A Walk on the Snow

As everyone knows, there is quite an array of winter sports to please any enthusiast. In Italy skiing is probably the most popular sport of the season, however a growing number of Italians are experimenting with snowshoeing. Today I went out with my favorite association “Tesori del Lazio” to explore the lower Apennine Mountains around Campo Catino, about 90 km east of Rome. Fantastic weather, warm sun and the absence of wind made the day perfect for trying out the snowshoes and exploring the mountains in the silence of the snowy slopes. What a fantastic day in the fresh air, making new friends and enjoying a healthy walk while feeling high enough to touch the sky!

Happy Epiphany

La Befana: a cross between Halloween and Christmas

When my husband was a young boy, the only holiday gifts most children received were those on January 6 for la Befana, or Epiphany. A stocking full of goodies was given to Italian children (coal was put in the stocking for those who misbehaved). The main character of this tradition is la Befana, a witch who rides a broomstick and fills the children’s stockings during the night. In Rome’s Piazza Navona, every year there is an enormous outdoor market where pre-filled stockings, candies, toys and Befana dolls are sold. It is the main place where families go to choose a surprise for their children. Buona Epifania!