Travel Italy - Italian Art and Architecture

Travel Italy - Highlights of Italian Art and Architecture
By Michelle Linden


Every year millions of visitors trek through Italy in search of ancient culture, great food, art, architecture, and more. The allure is immediate even to those who have never been.

There is more art and architecture to see in Italy than one person could possibly
experience in a lifetime. Rome, Florence, and Venice alone offer an unending array
of design excursions. Highlighted here are some of the must see designs of both
ancient and modern Italy. Talk a trip, bring a sketch book, and see the gorgeous art
and design that is synonymous with Italian life.

The Coliseum - An architectural marvel, the coliseum was built beginning
in 72 A.M. Originally used as a source of entertainment (usually forced barbaric
combat) the Coliseum is still an amazing site. Strangely, although it could be
considered a source of embarrassment of the past, it has been come to known as
one of the ultimate icons of ancient Roman greatness. Location: the Piazza del
Colosseo, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Rome

Vatican City - This tiny country is perhaps one of the most remarkable
aspects of Rome. Vatican City is the heart of Catholicism, both spiritually and
politically. St. Peter himself was crucified on this spot, and St. Peter's basilica was
built directly above the ancient hill. Both the Basilica and St. Peter's square are still
studied today in architecture and art history classes. You can wander the Vatican
Museums for days, including a visit to the Sistine Chapel, to see some of the true
masterpieces of Roman art. Location: Entry through Saint Peter's Square, Rome

Il Duomo (The Cathedral of Santa Maria Dei Fiori) - Il Duomo is considered
by many to be the grandest achievement in Renaissance architecture. The octagonal
dome, originally designed by Brunelleschi was the largest in the world when built.
Since then, Il Duomo , which took nearly six centuries to complete, has become
Florence's symbol. Climb the 414 steps of the bell tower, and Renaissance Florence
will be laid before you. Location: Piazza del Duomo, Florence.

Piazza San Marco - Piazza San Marco is still studied today by architects
and urban planners as one of the most beautiful and successful public squares. The
square is surrounded by cafes, shops, and of course the Campanile and St. Peter's
Basilica. Visitors and locals alike sip espresso in its cafes, meet to talk, and climb
the Campanile to see an amazing view of Venice. Location: Piazza San Marco, with
the Basilica at the wider end, Venice.

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection - In a city world reknown for its
ancient art and architecture, the Guggenheim Collection houses one of the greatest
collections of modern art. her collection includes works by Pollack, Picasso, Klee,
Rothko, Chagall, Mondrian, and more. There is also a gorgeous sculpture garden
housing even more works. Location: Calle Venice dei Leoni, Dorsoduro, Venice.

The Brion Vega Cemetery - The Brion Vega is considered one of Carlo
Scarpa’s masterpieces. Scarpa was and still is often considered the premier modern
Italian architect. The memorial is a great concrete and landscaped form if rectilinear,
stepping, and sculptural concrete elements. It is an amazing pilgrimage for the
architecture buff. Location: San Vito d’Altivole.

You can wander Italy for ages and never take in all of the art and architecture. Still,
the sites listed above are some of the must sees for lovers of art, architecture, and
travel. Open your eyes and see the Italian design that has been around for centuries,
and that which continues to flourish today.


Michelle is a travel buff who has recently moved away from Hawaii, but is
anxiously awaiting the day when she can return. In the meantime, she occupies her
time by helping others compare and select vacation options.

Your Life Passion - Specialty Travel, Guided Tours, Vacation Rentals, Spa Resorts and More!

Also read Travel Oahu - Experience Hawaii Like a Local

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14 Sicilian Mobsters Caught By FBI

14 Major Mobsters Caught By FBI
By Lance Winslow


Fourteen major mobsters have been arrested by the Chicago FBI. All are considered devout Catholics and had been extremely active in the Catholic Church. Some believe that the huge amounts of money they had donated in their lifetimes helped them go without prosecution or arrest for most of their lives. The group arrested in many states has alleged to have killed 18 people, but had also been pillars to the community and church donating millions to the Catholic causes. Of those arrested were; Joey "the Clown" Lombardo, Frank "the German" Schweihs, Frank "Gumba" Saladino. Many of the 18 mob murders that stretch back over four decades; had gone unsolved almost forgotten.

The Chicago Cardinal of the Catholic Church Francis George was not picked up as part of the investigation and arrests. He returned to Chicago after visiting the new Pope, but was not arrested. There are many FBI agents in Chicago who are in the Catholic Church and some feel this may have been the reason that once again the Catholic Church squeaked by without arrests of the Cardinal. If you will recall, Cardinal Law of Boston, fled prosecution and went to Vatican as a fugitive and was re-assigned similar to how he re-assigned Child Molesting Priests from parish to parish so they could repeat their molesting of parishioners children.

The mobsters were careful to align themselves with the Catholic Church and many mobsters although quite corrupt in their business dealings helped contribute to the Catholic Church through custom and culture. Many of these families were have roots all the way back to Sicily and have rich Italian backgrounds. The Catholic Church allowed for anonymity and offered forgiveness in exchange for the dirty cash donations to run the expensive costs of the church.

Many are quick to point out that even though much of the Catholic Church’s mob money donations came from the exploitation of people, black mail, drugs and protection extortion monies that were there by laundered into a more legitimate stream ended up doing good for the communities and downtrodden. Others believe the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church in taking mob monies is typical and similar to their blind eye and turning a their heads to the known child molestation of two-thousand plus years. As for the victims, well many are dead, murdered or paid to shut up. This includes police, politicians and businessmen.

Did the Catholic Church help the FBI and turn in the old mobsters, many of whom are now over 60 years old? Some may not even be able to stand trial or live to serve their sentences, if in fact they are actually convicted. Can the mobsters trust the Catholic Church after all these years of accepting blood money for silence? Will the new mob families go after these Priests, Clergy and Cardinals for their help with the FBI? Will the FBI keep their testimonies in secrecy? Does this mean the Catholic Church is turning a new leaf over their acceptance of dirty money, which has caused so much hardship and pain for the City of Chicago? If the Catholic Church is ridding themselves of their dirty deeds and crime links? Does this mean they will now oust the child molesters, which are still in their ranks, pulling down the pants of our children and having their way with them?

We shall see if in fact the help of the Catholic Church and secret tips to the FBI are a new pattern of truth and leadership under the new Pope Benedict who is now in charge of the a Church which has betrayed their parishioners trust. Obviously at this point we cannot elaborate more on the links between the Catholic Church and the old time mobsters caught this week by the FBI or participation and helpful information given by the church leading to the arrests. The case is still going and interference in a Federal Investigation is illegal. We ask you; should the Cardinal in Chicago be forced to resign or arrested for his ongoing association with the Mob in the windy city? Think about it.


"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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Evil Eye Began in Sicily

What is the Evil Eye?
By Samantha Stevens


The Evil Eye has been around since the beginning of time. It simply means sending someone a thought that seems intrusive or invasive or has the power to hurt him or her. The bad fortune that results is considered to have been caused by envy. The evil eye is not necessarily considered to be intentional or associated with witchcraft or sorcery. Oddly enough, this thought form could actually be complimentary in nature. The origins of the Evil Eye are Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean. The concept was introduced into the Americas, South Pacific Islands, Asia, Africa and Australia by European explorers.

Sending someone the evil eye comes from the concept that we all have a Third Eye, located in the center of our forehead. Blinding, fogging or obscuring the third eye is often the intent of the energy’s sender. Most of us have experienced the weird power of the phenomenon. All it takes is a gaze that seems to be unfriendly, indifferent or blank and seems to a couple of seconds too long. We think about it for a few minutes afterwards or perhaps an image of the person staring at us preoccupies our thoughts occasionally for the rest of the day. Perhaps that is why the British and Scottish term for the “evil eye” is “overlooking.” It implies that a gaze has remained too long upon the coveted object, person or animal.

The evil eye is also known as the envious or invidious eye. In Italian it is called the malocchio and in Spanish the malojo (loosely translated as the bad eye) The evil eye is known as ayin horeh in Hebrew; ayin harsha in Arabic, droch shuil in Scotland, mauvais oeil in France, bösen Blick in Germany, and was known as oculus malus among the classical Romans.

The original belief is that any person can harm your children, livestock, fruit trees or any other evidence of prosperity just by looking at the spoils of all your good will and hard work with envy. Ironically, the curse of the evil eye is thought to be provoked by inappropriate displays of spiritual pride or excessive beauty. There is a theory that very famous people and celebrities suffer more personal misfortune than others simply because they are subjected to more “overlooking” and envy than others.

This superstition might have some grounding in evolutionary psychology as usually one animal is thought to dominate or be aggressive to another simply by staring at it for too long. Psychologically speaking, staring or glaring at someone is officially considered an intrusion into your affairs. Apparently, there is a fine line between casting a glance to casting a spell. In these post Celestine Prophecy times, this kind of stare could be compared to a kind of etheric laser beam or amoebic arm that rips open your aura. Others would describe the infliction of the evil eye as the projection of an image (such as the image of the person you have offended or hurt) so that you see only that to the exclusion of all other sight. In other words, you see that person wherever you go or feel that your life’s events are always colored by your dealing with that person. Another symptom is the inability to proceed with ordinary, daily events without feeling somehow compelled to make things right with the person you have often unknowingly offended with your grandiosity.

It is common folklore that the evil eye has a dehydrating effect on its victim. It is thought to cause vomiting, diarrhea, the drying up of the milk of nursing mothers and livestock, problems with the blood, eyesight lack of rain, the drying up of wells, the withering of fruit and impotence in men. Clumsiness, stomachaches, dry coughs, diarrhea, itching, hair loss, dry skin are all thought to be physical symptoms of an evil eye attack e. On the astral level it is thought to cause the drying up of prana, chi, life force and the easy flow of prosperity in life. Part of this image might derive from the idea also, of muddy, murky or poisoned vision that is somehow attached to the victim’s third eye.

Almost everywhere that the evil eye belief exists, it is said to be caused accidentally by envy or praise. Thus the phrase “Pride Goeth Before a Fall” In certain Mediterranean and eastern cultures, one is careful not to praise a child too much, lest it invite the subconscious balancing effect of the evil eye. A classic situation would be the barren woman who praises the newborn baby of a new child. Such praise would be considered inappropriate and thought to bring the evil child. One of the remedies for this would be for the mother to spit, to symbolically “rehydrate” the situation. Also, she may speak ill of the child OT counteract the effects of the praise, which might have malefic effects on the child later.

The belief that individuals have the power to cast the evil eye on purpose is more idiosyncratic to Sicily and Southern Italy, although the belief has certainly spread elsewhere – to the Southern United States and the Latin Americas. Such people are known as jettatore (projectors). They are not necessarily considered evil or envious, just born with an unfortunate embarrassing talent that causes others to avoid them. In ancient cultures, if you were thought to be the possessor of an evil eye, you were often negated by the rest of society and went unrecognized on the street without meeting anyone’s eyes.

Perhaps one of the most familiar preventative measures against the evil eye is the hand gesture. The Mano Cornufo or “Horned Hand” involves extending the first and index fingers from a fist. The Mano Fico or “Fig hand” involves placing the thumb in between first and second fingers.
Historically there have been many cures for the evil eye:

In Italy, the evil eye is diagnosed by dripping olive oil into a vessel filled with water. If the oil conglomerates into the shape of an eye than the victim is considered officially cursed. Prayers are recited until the droplets of oil no longer create an eye shape.

In Eastern Europe charcoal, coal or burnt match heads are dropped into a pan of water/. If the items float then the person is considered to be the victim of a curse.

In the Ukraine, a form of ceromancy or candle reading is used to diagnose the curse. Melted wax is dripped from a candle into a pan of water. If the wax spits, splatters, or sticks to the side of the bowl then the “patient” is considered to be under the influence of the malefic eye. Usually the patient is cleansed with Holy Water. He or she is pronounced cured when the dripped wax sinks the bottom of the bowl in a round ball.

In Greece Mexico and other places, the official cure is to invite the culprit responsible for the evil eye to spit in a vessel of the holy water that is consumed by the victim.

In Mexico, rolling a raw egg over the body of the victim is the antidote. Afterwards, it is cracked open and if the metaphysician or healer divines the shape of an eye in the yolks then the person is considered to be cursed. Several eggs may be repeatedly rolled over the person’s body until an egg without an eye if found. Sometimes the egg is placed underneath the person’s bed overnight and cracked open in the morning.

In China the remedy for the evil eye is the Pa Kua mirror, a six-sided mirror that is hung on the front door or placed in the front window to reverse bad energy back to the sender. Some of these mirrors are convex to reflect back the bad “poison darts” or “arrows” of multiple ill wishers and some are concave to reflect energy in a definite direction back at, for instance, a nosy neighbor, whose gaze may have lingered on your garden of tulips for too long. In Feng Shui, mirrors are often used as a cure all to reflect negative energy back at all kinds of things – people, bad architecture, traffic, neighbors, physical obstructions such as trees or rocks or anything else that might considered to be a conductor of Har Shui (negative vibrations).

In India the mirroring back of the evil eye takes the form of small mirrors that are sewn, braided or crocheted into clothing. This mirroring back of bad energy is also familiar to practitioners of Wicca and Lukumi or Santeria. In India, the human eye is also considered to be a mirror of the soul. Indian women wear kohl or heavy black makeup to emphasize their eyes not only to shield themselves from evil eye but also to prevent themselves from accidentally inflicting it on others. In India cords strung with blue beads are placed on newborn babies. When the cord breaks and the beads are lost the child is considered to have a strong enough aura to protect him or herself from the evil eye. Red cords worn upon the wrist or neck are thought to have a powerful effect against ocular malevolence. A silver charm called Eye of Buddha which references the Gautama Buddha is also worn against astral attack.

In Italy, gold, silver or gems carved or cast into the shape of the Mano Fica or Mano Cornufa are used to repel the evil. The most coveted ones are made of red coral, but many versions exist today made of gemstones and plastic. They are worn by men to protect against the withering of the genitals thought to be caused by the bad eye. Also Italian in origin is the Corno or horn or devil’s horn amulet that is thought to protect against the same dysfunction. The women’s version is made from a twig of red coral.

In Arab cultures, superstitious types wear an eye in the form of a stone cast in the center of a hand shaped bone or metal charm A common Egyptian charm is the Buckle of Isis which represents the menstrual pad of the Goddess Isis who was the Mother of all living things. Stuffing a little prayer or spell inside a locket that is hung around the neck is the common European custom for protecting oneself against deadly gazes.

A light worker such as myself might advise you to protect yourself in the following contemporary ways

Always maintain the belief that nobody has the power to hurt you with a look. This in itself is a very powerful thought form

Before you go out, imagine that your third eye is actually covered by something that looks like a small pocket mirror. If you are a psychic or a healer then simply close your third eye and don’t open it unless you want to look.

If you are feeling haunted or upset as the result of a “look”, press your thumb hard into the center of your forehead and imagine your third eye quickly flipping. Flick the energy away with your thumb and snap your fingers.

Always remember that what you resist often persists. The phrase “Oh, so what!” is one of the most powerful chemicals in the universe that you can use to dissolve negative energy.


Samantha Steven's articles have been published in many high-standing newspapers and she has published several books. If you wish to buy Samantha's books about metaphysics click here
http://www.insomniacpress.com/author.php?id=110
You can meet Samantha Stevens at http://www.psychicrealm.com where she works as a professional psychic. You can also read more of her articles at http://www.newagenotebook.com

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Milan & Pisa Information

Italy - Milan and Pisa
By Richard Chapo


When visiting Italy, it seems every destination has enough historical sites to keep you busy for a month. Oddly, Milan and Pisa don’t fall into this category.

Milan

Milan is a thoroughly modern city and I would hazard to guess a wealthy one. This is not really the place for a budget traveler, but then again budget travelers seem to survive anywhere.

Milan is a good city to stroll around in. One can see a lot of interesting little shops and neighborhoods, but there isn’t the “monument to…” you find in most Italian cities. Don’t worry, the Cathedral makes up for it all.

In a city with a very modern feel, an old structure dominates. If you have interest in churches, you must visit Milan. The “Duomo” is simply staggering in appearance. From the outside, it is all gothic spires and frescos. I don’t know why, but the place is just radiates intensity and power. The inside of the structure is world unto itself. Marble is everywhere and you can’t help but stand around with your mouth open.

I hate to say it, but Milan can be a bit boring once you’ve had your fill of the Cathedral. The nightlife can be vibrant, but there is a definite dress to be seen feel to the place.

Pisa

Who hasn’t heard of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. When you visit, you will indeed find the tower is leaning. Unfortunately, you will not find much else. The tower is impressive as are the buildings immediately surrounding it. Nonetheless, the rest of Pisa is more interested in getting on with things. A nice place to visit, but don’t plan on spending more than a day or two.

There is nothing inherently wrong with Milan or Pisa if you know what to expect. If you’re expecting destinations similar to Rome, you’ll be disappointed.


Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of travel journals. Visit NomadJournalTrips.com to read more articles about Italy Travel and Adventure Travel.

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