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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 Kathy and Andrew
August 30th 2009

Medieval Siena Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Siena

she-wolf

August 24,2009 We left Renaissance Florence today for the medieval town of Siena. We had a late start because of a crash on the small strata leading down from the campground. We were happy to be in the Tuscan hills and driving down the Chianti Road scattered with small towns and wineries. The grapes are so big, you can see them tugging from their vines from the van. There seems to be a winery and tasting room on every corner. I have also noticed a lot of the gas stations have a bar. I guess Tuscany is not concerned about drunk [View Full Entry]

By bev barry
August 29th 2009

starting our blog Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Arezzo

2 Laghi
2 laghi

Looking forward to heading out this coming up Thursday, Sept 3rd and wanted to send out our first blog entry with a picture of "our" villa 2 Laghi. If you want to follow our adventures, please do. We will also use this for information to those of you joining us for part of this adventure. Like: there is a swimming pool.....bring suits! (or not...after all it is Europe :) ) You all have the directions by car but if we see easier directions or more detailed directions as we get there, we will inform you here. Our contact info: Bev 909 [View Full Entry]

By Betta
August 26th 2009

BIG AMERICAN Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Siena

From requests from my mom and Sarah, I am going to try to do my best to keep updating my blog more frequently (with no promises of quality or length of the entries...). I arrived safely in Italy on Monday morning with no problems, although it was probably one of my more absurd airport experiences. My roommates and some other friends in Siena had requested that I bring back some different kinds of candy from America, so my mom and I had gone to Target and Costco to load up on a variety of sweets. I guess my eyes were a [View Full Entry]

By jleclerc55
August 26th 2009

Rome et Mediterranee Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Florence

rome1
Cri a St-Pierre

Bonjour , bonne fete Louise, tout va pour le mieux ds ce magnifique et chaud pays de 34 celcius. Visites splendides et paysages de vallons e collines. On mange en masse de la pizza. On pense a vous , bec a Victoria, Cri et Jacques [View Full Entry]

By Mamacita
August 24th 2009

Italy Europe » Italy » Tuscany

Statue of Liberty
During our NYC layover

Greetings All We're off on our next adventure, leaving before the sun tomorrow. Have a lengthy lay-over in NY so hope to get into the city for a bit. Of course depends on airline delays! Will arrive in Rome Wed morning. Ciao [View Full Entry]

By EmmaL
August 24th 2009

Out in the sun, having fun and feeling free... Europe » Italy » Tuscany

David

I arrived in Pisa airport at 10:30 at night. The unexpected heat slapped me in the face the moment I left the airport. I was exhausted. Working with Andy the last seven weeks have tested me beyond anything I could have imagined. I have been pushed to point where I was forced to come face to face with my ugliest insecurities, seriously contemplated coming home but ultimately preserved. Italy is one place that I had to see and I hoped with all my heart that it was not going to disappoint. Sitting on the bus to Florence, I stared out into [View Full Entry]

By dragonfly999
August 23rd 2009

High Speed Florence Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Florence

21:49 We headed for the high speed tain in the orning and 1 3/4 of an hour later we weree in Florence! What a beautiul old city. We visted 2 churches one in which Michaelangelo and Gallileo are buried. We also were on a bridge that was the only bridge in world war 2 that the allis didnt bomb, it was really amazing the pictures tell a better story. We had the most expensive Gelato I have had yet it was € 24 for 3 of them! We also went to a leather shop holy hanna Florence has a lot of [View Full Entry]

By JimmyBoi2
August 22nd 2009

A Visit to Lucca-- July 2009 Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Lucca

DAY ONE Norma Shearer, playing Elizabeth Barrett, gets all excited when Robert Browning nudges her to come to Italy with him. " Italy... ah, Italy!" she gushes, and rightly so. That's what I felt like doing after a cramped nine hour flight from JFK to Pisa. Don't even get me started about that! Everyone knows that flights from JFK to Orlando are supposed to be cramped, but to Pisa? Who goes to Pisa besides me and Galileo Galilei? The flight was long and tiring, and at one point I almost asked the flight attendant for fresh-squeezed water. But still... I was [View Full Entry]

By JimmyBoi2
August 22nd 2009

Prelude to Lucca-- Part One Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Lucca

I finally decided to do it-- after 25 years, ritorno in Italia ! That's not bad, this going to Italy every 25 years. At this rate my next trip will occur when I'm 78 years old, and who knows? It may be in a box! (Just kidding; I plan on living past 100 because I want to see if the Democrats achieve a 100% majority in both the House and Senate.) My friend Eugene and I were talking one time about the figurative town of Cazzolungo, in Sicily. In the 1960s the town found itself, thanks to emigration, with a large [View Full Entry]

By JimmyBoi2
August 22nd 2009

Prelude to Lucca-- Part Two: The Shopping Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Lucca

Do you like to shop? I don't. I like to go and buy the things I need, checking them off a list as I go along from store to store, not doing any comparison shopping or wielding coupons. I mean, it's not because I'm rich or anything, but I've felt that time is more valuable than anything else-- time is the one thing you can't see, and so I'm loath to squander it. So, to make this as streamlined as possible, I've made a list of all the things I will need to bring to Italy in mid-July, which is cross-referenced [View Full Entry]

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