Forty-six years in the life of a municipal flat in Varese, nu 2, of mountains, a mosque and the new buses.

The continuing story of the flat Simone and Rosa have lived in for nearly 50 years and the city of Varese.*

What strikes you first about the estate is how immaculately it is kept; there are no broken windows, no litter and a total absence of graffiti.

Nor is this place an isolated enclave.  The bus stop is just a few minutes away and you can be in the centre in fewer than ten.

The blocks of social housing nestle beside private residence, light industry and the University.

And while the area is built up you know you are not far from the countryside.  From the back windows there is stunning view of the mountains, and in particular the brooding presence of the Sacred Mountain.

Many of the private residences have large gardens which grow everything from fruit to some pretty impressive flowers.

But the estate like Varese has undergone some profound changes.  The first is the mosque which was built just a few years ago.

And then there are the buses which have now taken to including English alongside Italian on the message boards which light up to tell you where you are.

Now anyone who has lived abroad for a while will be aware of the way English permeates the shop signs, and  the adverts..

So I shouldn’t be surprised at the how bus has joined the unstoppable sweep of English across Varese.

But once that is said life here continues pretty much as it has done since Simone and Rosa moved in.

In the summer the egg man and the melon van still ply the streets, the ice cream parlour at the top of the road is still run by the same family and the toy shop on the corner hasn’t changed much in over 30 years.

So coming back as we do regularly is like coming home.  Everything is as it was, and while Rosa warns us of a surge in pickpocketing in the city centre we see nothing and lose nothing.

But all that said there is one thing missing and that is  snow.  The news today is full of heavy snow falls further north but all we have is rain, which drops from a dark grey sky and with the help of the wind seems to get everywhere.

So I shall be content with looking out on the snow-capped mountains to the north and wait for dinner which Rosa says will be pasta, followed by various dishes of cold vegetables piles of good fresh bread and plenty of wine.

Yes, something’s here have changed but much is still the same.

Pictures; from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*The story of a one municipal flat in Varese, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/The%20story%20of%20a%20one%20municpal%20flat%20in%20Varese