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Brexit: The End of an Era or the beginning of a new one?

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On January 31st at 11pm GMT, the UK will officially leave the European Union. The divorce is final (though alimony discussions are not!) and the only way to undo this historical decision would be to reapply for EU member status, which though at the moment seems highly unlikely (and likely to be met with a stream of continental expletives) could be a possible future scenario when Generation Xers and Milleniums,who grew up with a European identity, take over the country. With typical British understatement and aplomb, no wild celebrations are planned for Jan, 31st–perhaps die-hard leavers are refraining from gloating so as not to overly antagonize desolate remainers. Although Big Ben will not chime out the old era and in the new,  a count-down clock has been scheduled to shine on number 10 Downing street to mark the passing. The most significant action being taken to mark the historical date is the coining of a 50-p coin dated 31 January 2020. The comforting words inscribed on the coin read “peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations.” However, although the UK will officially be out of the EU at the stroke of midnight CET, it seems that nothing will essentially change for the next eleven months. During this transition period scheduled to last until the end of December 2020, Britain will still have to obey EU rules while having no say in them. This period is deemed  necessary in order to have time to negotiate a new working relationship. Under the withdrawal agreement, this time period could be extended to 2022 or even 2023. Despite the fact that PM Boris Johnson opposes any such extension, some observers believe it may, indeed, take years to reach a full agreement. In the meanwhile, at least until January 2021, British citizens can continue to live, work and study in EU member states and EU citizens will enjoy the same rights. And it also seems that a passport won’t be needed to travel from the EU to the UK as of yet: an EU Identity Card will suffice until the end of the transition period. After that,  well, we’ll see. In any case, EU, EEA, or Swiss citizens will have to apply for settled status by June 30, 2021. Vademecum will post details on how to and who must do so in the near future. So, adding our Italian voices to the English and French ones singing Auld Lang Syne, we at Vademecum say arrivederci to our British friends and hope the UK-EU divorce will be a friendly one.

Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day in Rome with a tour of the Eternal City

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Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day in Rome with a tour of the Eternal City March 17th is Saint Patrick’s Day! On this day the Irish community celebrates the patron saint of Ireland. In Italy, as in many other countries, it is a tradition to toast the famous Saint with friends and a pint of beer. If you will be in Rome on Saturday, March 17, should you want to mix beer and Italian culture, here’s a nice tour you can take, so that you can make a toast with your friends in a real Irish pub and honor the patron of Ireland, while sightseeing in the beautiful city of Rome. It will be a unique experience! It is a 5 km tour, that will take you into the spirit of the Roman empire and of the beauty of the Città Eterna (The Eternal City), while enjoying real Irish beer, and, should you like it, a Six-nations rugby match between Scotland and Italy (Stadio Olimpico), whose coach is Irishman Conor O’Shea. A good chance to support the Italian national team. The pubs listed below are real Irish Pubs, where you can celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day together with English speaking people, in the real Irish spirit! Click on the map below to see the tour of the most famous Irish pubs in Rome. If you have the google map app, click on the box that you see at the upper-right-hand corner of the map and create your own tour. Here follows a “challenging” tour of the famous Irish pubs in Rome that we think you could enjoy, which will allow you to see the architectural beauties of the Italian capital while going from one pub to another, or, let’s say, in between toasts! The starting point is The Druid’s Den Pub in Via di San Martino ai Monti, 28, in the Monti area, that you can reach via METRO A (stop PIAZZA VITTORIO), or METRO B (stop CAVOUR). A) The Druid’s Den Via di San Martino Ai Monti, 28 http://www.druidspubrome.com Between The Druid’s Den and The Fiddler’s Elbow you will find the enchanting church of Santa Maria Maggiore.  B) The Fiddler’s Elbow Via dell’Olmata, 43 www.thefiddlerselbow.wordpress.com The Finnegan and the Shamrock pubs are located in the heart of the beautiful Monti area. The Shamrock pub is not too far from the Colosseum. C) Finnegan Irish Pub Roma Via Leonina, 66 www.finneganpub.com D) Shamrock Pub Via del Colosseo, 1 www.shamrockpubroma.it While going to the famous Trinity College Pub, you will be walking in via dei Fori Imperiali (on one side you will see the Colosseum, on the other one you will see the Vittoriano), and you will be able to admire the Mercati Traianei, then Piazza Venezia (where there is the Vittoriano), and the beginning of Via del Corso. The heart of Rome. E) Trinity College Pub Via del Collegio Romano, 6 www.trinity-rome.com If you aren’t too tipsy to keep walking, if you go from the Trinity pub to the Abbey pub, you will see so many things and places you can’t even imagine. Among these, you will see, Piazza di Sant’Ignazio, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Bagni di Nerone, Basilica di Sant’Eustachio, Piazza di Sant’Eustachio, Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza, and a lot more. F) Abbey Theatre Irish Pub Roma Via del Governo Vecchio 51, 53 www.abbey-rome.com So, enjoy your tour of the Eternal City, and…cheers!! Oh! And don’t forget to wear green! [avatar user=”Claudia” size=”thumbnail” align=”left”]Claudia[/avatar]