Style City: Florence

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Style City: Florence

Florence is one of the most beautiful and inspirational cities in the world. Florence is where the Italian vernacular language was founded; it is the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and of course is home to the famous and oldest bridge in Italy the "Ponte Vecchio", which is flanked on either side by magnificent, ornate jewellery shops that ...
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Do You Know You Could Acquire a New Passport in Twenty-four Hours From an Emergency Passport Service

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We just about all consider that a Passport may need weeks or maybe even a few months to be able to renew. This is actually very wrong and generally there are solutions where your passport can actually be renewed and sent back to you within 24 hours. This piece talks about the options and recommends exactly what you wants to look for in an emergency passport service company.



Once you discovered the problem with your passport you probably had premonitions involving waiting about within the passport office for several hours, simply to end up being informed it could be at the very least seven days before you received your replacement passport - almost no help when you're arranged to take a trip abroad in the next 4 days. You can stop fretting since there is an emergency passport service where at a little extra cost, you should obtain your passport without having to go through the hassle of standing about inside the passport office.




You may get your passport replaced speedily, safely and securely with an on-line passport and visa service. When you submit your application additionally , you'll need to send in your payment, or pay by credit or debit card over the phone. It's possible to have your passport renewal application handled in 24 hours, of course , if you really have left it until the last second you can have your passport shipped by courier at the airport. It may cost you a little more to have your passport brought to the airport, but at any rate you can be assured this service is accessible if you need it.



Take a look around online and see how quickly you could have your passport renewal application processed. Their are a number of businesses with many years of experience in working with passport applications and passport renewals indicating that your application process will probably go smoothly and also you should obtain your brand new passport in a short time and with the minimum of hassle.



The price of this service may differ subject to whether you may need your passport in twenty four hours or 10 days as well as the provider. What you can be guaranteed of is a efficient service without the hassle of standing around in queues only to end up being informed you will have to come back again in the morning. Waiting around with no noticeable results is often truly aggravating, you'll save all this extra worry when you apply on-line for an emergency passport.

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Learn additional in depth facts on how to acquire a Quick Emergency Passport by visiting www.passportandvisaservice.co.uk or contact info@passportandvisaservice.co.uk



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Celebrating May Festivals in Italy

Celebrating May Festivals in Italy: "

Dianne Hales is author of LA BELLA LINGUA: MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH ITALIAN, THE WORLD'S MOST ENCHANTING LANGUAGE, now available in paperback.

Le feste di maggio

May festivals

"Aprile con il fiore, maggio con il colore" Italians say, "April with its flowers, May with its colors.” The wonderful colors, sounds and flavors of Italy are on full display durings le feste (festivals) of May.

If you’re heading to Italy this month, you can cheer the drivers in the famous Mille Miglia (1000 mile) car rally, celebrate Pinocchio’s birthday in Collodi (Tuscany) or sip Chianti at the wine festival lin Montespertoli.

Here are some other not-to-be-missed festivities:

*Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, one of the oldest music festivals in Italy. This year’s program features opera, concerts, ballet and exhibitions, including Indian dance and Canadian ballet. The outdoor performances at night often end with dazzling fireworks displays, like the one in the photo above that I snapped at the festival finale in the Piazza della Signoria a few seasons ago.

While in Florence, be sure to go the city’s famous Iris Garden, open to the general public only in May. You’ll gain an entirely new appreciation for the root of Florence’s Italian name: Firenze, derived from the Latin for “to flower or blossom.”

*Giro d’Italia, the largest cycing event of the country. This year’s race covers much of the Italian peninsula, rolling from Piedmont on the northern border with France south to the Amalfi Coast, then zipping cross-country to the Adriatic Coast. From Bitonto, the Giro travels north along the Adriatic and passes through l’Aquila, the town devastated by last year’s powerful earthquake. The cyclists push on to Venezia and Monte Zoncolan near Italy’s northern border before whirring through Trentino and Lombardia and then crossing the finish line in Verona.

*Corsa dei Ceri (Race of the Candles). The stony, silent town of Gubbio in Umbria explodes into frenzied excitement every May 15. Three teams of men run up and down its steep streets carrying Ceri, gigantic wooden constructions, each weighing about a thousand pounds and bearing a statue of a saint on top.

The Ceri and the Corsa dei Matti (Race of the Crazy Ones, as it's nicknamed), may date back to the twelfth century, when Gubbio was miraculously spared from defeat at the hands of Frederick Barbarossa. Its citizens credited Sant'Ubaldo, who died on May 16, 1160, for its salvation, and the town has held a ceremony on the eve of his death since the Middle Ages. The celebration culminates with La Tavola Bona, a banquet for 700 people, including the "crazy" Ceraioli or candle-bearers.

Other options include:

*Calendimaggio, a series of medieval and Renaissance spettacoli (shows) with concerts, dances, archery, flag-waving, cross-bow displays and torch-lit processions held in Assisi in early May.

*La Barabbata, a procession in which men wear costumes and carry tools representing the traditional trades while white buffalo pull floats displaying the fruits of the trades, celebrated May 14 in Marta on the shores of Lake Bolsena.

*La Festa di San Domenico, a procession on the first Thursday in May in Cocullo in the Abruzzi highlighted by the carrying of a statue of the town's patron saint covered with live serpents.

*Sposalizio dell’Albero, the wedding of the tree, on May 8 in Vetralla in northern Lazio, in which townspeople decorate a couple of oak trees with garlands and plant new trees in a ceremony that asserts the town's domination over the forest.

*Infiorata di Noto, a huge festival with flower petal art displays and a parade in Noto, Sicily, the third weekend of May.

*Il Palio di Ferrara, a historical horse race dating from 1279, run the last Sunday in May, with events every weekend. including a procession with over 1000 people in Renaissance costumes on the Saturday night before the race.

Words and Expressions

festeggiare -- to celebrate, welcome, entertain

festaiolo -- party animal, merry maker

il festeggiato / la festeggiata -- the guest of honor

festino -- banquet, party, feast

festicciola -- get-together, gathering, small party

far festa a qualcuno -- to welcome or greet someone warmly

guastafeste -- party pooper

Dianne Hales is author of LA BELLA LINGUA: MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH ITALIAN, THE WORLD'S MOST ENCHANTING LANGUAGE, now available in paperback.

La Carbonara

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La Carbonara: "Now that it's getting warmer, pasta with a rich meat sauce is beginning to seem a bit much. This, coupled with our being in the midst of egg season (yes, there was a time when chickens laid most of their eggs in the spring) brings spaghetti alla carbonara to mind.

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La Carbonara originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Monday, May 10th, 2010 at 07:39:05.

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Beautiful Places in Italy for a Photo Op

Beautiful Places in Italy for a Photo Op: "

Let’s face it. Just about every spot in Italy is a lovely place to take a photograph. But there are some spots that are truly special, places that make friends and family go “Wow!” when they see the photos on Facebook or in the picture frame on the mantle piece. Far beyond the hokey photographs of “holding up” the Leaning Tower of Pisa or posing with modern-day gladiators in Rome, here are some lovely places to record some memories.

The Faraglioni Rocks, Capri
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I have to admit that I got the idea for this post from looking at my friend Laura’s photo on her Ciao Amalfi blog. Take a look at her blog and her profile pic and you’ll see exactly why I picked this location as one of Italy’s most beautiful places for a photo op. The Faraglioni Rocks are a group of three mini rock islands that have been known since Roman times. I Faraglioni, which are named Stella, Faraglione di Mezzo, and Faraglione di Fuori (Scopolo), are some of the most photographed features in southern Italy and you can even get up-close photographs of the rocks on a boat tour around the Bay of Naples. Faraglione di Mezzo even has a natural arch in it, which is a thrill to go through.

From San Miniato al Monte, Florence

The typical place that tourists go to take photos of Florence – with the giant Duomo dome in the background – is Piazzale Michelangelo, a hill high above the city that is accessible by motor coach and has a huge parking lot buzzing with postcard vendors and “professional” photographers. Don’t get me wrong – this is a lovely place for a photo op. But even better is in front of the church of San Miniato al Monte, which is only about a five minute walk from Piazzale Michelangelo. San Miniato itself is a beautiful, medieval, green-and-white-marble church with spectacular interior mosaics where you’ll sometimes hear Gregorian chanting. If you enjoy getting out an about rather than hopping on board a motorized tour, you can hike a small path from the Lungarno along the city walls up to San Miniato. It can be a bit of a challenge, but the views are so much more rewarding once you make it to the top.

Atop the Duomo, Milan

You can scale the heights of the Duomo in Florence, the dome of St. Peter’s in Rome, and go up into the domes and attics of countless churches and bell towers in Italy. But none of these locations give you the kind of fabulous backdrop that you get from the top of the Duomo in Milan. The gorgeous Gothic church in the heart of Milan is a great photographic subject in itself and you can certainly capture some lovely pics of the whole cathedral while standing in the vast Piazza del Duomo. But take a trip to the Duomo’s roof and it’s as if you’re walking atop an intricately decorated wedding cake. A trip to the top also affords you nearer views of the church’s spires, statues, and gargoyles as well as a panorama of the Alps. Book your tickets to the Duomo rooftop.

Rome – the Bocca della Verità and Tomb of Cecilia Metella

When you’re in Rome, there is pressure to get that perfect shot with either the Colosseum or St. Peter’s Basilica in the background. Indeed, you should get those shots – for the Colosseum go up to Colle Oppio Park for a good angle and for St. Peter’s, the perch of the Pincio Park above Piazza del Popolo can’t be beat. But I like to suggest two classic places for a Roman photo op.

The first is the Bocca della Verità (the Mouth of Truth), an ancient manhole cover that is located in the entryway of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin around the corner from the Campidoglio. You may remember this landmark if you’ve seen the film Roman Holiday which starred Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. The legend is that if you place your hand inside the mouth of the god/monster depicted on the cover that your hand will be chopped off if you haven’t been telling the truth. A photo in front of the Mouth of Truth is a fun diversion. And if it’s good enough for Audrey Hepburn, then it’s good enough for you.

Another great locale to have your photo snapped is among the ruins along the Appia Antica. In the days of the Grand Tour it was de rigueur to have your portrait painted among the remnants of antiquity. One of the most evocative portraits of this kind is of the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who lived in Rome in the late 18C. The artist Johann Tischbein painted Goethe in the Countryside with the distinctive tomb of Cecilia Metella in the background. This is still a major monument in the Appia Antica park, and you can still enjoy a nice hike to the tomb on the weekend when the thru-ways are closed to traffic. While you won’t get the completely uncluttered panorama that Goethe enjoyed when he sat for his portrait, you will have a unique shot for the mantle. Kudos if you can also strike the same leggy pose!

Portofino Bay

The pastel houses of Portofino, a fishing village turned wealthy tourist haven in the region of Liguria so lovely that developers in Orlando, Florida, had to replicate it, make for a romantic backdrop for an Italy travel memory. Ideally, you want to get a photo of yourself in front of Portofino’s colorful port while on board a yacht. But if you can’t make that happen, there are a couple of options. One overlook is from the grounds of Castello Brown, a fortress located high above the bay. This ancient castle (some hypothesize that its foundations have been there since Roman times), however, is typically rented out for private events like weddings and conferences. It’s also a little high up for my liking. Another even better place to go to get a shot of the picturesque bay is to the church of San Giorgio, located on the Salita San Giorgio. Of course, there are also plenty of hotels located along this street where you can pay to see that bay view from your window every morning.

So these are just a handful of some of my favorite Italy photo locations. Where else would you suggest? Please comment below or find me on Twitter @italofileblog.

Photos © giorgiopix, rvega, Italian Notebook, Roman Holiday trailer, onlinekunst.de, buteijn

Tags: Capri, Florence, Milan, photography, Portofino, Rome, video

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The 5 Secrets of Great Vacations

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Copyright © 2010 Mr. Inside Sales



I read an article about how little time American workers spend on vacation. When compared to the French (5 weeks), and other Europeans, the American 2-week vacation seems downright discouraging. What is even worse is that when polled, most American workers admitted that they often didn't even use all the vacation time they had coming for fear that if they did, they'd be replaced!




Contrast this with another article I read on how much more efficient workers are when they are relaxed and refreshed. Stress, it turns out, is actually detrimental to good performance (ya think?), and the article found that workers who worked less hours were actually more productive, made less mistakes, and were generally thought of higher than those stressed out workers who are grumbling under their breaths about not having enough time for themselves or their families.



The importance of regular vacations and breaks was proven to me early on in my career. In fact, I plan my year around vacations and three day weekends and regular mini breaks. I find that it's easier for me to go full out for weeks or months at a time when I know that an exciting vacation or extended weekend is coming up. Also, I find that I'm much more excited about working hard after a good break.



What I've also found is that there are guidelines and "best practices" to ensure that you get the most out of vacations and breaks. After years of perfecting vacation, I offer, "The 5 Secrets to Taking Great Vacations -- enjoy!



Secret #1 -- Schedule and pay for your trips at least six months or more in advance.



Don't wait until the last month to take a trip because if you do, you'll take it. Something will always come up, something will always be more important, and you will always be too busy. By planning, scheduling and paying for your trips far in advance, you're almost certain to actually take them.



July or November or March will always come and if you've already paid for a trip -- you're going!



Benefit: When you plan that far in advance, you get to look forward to it for months! It's a great motivator.



Secret #2 -- Go somewhere special.



Make a list right now of the six places you and your family would love to go. Make this a family activity and enlist their participation. I like to have each family member come up with their three favorite options and then plan an evening to compare and contrast.



Then, pick one special or exotic places per year and -- that's right -- book it now. Go ahead, buy the airfare, book the hotel and car and pay for it. And then, have everyone mark it on his or her calendars.



Benefit: Watch the attitude of your family change -- for the better. Suddenly there's something bright, fun and enjoyable you are all looking forward to. Gee, the kids sure are nice to be around again!



Secret #3 -- Don't return to work until Wednesday!



Even though you get back Saturday or Sunday, don't go right back to the office. Give yourself time to readjust, run errands, and settle back in. Nothing ruins of good vacation more than going back to work the very next day. Vacation? What vacation?



Benefit: Taking the Monday and Tuesday off is like getting another "bonus" vacation.



Secret #4 -- Take at least one mini vacation per quarter.



Besides your one or two large vacations, plan to take at least one extended weekend, holiday or other three or four day break per quarter. Hitch a Friday and Tuesday onto a Memorial Day weekend, and voila -- you have a bona fide vacation using just two personal days!



Try to go somewhere on at least two of these, and spend the others around the house getting things done or just relaxing.



But all the previous rules apply: plan, schedule, and pay for them advance!



Benefit: Even more to look forward to!



Secret #5 -- Don't work while on vacation.



Your vacation is exactly that -- a vacation! Leave your laptop, blackberry, and paperwork at the office. Resist the temptation to check in with your office. This is your and your family's time.



Train your sales manager or assistant to handle all business while away. They will do fine without you, and it will all be there when you return.



Benefit: You will actually feel like you're on vacation and you'll enjoy it even more!



So there you have it -- the 5 Secrets to Great Vacations. I guarantee that if you follow these rules, you will not only enjoy your life more, but you'll be more productive at work as well.



Imagine that -- more successful and happier!



When is your next vacation?

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Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, helps sales reps close more business over the phone. Learn how to sell more today by downloading the Special Report, "Ten Techniques to Instantly Become a Better Closer".




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Does 'No Frills' Always Mean 'Low Cost ?

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In modern 21st century air travel we have become used to terms 'no frills' or 'low cost' airlines and using their services for a simple reason. The idea is to remove the simple luxuries like free lunches, drinks, complimentary gifts or even business class seats to make the cost of air travel cheaper. Most of the low cost airlines have also reduced baggage allowance as this speeds up the ground handling procedures, facilitates quicker boarding and thus, maintains lower the overall prices. The airports have been equipped with self-service check-in and fast bag drop services, all helping to reduce the costs which would ultimately reflect in the price of air tickets. Is this always a case though? Is the low cost air travel always managing to keep its promise of cheap flights to their clientele?




When booking 'low cost' flights online, we often see the prices starting very low, sometimes even from 1 Pound! Thinking that we can actually obtain a flight let's say from London to Prague for a mere 1 Pound would be absolutely unrealistic. There are bound to be additional costs involved. First of all, the airport charges and taxes. Although these would be typically incorporated in the basic cost of ticket for transparency purposes. Let's say the 1 Pound fare then carries the obligatory charges, which means an automatic increase and the starting price being actually higher. We then need to decide if we want a one-way or return ticket. If the latter applies, we need to double it. So, let's say for illustration purposes, if our basic one-way fare is 30 Pounds, the cost of the return ticket will be 60 Pounds.



We also need to take into consideration the checked and hand luggage allowance. Ideally, if you are happy to take up to 10 kg of luggage in a small trolley case of regulated measurements, you will not be charged extra. However, if you carry an additional suitcase, the low cost carriers will in most cases add on a charge. And if your luggage happens to be over the weight restriction limits, you will also get charged for each extra kilo. Drinks and food are not included in the price of our low cost flight tickets. These can be purchased on board at rather high prices. Of course, we have also the other option of bringing our own! In most cases, our seats won't be assigned either and jumping the queue to get the best ones or priority boarding will also cost more. During weekends and peak times, the 'low cost' fares usually increase tremendously in line with the demand. And finally, it is important to think about the amount of time and money we need to spend getting to and from the 'low cost' airports which are in most cases located outside the main cities.



All the above considered, no wonder the final price of 'no frills' travel gets to the point when we are unable to call it 'low cost' anymore. The best way to obtain real bargains on the flight market these days is to shop around and compare prices of low cost, charter as well as scheduled flights. The overall value the airlines offer us for our pound and the cost of the 'hidden extras' will then be the indicator of whether we booked our ticket at a truly low cost.

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Booking a cheap holiday is not always easy - you need to know where to begin! At packyourbags we specialise in finding the very best cheap holidays from around the world, to suit any budget.



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5 Ridiculous Travel Products - Save Your Packing Space

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Everyone admits that packing for a trip is one of the most painful parts of the experience. Endless lists (which often have a list themselves), agonising decisions about filling limited space and the inevitable panic at the airport or train station when you realise you've forgotten something. This isn't made any easier by the seemingly constant supply of pointless travel products cheerfully promoted by companies. All, naturally, claim to remove stress from your travel experience, demanding space in your already bulging suitcase.




So what are the biggest wastes of space that we've found? Let's keep the list short, for fear of hypocrisy following comments about packing...



1.Pillowig

We open with a combination product verging on anti-social. The Pillowig is, as it suggests, a pillow that you need never take off, held in place eternally behind your head by an attached bathing-style cap and fetching chin strap. Sleep anywhere!



2.Stashcard

Where better to put your valuables than...somewhere valuable? The stashcard helpfully allows you to hide your credit cards, keys and cash in the empty slots in your laptop. Thieves will naturally avoid your personal computer when rooting through your belongings.



3.Vending machine urban camouflage costume

Urban violence. It's everywhere. Travel to any city in the world and you're sure to be set upon by young drug-addicts who will take everything, except your laptop and its secret Stashcard. But wait; there's a solution! To blend seamlessly into the urban environment where you are likely to be set upon, one design genius has come up with a skirt that unrolls into...a vending machine costume! The only thing giving away your impenetrable disguise is your shoes poking out of the bottom. According to the designer's website, she's also created a backpack that looks like a Japanese fire hydrant for children to hide behind. Bottomless creativity...



4.Weather forecasting umbrella

Thanks to a chip in the handle that receives a wireless signal, the owner of the Ambient Forecasting Umbrella will be informed via a selection of small lights on the handle if there is a chance of rain. Those of us without Ambient Forecasting Umbrellas can use the more old fashioned indicator of looking out of the window before leaving our accommodation.



5.Portable espresso maker

Thanks to the latest in mobile coffee preparation technology, you too can enjoy a shot of espresso in remote locations. With its "stylish black shoulder bag" measuring only 27 x 21 x 9cm the remote wilderness explorer can get his system buzzing with a caffeine kick. Incredibly, this simple pleasure is 'affordable', with the whole kit only costing you around $190.



For a look at the pictures of these travel essentials, visit the Escaped to Peru website using the link below. We assure you that they really do appear as ridiculous as they sound...



Do you agree with the selection, or is it a bit mean? Got any other nominations for the list? Maybe you are a representative from one of these companies and would like the chance to sell us the benefits of your product...leave your comments using the form!

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Gary Sargent is the Managing Director of the tour companies Escaped to Peru and Escaped to Latin America and has lived in South America for over 10 years. Gary is passionate about life here, the people, customs and places. Visit Gary's Latin American travel website to learn more or to book your next adventure and don't forget to check out the useless gadget pictures!



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5 things we didn't know about italy last week | italytutto - top blogs from italy

read them here

5 things we didn't know about italy last week | italytutto - top blogs from italy

Buying a Business in Italy - Vineyard

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It is the wine lovers' dream. To own a vineyard in Italy and enjoy the fruits of your labours by sitting under a leafy pergola on a warm summer's evening drinking a bottle or two from your very own harvest.

Italian wine is famous all over the world. There are over a million vineyards from north to south and Italy's varied terrain produces a great variety of wine from the sweet sparkling Moscato from Piemonte to the spicy purple Salice Salentino from the bottom of Puglia in the south.

Its population drinks more wine per head than any other country (an average of 59 litres) and it is the world's biggest wine maker, producing 4.7 billion litres of wine in 2008.

Buying a Vineyard in Italy

It is perfectly possible to buy your own vineyard, so the most obvious thing to do is to centre your search either around an area of the country you would like to live in or around an area whose wine you like. The ideal is to combine the two and find a vineyard producing wine you enjoy in an area you and your family would be happy living in.

There a number of small vineyards for sale all over the country. Owning a small vineyard (from a hectare of vines upwards) usually means that it produces enough for your own consumption and may be the perfect starting point if you are inexperienced.

On the other hand, there are also going concerns for sale with their own winery attached and which produce enough wine to sell.

The 'dream' property for making a living has between 20 and 40 hectares of vineyards. Twenty hectares should produce about 130,000 bottles of wine.

The Vineyard Experience

If your vineyard in Italy is just a hobby, then it doesn't mater too much if you have little or no experience. There will be plenty of locals on hand to teach you and if it all goes wrong, there's always next year.

If you are intending to take on a going concern without experience then you have two options:

Buy a vineyard with its own production team in place or get as much experience as possible beforehand by working on vineyards, going on courses and getting qualifications. Although there are romantic stories on TV about people with no experience managing massive vineyards single handed by learning on the job, these really are the exceptions. It makes far more business sense to take on a vineyard with a manager if you don't know what you are doing.

It may sound romantic, but running is a vineyard is basically an agricultural enterprise and you are basically a farmer. As such you need to speak good Italian to deal with suppliers and distributors as well as the workers looking after the vines and also the taxman.

Organic and Biodynamic Vineyards

One idea should you decide to buy a vineyard is to specialize. You have probably heard of organic wine known as vino biologico made from uve da agricoltura biologica (organic grapes) and, although these are harder to find than normal vineyards, they do come up for sale. The advantage of buying an already established organic set-up is that the time has already been spent eliminating chemicals and pesticides. It takes longer starting from scratch.

But how about taking things a step further and aiming for a biodynamic vineyard? This method of production is based on the philosophy of Rudolph Steiner and involves applying special preparations to the vines as well as handling and processing the wine is a specific way. The guidelines are laid down by the Demeter association and the movement is growing in popularity in Italy. One such vineyard is La Gaia which makes multi award winning wine. Read about its biodynamic approach here.

A Vineyard and Agritourism

An alternative to running a vineyard in order to make a living from the wine is to buy a property with a small working vineyard which then may allow you to offer agritourism holidays. As we have written about in another article you can only offer farm holidays if you are actually a working farmer and a vineyard may allow you to do just that. You will need to get advice from your local chamber of commerce or commercialista (accountant).
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Mothers, Sons and Marriage in Italy

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Mamma mia!: Saint or Sinner?

The Italian mamma embodies all the paradoxes of Italian life. A beacon of self-sacrifice, she always gets her own way. An apparent martyr to her family's needs, she commands the same family without question. She is able to make life both easy and incredibly difficult.

It's no wonder that "Mamma mia" is the most used phrase in the Italian language!

Italian Mothers: The ultimate home-maker.

Far more than in America or the UK, Italian mothers in the twenty-first century tend to be home-makers while their husbands go out to work. A recent survey showed that it's quite acceptable in Italian family traditions for the average young son in Italy to spend around fifteen minutes a day with his father but several hours with his mother.

It's not surprising, then, that he learns to take every cue from her: how to dress, where to go, what to eat, who to see. And such is the attachment formed in childhood that it continues into adult life: one in three married adult sons sees his mother every single day, and seven out of ten unmarried men still live with their mother at the age of thirty-five.

Italian 'mothers' boys': The Growth of the 'Mammoni'.

In other countries that would make them the object of jokes and derision. Not so in Italy. Here, there's nothing strange about men wanting to stay with their mothers for as long as they can - even when they have married - and it's applauded as the right thing to do. The average age for an Italian man to marry is thirty - one of the highest recorded in United Nations statistics.

And that's given rise to a growth of what have become known as 'Mammoni' - men who are still tied to their mother's apron strings.

A recent story in a Roman e-magazine told of an Italian lawyer in his thirties, a prominent and very powerful figure in an intensely male and competitive world. Recently married and with a baby due, he still takes his dirty washing to be done by his mother who also irons his shirts, buys his underpants and gives him food to take home in case his new wife can't cook...

Is this the archetypal Italian mother stereotype? Perhaps. But it's having a very real effect on Italian marriages.

Italian Mothers and Marriage.

For a shocking three out of ten Italian marriages is now failing specifically because of the unusually close attachment of men to their mothers.

Psychologists conclude that boys in Italy being indulged by their Italian mothers well into adulthood makes them too emotionally immature to deal with the demands of a relationship with another adult woman in the shape of a wife:

"The husband is used to being adored and when he doesn't get that unconditional love from his wife, he goes running back to his mother."

Italian Marriage: Does it have a future?

Perhaps that's why recent United Nations statistics have shown that the marriage rate in Italy is now at its lowest ever ebb: Italy is twenty-third out of twenty-seven countries (the United States being at the top of the table) in terms of how many people per head of population are marrying per year.

Will this trend continue? As with many things Italian, there are regional differences: the south of the county is still a more patriarchal society than the north, the cities are more accepting of women and men having equal rights - and responsibilities - than rural districts.

So does Italian marriage have a future? That will largely depend on the new generation of men in Italy and the ability of the younger generation of women to change a mindset that has existed for generations.

Cath Andrews lives in Italy, was married in Rome and visits the city regularly. A dedicated Italophile, she is currently writing a website about Italian culture. For more detailed information about Italy have a look at Cath's website at: http://www.explore-italian-culture.com.

Have you got an Italian Mamma? Do you think she's wonderful? Would you like to celebrate Mother's Day with a story about her?
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Venice, Italy

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by:Harry_Preston
Venice is the greatest architectural repository in the world. All six sestiere of the city contain palaces and churches in the three most impressive styles Europe has produced: Gothic, Renaissance and the baroque. What makes Venice even more remarkable is just how many of these buildings there are. Palaces are crammed against each other and churches appear around every corner. However, Venice is also a city of squares (campI) which means that buildings are displayed to best effect in a series of leafy outdoor "rooms" that crop up one after the other. There are no long roads in Venice unless you count the Canal Grande, the city's high street, but even that curves like a snake so that new vistas are continually revealed. The canals of Venice divide the city into many manageable chunks and turn what might otherwise be a narrow dark alleyway into a luminous border down which float shiny black gondolas full of camera- wielding tourists.

The city of Venice occupies a special place in history. It was the first great republic since Rome. It had an elected head of state (il Doge) and an insatiable appetite for both making money and then spending it on ostentatious decoration. At its zenith, it had the most powerful navy in the world and a virtual monopoly on European trade with the Orient. As it declined, Venice became a byword for decadence, a city-state addicted to gambling, sex and intrigue. It was always stylish even if it wasn't always beautiful. Nowadays, even the scruffiest campus is still distinctly and proudly Venetian. Its citizens remain in their hearts a truly independent people.

In 1797, this ancient Republic was dissolved by Napoleon, in 1815 their city was handed over to Austria and in 1866 they were absorbed into the new kingdom of Italy. But the mindset of Venice remains entirely Venetian. The people speak their own version of Italian and they resent interference from the mainland. Recently Venice's first female gondolier started working for a hotel. There was an outcry among the other intensely chauvinistic gondolieri, not so much because she was a woman, but because she was not from Venice. For the traveller, Venice offers far more than one trip can achieve. You could easily visit ten times before you see all that is to be seen, and even longer to work out how to get from one place to another on foot. Venice is a maze, but one jam-packed with amazing treasures.

Fortunately, certain essentials can be covered in a day. Piazza San Marco, the Basilica, the Campanile, the Ducal Palace, the view across the Basin of San Marco to San Giorgio and a trip to Caffe Florian are all in close proximity to each other. Then the real fun begins as you follow a route, decide to explore everything there is to see in one area, use the public transport system to hop between islands in the lagoon or work your way through a personal must-see list of churches, palazzi, scuole and museums. At every stage of the day Venice will tempt you with delicious possibilities, whether you want to snack, drink or enjoy a long meal, the way Venetians do.

This is a city that appreciates the good things of life. Simple rules will help you enjoy this part of your visit more. Avoid restaurants where waiters invite you in. Avoid eating or drinking anywhere along the main shopping thoroughfares (the Mercerie) and be aware that if you choose anywhere picturesque to eat that you'll be paying for the view. That said, you will find that certain views are worth the extra euros. It would be a crime not to have coffee in Piazza San Marco at least once and the view along the over- priced Riva del Vin is worth the mark-up. The legendary Harry's Bar is small and expensive but it has that certain quality, to be found in very few places, of being something really special. Much the same rule applies to shopping. The further from the main thoroughfares, the better the price, but you may want to buy a carnival mask from a stall on the Riva for the thrill of having done so.

Carnival (Carnevale) is one of the high points of the Venetian year. This city-wide party is a gorgeous re-creation of 18th- century Venice that should certainly be experienced once, but the city in February is inevitably crowded and over-priced. Summer is also crowded and prices go up during the International Film Festival and the Biennale, so think about visiting Venice out of season. Whenever you go, you will find a city that is unforgettable, one that has been drawing tourists since the Middle Ages and one of the few cities in the world that genuinely deserves to be called unique.

Discount Hotel Coupons, Last Minute Hotel Discounts

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Are you one of the millions of people wanting to take a vacation and just do not know if you can afford it or not? Well rest assured in knowing that a very much needed vacation is more easier than you think. You may even save enough money to be able to stay an extra day. Discount hotel coupons are pretty easy to find, you can find them pretty much anywhere. Before deciding on just one place to visit make sure you take the time to contact many different places to see what they offer and if there are any special deals going on at the time that you are planning to stay.

If you are someone who lives near a travel center or plaza then rest assured in knowing that coupons are just a few minutes away. If you are interested in taking a vacation you may consider going by one of those places to see just what kind of coupons that may be there. Plazas and travel centers can yield coupons and travel deals on hundreds of different vacation spots and tourist attractions. Discount hotel coupons can also be found on the Internet. The Internet is a source of wealth for just about every subject and object in the world. You should be able to find coupons that offer one night free stay and also coupons for certain percentages off of the night that you want to stay. It may require a certain nights or weekends stay, so you should make sure to read the fine print before booking anything. You may even consider booking just a couple night at one hotel and then once arriving check out all the discount books that can usually be found at neighboring restaurants and convenience stores.

Travel agents know more about any special deals than just about anyone else. They know what hotel is offering a discount and what is not. They can also help you plan one of the best vacations ever. Another option that you may consider is, to actually give the hotel that you are wanting to stay at a call. They can tell you of any discounts that they may be offering at that time. Visiting the hotels website may also help in finding out if there are any certain deals at the time you are choosing to stay.

Hotels can be pretty expensive. With a discount coupon book getting a good deal is sure to happen. Remember when starting to look for vacation spots, make sure to call ahead and see of their is any coupon books or discounts that they can send you with a little bit of information about other things that surround that hotel that you will be staying at. Getting a discount could mean getting stay a little bit longer or not getting to stay long enough. Vacations should be fun and hassle free, try checking on coupons for attractions and other things as well so you get the most for your money and time.


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Use Discount Hotel coupons to save more on your travels and vacations, Last Minute Discounts on Hotel rooms for your convenience. Go to: http://www.discounthotelcoupons.net

Hand Held GPS Reviews: What You Should Look For

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The reason behind this is obvious... how many of the product reviews have you read that made you feel absolutely disrespected? They speak of how great their particular product is and, when you purchase it, all of the specs, praises and even the warranties are all proven to be false! This, of course, is not always the case, but the authentic product reviews are few and far between, though there is a way to filter them out from all the rest.

Finding hand held GPS reviews is not the most difficult thing in the world, as the internet has become overly saturated with them. The problem is figuring out which one of the many hand held GPS reviews are actually legitimate. The first thing I noticed during my market research is how each one of these reviews carry with them a certain feel of the individual. For example, one hand held GPS reviews stated that the device was "the best on the market," however; the next review stated "it could be better, it could be a lot worse." These two hand held GPS reviews are polar opposites, yes, but they also give off a certain feel of the character of the individual that left them. When it comes to conducting market research, you always need to read the reviews that come from the more critically objective than you do the salesmen.

So that is what you initially look for! If one of the hand held GPS reviews state that the device carries WAAS enabled GPS receiver, but does not include an updatable base map of the United States, then you know that this review carries a slightly more objective look on what is being offered. However, if the review states only that it carries the WAAS application but decides to exclude the fact that there is no method of updating its base map directory, then you know that this particular customer review is portraying a slightly more positive mention of the device.

Accurate information is extremely hard to come by. You simply cannot believe everything that you read! This is the point of this article, and I hope that you take this advice and run with it! There is no point in purchasing a product online without first researching the market to see what the REAL customers are saying, and if the hand held GPS reviews do not include any objectionable information, nine times out of ten, you are putting your wallet into the hands of someone hoping to make a few dollars off of the ignorance of the blubbering masses.


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This article includes the author's passionate response to both his personal experience and market research on hand held GPS reviews. For more information visit http://www.gpsfactsheet.com

Amenities Business Travelers Require

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The increase in globalization of the marketplace has given rise to a distinctive climb in business-related travel. Airlines and hotels in particular have been reaping the benefits of the sudden boom. Offering business travel accommodations that highlight the various needs of travelers who are on the road due to business, such amenities include Wi-Fi, access to an exercise room and of course the hotel's close proximity to business locations or convention locales. That being said, there are a number of rarely mentioned -- but progressively more crucial -- services that business travelers call for.


The fierce competition for budget-minded business travelers has led to an all-out amenities war. Room service, laundry service, in-room massage therapies and Yoga instruction classes rub elbows with business centers, where travelers have access to fax machines, copiers, printers and other devices they would usually rely on in an office. Among accommodations in this latter area, the hotel staff member who oversees the equipment and may even be called upon to run a large number of copies - collated, stapled and sorted - while the guest relaxes is not unheard of.



Other business travel accommodations are tied directly to points-driven rewards programs. Capitalizing on Internet brand-name recognition of travel brokers, hotels offer rewards to the traveler who decides to almost exclusively book rooms through them for virtually all business travel. Amenities that hotels use to sweeten the deals are beds manufactured by nationally recognized high-end bed makers and pillows that provide ergonomic support of the head and neck. In a nod to a more and more environmentally conscious clientele, it is no longer a rarity to see overnight locations that advertise organically grown breakfast fare, responsibly harvested fair-trade coffee beans and allergy-free bedding and pillow cases.



Additional hands-on business travel features include dedicated in-room work stations that cater to portable equipment owners by supporting the uses of iPods, iPads, Blackberries and notebooks. Copious power outlets turn any spacious hotel room into a mini office and charging station while the in-room whirlpool tub takes the edge off a stressful business trip. A call to the concierge brings an ironing board and iron to the door - or a staffer, who will freshen up the suit and shoes for tomorrow's presentation - and the old standby of the wake-up call rounds out the business travel accommodations that the majority of hotels and rentals currently offer.



This then begs the question what tomorrow's business travel amenities will bring. As ever-increasing competition urges on hotels to break new ground and think of different ways that everyday travel staples might be packaged, the steady business of the corporate traveler ensures that the end of this accommodations war is still not in sight. Perhaps the newest wave of innovations is the invitation to the traveler to participate in the greening of the hospitality landscape. Environmentally-friendly lighting and material choices now do away with standard hotel interior decor. Concurrently, the need for ever increasing comfort leads to the incorporation of luxurious fabrics and materials in what would originally be considered 'hotel chic.'



Who knew that business traveler inspired amenities could be so plentiful and varied?

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