An Englishman in Verona

I have realised today a very good reason to be looking forward to going home for Christmas: I will be able to indulge in an orgy of cricket-listening. The third test between Sri Lanka and England starts on Thursday and I will be getting up early especially to listen to it.

This Englishness - I'm also looking forward to crumpets, beans-on-toast and proper bitter - makes me laugh. I tend to shy away from identifying too closely with my homeland (despite the name of this site), lest I be associated with all those little-Englander Daily Mail readers, and I like to think of myself as European as much as English. (Mind you, as two long-term ex-pats were telling me yesterday evening, many Italians see Mr. Berlusconi like an embarassing relative, fearing what awful image of Italy he'll be promoting next, so maybe I don't have so much to worry about).

I'd love to write here about what it means to your relationship with your country when you live abroad (well, what I know about it anyway, which, compared to many, isn't much). This is a busy week though and I'm afraid I don't have the time. I promise to write when I'm back in England (which is, perhaps, the better place to do it from).

Meanwhile, pictures from the mountains.