Italy Travel News: February 10, 2019 – February 19, 2019.

Here is a summary of the most recent information and travel news from Italy for February 10, 10 and 19:

• “Not racist” to call black orangutan
  
  Italy, I love you. But when your senator declares that calling someone black an orangutan “NOT RAISIST” is true, I want to throw you off the roof.
• Episode 59: Understanding Italian Mafias With John Dickie
  
  This is my favorite episode yet of Eye on Italy Podcast – I had so many questions that we couldn’t fit in a 20-minute interview. I was thrilled to have had the opportunity to talk to such an authority on complex and fascinating worlds of Italian mafias.
• Medici Greek bronze undergoes restoration before exhibition
  
  The stunning Greek bronze horse is a 350 B.C.E. Greek horse. The horse was once owned by the Medici family. It is currently being restored.
• Another Gastro Gaffe Chef Carlo Cracco’s Scandalous Sugo all’Amatriciana
  
  Want to know how serious Italians take their food. A famous Italian chef has been lambasted by the media for suggesting that garlic could be added in to his amatriciana sauce.
• Forestry corps seizes ‘fake’ pasta
  
  It’s a big deal to say “Made In Italy”. Officials from the Italian Forestry Corps reported that they found pasta advertised as being made with durum wheat from Puglia, when in fact it was from North America. This is not fake pasta, but it was certainly misleading advertising.
• Verona Juliet statue filled with love letters
  
  Verona is known for being the location of “Romeo & Juliet.” One of the most popular attractions in the city is “Juliet’s House”. The balcony was added later. The bronze statue of Juliet, which stands in the courtyard, had been so damaged by the elements and people over the years that it was replaced with a new one. When artists renovated the statue to display in the museum, they discovered that it was full of love letters.
• Feyenoord fans damage Barcaccia fountain
  
  I am a soccer fan and I find it disgusting when others who follow The Beautiful Game act in such a shameful manner. The city was completely destroyed by the Dutch Feyenoord fans, who were in town to face AS Roma. It is depressing and shows how poorly both soccer fans as well as the Dutch are doing.
• Why Nobody Goes to Naples
  
  This sad piece by Beppe Selvergnini has been almost one year old. I found it in my archives of “stuff I want to read later”. It makes me wonder how many of the statistics that he cites still hold true.
• Plans for Milan ‘Prostitution Zone’ Gain Cross-Party Support
  
  Both Rome and Milan are moving towards the establishment of “red light districts”. It is legal to prostitute in Italy. However, it is not regulated and it is illegal to run a brothel.
• Costa Concordia Captain sentenced to 16 year imprisonment
  
  After nearly two years of trial, the captain at the Costa Concordia’s helm was convicted and sentenced to 16 year imprisonment.