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Written by Larry Aiello
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Thursday, 19 January 2012 02:29 |
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I was just watching the news tonight on the Italian television (RAI International), and they were talking about the Concordia Disaster that happened off the coast of Giglio, Tuscany.
Dangerous Work
We really have to take our hats off to the folks that are assisting in the recovery efforts. They are risking their lives to look for survivors. The waters are cold and dark. They have to deal with all the chemicals, debris, etc. from the ship. The rescuers can not even see their hand in front of their face. In addition, the ship has recently moved about a meter and a half (4.5 feet). They showed that it is wedged on a type of sandbar on the floor of the sea, and they are afraid that the sandbar could give, and that the whole ship could end up submerged. Think of the environmental consequences of such an event, if that should occur.
How to get the ship out of the water
RAI television news showed a scenario on how they can get the ship out of the water. They showed gigantic balloons that would prop the ship up on the submerged side, and then have it towed back into port.
It's ironic, in my earlier post, Italy in Review 2011, I posted about the challenges that Italy went through last year with natural disasters, etc. And now they have another unfortunate circumstance to overcome.
As of right now, the number missing from a Yahoo! report is at 29, and the Captain of the ship is under house arrest.
Let's take time to pray for the families of those that may have lost a loved one. And also let's take this time out to thank all the people that help the general public that risk their lives everyday such as firemen, policemen, emergency workers, those that serve our military, etc.
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Written by Larry Aiello
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Sunday, 15 January 2012 00:40 |
Italy travel tip - Try not to cram for your Italian vacation
Many of you probably are used to cramming for an exam, perhaps you did so in college or high-school to get that last minute studying in before the exam.
Many people go to Italy and try to do the same thing. They'll try to do Milan, Venice, Rome, Florence, Naples, etc. in a 7-day stretch. Did you know that in each of these cities, particularly Rome and Florence, that there is so much to do and see, you can easily spend a month and not see it all. These are cities that have thousands of years of history, it is impossible to see it all in a few hours.
I think you can have a much more enjoyable vacation if you just focus on one place, and try to do little day trips from your hub. For example, nice day trips from Florence can include Fiesole, Siena, Pisa and Lucca.
It's good to savor your Italian vacation - enjoy the gelato, the evening strolls (passeggiate), do some shopping, go to a local grocery store and buy a picnic lunch, etc.
It'll save you aggravation of traveling to another location, and it'll save you the expense of driving, gasoline, train tickets, etc. as well!
Buon viaggio!
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Tuesday, 10 January 2012 20:34 |
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The Capotoline museums in Rome are engaging their visitors with some pretty high-tech, modern and innovative techniques using NFC or near-field communications that work with smart phones.
The museums consist of 2 palaces
- Palazzo Nuovo
- Palazzo dei Conservatori
Here is their information
Capitoline museums
Piazza del Campidoglio, Capitol Hill, Rome
Phone 06/39967800 (Information)
Opening hours:
Tue - Sun, 9.30am - 8pm
View the video below for more information on this new feature:
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Last Updated on Monday, 02 January 2012 00:45 |
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Written by Larry Aiello
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Thursday, 05 January 2012 16:06 |
I recently posted a recipe about Panelle, a fried chickpea fritter street food that is popular in Palermo.
If you live in New York City, there is a place that just opened (Sept 2011) called Pane Panelle, where you can enjoy this Sicilian item for about $8 - $10, served with a side of homemade caponata. They serve it on a hamburger bun, which is not what they do in Palermo, but nonetheless, I will try this place next time I am in New York City.
They also serve
- eggplant parm
- muffuletta
- panelle parm (chickpea fritters, mozzarella and tomato sauce)
- melanzane e panelle (fried eggplant, chickpea fritters, mortadella and pecorina)
It's a little takeout counter place, here is the info:
Pane Panelle
Chef Pal Di Bari
305½ Church St. (between Walker and Lispenard)
Open noon to 6 p.m. daily; 212-219-2357
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Written by Larry Aiello
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Sunday, 01 January 2012 14:05 |
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The year of 2011 will go down as a very tumultuous year in Italian history. A year full of promise, change, natural disasters, economic crisis, political upheaval, etc. It is a year quite like no other in Italian history.
The year of promise started earlier in the year the country celebrated its 150 year anniversary of unification. Previously, it was a country of many different feudal states. All throughout the year we saw great fanfare which included many cultural events, celebrations, parades, fireworks, concerts, etc. The actual anniversary took place on March 17th, but there were celebrations that lasted well into the summer.
Italian natural disasters
The floods in Italy that took place this past October and November have been devastating. November is the usually rainiest month in Italy, and that is the time when the famous acqua alta in Venice typically occurs, but it has been decades since we have seen anything like the destruction in Liguria and Tuscany. Monterosso and Vernazza (2 towns of the famous Italian riviera resort area Cinque Terre) were particularly hit hard, and will be a while before they can recover from the natural disaster. Monterosso may be ready for this summer’s tourist season, but the repairs will take longer in Vernazza. There were even heavy floods in the opposite end of the country in Messina, Sicily during the latter part of November.
We also saw riots in Rome as the “Occupy fill in the blank location” movement spread to Italy as well. The root of all these “occupy” movements, in a nutshell, really boils down to dissatisfaction pertaining to money and the economy.
Financial problems in Italy
The Italian debt is at a staggering 1.9 trillion Euros (2.4 trillion USD). It is running at 120 times Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The only European country that is higher is Greece at 140. The USA is running about 100 times GDP. No one wants to accept the fact that austerity measures are probably needed, but in the land of "la dolce vita", no one wants to hear it. This has caused a lot of political pressure. At the heart of the austerity measures are the generous pension plans that Italians have grown accustomed to over the years, many receiving full pensions at age 55.
Goodbye Berlusconi
We also saw the ouster of former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, (Berlusconi steps down) Italy’s richest man. He was the longest running prime minister in Italy since Musolini, but his time ran up as the financial pressures, and political pressures forced a change, and now Mario Monti is the new Prime Minister. Monti’s background and expertise in economics comes at a perfect time, as Italy will need many experts to get itself out of economic turmoil.
Despite all the problems, Italy is still the 5th most visited country in the world (2010 wiki stats) with approx 43 million visitors. They rank behind France, US, China and Spain. I’ll be curious to see what the 2011 figures turn out to be.
As we look towards 2012, I imagine that Italy can right itself financially with the proper austerity measures, and tax increases as Monti is trying to get passed.
I bet many Italians will be happy to say "Addio" which means goodbye to 2011 and they will welcome 2012 with a nice warm Italian smile, and a double kiss or "un gran abbraccio" (big hug).
I want to wish everyone un Buon capodanno or Happy New Year!
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