Italian Lifestyle ~ Photo of the Day

Local Italian men  discussing important issues in the early evening in the small Puglia town of Squinzano.

Local Italian men in Squinzano, Puglia discussing important issues of the day ~ Photo by Margie Miklas

What do you think these men are talking about?

Did you notice that the women are conspicuously missing? Where are they and what are they doing?

I’d love to know what your think. Please leave a comment and share your thoughts. Grazie.

13 Responses

  1. Annmarie

    Ha! Love it! This is so common in Italy. Everyone knows a woman cannot clean a house with a man still in it. Retired men are got ready in the morning and shuffled off to the piazza by their lovely women, so the real work of the day can be accomplished. Often they are given a list of fresh food to collect from the fruttivendolo or the macelleria, sometimes the farmacia, with strict instructions when to deliver back home. They they may return to the piazza until 1pm. There they engage in good conversation, abearing witness to all that happens in town, they keep an eye on what the the youngsters are up to as well. (God help a teenager who puts a foot wrong in the piazza). What do they discuss? Politics? Corruption? Taxes? Immigration? Sport results? Well, one day I heard a heated argument, so, curious, I pricked my ears; only to discover they were comparing how their wives cooked broccolli – each man declaring his wife had the best method. Hilarious.

    • margieinitaly

      Thanks so much, Annmarie for sharing this invaluable inside perspective! I love it!!

  2. Susanna Dame Duffy

    I have a lot of photos of men in various parts of Sicily hanging out together like this. I always thought the women were too smart to sit around with them

  3. lizbert1

    A great photo Margie although who knows what’s under discussion!! Not sure I want to know either!!! ;o)

  4. Stacy di Anna

    This type of classically Italian scene is a top favorite! I think these men are solving the world’s problems, as Italian men have been doing together for centuries! The man standing and dressed in all black appears to be leading the charge…great photo!

  5. pamcarey

    I have a similar photo of men outside a cafe in Lacco Ameno, Ischia. I used it in one of my blogs about life on the island. The photo shows two groups of men – I guess they must not have agreed on their politics! The only women in the area were shopping for groceries.

  6. imarancher

    Men: Discussing the soccer standings. Women:shopping for dinner/supper, hanging the laundry and tending all those flower pots that appear on every horizontal surface and provide such beauty.

  7. Diana

    Awesome pic!!!! Typical scene at our morning cafe. Our guys are usually talking politics or the lack of jobs….

I'm always interested in your thoughts, so please leave a comment.