Via Crucis Rome

Happy Easter everyone! If you are in Rome tonight, do not miss the Via Crucis – the commemoration mass with the Pope outside the Coliseum. A mass held every Good Friuday in memory of the Christian matures who died in there.  First time hold in 1991 by late Pope John Paul II.

Starting at 21:00 and goes on for approximately 2 hours. But come early, you will not be alone. Last year

Roamn Legion

Always wanted to be a Gladiator? Want to fight like the legionnaires did? It is all coming available now. New astonishing facts are beginning to leak about the collapsed roof at the Domus Aurea this last Monday. The work under way was not restoration works. It is really foundation works for a new amusement park in the Eternal City – The Gladiator World. A complete amusement field, much like Disney world is taking shape in the park overlooking the Coliseum.

Here children – and adults – will be able to attend Gladiator school, train to become a legionnaire, and other more daily life things from the Roman era. For parents, maybe while kids are fighting the battles at the New Coliseum, will be able to attend classes learning to construct aqueducts and to build a house without any modern tools. Might be a good thing for the bored teenager as well.

The food will be typical Roman, with compliments of grilled bore burgers – but no wine for the younger ones.

Coliseum on fire

The most eye catching thing about these plans is still what caused the land to collapse over the Domus Aurea. Here, with a view of the Coliseum and the whole city, will be place a giant window called Nero’s Window – look through this and you will be able to see the city of Rome burning – just like in they year 64 AD.

Domus Aurea

This morning parts of the roof of at Nero’s Golden Palace in Rome, Domus Aurea, collapsed this morning. Workers were doing repairs when parts of the roof collapsed, which in turn led to the garden on top of the roof collapsed inside the palace in an area of about 100 square meters. No one was injured, however.
Domus Aurea is situated on a hillside overlooking the Coliseum which was built during the first century after Christ and the site has been plagued by problems since it opened to the public 1999th.
Nero’s Palace was built after the Great Fire of Rome 64 years, it was intended more as a pleasure house than a residence. In addition to it’s gold leaf surface, the walls of the villa was covered with frescoes and semi-precious stones.
According to experts, the portion of the roof that collapsed was built later than the Palace, and known as Trajan Gallery. Trajan became emperor Nero after half a century and built the pool, known as the Baths of Trajan, on top of the Domus Aurea.
Tuesday’s collapse is expected to relaunch the debate about the poor condition of Rome’s crumbling monuments are in.
Domus Aurea was closed for over a year from the end of 2005 since the Ministry of Culture announced that it could not ensure visitors’ and staff safety.

The Italian businessman

An Italian businessman on his deathbed called his good friend and said, “Luigi, I want you to promise me that when I die you will have my remains cremated.”
“And what,” his friend asked, “do you want me to do with your ashes?”
The businessman said, “Just put them in an envelope and mail them to the tax collectors …and write on the envelope, ‘Now you have everything.’

Luigi and Paolo

Luigi and Paulo were fishing in the Mediterranean sea one sunny day when a World War II mine came floating along. On seeing this round, spikey object coming nearer and nearer, Luigi shouts at his friend ” Hey Paulo, it’s a mine, it’s a mine!!!” Paulo replies ” O.K. Luigi, you can-a have it!!! ”

?!?!

What do you call an Italian with his hands in his pocket? – A mute

A Greek and an Italian

A Greek and Italian were sitting in a Starbuck’s one day discussing who had the superior culture.   Over triple lattes the Greek guy says, “Well, we have the Parthenon.”

Arching his eyebrows, the Italian replies, “We have the Coliseum.” The Greek retorts, “We Greeks gave birth to advanced mathematics.”

The Italian, nodding agreement, says, “But we built the Roman Empire.”

And so on and so on until the Greek comes up with what he thinks will end the discussion.   With a flourish of finality he says, “We invented sex!”

The Italian replies, “That is true, but it was the Italians who introduced it to women!”

F1-track in Rome

In 2013 there will be a Formula 1 Grand Prix on the streets of Rome. Confirmed by Formula 1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone. This added race to the calendar will come as it increases in size once again, to 20 races.

This year there are 19 Grands Prix – the highest amount in one seasonsince 2005. 20 races in one season will be an all time high.

Rome was named as a possible candidate for a race last year before
Ecclestone seemingly drifted away from the idea, but now it seems confirmed.

Bernie Ecclestone

The race will be hold in the area of EUR, a subburb south of the town centre.

“Rome will come into the programme for 2013,” the Englishman told German magazine Speedweek.

EVA E IL PENELLO PROIBITO

Eva e il pennello proibito – l’arte di essera donna, or Eve and the prohibited brush – The art of being a woman in English is a exhibition that opened this past weekend in Pisa, at the Castle of the Vicars of Lari - an exhibition entirely dedicated to female creativity.
This is a small, albeit qualified representative of the vast art scene of the new millennium which is much different from the last millennium.The scene’s increasingly captivated by women, not without difficulty. This exhibition is intended as a further contribution to the progress of giving women as much space on the scene as men in the art world.
40 Tuscan women will show their work, containing sculptures, painting, photographs and other forms.

The exhibition will remain open to visitors, admission free, until 5 April 2010.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 15.00 – 18.00 Saturday and Sunday 10.30 – 12.30 and 15.00 – 18.00 – Closed Mondays (open on Easter Monday).

Mimosa

Today, March 8, is the International Women’s Day, and in Italy it’s very important to bring your favorite women some yellow Mimosa flowers today.

Since 1946, when the International Women’s Day has been celebrated in Italy, this little yellow flower that blooms in the beginning of March has been the symbol.

So to celebrate this day Italian style, do not forget to buy some Mimosa for your lady of choice.

Rugby Italy

A lot of people hope, but few believed it could happen, but it did. Italy bet Scotland in the Rugby Six Nation Cup. Actually being Italy’s second victory ever in the Six Nations Cup, and both has come against todays visitor.

Double celebration for Italy’s Marco Bortolami, who did his 80th game in the blue shirt. But it was Italian replacement Pablo Canavosio who stole the show with a second-half try to give the Azzurri the upper hand in the battle to avoid the RBS 6 Nations wooden spoon (0 points in the whole tournament) in their 16-12 win.
Canavosio scored the only try of the game 13 minutes before the end to settle an intense but hartful game.

Rugby

This coming Saturday Italy is taking on Scotland in the Rugby Six Nations Cup. This is Italy’s last home game this year, and as usuall it’s played on Stadio Flaminio in Rome.

It will be a tough game, as both teams are without point and wil try hard to avoid the wooden spoon – a zero point finishing result. Italy, or the Azzurri, has a seven match record since they won in the Six Nations and that victory was against Scotland in 2008.

Maro Bortolami

The game is notable to several palyers Italian lock Marco Bortolami will make his 80th appearance for Italy this weekend in an unchanged starting line-up, and the Scotland pair of Chris Cusiter and Hugo Southwell winning their 50th cap.

Bortolami, who made his debut in 2001, becomes only the fourth Italian to reach 80 caps.

Venue: Stadio Flaminio Date: Saturday, 27 February Kick-off: 14:30

Rugby

On Valentine´s day, February 14, this coming Sunday Amor will have great competition from Gli Azzurri – Italy´s national rugby team. The sports popularity have grown steadily since Italy joined what today is “The Six Nations Cup”.

Italy has two games at home this year, both played at Stadio Flaminio in Rome. Coming Sunday Gli Azzurri are visited by England, who won their first game, against Wales. Italy lost their opening game against ruling Champion Ireland.

In two weeks, on February 27, Scotland comes to Rome. If you are too, don´t miss out on this great family event.