I visited Rome about 30 years ago. It was full of ancient buildings like the Colloseum, Pantheon, Basilica di San Clemente, Castel Sant' Angelo, the Vatican city, Villa Borghesethe, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, Baths of Caracalla (Terme di Caracalla), the catacombs, etc. If you like history, museums, art galleries, etc., I suppose you will like Rome. However, I have no interest in old buildings.

I do enjoy one particular aspect of Rome though. That is, being able to eat at "stalls" on the street and have your pizza served to you direct from the oven. I also enjoyed the calzone, a kind of stuffed pizza where the flat pastry is folded over the toppings. It is rather like the curry puffs we enjoyed in Malaysia.

And I did learn a bit of Italian while I was there. I could count in Italian - uno, due, tre, quattro, cinque, sei, sette, otto, nove, dieci, ..... And to my surprise, the number two (due) is pronounced and spelled practically the same way as two in Malay, which is spelled dua.

However, one thing I was warned about in Rome is pick-pockets and traders who may try to cheat tourists by short-changing them. I was told that sometimes you give a big note to purchase something, and they will give you back the change as if you have given them a smaller note. This I did not experience. But the unpleasant thing that I got was being pick-pocketed while trying to get on a bus in Rome.

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Venice, the capital of region Veneto, is located in northern Italy. It is also called the City of Water for a very good reason. There is water everywhere. The city is criss-crossed with canals. According to Wikipedia, Venice is an archipelago of 122 islands separated by about 150 canals in a shallow lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy and connected by about 400 bridges. You get around on foot or in motorised waterbuses (vaporetti) or the classical gondola (more for tourists). If you are fed-up with motor vehicles and highways, Venice is the place to be in.

The buildings of Venice are constructed on closely spaced wood piles, which under water in the absence of oxygen does not decay. They are pretty hardy as most of them are still servicable after centuries of submersion.

Many says Venice is gradually sinking. This was actually caused by drawing of water from artesian wells. This was banned in the 60's and the sinking process has slowed greatly since. The city is prone to flooding though. Some have suggested pumping water into the soil underneath the city to physically lift the City to a greater height above sea level.

One of the main attraction of Venice is the St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco). I was there 30 years ago. It was full of pidgeons. I got myself photographed with the pidgeons resting on my outstretched arms. Unfortunately I don't have that photo with me anymore, otherwise I will get it scanned and upload it to this post.

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Travel To Italy – Rome And Venice

By Nomadrick Chapo

Where does one begin to start when discussing Italy. Well, if you intend to travel there, Rome and Venice are good places to start.



Rome



Perhaps you’ve heard of it? It goes without saying that Rome has a rather prominent past. Lets see, in Rome you will find…[deep breath]…the Vatican, Coliseum, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Church of Saint Agnese, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and a guy name Allassandro. Just making sure you’re paying attention. Indeed, Rome is filthy with historically significant attractions. It seems you can’t turn around without bumping into something an Emperor built, captured or destroyed. For those willing to risk potential wrath, there are also the new Divinci Code tours, which take you to the locations found in the book.



In all serious, Rome is a city you should visit at least once in your life. No article could ever do it justice, so I’ll just stop here.



Venice



I fondly refer to Venice as the floating city even though it is apparently sinking. If you’ve seen Venice is movies or televisions shows, the depictions are accurate. Piazza San Marco looks exactly the same, birds and all. The Grande Canal is, well, a grand canal with incredible houses lining it and boats putting up down this water way. Built on mudflats in a lagoon, the city doesn’t really have much room to grow. It just seems paralyzed in time.



Once you’ve conquered the tourist attractions, it will be time to get serious about Venice. The best way to do this is stand in front of your hotel or hostel, determine which direction the tourist attractions lie and start walking in the opposite direction. While you may feel like you’re driving the wrong way on a freeway for a few minutes, you’ll eventually start getting into real Venice.



An entirely different side of Venice will appear and you’ll love it. You’ll find little cafes with locals happy to talk to you [and non-tourist prices]. In fact, the Venetians will tend to hold you in high regard since you’re a tourist who is bypassing the tourist areas. This, of course, will logically lead to a whirl of introductions to this nephew, that son of a brother and so on. Next thing you know, you’ll be complaining about Italian politicians and how things used to be better in the past.



While Rome and Venice are excellent travel destinations, you can’t really go wrong in Italy. For the adventurous, set your itinerary with the old map on a wall and dart technique.



About the Author: Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of travel journals. Writing journals are the perfect travel accessories. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read more travel articles and travelogues.



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Tips For Italy Travel
By: David Chandler

Located in Southern Europe, Italy is a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia. When traveling to Italy it is important to remember that you are not at home, so always be respectful and conservative.

WEATHER AND CLOTHING

In general the weather is very hot and steaming in the dead of the summer. We recommend that you wear light clothing. Be sure to have sunglasses, hat and sunblock, as they are essential. Afternoon thunderstorms (brief) are common in Rome and inland cities, so you may want to consider bringing an umbrella. It is essential to follow dress standards (no bare shoulders or knees) and is strictly enforced in many churches, especially in Rome at St. Peter's and the Vatican Museums and at the Basilica di San Marco in Venice.

SAFETY

Remember to protect yourself against purse-snatchers and pickpockets. It is recommended that you wear a money belt or a pouch on a string around your neck, both concealed. When you have to carry a purse make sure that is around your neck and tucked between your body and arm. A word of caution: "gypsy" children are widespread in Rome, are skilled pickpockets that are quick, and know more tricks than you do.

TELEPHONES

Since hotel tend to overcharge for long distance and international calls. It is best to make such calls from public phones, using telephone cards. For general information in English dial 176. To place international telephone calls via operator assisted service, dial 170 or long distance access numbers. The country code for Italy is 39.

If you are in need of additional information or have found what you are looking for. We suggest that you complete an internet search for additional information.
Have a safe and enjoyable trip to Italy!


About the Author:

For more information, visit http://www.italyinfocenter.com http://www.tuscanyinfocenter.com David Chandler

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Travel Italy - Italy's Must See Art And Architecture

By Michelle Linden

Every year millions of visitors trek through Italy in search of ancient culture, great food, art, architecture, and more. The allure is immediate even to those who have never been.



There is more art and architecture to see in Italy than one person could possibly experience in a lifetime. Rome, Florence, and Venice alone offer an unending array of design excursions. Highlighted here are some of the must see designs of both ancient and modern Italy. Talk a trip, bring a sketch book, and see the gorgeous art and design that is synonymous with Italian life.



The Coliseum - An architectural marvel, the coliseum was built beginning in 72 A.M. Originally used as a source of entertainment (usually forced barbaric combat) the Coliseum is still an amazing site. Strangely, although it could be considered a source of embarrassment of the past, it has been come to known as one of the ultimate icons of ancient Roman greatness.



Location: the Piazza del Colosseo, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Rome



Vatican City - This tiny country is perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of Rome. Vatican City is the heart of Catholicism, both spiritually and politically. St. Peter himself was crucified on this spot, and St. Peter's basilica was built directly above the ancient hill. Both the Basilica and St. Peter's square are still studied today in architecture and art history classes. You can wander the Vatican Museums for days, including a visit to the Sistine Chapel, to see some of the true masterpieces of Roman art.



Location: Entry through Saint Peter's Square, Rome



Il Duomo (The Cathedral of Santa Maria Dei Fiori) - Il Duomo is considered by many to be the grandest achievement in Renaissance architecture. The octagonal dome, originally designed by Brunelleschi was the largest in the world when built. Since then, Il Duomo , which took nearly six centuries to complete, has become Florence's symbol. Climb the 414 steps of the bell tower, and Renaissance Florence will be laid before you.



Location: Piazza del Duomo, Florence.



Piazza San Marco - Piazza San Marco is still studied today by architects and urban planners as one of the most beautiful and successful public squares. The square is surrounded by cafes, shops, and of course the Campanile and St. Peter's Basilica. Visitors and locals alike sip espresso in its cafes, meet to talk, and climb the Campanile to see an amazing view of Venice.



Location: Piazza San Marco, with the Basilica at the wider end, Venice.



The Peggy Guggenheim Collection - In a city world reknown for its ancient art and architecture, the Guggenheim Collection houses one of the greatest collections of modern art. her collection includes works by Pollack, Picasso, Klee, Rothko, Chagall, Mondrian, and more. There is also a gorgeous sculpture garden housing even more works.



Location: Calle Venice dei Leoni, Dorsoduro, Venice.



The Brion Vega Cemetery - The Brion Vega is considered one of Carlo Scarpa’s masterpieces. Scarpa was and still is often considered the premier modern Italian architect. The memorial is a great concrete and landscaped form if rectilinear, stepping, and sculptural concrete elements. It is an amazing pilgrimage for the architecture buff.



Location: San Vito d’Altivole.



You can wander Italy for ages and never take in all of the art and architecture. Still, the sites listed above are some of the must sees for lovers of art, architecture, and travel. Open your eyes and see the Italian design that has been around for centuries, and that which continues to flourish today.



About the Author: Michelle is a travel, art, and architecture buff who has recently moved to Seattle after living in Honolulu, Chicago, Gloucester Massachusetts, and Delft Netherlands. In between studying and working in design, she dreams travel and works to help others compare and select vacation options via the http://www.yourlifepassion.com website



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Italian Cuisine: In The Heart Of Tuscany

By Kirsten Hawkins

When an American conjures up an idea of “Italian cuisine,” often what comes to mind is pasta, red sauce, and garlic bread. Pasta, no doubt, plays a large part in most traditional Italian regional cuisine, and few cultures know how to employ a tomato the way that Italians can. However, there are so many distinct styles and trademarks within the different regions of Italy that it is hard to lump together all Italian regional cuisine into one general type of cooking. In reality each region has a very distinct style and taste, and there is really no way to appreciate Italian regional cuisine without visiting restaurants and eateries all over the boot.



Tuscany is a region of Italy that takes up a small piece of the western coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Since a large border of the Tuscan region is coastal, seafood plays a large role in the regional cuisine of Tuscany. A coveted destination for tourists, Tuscany is overflowing with cultural experiences, with roots stemming from the Renaissance. Florence, Pisa and the busy port of Livorno all lie within this modest region. Like it’s simple but beautiful landscape, Tuscan cooking keeps things simple. Tuscan bread, for example is a saltless crusted compliment to their judiciously spiced entrees.



While many people think of Italian cuisine as being very salty and filled with garlic, onion, and basil, Tuscan cuisine uses seasoning very sparingly to bring out the natural flavors of the vegetables, beans, and grains that make up their traditional regional cooking. Chefs of Tuscany are renowned for their rice dishes, and a fish or duck dish in Tuscany is often not complete without a risotto base. They also blend wine seamlessly into these dishes, evaporating the alcohol content and leaving the fruits to mingle with the grains and filled pastas that compliment the meat and fish entrees that bring the rich and famous from all over the world to Tuscany.



Along the coast, seafood plays an integral part of the cuisine. A trademark of the Tuscan coast is a soup called caccuccio. Caccuccio is a rich soup made from a tomato and fish base. The secret is to use many different types of fish, pureed bones and all directly into the base of the soup. This soup, served with a hearty Tuscan bread is filling enough to constitute an entire meal. While the coast of Tuscany is home to many a delicacy, it is the varied nature of the Tuscan landscape that provides such variety in the regional cuisine of Tuscany.



The cattle and boars that are particular to the region, for example, make for a taste that you cannot find anywhere else, in soups, grilled dishes, and hams. While Tuscany is responsible for only four percent of Italy’s overall olive oil production, Tuscan olive trees can live to be hundreds or even thousands of years old. So while each tree produces less of an oil yield than trees customarily found in other regions of Italy, the trees have a much more rich history. This simplicity grounded in a rich tradition is only appropriate for the Tuscan region.



About the Author: Kirsten Hawkins is a food and nutrition expert specializing the Mexican, Chinese, and Italian food. Visit http://www.food-and-nutrition.com/ for more information on cooking delicious and healthy meals.



Source: www.isnare.com

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The Origins of Valentines Day

Every year February 14th is celebrated as a day for love, exchange of gifts, promises of eternal passion, and more. The inspired pen poems inspired by their love and admiration for the women of their dreams while others just go to shops and buy commercially available verses.



Valentines means candy, chocolates, perfume, red hearts, balloons, and more. Have you ever wondered when the celebration first originated? Well in ancient Rome, February heralded the coming to spring a time for rejuvenation, fertility, and growth.



In ancient times, Romans celebrated in February a festival to honor the god of fertility who provided them with progeny and ensured a god crop. In Rome February 15th was celebrated as the feast of Lupercalla and Feb 14th as a holiday in honor of Juno the queen of Roman gods and goddesses. On the eve of Lupercalla a glass jar was filled to the brim with chits on which were penned the names of all eligible girls. Then young men would draw a chit each from the jar and the girl whose name was on the chit would be his partner for the celebration. This was a method by which ancient Romans introduced eligible boys and girls to one another.



Much later in the 3rd century BCE when Emperor Claudius II ruled Rome there lived a priest called Valentine. And when Claudius passed a decree that young men in his empire were not to marry, Valentine defied him and used to consecrate marriages secretly. He was sentenced to death and thrown into prison. While awaiting his execution Valentine penned a letter to his love and signed it "from your Valentine." After his death Valentine became a martyr and saint and was popularly known as St Valentine.



Wonderful legends are woven around Valentine's Day. In Wales young people exchanged as gifts wooden spoons which were hand carved with decorations of hearts and key holes. The decorations conveyed "you hold the key to my heart or you unlock my heart." In other places women were given gifts of clothes and if they accepted the gift then it conveyed that they were wiling to marry the man who has sent the gift.



In 1415, Charles, the Duke of Orleans is known to have penned, from his prison in the tower of London , what were known as "poetical amorous addresses" to his wife in France, he is believed to be one of the earliest creators of valentines.



Just as companies like Hallmark sell cards for Valentines Day in the 15th century people bought little booklets with verse in them, they then made their own valentines using the verse to express their thoughts. For example a valentine could have the hand drawn illustration of a knight and his lady with Cupid the god of love shooting arrows into the knight's heart.

In the US it was after 1723, that popularity of the celebration grew. People imported the "booklets of verse" all the way from England and copied the verses on to gilt edged papers. Then a Ms. Ester Howard in around 1830 decided to be original and create American Valentines that were marketed as Worcester Valentines.



Since then with changing centuries and tastes the celebration has taken on new hues with young men and women, children, as well as older couples creating newer ways to celebrate and declare their undying love.

Author Bio

Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for www.1888PressRelease.com/Lifestyle-0-24.html, the premier website to Submit Free Press Release for any announcements including launching of new product or services, new website, announcing new hires, sponsoring a special event or seminar and more. He also freelances for Love Articles

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Italian Cuisine: A Trip To The Island Of Sardinia
By: Kirsten Hawkins

The island of Sardinia perhaps most quickly conjures up the idea of sardines. A small island off of the western coast of Italy, it certainly incorporates seafood in to much of its regional cuisine. However, Sardinia has such a rich and various history that it bears little resemblance to the traditional idea of Italian cooking. Like many other Italian regional cuisines, Sardinia’s regional taste is often a surprise for a palette that is expecting red sauce and parmesan cheese to be the beginning and end of traditional Italian cooking. While it is a region of Italy, Sardinia’s history is shared with explorers of many European nations, such as Greece, France, and Spain. This diverse history of people shows in the traditions and culture of this isolated island destination.

While, being an island, seafood, especially shellfish, plays a large part in the regional cuisine of Sardinia, very few Sardinian meals do not incorporate lamb, a rich resource in the mountainous inland of the island of Sardinia. In addition to the lamb’s meat, a favorite of Sardinian chefs, very few meals are complete without the company of sheep’s milk and wild fennel. Stews and roasts are popular choices for the people of Sardinia. Looking at any Sardinian recipe, it is easy to see that the cuisine of this hilly island is a veritable stone soup of the many different cultures that have passed through the island over the years.

The seafood traditions of the Greek isles can be found in the mussel stews and roasted lobster dishes that keep the island’s fishermen busy. Malloreddus is a Sardinian pasta that can be found in many stews and pasta dishes accompanying chicken or rabbit basted in fennel or saffron. Malloreddus is a grooved pasta that very much resembles gnocchi in taste and texture, and is made of semolina flour and sometimes seasoned lightly with saffron, while most gnocchi is made with potato.

Stews are very popular in the regional cuisine of Sardinia, and even meat and poultry dishes are served in rich cooking sauces that could just as easily be served as soups. For this reason, accompanying a Sardinian entrée with a hearty crusted bread or a side of potatoes makes for a very filling meal. Pasta, in the traditional sense is not as large a part of Sardinian cooking as in other regions of Italy. The pastas of Sardinia are more commonly associated with Middle Eastern cuisine. Hearty grains and fusilli more commonly accompany the dishes of Sardinian regional cuisine, as opposed the lasagna, spaghetti or linguine that Americans more commonly associate with Italian cooking.

Between the diverse history of Sardinia’s people, from France to the Middle East, and the various different landscapes and resources that can be found throughout the island, it is hard to put Sardinian cuisine into one category. One thing is for sure though, while you will find many different types of food on the island of Sardinia, it is unlikely that you will find anything like it anywhere else in the world.


About the Author:

Kirsten Hawkins is a food and nutrition expert specializing the Mexican, Chinese, and Italian food. Visit http://www.food-and-nutrition.com/ for more information on cooking delicious and healthy meals.

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Weekend Breaks to Malta

No visit to Malta would be complete without a visit to its elegant, walled city of Mdina and its suburb, Rabat, in the Old City. Mdina and Rabat are steeped more than 4000 years in history when they formed part of a Roman settlement. Walking through Mdina, one feels as if one has been transported in a time capsule to another era of bygone yesteryear. It was here, in AD 60, that the Apostle St Paul was rumoured to have lived whilst shipwrecked in the Maltese Islands.



A silent city by day where automobiles are generally off-limits (more out of respect for the ghosts of the city), Mdina really comes alive at night when hundreds of twinkling lamps and lanterns dotted within the walled interiors of the city transform the narrow, curved streets leading onto bastions and palace courtyards into something out of a fairytale. You can enjoy a delicious al-fresco meal at one of the countless restaurants of Mdina and enjoy a glass of chilled beer in any one of the bars under the glittering lights of this exotic walled city.



This old, medieval capital of Malta rises high above the Maltese Islands and offers panoramic vistas of the city. Many walking tours and scenic bus tours are available to discover the hidden delights of this magical city.



The Maltese Islands are at the very heart of the Mediterranean and are often referred to as the islands of sunshine and history. Less than a three hour flight from the UK and with a good range of airlines such as Air Malta and GB Airways operating daily flights from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Manchester and Birmingham as well as low cost carriers now operating from other regional airports, it has never been easier to get to Malta for a quick getaway or a longer holiday. Whether you're after a weekend break or a fortnight in the sun, you'll find it all on Malta specialists, www.mymalta.co.uk. Book your trip online and receive great savings on luxury hotels and cheap flights as well as a regular e-letter updating you on regular special free night offers, room upgrades and heavily discounted holiday packages.



Once you've seen the ancient city of Malta and its walled city of Mdina, been done by some innocent looking street vendor offering you a once-in-a-lifetime bargain and relaxed on the soft honeycomb at Ghadira Bay... it's then time to go diving! Malta offers amazing diving and water sport opportunities for both beginners and advanced open water and cave divers in its tiny, unspoilt island of Comino with its stunning blue lagoon. All visitors to Malta should take the time to visit the uninhabited island of Comino and the tranquil, green island of Gozo. Day trips to nearby Italian and Sicilian cities are very popular with tourists who can get there by car and passenger ferries.

Author Bio

Mike writes about "Weekend Breaks To Malta ". Get more information about Malta, a beautiful island at the very heart of Mediterranean, at www.mymalta.co.uk

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