Pandemic summer in Italy: A day by the sea, with a mask

So is it always with the arrival on the beach: In the head of Paolo Conte's ballad "Una giornata al mare plays immediately". Although the "thousand Lire",

Pandemic summer in Italy: A day by the sea, with a mask

So is it always with the arrival on the beach: In the head of Paolo Conte's ballad "Una giornata al mare plays immediately". Although the "thousand Lire", of which Conte told yet are replaced by a different currency. But everything else is still as the Poet with the rough voice since 1974, on countless concerts and recordings and has sung: the cry of the children, the bright light of the sun, the refreshing Plunge into the sea, the Pondering about "the reasons and drives of this life", in which you can expire after Conte's words at the "day at sea" easily.

Matthias Rüb

Political correspondent for Italy, the Vatican, Albania and Malta, based in Rome.

F. A. Z.

The beach "Lilandà" in Sabaudia, has opened. And since the 29. May. The bathing season has started this year due to the Corona pandemic four weeks later, and is for the time being, until 30.September terminated. The Tourism industry is pushing in Sabaudia in Italy to an extension of the season until the end of October, the pandemic compensate for related losses of the early spring, reasonably. Sabaudia is one and a half hours drive Southeast of Rome on the Tyrrhenian sea. The wide sandy beach stretches on one kilometre-long dune at the southern end of the imposing Monte Circeo dominates.

Sabaudia was built in 235 days – at a time when Benito Mussolini "Capo del Governo" (government head) was in Rome. The solemn inauguration of the city took place on 15. April 1935. Therefore, in the "Anno XII E. F.", in the year twelve of the "Era Fascista" the Fascist Era. Started by Mussolini, introduced in time with the March on Rome and its government takeover in October 1922. The inscription from 1935 until today, unchanged and in large letters, on the North side of the town hall tower. All Sabaudia was. to the model city according to desire and taste of Mussolini: with dead straight roads and sprawling parks, with office, commercial and residential buildings in a clear language of form that was not only far to those of the Bauhaus in Weimar

Not more than 37.5 degrees body temperature

In the years before the "Blitzbau" Sabaudias had Mussolini in the Pontine marshes with channels by drag-and-plough. The fertile plain is until today, grain chamber and greenhouse in the Region of Lazio. And until today it is preserved in Sabaudia, where streets and Parks are cleaner than in other cities of Latium, the "founding father" of the city to commemorate a faithful – not only on the town hall tower. This blatant Mussolini nostalgia prevented in the postwar years, the liberal artists, writers and film-makers from Rome are not going to make the city a cult Destination for your summer fresh. The writer Alberto Moravia and the film Director Pier Paolo Pasolini in the seventies, regular guests in Sabaudia.

"Stabilimenti balneari", privately managed beach resorts, such as the "Lilandà" of Sabaudia, Italy has around 30,000. Most of them are in the 7600 km long coastal line of the country, but also in the many lakes there are. In the root-Stabilimento, where the family used to rent the place on the beach for the whole season, it was as a child. There, you meet old friends and new Acquaintances, in a Bar and a Restaurant for lunch and dinner provide.

Italy, in Europe, the first country, and especially of the Corona-pandemic haunted, rehearsing the Transition from the acute emergency to the "new normal" of life with the Virus. But so much different than in the previous year, the summer does not seem to be in 2020 in the "Lilandà" of Sabaudia. The security guard from the Parking lot is happy about the guest from last year. Stairs and railings of the pier down to the beach are freshly whitewashed, as to the beginning of the season in 2019 also. Of course, a container with disinfectant for the hands is now available at every corner. On signs is admonished to comply with the safety and hygiene distance. Mouth-nose protection should be worn at the time of ordering at the counter of the beach bar and the gear sun umbrella and sun; there and bathing in the sea, you may discard him. Walking barefoot in the supply, and sanitary areas is prohibited.

Date Of Update: 18 June 2020, 19:19