Travelling . . . Missing . . .

Europe is great, the cool weather is super. Autumn leaves are truly colorful and the food is delightful. However, when I travel, I leave behind my two adorable dogs.

Had the chance to go to France and Italy. Look what grab my attention . . .

DOGS . . . and a cat!

I do enjoy some time-off from the little critters, but I surely do miss my pets when I travel.

Just love them.

Feast Day of Our Lady, The Immaculate Conception

Another year to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Wow!

The Immaculate Conception of Mary is, according to Catholic doctrine, the conception of the Virgin Mary without any stain ("macula" in Latin) of Original Sin. It is one of the four dogmas in Roman Catholic Mariology. Under this aspect Mary is sometimes called the Immaculata (the Immaculate One), particularly in artistic contexts.

The doctrine states that, from the first moment of her existence, Mary was preserved by God from the Original Sin and filled with sanctifying grace that would normally come with baptism after birth. Catholics believe Mary "was free from any personal or hereditary sin". Mary's immaculate conception should not be confused with the Incarnation of her son Jesus Christ; the conception of Jesus is celebrated as the Annunciation to Mary. Catholics do not believe that Mary, herself, was the product of a Virgin Birth.

From early on in the history of the Catholic Church, numerous places in the writings of the Catholic Church Fathers the belief is implicitly stated. In various places the feast of the Immaculate Conception, had been celebrated for centuries on 8 December , when, on 28 February 1476, Pope Sixtus IV extended it to the entire Latin Church. He did not define the doctrine as a dogma, thus leaving Roman Catholics free to believe in it or not without being accused of heresy; this freedom was reiterated by the Council of Trent. However, the feast was a strong indication of the Church's traditional belief in the Immaculate Conception. On 6 December 1708 Pope Clement XI decreed that the feast of the Immaculate Conception be a Holy Day of Obligation. throughout the entire Catholic Church.

Source: Wikipedia

I'm A Real Boy!

Walking in Italy . . . stopped at an interesting shop . . . saw things of wooden wonder.

Pinocchio is a fictional character that first appeared in 1881, in The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, and has since appeared in many adaptations of that story and others. Carved from a piece of pine by a woodcarver named Geppetto in a small Italian village, he was created as a wooden puppet, but dreamt of becoming a real boy. The name Pinocchio is Italian for "Pine eyes".

Pinocchio is known for having a long nose that becomes longer when he is under stress, especially while telling a lie. His clothes are made of flowered paper, his shoes are made of wood and his hat is made of bread. Geppetto gave him the name Pinocchio because it is an Italian name of good fortune.

Source: Wikipedia

Human Statue

In this case, Jesus is indeed alive. I asked my friend to take a souvenir photo of this statue of Jesus (the Sacred Heart), when suddenly "it" moved. Eeeeeeeeek!

I had so much fun in Europe, my heart so happy, my soul so light. Thanks be to God!

And I say " Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on me".

A Special Season

Autumn, don't I just love it.

I am so into Autumn, I am so into Europe. Enjoying Europe in Autumn, what more can a being like me ask for, wow!

I am living my life in a lovely country with two seasons: the sunny dry and the stormy wet one. Thus, being able to see and feel autumn is something else. Sure, I've seen it from my sisters' photos in the US and in some magazines, but now, getting a taste of it. Sorry for being too excited about the matter.

The very cool breeze, the sunshine on your face, the colors that meet your eyes . . . autumn . . . remarkable, indeed.

Set Your Goals Really High Now

I am wishing . . . am wishing . . . wishing . . .

Soon I'll be dreaming of this wish seriously. My heart's desire is to visit Lourdes again , in France. To go and dip in the waters of the Grotto, to pray the rosary in different languages with different people (as one).

What tranquility the soul is rewarded just being there.

I thank our Maker, our Provider, our Refuge, our Shelter, our Healer, our Strength - a big and generous God. All glory to Him.

A framed photograph of Lourdes I saw at the church. Yearning to go back at the grotto.

Trip to Jerusalem

Flew to Israel to explore the secrets of the Holy Land . . .

Started another blog on this special trip of mine together with friends. All my dazzling adventures unfold in the new travel blog I created . . . please click and read on . . .

My Holy Land Pilgrimage

Reminiscing An Adventurous Past

Today, I get to remember my trip to Europe. It was about this time in October. I love seeing the colorful Autumn leaves. It was truly a trip to a new world for me.

I just want to thank the Lord for the opportunity to see His vast creation in good health.

Next stop . . . the Holy Land.

Visit to Asian Countries

Created two (2) other blogs. Was so blessed to have visited beautiful Asian places . . .

Malaysia . . . and . . . Singapore.

The Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin

"The Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families...that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary."

Sister Lucia dos Santos

A snap shot of the Promises, Blessings and Benefits of reciting the Rosary :

Promises:
o Mama Mary promises her special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
o The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies
o Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
o You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
o All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

Blessings:
o Those who weep find happiness
o Those who are tempted find peace.
o Those who are ignorant are instructed.

Benefits:
o It purifies our souls, washing away sin.
o It gives us victory over all our enemies.
o It enriches us with graces and merits.

Go ahead and pray the rosary to reap the promises, blessings and benefits
. . . start . . . continue . . . meditate . . .





Source : www.theholyrosary.org

Top Pilgrimage Sites in the Philppines

1. The churches of Ilocos – Ilocos has many centuries old churches that are listed in Philippine’s historical heritage. The churches of Santa Maria and Paoay are two of four Philippine Baroque churches inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

2. San Pedro Apostol Church in Loboc, Bohol – This is the second oldest church in Bohol built in 1608. The walls are made of coral stones The chruch structure includes a three-storey convent, a bell tower situated about 50 meters away from the front and a mortuary chapel.

3. Basilica of the Our Lady of Piat in Cagayan – This church is known as the “Pilgrimage Center of Cagayan Valley”. Many devotees, visitors and tourist come to this church to pay a visit to the image of our Lady of Piat.

4. Baclaran and Quiapo Churches in Manila – The two churches one of the most popular heritage of the Philippines. Baclaran Church is known as the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help and the Quiapo Church is the home of the miraculous Black Nazarene.

5. Agoo Basilica in La Union – This Basilica is considered the most beautiful church in La Union whic hwas built in 1892. This imposing structure of Mexican-Baroque architecture is the venue of religious rites, foremost of which is the Semana Santa. Also, the much publicized divine visitations of the Virgin Mary in the early 1990’s have established Agoo as a destination of Marian devotees.

6. Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church in Naga City, Camarines Sur - Every September during the feast day of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, this church is filled by devotees. This is the newest and biggest Catholic Basilica in Bicol.

7. Kapitangan Chapel in Paombong, Bulacan – Every Holy Week, this chapel is filled with devotees to obtain the blessed oil believed to possess healing capabilities. This chapel is known as the a pilgrimage during Holy Week.

8. Miagao Church in Iloilo – One of the architectural heritage of the Philippines and included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List under the title “Baroque churches of the Philippines.” The architectural design of this church is unique because this church looks like a fortress but the ornamentation of the church’s facade is designed like a retablo.

9. Our Lady of Manaoag in Pangasinan – This church is one of the Philippines pilgrimage centers. It was known that image of Our Lady of Manaoag, an image of the Nuestra Señora del Rosario is miraculous.

10. Mount Banahaw in Quezon – Mount Banahaw is the most popular pilgrimage destination in the Philippines. A pilgrimage to this so-called “holy mountain” is a most unique spiritual experience as it combines the culture of Catholicism with indigenous mysticism.

Source: etravelpilipinas

Good Eats

Food can be both interesting and delicious. The good part about traveling is getting to know both the culture and the food.

We came across a nice store in Italy, where they sell beautiful bread. Nice to look at, great to eat. The place gives you that holiday feeling.


I recall my German aunt (she's the wife of my father's best friend), who gave us sweet-smelling, home-made cookies and biscuits. She shared her stories back home in Germany when they used to decorate the Christmas tree with these colorful cookies shaped as Christmas ornaments.

They were terrific sweet eats. Yummy!

Italian Gelato

Ever got yourself in a very difficult decision-making process?



How about what flavor of gelato to pick?

Trevi Fountain (Fontana de Trevi)

What a wonderful day it was in Rome, the day we went to the Trevi Fountain.

Tres moedas na fonte
Qual deles a fonte vai abencoar?
Que seja a meu!

When I was young (syempre naman 1954 'di pa ko buhay / was not yet born in 1954 when the movie was released), I used to hear the song "Three Coins in the Fountain". I was not aware that there was really a certain fountain they were referring to. In my mind, I was thinking any fountain will do (I go to the dancing fountains at the Luneta park) just as long as you threw in a coin and it falls into the water.

That day, I prepared for three coins that I will throw, peso and euro. However, just like in the movie I was able to throw in just two, heheh. We were so busy taking photos and videos and just looking at the amazing fountain (plus watching our things closely for you can be absorbed with all the magic around you).

You are to throw the coin with your back at the fountain while making your wish. Then the fountain is scheduled for draining so they can collect all the coins for donation.

I added the Frank Sinatra song version. I like this one even more, though the Trevi Foutain was featured only at the end of the video clip.

Pizza Takeaway ?

Buongiorno!

What simple things made my Italy visit complete (aside from the "itsy-bitsy" shopping of course)? Italian pizza (and possibly Italian gelato, though I prefer ice cream really). Hmmm, yummy!!!

There were various selection of pizza flavors to choose from, most of which I am not familiar with. It was not hard to select for you can differentiate the ingredients visually. What makes it challenging is the desire to taste all of the variations, hahah.

To short-list, I just checked what I want to try at the moment, the one with green leafy thingy, heheh. It's good. The succeeding days, I got to eat pizza again and again, whew. It's cheaper lunch I guess, hahah. We just go for good dinners. Have to make ends meet, need to buy a bit of "pasalubong" for the kids and souvenirs.

Christian Pilgrimage Sites

Christian pilgrimage was first made to sites connected with the ministry of Jesus. Surviving descriptions of Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land and Jerusalem date from the 4th century, when pilgrimage was encouraged by church fathers like Saint Jerome and established by Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great. Pilgrimages also began to be made to Rome and other sites associated with the Apostles, Saints and Christian martyrs, as well as to places where there have been apparitions of the Virgin Mary.

Major Christian pilgrimage sites:

Bosnia-Herzegovina
Medugo
rje. Apparitions of the Virgin Mary from 1981 up to the present time

Brazil
Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida - one of the largest churches in the world and receives about 8 million visitors per year. It was also the birth place of Roberto Carlos

France

• Basilica of St. Thérèse in Lisieux.
• The several churches and basilicas in Lourdes - associated with Marian apparitions receive over 5 million pilgrims a year, making Lourdes the second most visited Christian pilgrimage site in Europe after Rome.
• Paris - the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, and Basilica of Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre
• Basilica of St. Thérèse (Lisieux) - in Normandie. The second pilgrimage site in France after Lourdes with over 2 million visitors per year.

Israel
The Holy Land, location of many events in the Old Testament and New Testament:

• Bethany, site of the resurrection of Lazarus
• Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus and King David
• Jerusalem, site of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus
• Mount Tabor, site of the Transfiguration
• Nazareth, hometown of Jesus
• Sea of Galilee, site of Jesus' early ministry
• The House of Peter in Capernaum
• The Jesus trail
• The Via Dolorosa

Italy

• St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
• Vatican City - Location of Saint Peter's Basilica, relics of various saints, relics of the Passion, important churches and headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.
• Rome - on roads such as the Via Francigena. Site of the deaths of Saint Peter, Saint Paul and other early martyrs.
• Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church - the Padre Pio shrine located in San Giovanni Rotondo of southern Italy; also Pietrelcina as the birthplace of Padre Pio
• Basilica of St. Francis - in Assisi; also church of Saint Clare
• Loreto - in the Marche; home of the Basilica della Santa Casa

Mexico
Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe - one of the largest churches in the world and receives about 20 million pilgrims per year. It can accommodate 40,000 people for a mass.

Poland
Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, where Black Madonna of Częstochowa is housed permanently. It receives about 4.5 million pilgrims a year.

Portugal
Fátima - Our Lady of Fatima is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary. She appeared to three shepherd children at Fátima on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917. Fatima receives about 4-5 million pilgrims a year.

Spain

• Some European pilgrims on the ancient pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela in 2005.
• Santiago de Compostela - in Galicia on the Way of St James (Galician: O Camiño de Santiago). This famous medieval pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint James is still popular today.

Turkey
Constantinople (today Istanbul). Former capital of the Byzantine Empire and the see of one of the five ancient Patriarchates and first among equals among the Patriarchs of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Hagia Sophia, former cathedral and burial place of many Ecumenical Patriarchs.

Other pilgrimage sites
Armenia
Etchmiadzin (Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin). Etchmiadzin is the spiritual and administrative center of the Armenian Apostolic Church

Austria
Mariazell. Marian Shrine to Austria and Hungary

Canada

• Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec, associated with miraculous healings.
• Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, in honour of Our Lady of the Cape

Czech
Infant Jesus of Prague

Egypt
Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai, traditional site of the Burning Bush and the reception of the Ten Commandments has been commemorated since the time of Constantine the Great

France

• Cathedral of Chartres
• Conques.
• Issoudun. Notre-Dame du Sacré-Coeur
• La Salette, Our Lady of La Salette
• Saint Catherine Labouré of Paris
• Pellevoisin. Apparition of the Virgin Mary
• Taizé Community, modern monastery that actively encourages pilgrimages to it

Germany

• Basilica of the Vierzehnheiligen
• Cologne Cathedral. Relics of the Three Magi
• Kevelaer
• Wittenberg. Church of Martin Luther and center of the Protestant Reformation

Greece

• Mount Athos. Orthodox monastic center
• Tinos
• Patmos, island of Revelation

India

• Goa. St. Francis Xavier
• St. Thomas Mount, place where St. Thomas was martyred
• Vailankanni, 16th-century Marian apparition site

Ireland

• Croagh Patrick. Saint Patrick
• Knock
• St. Patrick's Purgatory, Donegal

Italy

• Padua, St Anthony, relics
• Sacri Monti, the Sacred Mountains of Piedmont and Lombardy
• Turin, the location for the Shroud of Turin

Jordan

• Mount Nebo, Traditional site of the death of Moses
• Mukawir, the Herodias fortress where John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded
• Um Qais, The city is mentioned in the New Testament as the site where Jesus cast out demons and sent them into pigs, which then ran into the sea
• Jordan River, This site has been recognized as the real (and only true) site where Jesus was baptized by all the major traditional Christian Churches

Lithuania
The pilgrimage of Žemaičių Kalvarija in Lithuania is one of the most important pilgrimages for Catholics.

• Hill of Crosses, near Šiauliai
• Žemaičių Kalvarija, Samogitia
• Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn, Vilnius
• Šiluva

Mexico
Zapopan

Netherlands
Kapel in 't Zand, Roermond of Limburg

Norway
Nidaros, Trondheim. Shrine of St. Olav, 4th most visited pilgrimage site in Middle Ages

Philippines

• National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. One of the most venerated Marian images in Asia
• Quiapo Church. Home to the much venerated Black Nazarene, a much venerated statue of Jesus Christ which many people believe has miraculous attributes

Poland

• Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
• Licheń Stary, Sanctuary of Our Lady of Licheń
• Święta Lipka

Romania
Miercurea Ciuc, Transylvania. Whit Sunday gathering of (mostly ethnic Hungarian) Catholics

Slovakia

• Levoča
• Šaštín
• Marianka

Spain

• Ávila, St Theresa of Avila, relics
• Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza. It's reputed to be the first church dedicated to Mary in history.
• Caravaca de la Cruz, Region of Murcia
• Montserrat, Catalonia. The Virgin of Montserrat is housed permanently in the monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat.
• Guadalupe
• Santo Toribio de Liébana, Cantabria

Switzerland
Einsiedeln

Turkey

• House of the Virgin Mary. Pope John-Paul II declared the Shrine of Virgin Mary as a pilgrimage place for Christians
• Pilgrims on their way to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket, Canterbury Cathedral

UK

• Canterbury Cathedral associated with Saint Thomas Becket
• Glastonbury, England. St Joseph of Arimathea
• St. Andrews, Scotland. It is said that Saint Andrew was given, by God, directions to the location of St. Andrews
• Walsingham, England. Virgin Mary apparition site
• Holywell, Wales. St Winefride's Well it is the oldest continuously operating pilgrimage site in Great Britain
• St. Davids, Wales. Pilgrimage site since canonization of the saint in the twelfth century

USA

• Carey, Ohio to the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation. Catholic pilgrims from the Middle East journey here to mark the Feast of the Assumption
• El Santuario de Chimayo, New Mexico

Source: Wikipedia

Decorative Ceilings, Marvelous Ceilings of Art

One of the things that amazed me in Rome is the presence of very old wonderful structures, the basilicas. These basilicas caught my attention, my curiosity and my undying appreciation.

Rome is a place of grandeur. What will surely catch your eyes are the mind-boggling beauty of the ceilings of the basilicas.

Looking up high at the ceilings (which may result to stiff neck, if done for hours for the different buildings), I just can't help but marvel at the detailed works of art. How could that be done high up there? How long did the artist take to complete the job? How were these preserved? How much of these are restored work?

Look at all those gold carvings. What does the designs mean? Surely these art masterpieces have their own stories to tell. Wonderful, just wonderful.

Save a Tree

Still in Spain, going to Loyola, I got a myself a lot of presents . . . beautiful autumn trees and lines and lines of fresh-smelling trees. Lovely trees, lovely place, lovely day. Do save a tree in your own little way.


TREES
by Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

We went to St. Ignatius Basilica where our couple friends renewed their marriage vows that very day. We were witnesses to a romantic event.


We roamed around the place inhaling the fresh cool breeze of autumn with a spirit of peace and inexplicable joy. What a way to rejuvenate the body and the soul.

But of course, 'twas swell to get a bite of Italian pizza, pasta and gelato the following day. Yummy! But that would be in another post.

Europe Travel Site

Europe is so lovely, thus I wanted to post the photos I took during my visit. There were nice scenery, wonderful autumn trees, beautiful houses, grand basilicas and a cool climate with lots of sunshine.

However, after having been to other countries, and other continents at that, I have come to appreciate the beauty of our country as well, the Philippines.

Europe is now generally defined by geographers as the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, with its boundaries marked by large bodies of water to the north, west and south; Europe's limits to the far east are usually taken to be the Urals, the Ural River, and the Caspian Sea; to the southeast, the Caucasus Mountains, the Black Sea and the waterways connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. Sometimes, the word 'Europe' is used in a geopolitically-limiting way to refer only to the European Union or, even more exclusively, a culturally-defined core. On the other hand, the Council of Europe has 47 member countries, and only 27 member states are in the EU. In addition, people living in insular areas such as Ireland, the United Kingdom, the North Atlantic and Mediterranean islands and also in Scandinavia may routinely refer to "continental" or "mainland" Europe simply as Europe or "the Continent".

The use of the term "Europe" has developed gradually throughout history. In antiquity, the Greek historian Herodotus mentioned that the world had been divided by unknown persons into the three continents of Europe, Asia, and Libya (Africa), with the Nile and the river Phasis forming their boundaries — though he also states that some considered the River Don, rather than the Phasis, as the boundary between Europe and Asia. Flavius Josephus and the Book of Jubilees described the continents as the lands given by Noah to his three sons; Europe was defined as between the Pillars of Hercules at Cadiz, separating it from Africa, and the Don, separating it from Asia. This division – as much cultural as geographical – was used until the Late Middle Ages, when it was challenged by the Age of Discovery. The problem of redefining Europe was finally resolved in 1730 when, instead of waterways, the Swedish geographer and cartographer Von Strahlenberg proposed the Ural Mountains as the most significant eastern boundary, a suggestion that found favour in Russia and throughout Europe.

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains (or the Kuma-Manych Depression), and the Black Sea to the southeast. Europe is bordered by the Arctic Ocean and other bodies of water to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and the Black Sea and connected waterways to the southeast. Yet the borders for Europe—a concept dating back to classical antiquity—are somewhat arbitrary, as the term continent can refer to a cultural and political distinction or a physiographic one.

Europe is the world's second-smallest continent by surface area, covering about 10,180,000 square kilometers or 2% of the Earth's surface and about 6.8% of its land area. Of Europe's approximately 50 states, Russia is the largest by both area and population, while the Vatican City is the smallest. Europe is the third most populous continent after Asia and Africa, with a population of 731 million or about 11% of the world's population; however, according to the United Nations (medium estimate), Europe's share may fall to about 7% by 2050. In 1900, Europe's share of the world's population was 25%.

Europe, in particular Ancient Greece, is the birthplace of Western culture. It played a predominant role in global affairs from the 16th century onwards, especially after the beginning of colonialism. Between the 16th and 20th centuries, European nations controlled at various times the Americas, most of Africa, Oceania, and large portions of Asia. Both World Wars were ignited in Central Europe, greatly contributing to a decline in European dominance in world affairs by the mid-20th century as the United States and Soviet Union took prominence. During the Cold War Europe was divided along the Iron Curtain between NATO in the West and the Warsaw Pact in the East. European integration led to the formation of the Council of Europe and the European Union in Western Europe, both of which have been expanding eastward since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Source: Wikipedia

Gelato vs Ice Cream, Gelato Craving

I am at this very moment devouring my second bowl of ice cream. I suddenly remembered gelato in Italy.

Gelato, plural gelati, is Italy's regional variant of ice cream. As such, gelato is made with some of the same ingredients as most other frozen dairy desserts. Milk, cream, various sugars, flavoring including fruit and nut purees and air are the main ingredients.

Gelato differs from ice cream in that it has a lower fat content, typically 3.5% for gelato versus 10-12% for ice-cream. Gelato has a higher sugar content, 24% for gelato versus approximately 14% for ice cream. Non-fat milk is added as a solid. The sugar content in gelato is precisely balanced with the water content to act as an anti-freeze, that is to prevent the product from freezing solid. The types of sugar used are sucrose, and dextrose and invert-sugar to control the apparent sweetness. Typically, gelato and Italian sorbet contain a stabilizing base. Egg yolks are used in yellow custard based gelato flavors, including zabaione and creme caramel.

The mixture for gelato is typically made using a hot process, which includes pasteurization. White base is heated to 85°C. Heating the mix to 90°C is essential for chocolate gelato, which is traditionally flavored with cocoa powder. Yellow custard base, which contains egg yolks, is heated to 65°C. The gelato mix needs to age for several hours after pasteurization is complete in order for the milk proteins to hydrate or bind with the water in the mix. This hydration reduces the size of the ice crystals making a smoother texture in the final product. A non-traditional cold mix process is popular among some gelato makers in the US.

Unlike commercial ice cream in the US which is frozen in a continuous assembly line freezer, gelato is frozen very quickly in individual small batches in a batch freezer. The batch freezer incorporates air or overage into the mix as it freezes. Unlike U.S. style ice cream which can have an overage of up to 50%, gelato generally has between 20% and 35% overage. This results in a denser product with more intense flavor than U.S. style ice cream. U.S. style ice cream, with a higher fat content, can be stored in a freezer for months. Premium artisan gelato holds its peak flavor and texture (from delicate ice crystals) for only several days, even when it is stored carefully at the proper temperature.

A good test for consumers to judge the quality of the product at any gelato stand is to ask for a taste of lemon sorbet. If it tastes of fresh lemon, chances are the rest of the products in the shop are also made with fresh ingredients.

Gelato is typically flavored with fresh fruit purees, cocoa and/or nut pastes. If other ingredients such as chocolate flakes, nuts, small confections, cookies, or biscuits are added, they are added after the gelato is frozen. Gelato made with fresh fruit sugar and water and without dairy ingredients is known as sorbet.

Some people have the misconception that the word "gelato" is related to "gelatin" and that the latter is an ingredient. Traditional gelato recipes do not call for it and most gelato is not made with gelatin. In Italian, "gelato" literally means "frozen."

Source: Wikipedia

Spa Massages, Pamper Spa in Old Rome

Our tour guide informed us that this was supposed to be a "SPA site" of the old Rome. Now, the place is a wide area where stones of interesting shapes can be found, with holes that were supposed to be windows and doors probably. Of course one can't help but imagine the male and female Romans reclined for their massage and facial. Let's not forget to picture people eating bunches of grapes, as they hold them high above their mouths. That's how I use to see the scenes in the movies.

Trees are lined-up in the area, making it a relaxing view to see. The vast blue sky of the perfect day is a bonus.

Fotos de Salamanca

I find Salamanca an interesting place to be. It is rich with the Spanish culture with wonderful sights to feed your eyes, your mind and your being.

Salamanca is a city in western Spain, the capital of the province of Salamanca, which belongs to the autonomous community of Castile and Leon (Castilla y León). It lies about 200km west of Madrid and 100km east of the Portuguese border.

Salamanca is known both for its monumental sights and the University of Salamanca, which was founded in 1218 and is the oldest university in Spain and the fifth oldest western university. With its 30,000 students, the university is, together with tourism, the economic engine of the city. Salamanca is also known for the teaching of Spanish language, in this field, Salamanca houses 16% of the offer available in Spain and is known to attract thousands of foreign students.

Looking at Salamanca with the gang . . .

In front of the Cathedral . . .

In front of the University with Father Alex . . .

A shot of a bar while in the bus . . .

A store that sells swords . . .

Fatima Travel, Holding On to Portugal

I had the wonderful chance of visiting the homes of the seers at Aljustrel, Portugal. They have preserved the place.


The three seers were Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia. They were shepherds. Sorry, but the sheep behind weren't captured on the photo. Statues of them were constructed in a plaza circle, kinda cute.


This is supposed to be the place of the visit of the “Angel of Peace” who gave the children words of wisdom and instructions before the apparitions of Our Lady of Immaculate Concepcion.