So there we were.. ready for our medieval feast

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Bevagna is a small town in Umbria. It's a charming and picturesque walled town, that was an important place in ancient Roman days, situated along the Via Flaminia. It's also home to a festival called Mercato Delle Gaite. For a few days each spring, the town is time-warped back to the middle ages.

If you visit during this time, you'll find quite a different place than normal! The townspeople are all dressed in medieval garb, and the locals are very much into the spirit of the event. As you wander through the streets, you'll find all sorts of unusual activities underway, from falconry, to blacksmithing, to paper making.

The town is historically divided into four quarters, "Le Gaite". These neighborhoods compete against each other in different events as part of the festival, and there's a real rivalry between them. Archery is one of the events. Watching the contestants in their tunics engaged in this traditional endeavor, can really take you back. Just pretend that the spectators are of a different era, too!

One of the competitions is cooking, and that's where our banquet comes in. For this, we all got to dress in character, and attend an authentic medieval feast. There were jesters and musicians, and food and drink appropriate to the time.

"Appropriate to the time" has a very specific meaning here. It must be "food as it was prepared and served between 1250 and 1350, in this region of Italy". They're very particular about this authenticity when it comes to judging. A dish could be eliminated from competition if it used a type of apple that wasn't grown at that time! Somehow I expected this historical food to be bland, but I was surprised by how delicious it was. I was fortunate enough to be given a cookbook with the secret recipes from Gaita Santa Maria.

You can see photos of the town at Excursion to Bevagna, taken at a quieter time of year, without all the medieval activity!

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I'm not sure when we'll be back in Bevagna, but looking at this makes me hope it will be soon. We'll have to start planning another Tuscany and Umbria trip before long... That was so much fun!

PS. The guy in the middle looking like a happy Friar Tuck was our driver, Massimo. His true calling should have been opera singer -- what an amazing voice!
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What if you could travel back in time to witness Roman chariot racing at the Circus Maximus in ancient Rome?

The Ancient Romans knew how to make their politicians work for THEM, and often demanded "bread and circuses" from political candidates.  Gangs were seen rioting through the streets in celebration of their favorite charioteer's victory.  Fights broke out between the fans of victors and losers.  Sound like modern day fans at the Super Bowl?  No, these sports fanatics were celebrating the victorious Roman chariot racing at the Circus Maximus about 2,000 years ago. The races took place on either side of a brook that ran between the Aventine and Palatine hills.

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Circus Maximus

Circus Maximus in ancient Rome

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Latin for "greatest circus", the Circus Maximus was the first and largest circus in ancient Rome, and it could seat about a quarter of the entire population of the city. Most Romans did not have weekends off, working seven days a week.  However, there were many holiday breaks featuring chariot racing.  Men and women were allowed in the audience, making it a popular family entertainment.

The Roman racetrack was called a "circus", from the Latin word for circle. The Circus Maximus was around 2000 ft long and 625 ft wide. That is about the size of five modern football fields laid end to end.  At its largest, the stadium had three tiers of seating and an estimated capacity of up to 270,000 spectators!

The antagonism that existed between rival camps often ended with bloody results. On a lighter note, there was free food on the way out, to encourage the crowds to leave at the finish.

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Chariot racing

Chariot racing was an extremely dangerous sport, frequently resulting in spectacular crashes and the death of many of the contestants.  Think of it as the NASCAR of the ancients. Roman spectacles, in which bloodshed and brutality were common, generated strong spectator enthusiasm, and chariot racing was no exception.  In the ancient Olympic Games, chariot racing was one of the most important events.

Victory! A triumphant charioteer

The chariots started from twelve gates, six on either side of an entrance. Above sat the presiding official whose white flag signaled the races to begin. At either end of the racetrack were the turning posts, around which charioteers raced their steeds at break-neck speeds. There were thirteen turns, for seven laps, a distance of five miles, twice that of a modern track.

Up to twelve teams of horses thundered onto the track.  There could be anywhere from four to 12 chariots competing in the race. As the race progressed, passions flared both on and off the track.  Teams represented different groups of financial backers and competed for the services of particularly skilled drivers.  Although most Roman charioteers began their racing careers as slaves, those who were successful could buy their freedom.

Charioteers wrapped the reins tightly around their waists, using their body weight to control the horses. Unable to let go of the reins in a crash, they would be dragged around the circus until they were killed or they freed themselves.

A number of teams would cooperate by ganging up on opponents, forcing them out of the preferred inside track, making them lose concentration, causing accidents and injury.  And the crowd goes wild!

The once popular sport declined in importance after the fall of Rome.  But talk about history repeating itself. . .  There is a plan in the works to reintroduce Roman chariot racing at the Circus Maximus.  You may be able to watch this ancient spectacle yourself!

Find out more at: Ancient times: Chariots to race once more at circus

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The trip to Rome we'd planned for 2009 is on "recession hold" right now, as we work on more domestic women's trips in 2009 instead.  We'll be back in Rome again someday before long, though!  It's an amazing city, and a great item for your bucket list.
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1. Rome, Italy: Shady side of the Spanish Steps
2. Rome: Eternal city 100 years ago = deja vu!
3. Bevagna, Italy - Medieval feast at Le Gaite

What is it about melody that helps us memorize words and lyrics?

This can be explained by "earworms," which are melodies that get stuck in your head. Advertisers use this with catchy melodic jingles. If you find yourself walking around singing the Baby Back Ribs commercial, you are the victim of an earworm.

Now, a series from Berlitz called Earworms Learning has put this annoying phenomenon to good use, by creating audio CDs designed to drill a foreign language into your head. They do this by using the same catchy melodies utilized by advertising agencies.

Are you a skeptic? Quick: How do you say, "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?" in French?

In case you're too young to know the answer: "Voulez vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?"

For you geeky types who need to know the science behind everything, according to the Earworms Learning website, extensive research has been conducted by the Bulgarian physician Georgi Lozanov, who discovered that "music puts listeners into a state of relaxed alertness, the alpha state, the ideal state of consciousness for learning."

The Earworms Learning Program comes in two volumes. In volume one, you'll learn basic travel dialogue, that will help you order at a restaurant, shop, ask for directions and other useful conversational tidbits. Volume two teaches you to hold a conversation and actually talk about yourself. Courses are available in French, Spanish, Italian, Greek, and more.
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Being the "eternal city", Rome has so many sites and sights that date back varying numbers of centuries. That's one of the most fascinating things about the city!

You find layers upon layers of history. Something from today, on top of something built 500 years ago, on top of something from 2,000 years ago. There's nowhere quite like it.

Of course, chances are that the 500-year old building took all their marble from the 2,000-year old building. The Romans have been recycling since ancient times!

So you'll be bound to recognize some of these scenes if you visit the city today -- they don't look much different than a hundred years ago. A century is just a drop in the bucket of Roman history.

Starting at the top:
- Roman forum
- Fountain in Piazza Navona
- St. Peters piazza...

Hey, wait a minute! What's going on? That looks just like me, standing in front of the fountain in front of St. Peters cathedral! Talk about deja vu all over again. No wonder I feel this affinity for Rome, since I must have been there in a past life.

--> Click on the photos to discover their secret...

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Seriously, all these photos were taken on my trip to Rome just a few weeks ago. The transition to 100-year old archival versions is courtesy of a free Japanese "time machine" site. Just upload your photo, push a button, and voila! (Uh oh - now I'm mixing languages as well as times!) Oh well, try it out -- simple and fun!
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After a hot, sunny morning exploring the amazing ruins of Pompeii, Italy, I decided to stop at their snack bar for lunch. An icy cold beer sounded like just the ticket.

When I got to the beverage section of the line, I was mystified to find that the only bottled beer they had was a Scottish strong ale. Since when do Italians drink Scottish ale? What happened to serving local products? It just didn't add up.

The wine they sold there was indeed the local vintage -- Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio, grown right on the slopes of Vesuvius, the volcano that destroyed the city on Pompeii almost 2,000 years ago. If the wine was local, why not the beer?

Partway through lunch, I had an "aha moment", and it all made sense. The name of the wine means "Tears of Christ", and the name of the beer is "Devil's Kiss". Somebody there has a sense of humor!

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I was in Pompeii doing some investigation for a future women's trip to Italy, and will keep you posted on developments. In the meantime, check out the tragic story of the city buried by the volcano: Pompeii, Italy: The Lost City.
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click for larger image

This was a perfect day in Rome, Italy -- assuming you like abundant amounts of sunshine and heat! I walked all over the city (at least it felt like all over), and saw many of its famous sites. A great thing about Rome is how walkable it is -- so many sites are within walking distance, it’s incredible!

The Spanish Steps are one of the most famous locations in Rome. On this hot, sunny day in July, people were dangling their feet in the fountain, and umbrellas were popular items for the street vendors.

Visitors always want to sit on the famous Spanish Steps, but today, everyone was crowded together, in the one little spot on the steps. Today, nobody wanted the sunny side of the street (or the sunny side of the steps)!

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I’m in Italy now, checking things out for a future version of our Italy tour for women. Rome is one of my favorite cities on earth. There’s so much history here, and so much art, and so much life… it’s fascinating, awe-inspiring, and so much fun!

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1. Rome Italy - Chariot racing at Circus Maximus
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3. Pompeii, Italy: The Mystery of the Scottish Ale

The throne was found during an excavation in the Villa of the Papyri, the private house formerly belonging to Julius Caesar's father-in-law, Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, built on the slope of Mount Vesuvius. The name of the villa derives from the impressive library containing thousands of scrolls of papyrus discovered buried under meters (yards) of volcanic ash after the Vesuvius eruption."

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Other wooden objects have been excavated in nearby Pompeii, but experts have never before found such a significant ceremonial piece. Such thrones have previously only been seen in paintings or sculptures.

Reuters: Rare ancient wooden throne found in Herculaneum

There's also a very cool page on Pompeii and its violent volcanic end at

Pompeii, Italy - The lost city.

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Infiorata -- Pienza, Italy
---The Infiorata is held annually in Pienza. People take fresh flower petals -- millions of them, and create designs on the city streets. Paths of petals lead up and down roads throughout the town, and even outside the town walls. They wind around, and eventually reach the main display in front of the cathedral.Pienza is a lovely city at any time of year, and if you're here during the Infiorata (date varies), it's extra special. We do Italy tours for women every year, and there's always something new to see in this wonderful country!

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2. Space alien fires in Italy
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The small village in Sicily drew attention 3 years ago, after a series of unexplained fires involving electrical cables and appliances. Arson was ruled out. One scientist was amazed to see an unplugged cable spontaneously burst into flames. The Vatican's chief exorcist cited demonic powers.

A government source emphasizes that this report is still preliminary. It could have been top-secret weapons, too.

Telegraph: Aliens caused Sicily fires, say officials

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Our Italy trip for women, Living la dolce vita, visits Italy in May, but don't count on seeing aliens -- at least not the little green men kind!
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Related posts:

1. Pompeii, Italy: The Mystery of the Scottish Ale
2. Rome, Italy: Shady side of the Spanish Steps
3. Bevagna, Italy - Medieval feast at Le Gaite

The Etruscans were predecessors to the Romans. They were an unrelated people whose sophisticated culture ruled a sizable portion of what is now Italy, centuries before the Romans arrived on the scene.

There's been a long-running controversy about the origins of the Etruscans. (Also about what eventually happened to them, but that's a different story.) They're definitely an ancient culture surrounded by mystery!

Various theories have held that the Etruscans migrated from the east, migrated from the north, or descended from neolithic people who lived in the same area. Theories have their supporters, but there has never been enough hard proof one way or another.

Now a geneticist from the University of Turin, Italy, believes he's found the evidence, and cracked the case. Professor Alberto Piazza, says that genetic evidence shows that the Etruscans, whose brilliant civilization flourished 3000 years ago in (what is now) Tuscany, were settlers from (what is now) southern Turkey.

Ancient Etruscans were immigrants from Anatolia, or what is now Turkey

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Our Tuscany tours for women visit several sites that were founded by the Etruscans, and I'm always on the lookout for relevant items. I'll post whatever I find of interest in our Italy category.
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