Italy has public clocks available in many locations. Those adorning towers are quite large (so the time can be read many feet below on the street). But, the variety and artistry of the clocks is also quite remarkable.
Following is a collection of photos I've taken of beautiful clocks from 15 towns/cities on two recent trips to Italy
Following is a collection of photos I've taken of beautiful clocks from 15 towns/cities on two recent trips to Italy
One thing I want to adopt from Italians is how they view time. One might imagine from this plethora of clocks that Italians would be very prompt and focused on being on time. That is actually not the case. Italians may ignore the passing of time if it means a conversation would be left unfinished. From their perspective, the best way to invest time is in a satisfying engagement with another person. The business they have to conduct and their close relationships are more important than the time they had designated to meet someone else.
On our first, jet-lagged night in Padova, we got quite lost in the rain and were soon late for the carefully-planned dinner reservation I'd made three weeks earlier. I called the restaurant to apologize and indicated we'd be there as soon as we were able to figure out the route. They were nonplussed and said to get there when we could. To us, being late was terrible and we feared we would lose our table. The host was more focused on us having a great dinner in his restaurant.
On our first, jet-lagged night in Padova, we got quite lost in the rain and were soon late for the carefully-planned dinner reservation I'd made three weeks earlier. I called the restaurant to apologize and indicated we'd be there as soon as we were able to figure out the route. They were nonplussed and said to get there when we could. To us, being late was terrible and we feared we would lose our table. The host was more focused on us having a great dinner in his restaurant.
I tried my hand at writing a poem to try to reflect on these differences:
Time passes differently
David Barnett
Time passes differently when I am in Italy.
Civita, still standing high for twelve centuries.
Chicago with less than 200 years of memories.
Faced with the medieval, time’s passage just crawls
While the pace in Chicago is more like a fastball.
Indeed, Time passes differently when I am in Italy
Time passes differently when I am in Italy.
Time crawls more slowly when eating gelatos
Over my tongue, creamy chocolate flavor flows.
Time stretches out with each lick of my cone,
Its taste in my memory now clearly enthroned.
Truly, Time passes differently when I am in Italy
At home, talking to a friend and now finding one's late
Risks a negative reaction that night from a date.
But, in hills towns, a conversation with friends needs to finish
So late arrivals don’t mean your friendship’s diminished.
Yes, Time passes differently when I am in Italy.
In Chicago, we have dinner at six, table cleared by seven.
But in Italy, we sit down at eight and are done by eleven.
Americans may inhale their meals, time quickly spent
Italians enjoy food slowly, content to stay in the moment.
It seems, Time passes differently when I am in Italy.
©2020
I hope you enjoyed my tribute to clocks of Italy and my poem.
Alla prossima
("until next time")
Time passes differently
David Barnett
Time passes differently when I am in Italy.
Civita, still standing high for twelve centuries.
Chicago with less than 200 years of memories.
Faced with the medieval, time’s passage just crawls
While the pace in Chicago is more like a fastball.
Indeed, Time passes differently when I am in Italy
Time passes differently when I am in Italy.
Time crawls more slowly when eating gelatos
Over my tongue, creamy chocolate flavor flows.
Time stretches out with each lick of my cone,
Its taste in my memory now clearly enthroned.
Truly, Time passes differently when I am in Italy
At home, talking to a friend and now finding one's late
Risks a negative reaction that night from a date.
But, in hills towns, a conversation with friends needs to finish
So late arrivals don’t mean your friendship’s diminished.
Yes, Time passes differently when I am in Italy.
In Chicago, we have dinner at six, table cleared by seven.
But in Italy, we sit down at eight and are done by eleven.
Americans may inhale their meals, time quickly spent
Italians enjoy food slowly, content to stay in the moment.
It seems, Time passes differently when I am in Italy.
©2020
I hope you enjoyed my tribute to clocks of Italy and my poem.
Alla prossima
("until next time")
Welcome Itinerary Padova Vicenza Ravenna Montefalco Assisi
San Pietro a Pettine Deruta Orvieto Civita di Bagnoregio Chianciano Terme
Tuscany Siena San Gimignano Florence American Cemetery Lucca
Carrara Cinque Terre/Levanto Orta San Guilio
How far did we walk? FAQ Tips for Italian Travel Gelato Arrivederci
San Pietro a Pettine Deruta Orvieto Civita di Bagnoregio Chianciano Terme
Tuscany Siena San Gimignano Florence American Cemetery Lucca
Carrara Cinque Terre/Levanto Orta San Guilio
How far did we walk? FAQ Tips for Italian Travel Gelato Arrivederci