrounds. This year, they started with a bang: Boy George in concert. I didn't go but I heard that he put on a fine show.

The Village will be running until July 28th. Doors open at 8 p.m. everyday except Monday. Get ready for more singers, Italian comedians, international DJ's and more to enjoy at the Fiera di Padova.

The organizers, Arcigay *Tralaltro*, even provide "Welcome" packages for out-of-towners including extra hotel services, discounts off entrance tickets and local restaurants.

Join the fun!

( I'm sure you'll have fun even if you're "straight"!)

Where?

Fiera di Padova, Entrance E, via Carlo Goldoni - Padova

8 p.m. opening, no Mondays

The Wonders of Summer TV

Since schools let out last week, Italy is officially on its summer schedule. The local bus times were modified and TV line-up has radically changed to welcome the hot months and what they assume Italians are doing (and more importantly not doing, like working too hard, staying in the city or, for that matter, watching much television). Italy is at the beach-right! The whole country! And who watches TV at the beach?!

One of the benefits of these alterations is the return of Italian classic movies to fill in the hours that during the year are dedicated to regular programming including reality, talent and variety shows. But in my opinion, the quality comes in summer when all those people running the shows are on vacation.

Tonight I had the pleasure of watching Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni play roles as Filumena, a prostitute, and Domenico, a wealthy patron of her services, in the 1964 film Matrimonio all'italiana. In the end, the main characters end up married and only when Domenico is already an old man does he realize that her three children are all his. Their passionate arguments during the tormented years of knowing each other are a thrill to watch.

Few of today's Italian actors offer the same kind of charisma and intrigue as these past legends.

And thanks to the TV station's laziness in creating new summer programs, we get to savor the past greats!

Politicians Want to Party

It's election season with the voting date imminent on Saturday for both the European parliament positions and, more importantly locally, the mayor's race.

In true Italian style, the city has seen a flurry of road re-pavement, roundabout projects be completed in record time and, generally, beautiful city management in the last few months. This all started happening in January, 6 months before the elections and the end of a 5-year term for a mayor who hasn't done much that was noteworthy except build a temporary wall on Via Anelli and push out the foreign presence living there.

In fact, the story of that wall made international news, including front-page news on the BBC's website shortly after installation. That exposure was not kind on the city of Padua. It was treated as a racist gesture that should have been embarassing for the city administration.

The city has been spruced up recently to remind its voters that they should re-elect Zanonato, the current mayor of the left-wing party. On paper, he is from the left but his actions, especially regarding the immigrants, seemed more of a move on the part of the right-wing.

Anyway last night, a stage was set-up in Piazza Signori with a yiddish music concert organized for Padua. The flags flying on the poles around the piazza displayed its sponsor: Zanonato. It was very entertaining. I just wish these politicians would host an event like this even in the middle of their term in office as simply a plain gift to the city citizens.

Viva i politici!