Messages posted by: Alban

maybe this is interesting or maybe not .

If you happen to be in Italy on July 2nd or August 16th don't even think of missing the horse race in Siena, the Palio. This is "The" event that keeps this little medieval town healthy and alive yearlong. 10 contradas (neighborhoods) out of 17 total will race in the main square, Il Campo, to win the Palio, which is a sacred event to the sienese.

It's a matter of pride for them to win this race and they spend the whole year organizing the race and making sure (somehow) that either their contrada (or their allies') will win.

Usually people dine in the streets for as week during the Palio and although the sienese are very nice people (especially toward tourists), I'd think twice before joining the party. I would also recommend not forcing yourself to put Italian words together to create a phrase - just speak English and they'll understand you.

I'd also be careful right after the race ends. Let the townspeople leave first for sometime they like to pick on each other and I wouldn't be happy to find myself (or see you!) in the middle of it. Very important, if you want to eat in Piazza during Palio time consider reserving in advance- think weeks, not hours- giving them a tip in advance might help jog their memory at the appropriate moment. Enjoy Siena for it's an Italian medieval beauty.

The bird flu has actually invaded entirely Europe and I don't see this ending soon.However people don't seem to panic and I can still sense that people are making traveling plans.

How do you think are people going to travel this summer?Where will people go mostly ?Will they stay away from the bird flu areas?

mary wrote:

Free as Freedom to check out sitebits !

and add any eventual comments...

what would your coffin be ????

This years Commonwealth Games will be held in Melbourne and I couldn't care less .But I found a very curious fact .There is this show of this artist from Ghana who makes this weird coffins that look like shoes ,cellphones ,shark and so forth.I also dicscovered that this is traditional of Ghana.Dying in Ghana is an event to mourn but also to celebrate.They believe that after they die people move into another life so they make sure to do it with style.The coffins are suppose to show an aspect of the dead's life or a vice (say,for a smoker it'll be a big cigarette shaped coffin and a drunkard would be buried in a bottle shaped one,taken that he drinks beer).

strange world...
Does anyone know more about the fantasy coffins?

and by the way the Commonwealth Games for who's interested are held 15-26 March in Melbourne,Australia.

Naked men wearing only sunglasses and wrapped in plastic , caring a bar-code were for sale for a few minutes in a supermaket in Venice.

This was created by a famous Italian photographer (Gianfranco Angelico) who's well known in Italy for his provocative artefacts. You can actually see the pictures of this event at the Arteferia di Vicenza from 10 to 13 of March or by clicking here you can see a bunch of them, probably not the best ones though..

http://multimedia.repubblica.it/home/154398/1?

A special task force of the municipal police of Milan will not allow anymore the "writers" (as the graffiti people are called) to graffiti the city walls. It will actually be punishable by the law .There will also be a recompense for those who denounce a writer-on-the-wall. However,you get paid only if the police actually captures and arrests the malfaiteur. Firstly there was the hypothesis of ad hoc places for graffitis but after this failed to work in New York they opted for the complete refusal of graffitis. In New York there's actually a 500$ reward for the arrest and conviction of anyone who commits "Graffiti vandalism".In charge for nabbing the graffiters in New York is a special police force called GHOST (standing for Graffiti Habitual Offender Suppression Team).

Hard Times people....

This guy,Giullermo Farinas is a cuban psychologist who has been hunger-striking for 38 days now in order to get free acces to internet in Cuba.He's refusing medical attention and he's in critical conditions.Not too far from us people lack things that we take for granted in our everyday life...crazyyyyyy

As usual in Florence there's a long line of events of interests.I am going to make a list for those interested and planning to go to Florence this year.

Mostra Mythologica et Erotica (with more then 200 pieces focusing on mythologycal erotic)
Museo degli Argenti
timetable:8am-6pm (closed on mondays)
until May 2006

Gods and Heros
Giambologna-one of the most famous sculptors that lived in Italy after Michelangelo and before Bernini.
National Museum of Bargello
Via del Proconsolo,4
March 1st-June 15

Leonardo
Uffizi Gallery
March 2006 through January 2007

Giotto and Masaccio- late gothic splendours
Galleria dell'Accademia
May 9th-Sptember 24

Apparently Aliya (very fancy name for this beluga ,to start with ) a beluga whale named after the russian researcher who captured her, have made happy all tourists visiting Hamada City, Japan, by blowing perfect bubbles on command .

Personally, I didn't know that belugas could blow bubbles and I am not sure if this little whale learned to bubble or it's simply "deflating", so to speak. They use a scuba diving equipment to get air through her mouth. Now they're trying to make more money out of this by trying to make ALL the whales in the aquarium 'bubble' . Locals even think that those who are targetted by the "bubbles kisses" as they call the "phenomenon", are to become extremely lucky...especially the aquarium owners!

UK regulators have banned the Australian advert over the "bloody hell" phrase and they will show the ad in the UK without the "mild swear word". However, Tourism Managing Australia says that thanks to the UK ban the advert will be even more successful.Anyways, it will be kind of difficult to ban the ad while it will show on posters and of course on the internet...

this is the new campaign launched by the government of Australia to the prospective visitors .Not everyone in Australia feels happy about this begging -people- to- come campaign...

http://blogs.reuters.com/2006/02/23/where-the-bloody-hell-are-you/

Rhome-Rome

piazza Augusto Imperatore 46

Its name is a play on words Rome-Home .It's all in black and white colors and you can enjoy a special after-dinner drink .Frequented by the "Cool" people and smokers (you can smoke here) and cool-smokers ....

Culti Spacafe-Naples

via Carlo Poerio 47-47/b

You can get lunch and a massage without any healthy pretentions since they sell gourmet chocolate in the attached boutique and this place is more about glamour and luxury rather then purification.