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Archive for March, 2011

Who Else Wants To Visit Italy This Easter?

For the citizens of Italy largely a Roman Catholic people Easter “Pasqua” is a very special time of year. It is by far the most sacred of all Christian holidays and for most Italians truly a reason to rejoice.

Many of the individual towns in Italy have their own unique Easter celebrations on Easter Sunday and during the days of Holy Week including Good Friday. Easter Monday also known as “la Pasquetta” is also a notable holiday throughout the country with schools and businesses closed and people taking to the streets to continue the celebration that began with the commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ the day before.

Holy Week

In Italy the most typical way to mark Good Friday was the day that Jesus was crucified is by an elaborate procession Passion play or similar event. Again the commemoration of this solemn day on the Christian calendar varies from town to town.

In Chieti in the Abruzzi region of Italy the Good Friday procession is said to be the oldest in the country and is certainly one of the most moving. Men and children parade through the torchlit streets of the town each wearing the colors of their home parish. They carry symbols that characterize the Stations of the Cross and one individual carries a large wooden cross. The entire procession is accompanied by the haunting sounds of about 150 violins playing Miserere by Italian composer Savario Selecchy.

In Taormina one woman is chosen to portray Mary the mother of Jesus. She wanders through the dark streets in search of her lost son assisted by blackrobed locals who attempt to help her find Jesus.

In Calitri men in white hoods topped by crowns of thorns make their way through the streets carrying crosses on their shoulders. Church choirs follow them singing hymns psalms and folksongs of the region.

In the Sicilian town of Enna Good Friday traditions go all the way back to the period of Spanish domination in Italy around the 15th to 17th centuries. About 2000 hooded men travel through the main streets holding Vare religious statues of the dead Christ and his mother Mary. Others carry symbols of the crucifixion including the thirty denarii paid to Peter to betray Christ as well as nails and a crown of thorns.

Easter Sunday and Monday

Marking a joyous day after a very solemn week Easter celebrations in Italy are spectacular and generally last two days as Easter Monday is a designated national holiday for Italians.

The most notable Easter celebration is in Florence and is called Scoppio del Carro the explosion of the cart. This tradition includes an ornate cart dragged through the streets of the city by several white oxen. Following mass at the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore a doveshaped rocket is aimed at the cart igniting the fireworks within which then explode accompanied by much fanfare and shouts of joy. A gala parade follows.

In Palermo women dress in the elegant costumes of the 15th century Byzantine era and make their way through the streets of the town handing out red Easter eggs to outstretched hands. In Chieti a pageant is staged that represents the reuniting of mother and son Mary and Jesus.

Easter Monday is a day of much merriment characterized by events such as the wacky “cheese roll” in the Umbrian town of Panicale. Quite simply participants roll their large wheel of cheese around a course set up on the streets of this quaint village. Whoever is able to get their cheese through the course with the fewest number of strokes wins the game. There is also free music free wine and lots of free hardboiled eggs!

About the writer:  Dominic Siano is president of Tour Italy Now http://www.touritalynow.com the largest online travel tour operator. A lover of all things Italian Dominic has worked extensively in the Italian tourism industry. To learn more about Dominic visit his blog at http://www.domsiano.com.

Veracruz — Excellent Seafood In Oaxaca That Simple A Oaxaca Restaurant Review

We nonnative Oaxacans have our rulesdont drive outside the city after dark never eat fresh unpeeled produce be cautious feasting on the street or in markets. For me after lessthanorgasmic culinary experiences there was wait til youre on the coast to eat fish or seafood. Thankfully all changed after starting to dine at Veracruz a couple of years ago. For over 10 years owners Leo and Rosita have been serving up some of the best seafood Ive ever eaten anywhere. Perhaps because as native Veracruzanos mariscos is in their blood. Perhaps because they take pride in their fresh and exquisitely prepared and seasoned dishes as is abundantly evident when you see Leo continually seeking assurance from his patrons that all is well.

Located a few kilometers out of Oaxaca proper Veracruz has a quaint coastal flavor to it one side simple marine dcor and the other a palapa. I prefer the atmosphere of the beachy palm leaf roof with walls of reed construction so for this comida we dined in the palapa.

Friendly and attentive staff promptly present an array of complimentary starters foreshadowing the rest of the meal.each dish distinctly flavorful not too spicy light cold when its supposed to be and hot when thats what you would expect!

Crisp tostadas appear almost as quickly as you are seated with sides of green and red salsas and requisite mayonnaise and saltines. Next a meaty crab leg salad in a light spicy vinaigrette with chopped tomato and green pepper lime and chile. Your intermezzo is steaming crab leg and pincer tomato based soup ready to give your teeth and fingers a workout.

We decided against the cocktails octopus shrimp crab etc which come in 50 and 90 peso sizes and the larger meal sized broths and bouillabaisses ranging from 85 to 150 opting for cold seafood platters. First came the lightly dressed shrimp salad with sliced red onion lime and habanero chiles followed by large triangles of sea scallop combined with white onion chile and orange slices each of these plates having been prepared with attention to color and flavor combinations. Finally appeared a tray of still steaming succulent cracked crab pincers over a bed of citrus slices and ice.

Entrees ranging from 125 pesos arrive appropriately garnished together with baskets of sliced ovenfresh baguette style bread. My wifes giant splitshell shrimp were served in a chipotle sauce almost in defiance of the traditional strong flavor of this chile alongside a healthy dollop of melted Oaxacan string cheese. Our daughter opted for shrimp in a semisweet white wine marinade with sides of cooked cubed veggies and undressed mixed salad. My whole sea bass Veracruzano style was served in a savory sauce with tomato olive caper carrot and chile. The red snapper of Fernando Gonzalez our culinary cohort for this meal still enveloped in aluminum and extending well beyond the edges of the plate was baked with pureed green tomato and spices the steamy aroma of hierba santa filling the air upon the foil being stripped away.

After a feast of such Bacchanalian proportions which included several copas of the best house mezcal any of us had previously tasted coffee and dessert were out of the question although we yielded to temptation and finished off with the sweet Spanish liqueur 43 chased with soda over ice.

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About the writer:  Alvin Starkman received his Masters in Social Anthropology in 1978. After teaching for a few years he attended Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto thereafter embarking upon a career as a litigator until 2004. Alvin now resides in Oaxaca where he writes leads small group tours to the villages markets ruins and other sites is a consultant to film production companies and operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed Breakfast. http://www.oaxacadream.com .

How Many Safari Parks Are There In Kenya

Having a vast size of over five hundred thousand square kilometres Kenya has diverse weather and climate pattern that allows the existence of different bird animal and plant species in particular areas. Likewise this marvellous country has an array of geographical features like deep valleys plains and plateaus that stretch as far as ones eyes can be able to see mountains that form breathtaking backdrops the incredible coastal region and other landscapes dotted with unique topographies.

The magnificent national parks found in Kenya are equally spread within these geographical features to create a unique assortment of sceneries with the complex diversity of flora and fauna. This also depends on the kind of experience one would wish to have in their safari and the distance they would wish to travel. In this regard different parks are found within different distances from Nairobi the Kenyan capital which is without doubt the gateway to the Kenyan interior from any part of the world.

Starting us off is the Nairobi National Park which is the oldest in the country and the closest to the capitals Central Business District. As a matter of fact the Nairobi National Park is regarded as the only national park where animals are found living in their natural habitat within a citys proximity. Located on the Athi Plains the park would greatly appeal to those who dont have an obsession for long distance road trips since it is just a few minutes drive from the Nairobi Central Business District.

The lower plains that cover the South Western part of the country hosts one of the amazing Wonders of the Modern World; the Masai Mara Game Reserve. This park has successfully managed to find a spot on the global scene due to the spectacular wildebeest annual migration that involves the migration of herbivores from Kenya to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in search of pastures. In this park it is typical for one to find a lion enjoying a freshly caught kill a cheetah during its highspeed hunting spree and a zebra hiding from the conniving leopard. There is world class accommodation facilities set up within the reserve hence making it a relaxing haven.

Further south is the Tsavo National Park. This is the largest park in the country and among the largest in the world occupying approximately four percent of the total Kenyan land mass. The Tsavo National Park is indeed so large that it has been split into two Tsavo East and Tsavo West by the Mombasa to Nairobi Highway to allow easier coverage by the tourists. The park is home to over a thousand plant species and a sizeable amount of birds and animal species. The Tsavo National Park also boasts of ancient volcanic hills that are a source of fresh water for the coastal population.

The above examples are some of the major safari parks in the country where one is undoubtedly guaranteed the best interaction with Mother Nature. Other than the three mentioned above one catch a glimpse of the infamous the highest mountain at the Mount Kenya National Park or take a steep ride into the deep Rift Valley to behold the marvellous lakes that dot the valley floor the parks found in the valley are Lake Naivasha National Park Lake Nakuru National Park and Lake Elementaita Nature Reserve. Therefore it can considerably be said that Kenya offers quite a number of safari parks where can sit back relax and enjoy the natures theatrics.

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