There’s so much to do in Italy already, it’s not like you NEED to take Italian
lessons there. But if the only words of Italian you know are “cannoli” and spaghetti”, then you might think of
spending a few days improving your language skills. The Scuola Leonardo da
Vinci lets you learn the language in Florence, Milan, Rome or Siena. There are several different programs
available, but all of them guarantee you’ll have at least a solid enough grasp to get by in the country…or at your
favorite local Italian restaurant (won’t your waiter be surprised!).
Fear Factor Coming Near You
People just can’t get enough of other people eating worms, they now want to do it themselves. Universal
is bringing the hit series Fear Factor to it’s theme parks (why don’t they just dare people to eat at some of the
fast food places around Orlando?). The new Fear Factor attraction, called Fear Factor Live, is set to open in May. Both
Universal Studios Orlando and the park in Hollywood will have a version.
The “attraction” if you can call it that…the way, I guess, you call an accident along the side of the road an
“attraction”…will allow tourists to complete stunts like sucking down a duck-embryo shake, walking barefoot across
broken glass or getting covered in 500 tarantulas. Man, this is big news for tarantula vendors.
On the Menu: Roadkill
For many of us an adventure can be found in extreme sports, a hike, bird watching, deep-sea fishing, or a week long
knitting competition. For some finding adventure lies in our taste buds. I’m not one of those. When I
first clicked onto Traveldish, I wasn’t sure what I would find, but one
article took me by surprise. West Virginia holds an annual Roadkill Cookoff? Apparently, feasting upon the run-down
possum and raccoon takes place the last weekend of September. Perfect! Just far enough in advance for me to
forget about. If you’ll be marking your calendars to attend, promise to let me know. I’ll be rooting for
ya!
March of the Dumplings
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to spend a week in China eating dumplings.
Do you accept? That’s what this AP writer did,
filing a story which CNN
picked up on regarding dumplings and why they are so popular in Chinese culture. 367 or so dumplings later (how many
pounds is that exactly?), perhaps he found some enlightenment.
It is interesting to note how widespread the love of dumplings seems to be in a country so huge as China. Every
region seems to have their own particular favorites, be it shrimp, pork, steamed, boiled or whatever. Do you have a
favorite dumpling type? Let us know.
Oh, That’s Bologna
For a good little giggle, read
Jason
Wilson’s story about his twenty-four hours in Bologna. He does what any sensible traveler would do: he eats, drinks
and hangs out with Pete the pasta maker. The two of them run into their fair share of characters and generally live
more life in 24 hours than most of us live in a week. This is a story that will make your feel a strong pang of
envy.