Some years ago a small rural town in Italy twinned with a similar town
in Greece..
The Mayor of the Greek first visited the Italian town. The Italian mayor
hosted him.
He was impressed not so much with the hospitality as with the mayor’s
mansion. That curiosity led him to ask how he managed to build such a
grand place.
The Italian said; “You see that bridge over there? The EU gave us a
grant to build a two-lane bridge. I thought about it then built a single
lane bridge with traffic lights at either end. The money saved helped
build this house”.
The following year the Italian returned the visit to the Greek town. He
was simply amazed at the Greek Mayor’s house. It looked like the
Parthenon. Corinthian columns, mosaic floors, marble staircases,
chandeliers, gold taps, the lot.
When he asked how this could be afforded the Greek pointed blankly
outside & said; “You see that bridge over there?”
The Italian replied; “No.”