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Background: Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.

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By Cristina
May 18th 2005

Tosca Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Florence

On the Arno at sunset before the Opera begins...

Teatro Communale-Maggio Musicale Fiorentino 68th year ...keeping you in touch with my social life... Klajd and I go to see a new staging of the opera TOSCA by Puccini. The theater is nothing special, but the orchestra is talented and as soon as the curtains open, the set design proves just as wmrthy. From what I can gather from the story (the Italian text written above the stage…but quickly and in operatic terminology which tends to shorten its words and skip over other parts of speech) and my mother’s narration, this is how Tosca goes…one of the three prot [View Full Entry]

By Flying Grandmas
May 16th 2005

Do not believe Leslie!! Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Siena

At some point today or tomorrow, Leslie is going to publish a blurb about our day yesterday. You may believe everything she says about the futuristic toilette in Castellina in Chianti, about the beauty of Chianti country and the grandeur of the medieval castles we saw, the friendliness and lovely spirit of Radda in Chianti, and the delightful surprise of finding Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament taking place in Castellina in Chianti. However, do not, for one minute, believe her when she says that we went on a walk that was described in Italian as "facile et corte", meaning easy and [View Full Entry]

By Carly from Calgary
May 16th 2005

ITALIA! Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Florence

Pisa

Amanda has made it to her homeland! Anyways we saw the leaning tower of Pisa, we got some good photos. The counterfit market here is fantastic so we both may be coming back with several genuine designer bags! Florence also was gorgeous. It was a fun night here because our tour guide took us to a pub called the Red Garter that had live music as well as a dj and dance floor. They sold their cocktails in 2litre pitchers so that made the Contiki Tour Group happy... It was a slight gongshow trying to get a taxi afterwards but the [View Full Entry]

By mv2
May 14th 2005

Florence Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Florence

Cupolone del Duomo

I arrived in Florence Friday afternoon after a pleasant Eurostar trip accross the countrysides of Italy. After checking into my hotel and then taking alook around I found out that Nathan & Jodie were here for the week end and also Simon & Michelle Cook (on their honeymoon) it was great to spend sometime with some Aussies for a change. Did a touch of shopping in Florence, the markets and Deli's are just great and saw a few sites. [View Full Entry]

By Cristina
May 13th 2005

Among Masters Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Florence

Gold work-creating typical Florentine design bracelets, carved, filed, burnished and inset with tiny, expensive, elegant "brillianti" or diamonds

At the age of 14, they began to learn the trade. For several years first, to learn the basic techniques, skills and habits of one that works in a botega. At 14, the muscles are still flexible and malleable, and the physical motions of the arm, wrist, and fingers necessary to complete these delicate pieces become routine. Within years, these young men apprentice and soon become masters of a craft centuries old. 25 years later, the trade is passed on to sons or trusted young apprentices of the present day. They have studied and created and perfected the craft for [View Full Entry]

the gardens and sheds housing the display of artists answering questions and working on actual demo pieces

By Flying Grandmas
May 13th 2005

Hills, coffee and tiramisu Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Siena

Leslie is at school and I am on my own right now. Yesterday I spent the morning in San Domenico leaning against the pillar that St. Catherine used to lean against whenever the Mantellata and the rest of the city rejected her or when the priest told her she could not receive Eucharist. I wrote pages and pages in my journal about that experience! I have also found the name of the street on which she had her first experience of God's call on her life and will visit that once I am finished here. Unfortunately, it is way down the [View Full Entry]

By Flying Grandmas
May 13th 2005

Italian language school Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Siena

Margo and I are spending time on our personal pursuits for a good portion of our days here, since she has her research and I am (sort of) learning Italian. I'm attending the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci, ScuolaLeonardo and am enjoying it a lot. The classes are well-paced, and our teacher, Julia, very simpatica. We are a mixed group of different ages, professions and personalities, and now that we know each other a little, it's quite fun. Attending a course of some kind when you are travelling is a great way to connect with a place a little more than you [View Full Entry]

By inef
May 13th 2005

the city i really liked Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Florence

florence

i like! so, i think of the major cities we visited in italy, florence i liked best. we did a day trip to cinque terre, i'll put a picture up, but that was awesome. if i had to choose a city, from the ones we were in, to live in in italy, it just might be florence. hope you all like the pictures! :D [View Full Entry]

By Lauralee
May 11th 2005

fille de champignon Europe » Italy » Tuscany

sunset at dighouse in Ossaia

Another journal entry from Tuscany... This will be our first full week of excavation at the roman villa site at Ossaia. There isn't a lot happening but we're finding lots of broken pottery and tiles. Most people would be shocked that we are throwing out some pieces of pottery (yes, two thousand years old!) but when you're in the potshed scrubbing pottery sherds the size of your thumbnail it gets frustrating (pieces that size don't tell a lot anyways). Last friday, we went to Orvieto which is the home of some decent white wine (I'm sure you can find a $10 [View Full Entry]

By Flying Grandmas
May 10th 2005

Bella Siena Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Siena

Hi from Nonna Leslie! We arrived Sunday, a lovely ride on the Sena bus line, like a greyhound, nonstop from Rome to Siena. We had a very nice driver, very cute, who drove very quickly on the narrow 4-lane highway, with not one but 2 cellphones in his hands. At one point, he was using both of them and driving with his elbows. I decided to look out the window while this was going on, so that I could see how close we came to the trucks we were passing. Margo kept an eye on him. Eventually, he put his headset [View Full Entry]

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