May 21, 2009 - The Italian hospital: A new kind of journey

My blog takes you to yet another new place today -- the Italian hospital.My blog takes you to yet another new place today -- the Italian hospital....

May 18, 2009 - Viewing my new world through old eyes

I arrived in Italy a few weeks ago.I arrived in Italy a few weeks ago....

Apr 27, 2009 - Bologne...surprise!

Buongiorno! Surprise, car je me suis rendu compte que je n’y étais jamais venu. ! (à cause de sa cuisine et pour votre information le spaghetti bolognaise n’est pas dans la cuisine bolonaise). ... La rouge… ! (par la couleur de sa terre).Buongiorno! Surprise, car je me suis rendu compte que je n’y étais jamais venu. ! (à cause de sa cuisine et pour votre information le spaghetti bolognaise n’est pas dans la cuisine bolonaise). ... La rouge… ! (par la couleur de sa terre)....

Apr 18, 2009 - Mosaic heaven

As we were pulling away he even stopped us to suggest a short cut to the road to Ravenna. ... On reaching Ravenna we parked in the shade and set of for the Information office but took refreshment at a bar where they furnished us with a map and directions for several of the sites as the office would not be open for two hours. ... Ravenna has an amazing collection of Byzantine mosaics from the time when the Emperors Theoderic (Roman) and Justinian (Byzantine) had their capital there in the sixth century. ... Ravenna is an extremely attractive and up market town with wide streets, imposing buildings of all periods (it was bombed heavily during the war) and packed full of churches, palazzos and beautiful shops. ...

Feb 16, 2009 - The laws of the land

Yesterday as I was standing in chaos waiting to be served spaghetti the Italy rule theme popped into my head.Yesterday as I was standing in chaos waiting to be served spaghetti the Italy rule theme popped into my head....

Feb 12, 2009 - Did Sara ever escape the Jerusalem hostel?

I should start with what I've been up to. A few days later we took the train to Cesena where Riccardo lives. ... He, like everyone else in my life, is stunned that I once lived in Alaska but whine about near freezing temperatures in Cesena. ... I swear it feels colder when it's raining and near freezing than when everything is frozen and the temperature is well below freezing.I should start with what I've been up to. A few days later we took the train to Cesena where Riccardo lives. ... He, like everyone else in my life, is stunned that I once lived in Alaska but whine about near freezing temperatures in Cesena. ... I swear it feels colder when it's raining and near freezing than when everything is frozen and the temperature is well below freezing....

Jun 27, 2008 - Rimini

27 June Took the 0725 train to Rimini(11. ... That was a loong walk in the blistering heat! Lets just say I will take the bus back to the train station when I have to leave! Rimini is known for its long stretch of beach, so I imagine there won't be too much physical activity during the day time and mainly relaxing on one of the private beaches. ...

Jun 14, 2008 - Rage Against the Machine

Willy was extremely happy when he found out Rage Against the Machine would be doing their only concert in Italy while we were here, especially since we missed them in Australia. The concert was in a place called Modena, 160kms from Florence and when we awoke that morning it was pouring rain. ... The concert was to be held outside, but we didn’t stress too much as it was 160kms away! Well it poured rain the whole drive to Modena! It stopped when we arrived and Willy said ‘don’t worry it won’t rain again today’ and it didn’t! It was the nicest afternoon we have had for the past 2 weeks. ... Well, seeing a concert like this (for those of you who don’t know Rage Against the machine.Willy was extremely happy when he found out Rage Against the Machine would be doing their only concert in Italy while we were here, especially since we missed them in Australia. The concert was in a place called Modena, 160kms from Florence and when we awoke that morning it was pouring rain. ... The concert was to be held outside, but we didn’t stress too much as it was 160kms away! Well it poured rain the whole drive to Modena! It stopped when we arrived and Willy said ‘don’t worry it won’t rain again today’ and it didn’t! It was the nicest afternoon we have had for the past 2 weeks. ... Well, seeing a concert like this (for those of you who don’t know Rage Against the machine....

Jun 2, 2008 - Firenze - Forli

Good old GPS soon came to the party and we set off for Forli via the back roads. ... Our first stop was at the Forli War Cemetery, just outside the town. ... Forli was a stop with a purpose for us – Ron’s Grandfather was in the NZ Army Service Corps during WW2 and spent Christmas 1944 in Forli. ... The NZ Division took its share of casualties in the Italian campaigns around this time and the Forli Cemetery has the graves of 165 NZ servicemen, including two members of the NZ ASC (who Pop may well have known). ... Following this stop we proceeded into Forli itself with the intention of having lunch. ...

Feb 24, 2008 - Cervia????

Hey everyone!! So, I just got back from an ALL GIRLS weekend!!! It was the four Kappa Delta's who took a weekend to get rejuvenated. She found Cervia, a little sea town on the Adriatic Coast about 5 and a half hours from Lugano. ... I really thought, from the way we were treated, like Cervians had never seen American tourists before. ... It was funny! All in all it was a very needed getaway and it was so nice to be with my best girl friends in a smaller group in a calmer setting :) I only have one more week of class and then I will have completed 9 credits already! Hard to believe! We finished Italian this past week and we took our final.Hey everyone!! So, I just got back from an ALL GIRLS weekend!!! It was the four Kappa Delta's who took a weekend to get rejuvenated. She found Cervia, a little sea town on the Adriatic Coast about 5 and a half hours from Lugano. ... I really thought, from the way we were treated, like Cervians had never seen American tourists before. ... It was funny! All in all it was a very needed getaway and it was so nice to be with my best girl friends in a smaller group in a calmer setting :) I only have one more week of class and then I will have completed 9 credits already! Hard to believe! We finished Italian this past week and we took our final....

Dec 15, 2007 - Rimini

It was more by accident than choice that I ended up staying in Rimini, I was heading for San Marino but thought I would stay in Bologna and travel from there. ... A search in Rimini found me a single en-suite with tv for 25 quid a night - sold. ... Rimini seafront in December is a sad place, devoid of life, bereft of activity, just a howling wind and intermittant snow. ... Meanwhile, Rimini has a 12 month a year city attached to it which I wandered into and found it actually very pleasant lots of festive lights and shopping going on and lots of bars playing football matches, all bloody Italian games. ...

Sep 17, 2007 - Bologna - Lasagna of the Gods

Worried that it might rain on our Tuesday outing to Bologna, we moved it up to today (monday)! Of course, it was the night that we all finally slept, so we got a later start in the morning. ... By 10:30am we were on the train to Bologna - it's a short, one hour trip on a really nice Eurostar train, so it was nice (eventhough we couldn't sit together - the train was packed). ... If every lasagna was like that - I would be converted - I was fighting Jeff for the last bits! Anyway, after such a phenomenal lunch, we decided we didn't want it to end and bought some homemade tortellini (bologna is the birthplace of tortellini) and some ragu bolognese to bring back to Florence for lunch another day. ... We also bought some cookies that had a fig filling in the inside - a very satisfactory experience overall! With full bellies, it was time to explore bologna. ... The towering due torri are a prime example - these two towers are medieval vestiges of life in bologna. ...