Forza Italia! – World Cup Soccer

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May 312010

Defense, Defense, Defense – it’s the Italian way. Italy is the reigning World champions and defenders of the trophy going into South Africa. Their fans have high expectations, but not based on their play or their qualification results. Italy was the unexpected winner of the World Cup back in 2006 in a penalty shoot out that restored honor to Italian football after a match fixing scandals had brought the Italian game to the brink of collapse.

Now that everything is normal, the Italian fans expect nothing but the best. Their team however has overachieved and, though still a powerhouse, is not nearly the team they once were. Leaders like former captain Francesco Totti and 2006 match winner Fabio Grosso have been left out of the team and those remaining are not all Internationally tested. A group consisting of Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia should gain the Italian team much needed confidence but don’t expect them to go much further than the round of 16.  Having said that, the same thing was said 2006 and they managed to lift the cup. With arguably the best “keeper in the world and the stingiest defense,” you just never know.

You can enjoy sumptuous pasta and the energy of Italy on all of our European touring programs including our European Discovery, European Escape, European Experience, European Escapade, Backpack Italy and Backpack Europe programs.

The Westcoast Blogger

Posted by wcc360 at 4:53 AM Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Crooked Structures

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Mar 022010

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the bell tower of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa.

Although designed to stand vertically, the tower began to lean shortly after construction began in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and unstable soil that allowed the foundation to shift. When the Pisans entered war, construction was stopped allowing the underlying soil to settle. If construction had continued, the tower would have toppled.

Construction started again over a century later. Engineers tried to compensate for the tilt by making upper floors taller on one side than the other. This made the tower lean in the other direction.

The tower is 183 feet from the ground on the lowest side and 186 feet from the ground on the highest side. At the base, the walls are 13 feet apart. At the top, the walls are 8 feet apart.

The tower has two staircases. The north-facing staircase has two fewer steps (294) than the south-facing staircase (296).

Prior to restoration work that was performed in 1990 and 2001, the tower leaned at an angle of 5.5 degrees. The tower now leans at about 3.99 degrees. This means that the tower is over 12 feet from where it would stand if the tower were perfectly vertical.

The scaffolding on the tower is there to help repair visual damage (mostly corrosion and blackening).

On January 7, 1990, the tower was closed to the public for fear that it would collapse. The bells were removed to relieve some weight and cables were tied around the third level and anchored several meters away. Apartments and houses in the path of the tower were vacated. In the end, 50 cubic yards of soil were removed from underneath the higher end. The tower was straightened, returning it to the exact position that it occupied in 1838. After a decade of corrective reconstruction and stabilization efforts, the tower was reopened on December 15, 2001. In May 2008, another 77 tons of earth were removed. For the first time the tower’ history, engineers declared the tower stable.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is no longer the world’s most lopsided building. That title was been taken by a German church steeple in Suurhusen which leans at 5.19 degrees.

Want to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Head to Europe this summer on our European Escape, European Discovery, European Escapade, European Experience, Backpack Italy, or Backpack Europe programs.

The Westcoast Blogger

Posted by wcc360 at 4:29 PM Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,

Gelato at Vivolis

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Feb 252010

As the Northeast prepares for a snowstorm and snow is on everyones mind, why not think about something else that is cold … Italian Gelato!

Gelato, in essence, is Italian ice cream. In fact, gelato in Italian means “frozen”, but it is basically used to indicate  Italian ice cream. It is made with many of the same ingredients as traditional ice cream including milk, cream, sugar, and flavorings including fruit and nuts but has a lower fat content and a higher sugar content. Where as ice cream is made from cream, gelato is made from milk or water. Gelato also contains a high amount of protein and vitamins, especially when it is made with milk, nuts and fruit.

Unlike commercial ice cream which is frozen in a continuous assembly line freezer, gelato is frozen very quickly in individual small batches. The batch freezer adds air into the mix as it freezes resulting in a denser product with more intense flavor. Because of the freshness, gelato only holds its flavor and texture for several days.

The history of gelato dates back to the 16th century. Some stories say that gelato originated in ancient Egypt and Rome and was made from the ice and snow brought down from mountain tops. Many agree that the most recent gelato appeared in Florence. Bernardo Buontalenti, in 1565, presented the recipe and his innovative refrigerating techniques to Caterina de’ Medici. She in turn brought the novelty to France, where in 1686 the Sicilian fisherman Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli perfectioned the first ice cream machine. Popularity skyrocketed in when the first mobile ice cream cart was developed.

The last time I was in Italy, I enjoyed scoop after scoop of stracciatella (the equivalent of chocolate chip ice cream). Hands down, the best cone I ate was in Florence at Vivoli’s.

Craving gelato? Join us on our European Escape, European Discovery, European Escapade, European Experience, Backpack Italy, or Backpack Europe programs this summer.

And for those of you shoveling snow today and tomorrow, as you sip your hot chocolate close your eyes and imagine a cold gelato on a hot summer night in Italy!

The Westcoast Blogger

Posted by wcc360 at 9:20 PM Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,
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