It sounds like a cliché but there is that old fashioned image of an old Abruzzo lady sweeping up the front of her house with a bunch of twigs. However, I can tell you that it that old cliché definitely lives on here in Abruzzo.

Italians and Abruzzo people in general are fastidious about their hygiene. Most houses are immaculate and the women spend huge amounts of time each day cleaning so everything is sparkly.

Abruzzo people also spend a fortune on cleaning products. If you watch TV there are hundreds of adverts for them. I went to Ipercoop superstore near Pescara and was so surprised to walk the aisles and count no less than 8 aisles of cleaning products. Some of them I could not figure out, all manner of fancy contraptions to clean with. People actually spend good money on all this hokey? Apparently Abruzzo people do, in their droves.

English people (and us) tend to be a bit more laid back about cleaning. We have raised many a frown from our Abruzzo friends when they have turned up for an impromptu visit. Their Abruzzo cleaning bug has definitely not caught on with me and I don’t believe it ever shall. British, messy and proud I say.