Click here to join our Facebook group The Neuralgic civilization on Sardinia dates back over 5000 years. It is thought that while they had connections with other parts of the world they also lived in isolation at times.  There is no evidence that they had a written language and most of the oral traditions have been lost.  The Carthaginians conquered the island in the late 6th century BC which contributed the the decline of the Neuralgic culture.  An abundance of artifacts have been found and they were very proficient in creating bronze, stone and pottery. Most of these replicating spiritual intervention. Also found have been statues depicting warriors and shepherds. Most of the spiritual practices are related to the dead and the afterlife. And they had sacred wells and believed in the magical properties of the water at these sites. They had rituals to honor their dead and repeated the rituals over time at the giant tombs that they erected, with interiors as large as sixty feet. In some locations hundreds were interred in the tomb. There settlements consisted of huts of various complexity and had spaces for animals, defenses and in some cases lookout towers.  They are most well known for the Nuraghi Towers. Over 7000 have been discovered but they may have constructed up to 30,000. The earliest found dates back to the 18th century BC. Some had rooftop terraces, some are bee-hive shaped. Some of the more complex had wells, silos and other storage spaces for food. For more information you can read the full article here Click here to follow our Facebook video page

Diana Giovinazzo talks when she started researching her family and how that led to writing this explosive book about Anita Garibaldi, “The Woman In Red”. Experience the “epic tale of one woman’s fight . . . to create the life of her dreams” in this sweeping novel of Anita Garibaldi, a 19th century Brazilian revolutionary who loved as fiercely as she fought for freedom (Adriana Trigiani). Destiny toys with us all, but Anita Garibaldi is a force to be reckoned with. Forced into marriage at a young age, Anita feels trapped in a union she does not want. But when she meets the leader of the Brazilian resistance, Giuseppe Garibaldi, in 1839, everything changes. Swept into a passionate affair with the idolized mercenary, Anita’s life is suddenly consumed by the plight to liberate Southern Brazil from Portugal — a struggle that would cost thousands of lives and span almost ten bloody years. Little did she know that this first taste of revolution would lead her to cross oceans, traverse continents, and alter the course of her entire life — and the world. At once an exhilarating adventure and an unforgettable love story, The Woman in Red is a sweeping, illuminating tale of the feminist icon who became one of the most revered historical figures of South America and Italy. Diane’s website —  dianagiovinazzo.com and podcast — www.winewomenwordspodcast.com Podcast Video Click here to join our group on Facebook

Great conversation with Gianluca about Calabria, including it’s Greek beginning, food and people, including his grandmother’s story about “How God Created Calabria”, on the eighth day. Gianluca is a licensed Italian tour guide with twenty years of experience, including leading hiking groups in the Calabrian mountains, working at ski resorts in the Alps and Finland, guiding cultural tours in South Italy and arranging travel for tourist agencies with his own company. He has a passion for history, archeology and geology, which he studied at the University of Bologna. Gianluca’s true love is his Calabrian homeland, which he enthusiastically shares with visitors to his region. You can find Gianluca below.  Mention IG2021! Tour Guides Calabria Zanna Tour Gianluca@zannatour.com Podcast Video Click here to join our group on Facebook

  Bob interviews Karen Haid who lived and taught in Italy and wrote a fascinating book about her travels through Calabria.  Karen gives insight into the food, customs, things to do and much much more. ONCE THE HUB OF THE MEDITERRANEAN, Calabria now dangles, largely ignored, at the bottom of the Italian boot, struggling for survival, acceptance and a place in modern Italy and the world. Little-known even to Italians outside the nefarious activities of its ‘Ndrangheta mafia organization, Calabria allures with its simplicity and rewards with an underlying complexity, as in the savoring of an artisanal cheese, appreciating an ancient Greek masterwork or interpreting a particularly expressive phrase in the local dialect. Whether you want to travel in person or virtually, you can’t miss! https://karenhaid.com/ https://www.calabriatheotheritaly.com/ Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video

Click here to join out Facebook group To return to Rome we took a short one hour ITA flight from Palermo. Back at the airport, I found that you can store your luggage in terminal 1 for 10 Euros per bag per day. So we left the three heaviest bags for two days. We walked over to the Colosseum and wanted to enter, but found out that you have to by the tickets online and way in advance. So if you plan to visit be sure to book ahead of time. So we at lunch instead. The following day, sadly our last day in Italy, we headed for St. Peter’s. The Vatican was five Metro stops from our hotel. The Metro is very easy to use and they make it pretty simple to buy the tickets in from the kiosk. Basically, three steps. Plus you can use the tickets for 100 minutes, if I remember correctly. We got there about 9:30, a bit later than we wanted to, and the line was already long, but it moved quickly. If you have never been to St. Peter’s, it is large, very large. There are tombs of some of the Pope’s, including my 13th great-grandfather Pope Paul III. I was hoping to get up close but they had the area roped off for some reason. This was as close as we could get. The pope is over my left shoulder We hoped back on the Metro for a few stops to the Spanish Steps which was not as crowded as most of the other tourist spots in Roma. After the steps it was time for a big beer and then lunch at a great restaurant Target, just around the block from our hotel. After lunch we met up with Letizia Sinisi from Italy Rooting and Loretta Pompi from BITN who patiently planned and executed the trip for us. From start to finish there dedication and expertise made this trip an experience that we will never forget. The couple of small glitches that we encountered were fixed quickly and they were always available to answer any questions. If you are planning a trip, especially with a “Rooting Experience” in mind, I highly recommend that you contact them through the links below. Gifts received during our trip Letizia and Loretta