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Nuragic and Contemporary art museum – ITALY
The Nuragic and Contemporary Art Museum, also known as “Betile“, is a planned museum in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, designed by Zaha Hadid. Work is in progress to build it on the Sant’Elia promenade, near to the Stadio Sant’Elia football stadium.
The structure is very . . . → Read More: Nuragic and Contemporary art museum – ITALY
Portofino & Tigullio Gulf – Italy
Portofino and the Tigullio Gulf are symbols representing Italy throughout the world. The coast is a sequence of fashionable resorts with their marinas, pastel-coloured houses, first-rate sports facilities and the seductive atmosphere of the Dolce Vita. But perhaps the most striking thing for the traveller is the beauty of the seascapes, with some of the most celebrated views in Italy, suspended between the intense blue of the sea and the green mountains.
Tourists can fulfil a wealth of pleasures: sea and sports fans have access to windsurfing facilities, sailing, tennis, golf, hiking, splendid seabeds, and plenty of beach facilities. Take a relaxing walk through the unique historical coastal town centres, stopping at fashionable boutiques and craft shops, or indulge yourself in the wonders of Ligurian art, landscape and gastronomy.
History and culture
The history of Tigullio Gulf towns is very ancient, with necropolis remains found in several locations dating back to pre-Roman times, when the region was inhabited by the ancient Ligurians. Numerous wars between Rome and the Ligurian people between the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C. led to Roman domination of the region.
Yet it was not until the Middle Ages that Tigullian towns acquired their prestige. In the 11th and 12th centuries, Rapallo and other towns stood by Genoa in its battle against Pisa, and in the first crusade. Since then, the settlements in the Tigullian area were taken under the power of Genoa and maintained political links with the city until modern times.
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Valentine’s Day Around the World – Traditions and Customs
Australia
During the Australian gold rush period, miners who were suddenly in possession of money from the new-found wealth of the Ballarat Mines were willing to pay a princely sum for elaborate valentines and merchants in the country would ship orders amounting to thousands of pounds at a time. The most extravagent Australian valentines were made of a satin cushion, perfumed and decorated in an ornate manner with flowers and colored shells. Some might even be adorned with a taxidermied humming bird or bird of paradise. This treasure, contained within a neatly decorated box, was highly valued, being both fashionable and extremely expensive.
Austria
Austria has some rather obscure courtship customs that may or may not be associated with Saint Valentine’s Day. Nonetheless, it is customary for a young man to present his beloved with a bunch of flowers on February 14.
America
In the United States of America, there have been many varieties of cards given over the course of the years, some of which have often been rude or even quite cruel in their humor. In the times of the Civil War, cards were flagged with rich colors accompanied by patriotic and/or political motifs. Early American valentine cards were especially lithographed and hand-colored, beautiful and distinctive in design, produced with intricate lace paper and decorated with such ornaments as beads, sea shells, cones, berries and all manner of seeds. Cards were also available decorated with seaweed or moss, in addition to dried and/or artificial flowers, all of which were attached to a string which was pulled and could then be suspended, thereby creating a three-dimensional picture. Many early American cards were imported from abroad, given the poor quality of American paper at the time which was not particularly suitable for embossing. Today, American children usually exchange valentines with their friends and there may even be a classroom party.
Britain
The poets of Britain have probably penned the majority of the best-loved romantic verses associated with Saint Valentine. Different regions of the nation celebrate their own customs to honor this day, although the sending of cards and gifts of flowers and chocolates is standard procedure throughout the entire country. One uniform custom is the singing of special songs by children, who then receive gifts of candy, fruit or money. In some areas, valentine buns are baked with caraway seeds, plums or raisins.
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