Month: January 2009

Lucca says stop to ethnic food?

January 30, 2009

Today I read on il Corriere della Sera (see the article in Italian) that Lucca‘s center-right city government has passed a local law that will not allow the opening of new restaurants preparing dishes “of a different ethnic origin”. So no more Kebab or Couscous shops at least within the old city walls, the most…

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The Certosa of Galluzzo, Florence

January 21, 2009

It is still quite cold in Florence and wet. At least this past Saturday there was a little bit of weak sunshine in between the rainy days as I made my way south of Florence towards Galluzzo. This small town on the outskirts of southern Florence is well-known for its “Certosa” which also gives its…

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High speed railway arrives in Italy

January 16, 2009

Last December 14 saw the inauguration of the new high speed railway connecting Milan and Rome, crossing most of the country on a north-south direction. This is one of the biggest public infrastructure works carried out in Italy in the last decades. The project is foreseen to be fully completed within the end of the current year.

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Raphael and the Madonna del Cardellino in Florence

January 5, 2009

A not-to be-missed exhibit currently in Florence is without a doubt the one dedicated to Rafael’s famous painting, the Madonna del Cardellino, which after years of restoration has returned to shine more beautiful than ever. On a recent day we went to Palazzo Medici Riccardi which is just a stone’s throw from the Cathedral and…

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