When Italians Chat, Hands and Fingers Do the Talking

A Short Lexicon of Italian Gestures

For Italians, it comes naturally. But what do they mean when they talk with their hands? 

Many things. 

Below are some of the gestures and here is the NY Times article link.

Perfect!

What in God’s name
are you saying?

Nothing.

I don’t care.

Those two get along.

It wasn’t me or
I don’t know.

Someone talks too much.

Get out of here.

Slow down or
keep calm.

Don’t worry,
I’ll take care of it.

Why in God’s name
did you/I do it?

To be afraid.

Travel trivia and some travel videos

I had to share these fun videos I found while searching for information for our next trip to Europe in 2014. Click on the bold text to launch the videos.

BTW need to find a way to warn the French that Dick will be visiting them next year. Maybe Jerry Lewis can help by acting as an ambassador. Well it is a thought.

Schengen- what is it all about? - When planning for our trips to the EU and the rest of Europe one thing we need to keep in mind is the time limit that Americans and many other non-Schengen travellers are obligated to follow. The US is considered an Annex II country and thus Annex II nationals (except for New Zealand citizens) can enter the Schengen Area as a whole for pleasure or for business without the need to apply for a visa for maximum of 90 days in any 180 day period (which entails considering the 180 day period preceding each day of stay).

The Schengen Area is a group of 26 European countries, which includes 22 EU and 4 non-EU states, that have abolished passport and immigration controls at their common borders. It functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy.

Two of the non-EU members, Iceland and Norway, are part of the Nordic Passport Union and are officially classified as states associated with the Schengen activities of the EU. Switzerland was subsequently allowed to participate in the same manner in 2008. Liechtenstein joined the Schengen Area on 19 December 2011. De facto, the Schengen Area also includes three European micro-states, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City, that maintain open or semi-open borders with other Schengen member countries. Two EU members – Ireland and the United Kingdom – have negotiated opt-outs from Schengen and continue to operate the Common Travel Area systematic border controls with other EU member states.

The remaining four EU member states, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania, are obliged to eventually join the Schengen Area. However before fully implementing the Schengen rules, each state must have its preparedness assessed in four areas: air borders, visas, police cooperation, and personal data protection.

Schengen Area

The European Union Explained - But wait isn't the Schengen area the same as the EU? Well not really.

The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The EU operates through a system of supranational independent institutions and intergovernmental negotiated decisions by the member states.

Now to add to the confusion remember the 4 non-member of the EU?
Four non-members of the EU, but are members of EFTA – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland – participate in the Schengen Area while three European microstates – Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican – can be considered as de facto parts of the Schengen Area as they do not have border controls with the Schengen countries that surround them.

Schengen Area visa lists

  Schengen member states

  Other EU members and special territories of EU and Schengen members

  Visa-free access to the Schengen states for 90 days in any 180 day period (which entails considering the 180 day period preceding each day of stay), although some Annex II nationals can enjoy longer visa-free access in some circumstances (EC 539/2001 Annex II)

  Visa required to enter the Schengen states (EC 539/2001 Annex I)

  Visa required for transit via the Schengen states (EC 810/2009 Annex IV)

  Passport not accepted

  Visa status unknown

Countries inside Countries: Bizarre Borders - In case you were wondering who are the microstates in the Eu and who are the other micro-countries, click the link and watch the video ;-)

Guaita Castle, San Marino

Now for some fun. Here is an example where you will be able to see different sovereign nations.

The Coolest Keyhole in Rome - This link will take you to a very impressive glimpse in Rome where you will get to see 3 different sovereign states- Italy, The Knights of Malta, and the Vatican. To see this view you need to head to Rome's Aventine hill to the headquarters of the Order of the Knights of Malta

The view through the keyhole

I had written about this in one of my earlier blogs but this was a cute video that explains the relationship that the Netherlands has with some islands in the Caribbean.

Holland vs the Netherlands - The Netherlands in its entirety is often referred to as "Holland", although North and South Holland are actually only two of its provinces. 

The Binnenhof, Den Hague

The History of English in 10 Minutes  

English was not really my first language but it is the one the I have spoke the longest and is one that confuses me to this day. While at University a required course was called English, it was taught as Grammar and Literature. Many may remember our professors teaching us the epic poem Beowulf. How was the language used in the poem ever considered English?

First page from the poem Beowulf

Nature, oh how strange and wonderful

Barrelling down the highway in what is essentially a bus can at time allow you a better view of nature, up close and squashed. Prior to entering Echo, OR we gassed up our motorhome Rex, washed the windshield, and headed for the RV park for the night. Just as we entered the city limits a swarm of grasshoppers smacked the windshield! Dick didn't know at first what had happened and reacted by swerving to the  opposite direction of the swarm. I was, on the other hand, upset that all the work I did to get the windshield clean was for not. Soon after parking we noticed ants crawling on the windshield eating the remains and soon they were joined by yellow jackets. By morning most of the goo was gone. This cleanup act was to be repeated most nights. Cannibals, lol. Looking at the front of our motorhome most mornings I am surprised that the EPA hasn't required us to register Rex as a pesticide as the insect collection is vast. This also reminds me of a book by Roger M. Knutson: Flattened Fauna, Revised: A Field Guide to Common Animals of Roads, Streets, and Highways.

But on a happier note here are some photos of living wildlife seen from our current travels.

Longhorn beetle visiting Rex 

Grey Jay -Adult Taiga

Young Grizzly looking for food 

Pelicans at Blue Lake

Merganser family at Blue Lake

Stone sheep eating salt from roadway

Wood Bison - not as shaggy as the American Bison

Bald eagles at W.A,C. Bennett Dam on the Peace River

Why here when the route is through Canada

I am using this blog as most of this trip will be in Canada, a Commonwealth of the UK, thus somewhat European, lol. The northern route in the US will go through CA, OR, WA, and ID northward and will be mostly on Hwy 395. Not much really to see going this way but it is a good route if you are planning to camp, see frontier towns, and see the scenic byways.

I am amused when we take off in the morning and through out the day that the motorhomes, fifth wheels, and other camping vehicles are a bunch of dinosaurs lumbering down the highways as if they are in some sort of migration. Considering the price of gas that the amount of gas it takes to move these vehicles they are very much like migrating dinosaurs

Northeastern California and Eastern Oregon are not as lush as the western parts of each state but there are lots of rolling hills some with rim rock enclosing small valleys which now are either used for hay or cattle grazing. Some of the native grasslands are being saved but much has been under the plow. We spent one night in a small town called Echo where the Oregon Trail (wagon train) crossed the Umatilla River. Not much left of  Fort Henrietta as the soldiers were told to burn the fort after the Native American uprising was "squashed”.  At the river crossing site there is a small park with a very small museum and an RV park. The museum includes the original water pumper wagon used for firefighting and two wooden buildings. One is a reconstructed blockhouse from the original fort and the other is the original provincial jailhouse that was turned later into a smokehouse. Not certain where this town obtained its funds but next to the park was a skate park and much of the old original town was undergoing a facelift!!. I was a little concerned what the noise level from the skating park was going to be but the skaters were obedient and left by 8 pm. The train rolling through town was noisier than the skaters.

Well more tales from the road shortly.

The Sistine Chapel...absolutely amazing !

Don't really know if the following is true but the link to the Sistine Chapel is amazing

Here is an amazing bit of technology that you would never see in person, as you would NEVER be alone in the room. It is ALWAYS VERY CROWDED and of course you can't see Michelangelo's artwork close up as you can here. This is especially spectacular if you have a large high-definition screen! Too many details to view on an iPhone.

 

TO VIEW EVERY PART OF THE MICHELANGELO'S MASTERPIECE, JUST CLICK AND DRAG YOUR ARROW IN THE DIRECTION YOU WISH TO SEE. In the lower left, click on the plus (+) to move closer, on the minus (-) to move away. Choir is provided free. MOVE THE ARROW AND YOU CAN SEE EVERY PART OF THE CHAPEL.

This virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel is incredible. Apparently done by Villanova at the request of the Vatican .

http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html

A separate side note for those who may follow this blog or my other Asian focused blog "Fan with Soy" we will be departing on a two month trip in our motorhome to the Arctic and no we are not going to Alaska but will be driving through BC, Yukon, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories. Though this trip is being done in North America I will use this blog to post our travel adventure updates and continue to post on Asian related topics in my other blog. I am also looking into getting my blogs readable on smartphones for those who don't want to use a PC or tablet.


Happy travels

As promised -PHOTOS

I have modified this blog to have additional pages that I have used to post more photos of the Amsterdam area and other places I visited in the Netherlands. So click on the tabs to see some photos of my adventure.

There will be more photos posted here as I 'improve' them and include some captions.

The same sort of format will be used for the 'Fan with Soy' blog.

Enjoy!