La Sapienza

The University of Rome, the oldest of Roman universties, better known as Sapienza Università di Roma, is the largest of all the European university by enrollment.  Pope Boniface VIII founded the University in 1303.  From there on, taxing choices of successive popes funded the school greatly.   Additionally, many of the students of this school are from the ruling families of Italy who can afford the cost of attendance.  To date, the attendance level at the university is approximately 140,000 students and staff.  The name Sapienza, meaning wisdom, was formed in the 1650s.  It offers a number of majors and has moved to be the university of the capital of Italy.  It shares with three other branches of the school.  These branches are law, philosophy, medicine, and theology.  Its main campus is the Città Universitaria in Rome that covers approximately 4,730,000 ft².  The campus is absolutely gorgeous with an old time taste mixed in with some new.  

Pompeii

One of the most fascinating areas of Italy, in my opinion is Pompeii.  Pompeii is located roughly 5 miles from Mt. Vesuvius which is one of the most active volcanoes in the region.  Pompeii was known as a place for the wealthy and extravagant.  Many vacationers spent their time here soaking up the sun and relaxing in the resorts.

However, in 79 A.D. Mt. Vesuvius took it’s toll on the area when it erupted.  This eruption, which continued for an entire day sent volcanic ash, lava, rocks, and poisonous gases so high into the air that it was said to been seen from 100 miles away.  When the ash began to fall back to the ground, the cooled ash and stone covered the city.  Many people chose to stay in the city during the volcano, however after the settle of the ash and stone, the poisonous gases began to stifle people, making it hard to breath and eventually killing all who where there.

Pompeii was abandoned for years because of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. The entire city was covered in ash and rock.  Nothing was left but rubble.  However in 1748 a group of explorers set out to Pompeii to try and locate any ancient artifacts that could have been left behind.  What they found was simple amazing….almost the entire city of Pompeii was still intact, just as it had been the days leading up to the eruption.  Buildings were in tact, skeletons of people who unfortunately were killed in the eruption were found right where they had been for years, everyday items were found where they would have been on a normal day.  Preserved jars of jams and bread were also found.

Today you are able to go and visit Pompeii and see the city as well as the people’s bodies who were there when Mt. Vesuvius erupted.  The visual of this city is overwhelming!  To know that people stayed behind during this catastrophe, maybe in the hopes of a normal life afterwards is amazing.  The fully intact buildings and homes, as well as resorts and marketplaces, as well as the design of the architecture from this time period is truly amazing.  It is definitely, in my opinion one of the most amazing places to visit in Italy.

Italy…the Place to Be

Italy is full with beautiful landscape views and all around great weather.  Italy has a train of mountains starting in southern Europe and leading into the Mediterranean sea.  Italy has islands including Sardinia, Sicily, and around 70 other smaller islands.  Italy’s border is formed by the Alps with Switzerland, France, Slovenia, and Austria. There are also volcanoes located in Italy which includes  Stromboli (north of Sicily), Etna (on Sicily), and Vesuvius (near Naples). A big majority of Italy has dry, warms summers and mild winters.  The first city of commerce is still reigned by Milan while the Po River plain is both southern Europe’s most  industrialized region and Italy’s heartland for agricultural.  Fiat, one of the worlds largest car producer, is found in Turin which is that capital of heavy industry.  Turin is also a major attraction for tourists and pilgrims because tradition holds that the cloth from Christ’s burial is held in Turin.   The birthplace of the Renaissance was in Florence and is home to great works of religious architecture, sculpture, and paintings. Rome, which is Italy’s capital, displays the artistic and architectural grandeur of ancient civilizations. This is why Italy attracts so many tourists and pilgrims to their country.  Italy…. the place to be.

Gardaland

Since it is getting close to summer I thought it would be nice to write about something I think about around this time, amusement parks. I love riding roller coasters and eating amusement park food in the summer. I just hired about a great amusement park in Italy it called Gardaland. It is a very big and incredibly famous amusement park; it’s like their Disney World. It’s one of the biggest amusement parks in the world. In 2005 Forbes magazine said Gardaland is the fifth best amusement park in the world. Gardaland open July 29^th 1975 it started really small but it has grew tremendously the first year it had 100,000 people come to it now 3,000,000 people come a year. When it first opens it had little attractions like an Indian village and a ride called the Transgardaland Express. Now after years of building on it seem like it has hundreds of rides. Gardaland is built on the banks of Lake Garda, that’s how it got its name. In the park there are different areas that show different themes, the park has four different area that show the theme  of history, geography, space, and fantasy. In these different place they have rides and gift shops and sometimes show that let you explore the themes in a very fun in exciting away. I have never been to this amusement park but it seems very fun and I plan to travel there one day.

Lamborghini

The Lamborghini, one of the most sought after and expensive brands of cars ever made. Originally founded by a tractor manufacture Ferruccio Lamborghini, the name quickly grew to fame after producing some of the finest cars ever made. However went bankrupt in the 1970’s during the oil crisis, were bought by Chrysler, sold again to Mycom Setdco, and then eventually AUDI, a subgroup of Volkswagen. It is under AUDI that the name Lamborghini grew to it’s highly prized name. Lamborghini currently employs only 831 people and only produces a small number of cars per year. The few cars produced however, are easily some of the fastest on any road today. The V-10 powered Gallardo and the V-12 Aventador have unmatched performance and luxury. The cars are often produced in a small number with a few special modifications. There have actually been a few gold plated Lamborghini produced! The price on one of those is waaay to high for the average joe. Lamborghini has become a symbol of wealth and power . The super wealthy and collectors will sacrifice an arm and a leg to get an authentic Italian Lamborghini in their driveway or garage. When I become a billionaire I’m probably going to own a few, but defiantly not a gold plated one. That’s just showing off.

Italian Immigrants Abroad and Mussolini’s Legacy

        In the 19th century, many of Italian immigrants heading to so-called New Worlds: America, Canada, and Australia from all over Italy, especially the South, impacted the direction of Italian English domestically and abroad. The first wave of Italian immigrants, many of whom went in discovery of improved economic conditions, were largely responsible for this new interest in forms of English that existed outside of Britain. American culture began to infiltrate the shores of Italy in connection with economic and material prosperity, and of course, the very real notion of the “American Dream.”

          Pulcini took big interest in the Italian immigrants that made their way to English colonies. This affected attitudes toward the English language in two very major, almost contradictory ways: on the one hand, America, and in turn the English language, was seen as “a promised land of job opportunities, of freedom and of democracy”; on the other, the harsh realities of “New World” life that many emigrants reported, along with the material, middle-class values of Americans, led to general attitudes of suspicion and “distrust” amongst Italians toward nations such as the United States, and indeed, the English language.

The Plague Doctor

The Plague Doctor or Il Dottore as they are sometimes referred to as, were doctors that attempted to aid the sick during the plague outbreak in Italy.  During the plague more than 400,000 people died of illness in Rome, Naples, and other Italian cities.  The costume worn by the plague doctor is infamous for its startling appearance.  The actual plague doctors were not known to have worn the masks that resemble a bird that is often associated with them, but rather plain-waxed masks.  The bird mask may be attributed to Charles de Lorme, although it still remains largely associated with the “Bird Doctors” of Italy.  The purpose of the mask was to keep the Doctor from being infected by the sick that he was aiding.  The rest of the plague doctors outfit was coated in wax due to the thought that this would keep the illness and its associated germs at bay.  The infamous costume of the plague doctor is now associated with Il Dottore of the commedia dell’arte movement and is often donned by participants in Italy’s Festivale! 

Jupiter and Zeus

Jupiter was the kind of all the Roman gods, while Zeus is almost his Greek counterpart. Both were seen as the greatest kings of all the gods. There are some distinctions, though, that keep them apart. Jupiter is seen as the almighty; although he listened to a council of 12 for advice, he ultimately made all choices. Zeus on the other hand was ruled by the Fates, and was an elected position. Both have a wife, which in each case was also jealous. Each god feared their wife, and that caused problems and benefits for them. 

Jupiter was a fearful figure to all the other Roman gods, yet he was still afraid of his wife Juno. One main lore that shows his fear for her is the story about Io. Jupiter was one of the three sons of Saturn, along with Neptune and Pluto. According to this mythology, the world was split up between each of the three sons so that they may rule the earth. Jupiter took the air, Saturn took the sea, and Pluto ruled the underworld. Jupiter was a god that could be humorous, but also had a short temper. 

Animals in Italy

My immediate family consists of 5 extreme animal lovers. We currently have three horses, three birds (two parrots, one lovebird), three dogs, one indoor cat, six outdoor cats, chickens, and a ferret. In the past we have housed reptiles, pet mice, guinea pigs, and many other creatures! Because of my love for animals I thought that it would be interesting to see what kind of animals I would hopefully run into if I were to visit Italy. I was excited to see that there are many different kinds of animals that live in Italy. Some of the animals that are found in Italy can also be found around my home, and include brown bear, deer, and wolves. However, many animals that are not common in the United States but are found in Italy are unfortunately endangered or close to endangerment. Some of these animals include wild goats, named muflani, unique frogs named discoglossus sardo, and even large, rare and beautiful butterflies! Seeing pictures of animals is hardly enough for me, so I would be very interested in seeking out the wonderful wildlife in Italy as I do here in the United States!

Care for a Biscotti?

Despite my family’s German heritage, we can’t get enough of Italian food. In fact, my dad prepares biscotti for the local farmer’s market. Although most Americans know about these hard Italian cookies, where do they really come from?

Biscotti literally means “twice-baked.” This name is due to the cookie’s baking process, which requires placing the dough in the oven twice. The food also goes by biscotti di Prato (Prato biscuits) and cantuccini (coffee bread). The first recipe–found by scholar Amadio Baldanzi–appeared in an ancient manuscript from the region of Prato. Biscotti were a favorite dessert for sailors leaving the ports. The biscuits could be preserved on voyages due to their dry nature, lasting up to three or four months without additional preservation techniques. It’s even rumored that Christopher Columbus ate them on his famous sea journey. 

How are biscotti made? The primary mixture of dough includes flour, sugar, eggs, and pine nuts or almonds. In fact, traditional baking does not use yeast or any form of fat. After the first bake, the dough is sliced before baking again. This process helps the cookie get a hard texture. Recently, biscotti recipes have come to include anything from pistachios and anise to cinnamon and chocolate. 

Eaten properly, biscotti are dunked into a drink. Italians typically choose to eat the biscuits as a dessert, accompanied by a wine named Vin Santo. Sometimes, the cookies can be a nice breakfast treat as well. Spain’s version–called carquinyoli–are served with a sweet dessert wine. It’s actually more common in America to dip biscotti in coffee, cappuccinos, lattes, and tea. 

Today, biscotti appear at coffee houses, restaurants, and markets all around the world. The variety of different flavors continues to give the biscuits a universal appeal. Whether you enjoy dipping them in wine, dunking them in coffee, or just munching on them plain, biscotti are the perfect Italian cookie!