Roaming Around Fabriano And Sassoferato

Usually if it's Holy Week, my husband is working. It's only now that they had their holiday during Holy Friday. So, after eating our lunch we decided to roam around Fabriano and Sassoferato. When we are at Sassoferato, my husband saw that there is a newly opened small Vivaio (a place where to buy ornamental plants, trees and fruit trees). We decided to go inside the vivaio. My husband saw a pear tree which is good during autumn and winter. We bought the tree for £14.00 and we planted it near the house.

Here is the photo of the pear tree.

It's Spring Time

Yeheey, winter is over. But the problem is that, even though it's over we are still suffering from bad weather. It's still snowing here in Fabriano and it started last Friday then hopefully it will end this Monday. Anyway, spring is one of my favorite season because flowers starts to bloom and leaves starts to grow which means that we will have again a green environment. How about you guys, what is your favorite season?

Story Of A Husband

I want to share this email coming from Ate Lisa's sister. This email touched my heart. That's the reason why I want also to share it with you, guys.

Here it is:


When You Divorce Me, Carry Me Out in Your Arms


On my wedding day, I carried my wife in my arms. The bridal car stopped in
front of our one-room flat. My buddies insisted that I carry her out of the
car in my arms. So I carried her into our home. She was then plump and shy.
I was a strong and happy bridegroom.

This was the scene ten years ago.

The following days were as simple as a cup of pure water: we had a kid; I
went into business and tried to make more money. When the assets were
steadily increasing, the affection between us seemed to ebb. She was a
civil servant. Every morning we left home together and got home almost at
the same time. Our kid was studying in a boarding school.

Our marriage life seemed to be enviably happy. But the calm life was more
likely to be affected by unpredictable changes.


Dew came into my life.

It was a sunny day. I stood on a spacious balcony. Dew hugged me from
behind. My heart once again was immersed in her stream of love. This was
the apartment I bought for her.

Dew said, you are the kind of man who best draws girls' eyeballs. Her words
suddenly reminded me of my wife. When we were just married, my wife said,
Men like you, once successful, will be very attractive to girls.

Thinking of this, I became somewhat hesitant. I knew I had betrayed my
wife. But I couldn't help doing so.

I moved Dew's hands aside and said you go to select some furniture, O.K.?
I've got something to do in the company. Obviously she was unhappy, because
I had promised to do it together with her. At the moment, the idea of
divorce became clearer in my mind although it used to be something
impossible to me.

However, I found it rather difficult to tell my wife about it. No matter
how mildly I mentioned it to her, she would be deeply hurt.

Honestly, she was a good wife. Every evening she was busy preparing dinner.
I was sitting in front of the TV. The dinner was ready soon. Then we
watched TV together. Or, I was lounging before the computer, visualizing
Dew's body. This was the means of my entertainment.

One day I said to her in a slightly joking way, suppose we divorce, what
will you do? She stared at me for a few seconds without a word. Apparently
she believed that divorce was something too far away from her. I couldn't
imagine how she would react once she got to know I was serious.

When my wife went to my office, Dew had just stepped out. Almost all the
staff looked at my wife with a sympathetic eye and tried to hide something
while talking to her. She seemed to have got some hint. She gently smiled
at my subordinates. But I read some hurt in her eyes.

Once again, Dew said to me, He Ning, divorce her, O.K.? Then we live
together. I nodded. I knew I could not hesitate any more.

When my wife served the last dish, I held her hand. I've got something to
tell you, I said. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt
in her eyes. Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let
her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the serious topic
calmly.

She didn't seem to be ann oyed by my words, instead she asked me softly,
why? I'm serious. I avoided her question. This so-called answer made her
angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man!

That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she
wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly
give her a satisfactory answer, because my heart had gone to Dew.

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that
she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She glanced
at it and then tore it into pieces. I felt a pain in my heart. The woman
who had been living ten years with me would become a stranger one day. But
I could not take back what I had said.

Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to
see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce
which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer.

Late that night, I came back home after entertaining my clients. I saw her
writing something at the table. I fall asleep fast. When I woke up, I found
she was still there. I turned over and was asleep again.

She brought up her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me,
but I was supposed to give her one month s time before divorce, and in the
month's time we must live as normal a life as possible. Her reason was
simple: our son would finish his summer vacation a month later and she
didn't want him to see our marriage was broken.

She passed me the agreement she drafted, and then asked me, He Ning, do you
still remember how I entered our bridal room on the wedding day? This
question suddenly brought back all those wonderful memories to me. I nodded
and said, I remember. You carried me in your arms, she continued, so, I
have a requirement, that is, you carry me out in your arms on the day when
we divorce. From now to the end of this month, you must carry me out from
the bedroom to the door every morning.

I accepted with a smile. I knew she missed those sweet days and wished to
end her marriage romantically.

I told Dew about my wife s divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and
thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she does, she has to face the
result of divorce, she said scornfully. Her words more or less made me feel
uncomfortable.

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was
explicitly expressed. We even treated each other as a stranger. So when I
carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped
behind us, daddy is holding mummy in his arms. His words brought me a sense
of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked
over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly,
Let us start from today, don't tell our son. I nodded, feeling somewhat
upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for a bus, I drove
to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my
chest. We were so close that I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I
realized that I hadn't looked at this intimate woman carefully for a long
time. I found she was not young any more. There were some fine wrinkles on
her face.

On the third day, she whispered to me, the outside garden is being
demolished. Be careful when you pass there.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I seemed to feel that we were
still an intimate couple and I was holding my sweetheart in my arms. The
visualization of Dew became vague.

On the fifth and sixth day, she kept reminding me something, such as, where
she put the ironed shirts, I should be careful while cooking, etc. I
nodded. The sense of intimacy was even stronger. I didn't tell Dew about
this.

I felt it was easier to carry her. Perhaps the everyday workout made me
stronger. I said to her, It seems not difficult to carry you now. She was
picking her dresses. I was waiting to carry her out. She tried quite a few
but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have
grown bigger. I smiled. But I suddenly realized that it was because she was
thinner that I could carry her more easily, not because I was stronger. I
knew she had buried all the bitterness in her heart. Again, I felt a sense
of pain. Subconsciously I reached out a hand to touch her head.

Our son came in at the moment. Dad, it's time to carry mum out. He said. To
him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had been an essential part
of his life. She gestured our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I
turned my face because I was afraid I would change my mind at the last
minute. I held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the
sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and
naturally. I held her body tightly, as if we came back to our wedding day.
But her much lighter weight made me sad.

On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our
son had gone to school. She said, actually I hope you will hold me in your
arms until we are old.

I held her tightly and said, both you and I didn't notice that our life
lacked intimacy.

I jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any
delay would make me change my decision. I walked upstairs. Dew opened the
door. I said to her, Sorry, Dew, I won't divorce. I'm serious.

She looked at me, astonished. The she touched my forehead. You got no
fever. She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Dew, I said, I can
only say sorry to you, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring
probably because she and I didn't value the details of life, not because we
didn't love each other any more. Now I understand that since I carried her
into the home, she gave birth to our child, I am supposed to hold her until
I am old. So I have to say sorry to you.

Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed
the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove to the office.


When I passed the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet for my wife
which was her favorite. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I
smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until we are old.

65 Companies Vulnerable to Lay-Offs in the Philippines

This morning, I received an e-mail coming from Ate Lisa's sister. In her e-mail, she is telling that there are 65 Companies Vulnerable to Lay-Offs in the Philippines. And I feel sad about it. I just hope that someday, this world-wide economic crisis that we are facing right now will be solve.

The 65 "vulnerable" firms are: Texas Instruments (Phils.) Inc., NXP Semiconductors Philippines Inc., Rohm Electronics Philippines Inc., Intel Technology Philippines Inc., Epson Imaging Devices (Phils.) Inc., NXP Semiconductors Cabuyao Inc., Samsung Electro-Mechanics Philippines Corp., Ibiden Philippines Inc., Sanyo Semiconductor Manufacturing Philippines Corp.;
Shin Heung Electro Digital Inc., San Technology Inc., Analog Devices Gen. Trias Inc., Ionics EMS Inc., Nikko Materials Philippines Inc., SIIX Logistics Philippines Inc., Pricon Micro-Electronics Inc., Dyna Image Corp. Philippines, First Sumiden Circuits Inc., Cypress Manufacturing Ltd., Fujitsu Die-Tech Corp. of the Philippines, Vishay (Phils.) Inc. and SB Flex Philippines Inc.;
Allegro Microsystems Philippines Inc., Katolec Philippines Corp., Fairchild Semiconductor (Phils.) Inc., MD Tech Phils. Inc., Fuji Electric Philippines Inc., Daeduck Philippines Inc., ON Semiconductor Philippines Inc., Nanox Philippines Inc., Sanyo Capacitor (Phils.) Corp., Rohm Mechatech Philippines Inc., P. Imes Corp., NEC TOKIN Electronics (Phils.) Inc., Tong Hsing Electronics Phils. Inc., Poongsan Microtec Philippines Inc.;
AMI Semiconductor Philippines Inc., ISPL (Phils.) Inc., Orient Semiconductor Electronics Philippines Inc., Yu Jin Optical Electronics Inc., PerkinElmer Optoelectronics Philippines Inc., Analog Devices (Phils.) Inc., SMK Electronics (Phils.) Corp., Toshiba Information Equipment (Phils.) Inc. and Panasonic Communications Philippines Corp.;
Fujitsu Computer Products Corp. of the Philippines, Samsung Electronics Philippines Manufacturing Corp., TDK Fujitsu Philippines Corp., Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Philippines Corp., Wistron Infocomm (Phils.) Corp., Calamba Shinei Industry Philippines Corp.; Hoya Glass Disk Philippines Inc., Mistumi Philippines Inc., Nidec Subic Philippines Corp., Sanyo Denki Philippines Inc.;
Shindengen Philippines Corp., Aikawa Philippines Inc., Trends and Technologies Inc., Fujitsu Ten Corp. of the Philippines, Panasonic Manufacturing Philippines Corp., Sony Philippines Inc., Sharp (Phils.) Corp., Muramoto Audio-Visual Philippines Inc., and Clarion Manufacturing Corp. of the Philippines and Nippon Antenna (Phils.) Inc.

What Is A Monastery?

The word monastery comes from the Greek μοναστήριον "monasterion", from the root "monos" = alone (originally all Christian monks were hermits), and the suffix "-terion" = place for doing something.

In England the word monastery was also applied to the habitation of a bishop and the cathedral clergy who lived apart from the lay community. Most cathedrals were not monasteries, and were served by canons secular, which were communal but not monastic. However some were run by monastic orders, such as York Minster. Westminster Abbey was for a short time a cathedral, and was a Benedictine monastery until the Reformation, and its Chapter preserves elements of the Benedictine tradition. They are also to be distinguished from collegiate churches, such as St George's Chapel, Windsor.

In some articles, the term monastery is used generically to refer to any of a number of types of religious community. In the Roman Catholic religion and to some extent in certain other branches of Christianity, there is a somewhat more specific definition of the term and many related terms.

Buddhist monasteries are generally called vihara (Pali language). Viharas may be occupied by males or females, and in keeping with common English usage, a vihara populated by females may often be called a nunnery or a convent. However, vihara can also refer to a temple. In Tibetan Buddhism, monasteries are often called gompa. In Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, a monastery is called a wat.

A monastery may be an abbey (i.e., under the rule of an abbot), or a priory (under the rule of a prior), or conceivably a hermitage (the dwelling of a hermit). It may be a community of men (monks) or of women (nuns). A charterhouse is any monastery belonging to the Carthusian order. In Eastern Christianity a very small monastic community can be called a skete, and a very large or important monastery can be given the dignity of a lavra.

The great communal life of a Christian monastery is called cenobitic, as opposed to the anchoretic (or anchoritic) life of an anchorite and the eremitic life of a hermit.

In Hinduism monasteries are called matha, mandir, koil, or most commonly an ashram.

Jains use the Buddhist term vihara.

101 Fun Facts About Italy. Bet You Didn't Know!

Here are 101 fun facts that you might not know about Italy, its people, and its history:
1. Italy is slightly larger than Arizona.
2. Almost 20% of Italy's population is over 65 years old.
3. Italy borders Austria, France, Vatican City, San Marino, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
4. Its longest border is with Switzerland.
5. The average Italian family has 1.27 children.
6. Everybody 18 and over can vote, however you have to be at least 25 to vote in Senate elections.
7. The Italian flag is inspired by the French flag introduced during Napoleon's 1797 invasion of the peninsula.
8. The average Italian makes $26,700 a year, however those in the more prosperous north make almost $40,000
9. The thermometer is an Italian invention.
10. Italy's unemployment rate is around 8.6%, but it is as high as 20% in the more impoverished south.
11. Italian farms produce grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives, beef, and dairy.
12. The average life expectancy at birth for an Italian is 79.54 years.
13. The famous children's story, Pinocchio , was written by an Italian.
14. The city of Naples gave birth to the pizza .
15. The piano hails from Italy.
16. The longest river in Italy is the Po.
17. The average Italian consumes half a pound of bread a day.
18. Italy's contributions to science include the barometer, electric battery, nitroglycerin, and wireless telegraphy.
19. Famous Italian explorers include Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo, John Cabot, and Amerigo Vespucci.
20. Today's modern Italian language originated in the region of Tuscany.
21. Enrico Fermi, inventor of the nuclear reactor, was an Italian.
22. The automobile, Fiat , is one of Italy's greatest products.
23. With almost 40 million visitors, Italy is the fourth most visited country in the world.
24. Italy is home to two microstates, San Marino and Vatican City .
25. Besides Julius Caesar, Shakespeare also set in Italy ( entirely or partially):
Romeo and Juliet, Othello, The Merchant of Venice, Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, Cymbeline,Much Ado About Nothing, Othello,The Taming of the Shrew, Titus Andronicus, The Two Gentlemen of Verona,The Winter's Tale.
26. Cologne came out of Italy.
27. The ice cream cone is an Italian invention.
28. The majority of Italian-American immigrants came from Naples and southern Italy.
29. The ancient city of Pompeii was destroyed by the volcano Mt. Vesuvius.
30. Mt. Vesuvius last erupted in 1944, destroying a number of neighboring villages.
31. Eyeglasses are an Italian invention.
32. The average Italian is 41 years old.
33. Italy has 16 regions and 4 autonomous regions.
34. Before adopting the euro, Italy's currency was known as the lira.
35. The average Italian consumes 26 gallons of wine a year.
36. Italy's major industries include tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, and ceramics.
37. Italy has more hotel rooms than any other nation in Europe.
38. The espresso machine hails from Italy.
39. Italy is the world's fifth largest industrial economy.
40. Barely a third of Italy's land is arable and suitable for farming.
41. Italy's biggest trading partners are Germany, France, the United States, and Great Britain.
42. Over 40% of Italy's labor force is unionized.
43. The telephone was created by an Italian (Meucci) *Note.
44. Most of Italy's industry is centered around the northern cities of Milan, Turin and Genoa .
45. Since the end of WWII, Italy has seen almost 60 governments come and go.
46. The area around Venice is the wealthiest region in Europe.
47. Over 75% of Italy is mountainous or hilly.
48. The typewriter is an Italian invention.
49. Italians used to be known for having large families, however Italy is now known for having Europe's lowest birthrate.
50. Italy owes much of its prosperity to thousands of small private family enterprises.
51. Italian families save more money than the Japanese and Germans, and three times more than Americans do.
52. The average Italian consumes 25 kilograms of pasta a year.
53. The Jewish Ghetto in Rome is now one of the most expensive real estate area in the city.
54.With over 5 million people, Rome is Italy's largest city.
55. Italy has a population of over 58 million.
56. Italians refer to their country as Italia.
57. Italy imports over 75% of its energy.
58. The service sector accounts for almost 70% of the Italian economy.
59. Agriculture used to make up over a third of Italy's economy. It now makes up less than three percent.
60. The official language is Italian, but German and French are also spoken in some regions.
61. Italy's north has warm summers and cool winters. Italy's south has hot summers and mild winters.
62. The Seven Hills of Rome are Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and Viminal.
63. The symbol SPQR can be found on many ancient buildings in Rome. It stands for "the senate and people of Rome."
64. Rome was founded in 753 BC.
65. Italy did not become a united country until 1861.
66. The national protest song of Italy is Bella Ciao. It was made famous by Italian partisans in WWII, and can be heard at almost any protest.
67. Before Rome became a republic and an empire, it had seven kings.
68. The first king of Rome was its legendary founder, Romulus.
69. "Ars longa, vita brevis" is a common saying in Italy. It means "art is long, life is short" and reflects the Italian love of leisure.
70. An engineering marvel of the ancient world, Cloacus Maxima, is the sewer of Rome.
71. The first Roman Emperor was Augustus Octavian, who came to power in 27 BC.
72. The Roman Empire fell in 476 AD, after its last emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was forced to abdicate by barbarian invaders.
73. A Roman Centurion commanded 100 hundred men.
74. A Roman Legion was made up of 6,000 men.
75. Italy has a resident foreign population of 1.27 million.
76. Italy's current constitution took effect January 1, 1948.
77. The president of Italy is a ceremonial figure.
78. The prime minister serves as the head of government and is the one who runs the country.
79. Since October 1946, the national anthem of Italy has been Inno de Memeli .
80. The Italian flag is green, white, and red.
81. The colors of the Italian flag represent three virtues: hope (green), faith (white), and charity (red).
82. The Italian Republic does not have an official motto, but it does have a common phrase: "L'Italia è una Repubblica democratica, fondata sul lavoro" (Italy is a democratic Republic, founded on labor).
83. St. Francis of Assissi and Saint Caterina of Siena are the patron saints of Italy.
84. 98% of Italians are Roman Catholic.
85. The Roman Catholic Church is based in Italy.
86. Italy has over 3,000 museums.
87. The national sport of Italy is soccer (known as football outside of America).
88. Italy's national dish is pasta.
89. The Italian language evolved from the Latin of the Roman Empire.
90. The Italian peninsula is surrounded by five seas (the Adriatic, Ionian, Tyrrhenean, Ligurian, and Mediterranean).
91. Italy has two large islands, Sicily and Sardinia , as well as a number of smaller islands.
92. The Italian island of Sicily is famous for being home of the illicit Mafia criminal organization.
93. Napoleon spent his first exile on the Italian island of Elba.
94. The Alps mountain range form part of Italy's northern border, and for a long time, protected the peninsula from invasion.
95.Italy has three active volcanoes: Vesuvius, Etna, and Stromboli.
96. Naples is the largest city in southern Italy.
97. Next to Rome, Milan is the second-largest city in Italy.
98. Milan is home to Italian fashion and finance.
99. Rome's nickname is "The Eternal City."
100. Florence is home to Italian art.
101. A vespa is an Italian-made motor scooter that many people ride around busy city streets on.

Prayer Tag And Link For The Philippines And The Filipinos

Instructions:

This is a prayer tag and link for the Philippines and the Filipinos. You are enjoined to utter this prayer for nine (9) consecutive days and to tag as many bloggers as you can with preference for Filipinos. But only bona fide Filipinos shall be included in the official registry of Filipino bloggers in this blog. Each time a new blogger makes a link, be sure to send me an email of the entire link through melalarilla@gmail.com so that the official list will be consolidated in a master list in this blog. For our Muslim brothers, you may make your own special prayer formula but you must never deviate from the formula of this entire post.

Prayer

Dear heavenly Father, we consecrate to you our beloved country- the Philippines and all the Filipinos around the world. We acknowledge Father that apart from You, we can do nothing and it is only your divine providence and grace that can unite all Filipinos as one nation. We therefore humble ourselves before your throne. We confess all our sins to you individually and collectively as a nation. Forgive us our sins Father and wash us clean by the precious blood of Your beloved Son- Jesus Christ. Mend our wicked ways and let us experience a strong and genuine spiritual revival for ourselves and for our country. Let the Holy Spirit imbibe us with power, love and wisdom to return to Your path of holiness and righteousness. Bless our country, heavenly father. Bless all Filipinos wherever they maybe. Let progress, unity, harmony, stability, justice, peace and prosperity reign in our country.

Bless our leaders, from the President down to the lowest Barangay official. Touch their hearts that they may serve our country with all honesty and with love and integrity. Bless our children and our future generation. And bless us all Father in all aspects of our lives. This we pray to You heavenly Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

I recieved this TAG and LINK idea from Rechie of My Hideaway . Thank you very much for this Chie and thank you also for including me in your prayer by sharing this tag to me. It's a great honor. More Power to you and to your husband and May God Bless You Always.

Let's help spread the word of God to the Philippines and to all the Filipinos here in the blogosphere...! I am sharing this tag with: Lisa , Shy , Selina , NanayBelen , Madz and YOU.

Some Facts About Italy

Italy is known worldwide for a variety of reasons. Personalities, art, food and music are just some of the tip-of-your-tongue facts people who go on Jeopardy know all too well. Here are some fast facts about Italy for anyone interested in their mecca of culture.

Italy has several volcanoes, and one that is still active even into our current century. Mount Vesuvius is one of three active volcanoes in continental Europe (the other two, Etna and Stromboli, are also in Italy); it is also considered one of the most famous volcanoes in the world. Its name is recognized in many places, even when volcanoes aren't even an after-thought. Pompeii, an Italian city, was destroyed by Vesuvius in AD 79; the city was buried under lava and thousands of people were swept up in the molten mess.

Can you imagine the size of the state of Arizona? You see it? That's just about the size of Italy. Italy is shaped like a panhandle, much like the state of Florida. However, unlike Florida, Italy's population has more than 20 per cent over the age of sixty-five. While Florida is a hotbed of retirement, for the most part, seniors that move to the state are retiring there as opposed to living there for the duration of their lives.

The Azzurri, Italian for light blue, represents the name of their soccer team. Though, don't call it soccer overseas! In Europe, especially places like Italy, it's called football. Azzurri refers to the color of the national soccer team's home jersey, and now fans cheer them on with colorful chants alluding to the blue of their home country.

You've heard a lot in the news lately about the selection of the next Pope. Well, this conclave takes place in Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, in Rome. Michelangelo painted the roof of the chapel on his back, lying high above the floors, which caused him much distress. Just imagine lying on your back for four years!

Speaking of the Pope, more than 97 percent of Italians are Roman Catholic. Vatican City, the home of the Pope, is located in Italy but is considered an independent city-state. They have their own police force, government and are recognized worldwide as their own country. City-states originated in the AD .

Who hasn't seen pictures of the leaning Tower of Pisa? It's one of the most well-known paper weights sitting on desks across the world, as it's an eye-catching building that everyone loves talking about in conversation. However, do you know why it's leaning? Well, when first built, the top soil the foundation was built on wasn't entirely stable, but the builders didn't know it at the time. They built the entire tower, and as the years went by, it began to slowly tip to one side. It's said that eventually it might just fall over, but there is no timeline as to when those standing under it should run.

Italians have very small families, not including the Mafia, of course! Keep in mind that the Mafia is just an organization or a group of people come together for a common goal. It doesn't always associate itself with The Sopranos and other illegal operations. The average Italian nuclear family is made up of five people, whereas the extended family - such as the Mafia - can be comprised of hundreds.

Italy is the fourth most visited country in the world, which means there's a good chance that someday you'll get to see all the sights and sounds of the country in your lifetime. More than 40 million foreigners touch down to visit some of the most amazing places in the world during just one year. Don't be left out, be one of them before you hang up your passport.

Pasta, one of the world's most consumed foods, was invented in Italy. It's also their national dish! Each Italian consumes more than 25 kilograms of pasta in just one year. Needless to say, there are not many leftovers in an Italian family's refrigerator.

Milan is considered the fashion capital of the world by designers and fashionistas alike. Many flock their throughout the year for fashion line launches, previews and other walkway run-throughs to catch up on the latest trends, fashions and other clothes hitting the stores during the year. Such designers as Armani, Versace and Gucci all launch clothes from Milan at some point during their business year.

"Italy is a democratic republic, founded on labor," is the official state motto. While not very robust, as many other mottos are throughout the world, it is a statement left over from the Roman foundation that is the country. Many buildings, government or otherwise, are branded with the initials SPQR that denote that they are recognized by the Imperial Senate and the people of Rome. Many facets of ancient Roman culture still dwell in the city, though you won't see many spears and shields lying around, except in museums.