around Palermo. The Angevin French and Bourbons then were dominant, leading up to the modern unified country of Italy in the mid - XVIII-c.
The terrain is ruggedly beautiful and what makes Sicily extra-wonderful to visitors is the blend of old and new, overlaid on contrasting vistas of towns, cities, mountains and the sea. The beaches are spectacular and Taormina is a wonderful resort town. You can get away from it all in the NW part of the island between Palermo and Trapani and the brand new Verdura Resort spa-cum-golf-resort has just opened near Sciacca on the SW coast! (www.verduraresort.com)
Being at the southern extremity of Italy, Sicily is a year-round destination where even winter days can be bright and sunny! All in all Sicily is a great vacation spot: Lots to see, lots to do, lots to learn! Call us for our expertise, it’s one of our favorites!
remaining ½ cup parmesan. Cover with foil and bake at 350F for 30 min Makes 10 servings.
Or, you can celebrate the way our guide, Riccardo does. “We give her a big kiss on both cheeks and then go to work!”
Oh, and did I mention the food? Seasonal specialties abound highlighting eggplant, seafood (the swordfish is to die for!), and of course ricotta specialties such as cannoli!
Summer Travel Planning
Amazing values in travel this summer!! The cruise opportunities with Regent and Windstar are only one example. Make best advantage of the falling Euro! a trip that would have been $17,000 last year will come in around $12,000 this year. This year, your money goes a lot further on everything, and we've had a great response from clients. Great value in Italy and all over Europe menas that we're here to help you get your summer travel plans rolling. So give us a call!
1-888-656-1670
Guido Adelfio
Bethesda Travel Center LLC
4422 East West Highway
Bethesda MD 20814
Phone: 301-656-1670
Phone: 888-656-1670
Fax: 301-656-6244
Felice Festa della Mamma!!
All Aboard!
Great Cruise Opportunities with Regent and Windstar
On European itineraries for 2010 Regent offers Free Shore Excursions and two-for-one pricing on select sailings if you book by May 31, 2009. Windstar Cruises is offerings inclusive air from New York on select 2009 Europe sailings if booked by May 30.
We love working with both Regent and Windstar because of their great itineraries! Service and value are a big plus. Remember, many cruises combine well with land travel. If you've got a European cruise destination in mind, now is the time to do it!
A word about Bethesda Travel Center!
We are, since 1961, top custom-vacation planners to Italy and Europe. Our expertise and enthusiasm combine time and again to create what our clients remember as the
best vacation of their lives!
Bethesda Travel is uniquely qualified to custom-plan your next trip of a lifetime!
Please give us a call!
A IV-c mosaic believed to depict a pagan ritual was recently unearthed under the Cathedral of Reggio Emilia, near Bologna. The large mosaic (13 sq. meters) is thought have originally formed the floor of a room in the home of a wealthy Roman and is, “one
Did you know that Anna Jarvis trademarked 'Mother's Day' in 1912?! But it wasn't her idea!
Mothers Day has its roots in ancient civilization, dating back at least to the Greeks. Father’s Day in Italy coincides with San Giuseppe –St. Josephs Day- in March but, as in the US, mothers are honored on the second Sunday of May: ‘La Festa della Mamma’. Good food, flowers, gifts, and sweets are all common in Italian celebrations.
Remember Your Mother!!!
Looking for ideas to honor this special lady in your life?
Stuffed Pasta Shells
Ingredients:
•15 ounces ricotta cheese
15 ounces ricotta cheese•10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained(or about 2 cups fresh chopped spinach)
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained(or about 2 cups fresh chopped spinach)•1 cup (4oz) grated Parmesan
1 cup (4oz) grated Parmesan•2 TBS chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil
2 TBS chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil•2 TBS fennel seed
2 TBS fennel seed•3 garlic cloves, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced•12 oz (about 32) jumbo pasta shells, cooked
12 oz (about 32) jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to package instructions
•1 jar (28 ounces) marinara sauce
1 jar (28 ounces) marinara sauce•Salt and pepper
Salt and pepper•Additional parmesan to taste
Additional parmesan to taste
Directions:
Combine ricotta cheese, ½ cup parmesan, fennel, basil, and spinach in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste and blend together well. Preheat oven to 350 and spread ½ cup marinara sauce on a 9x13inch baking pan. Fill each shell with the cheese/ spinach mixture and place, filling side up, in the pan. Cover shells with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the
superintendent of archaeological heritage in Emilia Romagna. Along with geometric designs and birds, the mosaic depicts human figures in mythological scenes which are thought to be related to an ancient spiritual tradition honoring oriental gods. The mosaic is “a sensational discovery,” according to Roger Ling author of “Ancient Mosaics” and will be detached and fully restored before being put on display in a local museum. Stay tuned!
of the most important and interesting mosaics in northern Italy. It stands out for its size, design and refined technique," according to Luigi Malnati,
La Bella Sicilia
Sicily! The name alone evokes a magical images! Etna, the volcano dominates the Eastern end of the island, while the S coast offers more Greek temples than all of Greece. The N coast features Palermo and lovely Cefalú! Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean.
Its size and location, literally at the cross-roads of all sea routes, has given it a rich cultural history since the time of the Phoenicians,
who pre-dated the Greeks. Sicily was pivotal in the time of the Greeks and Romans and flourished in the Middle Ages under the Saracens (Muslims from Tunisia). The Saracens were “cousins” of the Moors in Spain and brought enhanced agricultural and irrigation techniques cont'd...
WOLF! WOLF!
Remember Aesop’s Fables - The Boy Who Cried Wolf! The media will be on to something else in a couple of days and hopefully that’ll be the very last you’ll hear of the Swine Flu!
Of course its always best to take the proper precautions. Listen to the CDC Good hygiene is the enemy of infection! Do what your mom always told you. Wash your hands and face frequently and thoroughly with soap & water, use only fresh kleenex. if you sneeze or cough, contain it & if you’re like us, when someone hits one of those big theatrical sneezes or coughs in public; speak up!
So don't let the panic dissuade you from enjoying your summer vacation. When you go out, be sure you've got tissues and a little hand sanitizer (under 100 ml of course!) in your carryon luggage.
EURO ALERT
fluctuations of any magnitude in the past 6 months or so. The consensus (from the same talking heads that rated Shearson in September!) is that the Euro and UK Sterling have downward pressure i.e. the Dollar should strengthen going forward. Resilience in the US workforce and economy as we recover have the Euro projected to be around $1.10 - $1.15 by year end!
In this Issue
Is procrastination your forte? Of course, we’re always happy to arrange a trip to Italy to surprise your Mom(complete with personalized card!).
But if you’re thinking of something a little closer to home, why not consider:
A Mothers Day brunch or dinner cruise on the Potomac with beautiful river views of the nation’s capital! Spirit of Washington and Odyssey.
D’Acqua in Penn Quarter [7th and Pennsylvania NW) serving traditional Italian seafood cuisine with wonderful fresh ingredients. Dining is alfresco (weather permitting) and the Mother’s Day brunch features complimentary mimosas for Mom!
If she loves homecooked meals, try this Italian favorite -easy enough for the kids (or dad!) to make!
1st of JULY - BOCELLI IN VENEZIA
FYI VENICE will be the site of a concert by Andrea Bocelli! Be There or Be Square! Piazza San Marco at 9pm! Tickets still available! www.vivaticket.it
Holding steady in the $1.30's, the Euro hasn’t shown
DON'T MISS IT!!
Europe Week in DC!!
Looking for an outing? Tomorrow, May 9 all European emabassies in DC will have Open House featuring cuisine, music, and special events.
Open Houses will run from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. No pre-registration or RSVP is necessary, but security will be in force so please remember your ID. For more information on this and other events during Europe Week see europeindc.com
Update on the Abruzzo Quake
It got bumped off the front page by the latest flu scare, but it’s been just about a month since Italy’s devastating earthquake. The quake registered about 6.3 on the Richter scale and was centered about 95 km NE of Rome. This incredibly beautiful portion of Abruzzo is dominated by the Gran Sasso - highest point of the Apennines. Most of Italy is a seismic zone, but it’s been about 30 years since the last destructive quake.
We’re not epidemiologists but the stuff about the Swine Flu H1N1 virus is really flying around. Remember Ebola, West Nile Virus, Bird Flu, Anthrax... SARS!?!
It may help sell papers, but media panic is worse than the potential pandemic... and how about Vice President Biden's recent comments? Pretty good for someone who flies around in a private jet!
Interested in helping out?
A Rotary International project is being spearheaded by the Palermo Rotary, and the local metroBethesdaRotary Foundation is helping out. Even small amounts are appreciated. Your tax deductible contribution can go to metroBethesdaRotary Foundation 501(c)3 / POB 30506 / Bethesda MD 20824. Look for updates in future newsletters.
Currently about 20,000 people are living in a tent city near the town of Poggio Picenze, 10 km East of L’Aquila. Italians love irony and their main hobby is bashing the government, so some people got sardonic relief from this picture of the crumpled facade of the L’Aquila government center (see photo). Our hope is that Berlusca (PM Silvio Berlusconi) will be able to deliver on his promise for habitable schools and homes by the Fall.
Luckily the damaged area is far removed from the main tourist regions, so worry not, your vacation plans will proceed unimpeded.
The early morning (03h30AM) tremor was even felt in Rome. (One of our clients told her Mom “Yeah, I felt something but I just thought I had too much to drink!”)
Want to have a little fun in the process? A fund-raiser is being hosted by Pasta Plus Italian Restaurant in Laurel, MD on Monday June 1st. The evening will entail a wine tasting and multi-course dinner of the specialties of Abruzzo, the home region of the owners Max and Sabatino Mazziotti. Guido & MaryAnne will be there and everyone is encouraged to attend! Please see www.pastaplusrestaurant.com.
Examples abound of the travel opportunities available this year in Europe! You have so many choices and these are just two samples!
La Bella Sicilia,cont'd.
as well as very advanced language study, mathematics and art. The Norman Crusaders followed and built magnificent Gothic cathedrals in and
Last Minute Mother's
Day Suggestions
