mariocibelli's VirtualTourist Home Page

Space the FInal Frontier, well the five year mission of the starship Enterprise is nothing compared to what I have gotten myself into.

As you can see I live and work in Florence, Firenze, Florenz, Florencia or as I have strated to call it, Floville (not everybody gets it, but if you spent enough time here you would). If you read me Florence pages you will notice they are a tad on the sarcastic side. Part of that comes from the feeling that people too readily gush over the historical and artistic treasure that the city is and neglect to see that behind the Michelangelos, Gelaterie and Leather Shops that there is a city which is in serious trouble...

I dislike most guidebooks written on Italy except for the TIME OUT serious, which I feel is the most current and offers the most alternatives to the pubs and amaericanized fare offered in Let's Go or the old foggy/foggie (how the hell do you spell that) offered in Frommers.

One of (if not the) most important website for travelling to Italy is that of the much maligned, Ferrovie dello Stato, now known as the Ferrovie Italiane, even though it is still not a totally privatized entity. You can check schedules, prices and buy tickets at:

www.trenitalia.com or www.trenitalia.it

Besides being the art and shopping meca of Italy (even though the shopping is NOT what it once was) Florence is the EDUCATION capital. Besides the state university, there are around 50 Italian language schools, numberous Art schools for classical painting, sculpture, restoration and ceramics as well as over 50 American universities that run their own schools in the city. In addition Florence, well actually Fiesole is home to the European Institute which give postdoctorate degrees in numerous fields.

I cannot resist to put a list on this page (sorry no poetry or reflections on life or the relevance of travel), this is purely for fun (and it is a hell of a lot easier to write!):

Current Favorite Cities:

1. Mumbai (Bombay), India
2. London, UK
3. Buenos Aires, Argentina
4. New York City
5. Cairo, Egypt
6. Istanbul, Turkey
7. Delhi, India (finally made the list!)
8. Paris, France
9. Budapest, Hungary
10. Tokyo, Japan

Favorite Long Weekend Getaways in/near Italy:

1. Cote d'Azur ( Nice / Antibes )
2. London
3. Capri
4. Rome
5. Eolie Islands

Why is Nice number 1? You might think it strange, but it is less expensive and more convenient to go to Nice than to stay in Italy..Inexpensive hotels and lounge chairs on the beach, Antibes aint bad either!!

Great Museums
1. Egyptian Museum in Cairo
2. National Portrait Gallery in London
3. The British Museum in London
4. The Smithsonian in Washington, DC
5. Hermitage in St. Petersburg (it will always be Leningrad for me though).

1. Mashed pumpkin in Buenos Aires.
2. Spaghetti alla bottarga (dried tuna eggs with butter) Alghero, Sardegna.
3. Conch soup in Isla des Mujeres, Mexico.
4. Pista Kulfi Falooda on Juhu Beach in Mumbai (during Holi while being totally purple for the occassion).
5. Pasticera Napoletana in Capril, Italy.
6. Fried brains with a side of hummus and an ice cold coke poolside at the Nile Hilton Cairo, Egypt.
7. Uni (sea urchin) with duck egg on rice (personal favorite).
8. A healthy serving of Natto (fermented soybeans) for breakfast in Tokyo.
9. Aloo Parathas dripping with ghee in Amritsar.
10. Papaya with chili pepper in Chapultapec Park in Mexico City.

As I am in my India theme at the moment (to take my mind of Economics, which is what I teach here in Floville)...

Just finished MAHARANIS which I really enjoyed as I spent a good amount of time in Jaipur where part of the story takes place.

Other recent reads of the last twelve months:

The United States of Europe by T.R. Reid about the European Union, a bit simplistic but interesting read nonetheless.

The Sari Shop by Rupa Bajwa about the clash between classes and reality in modern day Amritsar. Reminded me a little of the style of Rohinton Mistry (A Fine Balance and Swimming Lessons) that I like very much.