@ Cooknook Bright Eyes begins her tour of "Southern Italy" by downloading a map of specially chosen locations! Italy - South In this part of the trip, the pets will explore sights ranging from narrow village backstreets to the famous Arco san Felice in Puglia and the Isle of Capri. They will see iconic Italian vehicles such as the tiny Fiat 500 and the Vespa scooter. Along the way they come across Italian flora and fauna, and have ample opportunity to sample the best of Italian cuisine, not only pizza, pasta and delicious gelati but dishes made with freshly picked lemons and grapes! But let's hope they're not kept awake by too much espresso! Cooknook Exploring the winding, narrow streets in this Italian town you come across a charming little eatery tucked away in its own niche. Can you resist sitting down at one of the invitingly set tables to relax over pasta and Chianti?
While touring Italy, you met smokey.
Bright Eyes shook paws with smokey the Tabby Cat. They both received one silver mole!
@ Pizza de resistance "It must be so romantic working on a vineyard, Bright Eyes," said Rusty contentedly sipping grape juice after a hard day’s sightseeing. "Imagine picking the ripe grapes while the sun sets and seeing them turned into wine!" "Hmm—now imagine being up at dawn in the cold of January and February pruning the woody stalks by hand and crushing them up for compost,” said Bright Eyes. “Then more work throughout spring, leaf pruning later in the year, followed by grape pruning. It doesn’t stop.” Rusty waved his glass. “I’ll have staff to do all that,” he said. Pizza de resistance Who wouldn't want to have some of this delicious looking cheesy pizza? Throughout Italy, there are traditional regional variations in pizza recipes and production, from the classic pizza Napoletana to the Pizza al Padellino and Pizza Siciliana. The one pictured here is Pizza Tonda Romana, with a very thin, crispy crust. If you fancy a tasty snack on the street, then street sellers provide Pizza al Taglio—served by the slice! In Naples you can buy Pizza Fritta fried pizza in circle or half-moon shapes.
While touring Italy, you met Rusty.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Rusty the Brown Rustic Rabbit. They both received one silver mole!
@ Roof Invasion “Let’s pose with one of us each side of this attraction and I’ll set the self-timer to take a shot,” said Bright Eyes to Shadow. “It’ll be a great souvenir of our time here!” Roof Invasion These sun-baked roof tiles in shades of terracotta, apricot and pink have been complemented by wild flower seeds taking root and flowering in the cracks.
While touring Italy, you met Shadow.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Shadow the Black Feisty Fox. They both received one silver mole!
@ Draped Grapes "Italian pets talk with their paws an awful lot, don't they, Smoki?" remarked Bright Eyes. "You know, I was talking to the tour guide about that, Bright Eyes. She said the gestures originate from the Romans who used chironomia, which incorporates hand movements into everyday language. They aren’t random gestures, each one has a meaning; so as a foreign pet, you never really known what they mean!" Draped Grapes Italy is the world's largest wine producer. The most famous Italian wines are probably the Tuscan Chianti and the Piedmontese Barolo.
While touring Italy, you met Smoki.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Smoki the Grey Playful Kitten. They both received one silver mole!
@ Camogli, Genoa "Hey, it says in our tour guide that construction of the 8-storey Leaning Tower of Pisa started in 1173 and took 200 years to complete! It quite puts that two-week delay on your bathroom tiling project into perspective, doesn't it, Svaha?" remarked Bright Eyes. "Also, the name of the architect has been lost in the sands of time. You sort of wonder whether he'd have wanted his name to be linked to a tower that leans so noticeably to one side!" Svaha leaned across to read the description of the famous Leaning Tower. "It's good in a way that we can celebrate such an apparent disaster," she said. "It says here that it's a very popular design for wedding cakes!" Camogli, Genoa Camogli is a fishing village and tourist resort located on the west side of the peninsula of Portofino, on the Golfo Paradiso in the Riviera di Levante, in the Metropolitan City of Genoa, Liguria, northern Italy. The prestigious naval college "Cristoforo Colombo" was founded in Camogli in 1874, named after the Genoese navigator Christopher Columbus. In 1880, the former fishing village had, in a population of 12,000, 500 registered as ship captains. Camogli now relies mainly on tourism and is known for its colorful houses that line the beach. The house colors once helped the fishermen of Camogli find the way back to their port.
While touring Italy, you met Svaha.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Svaha the Arctic Feisty Fox. They both received one silver mole!
@ Little Egret "I'm going to have me a hazelnut gelato at the hotel tonight, Munich!" announced Bright Eyes. "I can never decide what my favourite flavour is! I love the pistachio, also the chocolate mint, and the vanilla is fabulous, too!" responded Munich. Little Egret The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a species of small heron. It breeds colonially, often with other species of water birds, making a platform nest of sticks in a tree, bush or reed bed. A clutch of three to five bluish-green eggs is laid and incubated by both parents for about three weeks. The young fledge at about six weeks of age.
While touring Italy, you met Munich.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Munich the Red Feisty Fox. They both received one silver mole!
@ Cygnet Rings “What have you got in your rucksack, Graham?” asked Bright Eyes. “It looks very full!” “I’ve come prepared for anything, Bright Eyes,” responded Graham. “There’s canvas deck shoes, tennis shoes, flip-flops, sandshoes, walking boots, sandals, loafers—you name it, I’ve got it!” Cygnet Rings Are these fluffy cuties watching the ripples spread outwards in circles as they try out their swimming skills for the first time? At least mother's there keeping a watchful eye on them!
While touring Italy, you met Graham.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Graham the Majestic Monarch Butterfly. They both received one silver mole!
@ Black-Winged Stilt "The tour guide said we'll be visiting Il Duomo. I asked her what that was and she said it meant 'the cathedral' in Italian. But there are lots of cathedrals in Italy!" remarked Bright Eyes. "When they say Il Duomo they most often mean the one in Florence, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It says in our brochure it was first built in the 13th century, with the dome added in the 15th century. It has a pink, white and green exterior in a gothic style with a large dome on top. Sounds beautiful!" remarked Guaca. Bright Eyes mused for a minute. "I guess it's like when we were touring England last spring, everypet in London would talk about 'The Monument'—to the Great Fire of London of 1666—as if there were only one monument in the whole of London, instead of thousands!" Black-Winged Stilt Striking and unmistakable, with its elegant shape, boldly pied plumage, long pink legs, and its long, very fine bill. The black-winged stilt feeds by wading in water, picking with its bill from the water surface. In flight, its long pink legs stick out far beyond its tail!
While touring Italy, you met Guaca.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Guaca the Merry Mole. They both received one silver mole!
@ Scooter Italiana "Charisma," gulped Bright Eyes apprehensively, "Have you seen this item on the itinerary? We'll be going to see an active volcano, Mount Vesuvius, on the Naples leg!" "Don't worry, Bright Eyes!" said Charisma reassuringly. "It's not erupted since 79 CE. Admittedly, on that occasion, it did wipe out the Roman city of Pompeii and an estimated three million inhabitants, but today Mount Vesuvius is a large national park that attracts tourists wanting to hike up to the top and take a look inside. The brochure says the trail to the top is beginner-friendly and about a 2½ mile (4km) round trip." Scooter Italiana Vespa is an Italian brand of scooter manufactured by Piaggio. The name means 'wasp' in Italian. The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co.
While touring Italy, you met Charisma.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Charisma the Fox’Maid (Ariilina) . They both received one silver mole!
@ River Rapids "The tour guide said we'll be visiting Il Duomo. I asked her what that was and she said it meant 'the cathedral' in Italian. But there are lots of cathedrals in Italy!" remarked Bright Eyes. "When they say Il Duomo they most often mean the one in Florence, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It says in our brochure it was first built in the 13th century, with the dome added in the 15th century. It has a pink, white and green exterior in a gothic style with a large dome on top. Sounds beautiful!" remarked Sparkle. Bright Eyes mused for a minute. "I guess it's like when we were touring England last spring, everypet in London would talk about 'The Monument'—to the Great Fire of London of 1666—as if there were only one monument in the whole of London, instead of thousands!" River Rapids This river provides the ideal opportunity to relax on its banks as the sun sinks below the horizon!
While touring Italy, you met Sparkle.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Sparkle the Glittering Violet Fish. They both received one silver mole!
@ Frutta e Vino "It would be great to live on a houseboat in Italy!" said dragolia enthusiastically. "You can sail round most of the country, and when you get tired, just moor the boat and hop in a bunk!" Bright Eyes considered this carefully. "I don’t think houseboats are designed to go on the sea, dragolia. You’d have to get a proper yacht, or something.” Frutta e Vino This little shop will provide you with fresh local delicacies such as home grown lemons, regional olive oil and wine, and a range of other fruit and vegetables!
While touring Italy, you met dragolia.
Bright Eyes shook paws with dragolia the Green Happy Dragon. They both received one silver mole!
@ Tree in Mist Bright Eyes flicked through the phrasebook. “The tour guide at the door of the museum this morning said Prego! as she ushered us all in. She said it meant ‛After you'. I asked her especially.” “It's one of those terms that mean a number of things: ‛you're welcome', ‛don't mention it', ‛not at all', ‛after you!'. For example, if I reached for your bottle of orange juice you'd say, “Prego!—meaning ‛Please! Help yourself!” “No, I wouldn't. I'd jolly well tell you to get your paws off it,” grumbled Bright Eyes. “It's very confusing, having just one word covering half a dozen situations.” “Would you rather have to learn half a dozen different phrases, like you'd have in English, to cover each one?” Bright Eyes thought about it for a while. “You may have a point there, mucki!” she said. Tree in Mist This fine, tall tree looms up out of the misty dawn at the start of another beautiful day!
While touring Italy, you met mucki.
Bright Eyes shook paws with mucki the Grey Playful Kitten. They both received one silver mole!
@ In Vino Veritas "It would be great to live on a houseboat in Italy!" said Trish enthusiastically. "You can sail round most of the country, and when you get tired, just moor the boat and hop in a bunk!" Bright Eyes considered this carefully. "I don’t think houseboats are designed to go on the sea, Trish. You’d have to get a proper yacht, or something.” In Vino Veritas Italy is divided into 20 administrative regions (see left), all of which produce wine to some extent, and all of which contain various wine regions. The most significant, when both quality and quantity are taken into consideration, are Tuscany, Piedmont and Veneto. Each region has its flagship wine styles.
While touring Italy, you met Trish.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Trish the Brown Owl. They both received one silver mole!
@ Buon Appetito! “Let's hope Foxy doesn't get as seasick as he did on the Irish Sea, Bright Eyes!” said Peridot, studying the future itinerary. "Can you get seasick on a lake?" asked Bright Eyes. "Oh yes, indeedy," said Peridot. Buon Appetito! Enjoy your meal! The Mediterranean diet is reputed to be very healthy, although possibly the high incidence of sunshine in these lands plays its role in the health of their inhabitants!
While touring Italy, you met Peridot.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Peridot the Green Rapid Dragonfly. They both received one silver mole!
@ Watery Perch Half way through Bright Eyes's tour of "Southern Italy", she finds a special prize! Blossoms Array (Royal Velvet) Whimsically understated, the soft velvety petals of this arrangement are alluring to pets far and wide. Watery Perch He's very well disguised! A bare rock in the sea to him is a good resting place as he is waterproofed with his feathers, however uncomfortable it may look to us!
While touring Italy, you met Audra.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Audra the Blue Beautiful Unicorn. They both received one silver mole!
@ Yellow Corn Marigold "When we get back I'm going to go to the library and see if Mrs Eucalyptus can recommend a book about architecture," said Hansi (Icky Bird Who Can't Fly). "I've realised how little I know about it." Bright Eyes thought about this. "Good scheme!" she said. Yellow Corn Marigold This cheerful flower, coleostephus myconis, more commonly known as the corn marigold, occurs in the Mediterranean region of southern Europe. It usually grows in grassy fields.
While touring Italy, you met Hansi (Icky Bird Who Can't Fly).
Bright Eyes shook paws with Hansi (Icky Bird Who Can't Fly) the Playful Penguin. They both received one silver mole!
Hansi (Icky Bird Who Can't Fly) and you found 10 Travel Tokens!
@ Confection Selection “Let's practise some Italian phrases, Bright Eyes!" said Choose a name. "Tell you what, hand me that postcard, will you? Grazie!” Clutching the postcard, she looked at her friend expectantly. “That's your cue to say Prego—which means ‛you're welcome!'” Bright Eyes looked puzzled. "Why do I have to say anything at all, Choose a name? If I've performed a very minor service and you've said 'Thank you', do I need to say anything back? It's not like I made you a cake or mowed your lawn. I just handed you a postcard. You said 'thank you'. Couldn't I just smile slightly or something?" Choose a name mused for some minutes. "The English language lacks the exact equivalent of prego or bitte schön and similar phrases in use in Continental Europe. Still, when in Rome ...!" Confection Selection Get your choice of snack here, from an ice cold drink on a hot summer's day, or a delicious and unique Italian gelato—just the thing to cool you down!
While touring Italy, you met Choose a name.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Choose a name the Tabby Cat. They both received one silver mole!
@ Breathe In! "It would be great to live on a houseboat in Italy!" said Crystal enthusiastically. "You can sail round most of the country, and when you get tired, just moor the boat and hop in a bunk!" Bright Eyes considered this carefully. "I don’t think houseboats are designed to go on the sea, Crystal. You’d have to get a proper yacht, or something.” Breathe In! The Fiat 500 is ideally suited to the narrow winding streets. It is very economical to drive and holds four occupants. This is an early model, air-cooled with a rear engine. The Fiat 500 is a very popular vehicle not only in Italy but in the rest of Europe and the UK.
While touring Italy, you met Crystal.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Crystal the Swan. They both received one silver mole!
@ Italian Tricolour “Where are we now, Bright Eyes?” asked WillDroid. "If it's Tuesday this must be Tuscany!" joked Bright Eyes. "Only kidding—let me check the map!" Italian Tricolour The Italian flag is popularly known in Italy as Il Tricolore. The first use of a green/white/red tricolour design for a flag in what is now Italy was in 1796 when it represented a republic in the north. The red and white came from the flag of Milan, and the green from the colour of the region’s military uniform. Within a year, that republic had merged with another—and the tricolor design would be abandoned and re-adopted over the years—but the three colours of green, white and red would remain.
While touring Italy, you met WillDroid.
Bright Eyes shook paws with WillDroid the Multi-Functional Robot. They both received one silver mole!
@ Rose Dawn “I can never remember how to spell ‘Mediterranean’, Bright Eyes,” mused Sebastian, clutching a postcard and sucking the end of his pen. “Is it two ts and one r?” “Simples,” grinned Bright Eyes. “You just need to remember it’s got ‘terra’ in the middle, which is Latin for ‘earth’, and the ‘Medi’ bit means ‘middle’. Put the two together and Bob’s your uncle.” “Middle Earth!” cried Sebastian. Rose Dawn There's some magic minutes just before dawn when birds stir in their nests and start tentatively chirping their own unique call. Other feathered songsters gradually join in until it becomes a veritable chorus. Imagine being on this stretch of Italian coastline while the sky slowly turns from grey to pinky purple, heralding the new day!
While touring Italy, you met Sebastian.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Sebastian the Bashful Badger. They both received one silver mole!
@ Mine's an espresso "Thurmy," gulped Bright Eyes apprehensively, "Have you seen this item on the itinerary? We'll be going to see an active volcano, Mount Vesuvius, on the Naples leg!" "Don't worry, Bright Eyes!" said Thurmy reassuringly. "It's not erupted since 79 CE. Admittedly, on that occasion, it did wipe out the Roman city of Pompeii and an estimated three million inhabitants, but today Mount Vesuvius is a large national park that attracts tourists wanting to hike up to the top and take a look inside. The brochure says the trail to the top is beginner-friendly and about a 2½ mile (4km) round trip." Mine's an espresso Each of Italy’s 20 regions boasts its own unique coffee culture. Espresso may be ubiquitous, but there are many regional twists to the caffè. In the northern Le Marche, enjoy a caffè anisette for an anise-flavored espresso; in southern Sicily, try caffè d’un parrinu, an Arabic-inspired coffee flavored with cloves, cinnamon, and cocoa.
While touring Italy, you met Thurmy.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Thurmy the Grey Playful Kitten. They both received one silver mole!
@ Arco san Felice, Puglia “Hey, have you seen what the next stop is, Bright Eyes?” said b-rok. "It looks fantastic!" "I'll get my camera ready," said Bright Eyes. Arco san Felice, Puglia A naturally formed limestone arch, this is equally impressive from the sea, where you can sometimes get through, and from the coast road by one of the watchtowers.
While touring Italy, you met b-rok.
Bright Eyes shook paws with b-rok the Dauntless Dolphin. They both received one silver mole!
@ Bella Italia "Wasn’t it worth coming all this way, Bright Eyes," said rex, "for this experience alone?" Bright Eyes, admiring the scene they were now in, heartily agreed! Bella Italia Italy has been the source of many inventions and discoveries and has long been a global centre of art, music, literature, philosophy, science and technology--also fashion (including Gucci, Armani, Prada, Versace, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana). It has a large automotive industry, e.g. Maserati, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo and Fiat. Italy is the world's largest wine producer. It is a leading producer of olive oil and exports large amounts of fruit and vegetables. It is known for its quality regional cheeses. The country extends over 300,000 km2 (116,350 sq miles). The official language is Italian but there are several other official co-languages in various regions, e.g. German in the South Tyrol.
While touring Italy, you met rex.
Bright Eyes shook paws with rex the Brown Lovable Labrador. They both received one silver mole!
@ Italian Quintet “Oh wow, Bright Eyes, there's a butterfly!” Olivia Anna cried out. “It looks like a Mazarine Blue," replied Bright Eyes knowledgeably. Italian Quintet Guitars, drums and romantic Italian vocals against the colourful backdrop of Il Tricolore—what better and more colourful night out could you want?
While touring Italy, you met Olivia Anna.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Olivia Anna the Strawberry Milky Moo Cow. They both received one silver mole!
@ Is it Italian? “If there's time at the end when we get back to the hotel, I might do some initial sketches for a watercolour painting," Snowball said, offering Bright Eyes a chestnut biscotto from the bag and then unwrapping one for himself. “That sounds like a good plan, Snowball!" said Bright Eyes. Is it Italian? Spaghetti bolognese (sometimes called spaghetti alla bolognese, or colloquially 'spag bol', spaghetti with meat sauce, or just spaghetti) is a pasta dish that is popular outside Italy, but not part of traditional Bolognese or even Italian cuisine in general. The dish is generally perceived as inauthentic when encountered by Italians abroad. It consists of spaghetti served with a sauce made from tomatoes, minced beef, garlic, wine and herbs. In this sense the sauce is actually more similar to Neapolitan ragù from the south of Italy than the northern Bolognese version of ragù. It is often served with grated Parmesan on top, but local cheeses, such as grated Cheddar are also often used. It may be served with a larger proportion of sauce to pasta than is common in genuine Italian spaghetti dishes.
While touring Italy, you met Snowball.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Snowball the Arctic Feisty Fox. They both received one silver mole!
@ Amalfi Sunset "That was a lovely risotto we had for supper last night, wasn't it, fire fox?" remarked Bright Eyes. "On our table the waiter explained that risotto is a rice dish with origins in Lombardy. It’s cooked in a broth to make it creamy. It must be made with a short-grain variant of Italian rice, usually Arborio, as this absorbs less water and gives the risotto a sticky texture," said fire fox. Amalfi Sunset The spectacular sunsets along the exquisite coastline are known and adored worldwide, and you simply cannot go home without experiencing one.
While touring Italy, you met fire fox.
Bright Eyes shook paws with fire fox the Black Feisty Fox. They both received one silver mole!
@ Mediterranean Splendour “You know, I'd like to spend a whole week in this region here, Bright Eyes!” said Munchkin. "It's very pleasant indeed—but you never know, the next part of the tour might be even better!" replied Bright Eyes. Mediterranean Splendour What more beautiful sight can be imagined than the Amalfi coast on a hot summer's day, with the deep blue sea stretching forever and the crystal clear waters of the coastline to explore?
While touring Italy, you met Munchkin.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Munchkin the Corgi. They both received one silver mole!
@ Capri Sun “I don't know how to pronounce half of these place names, Bright Eyes!” said Cherrie ruefully. "Never mind," said Bright Eyes. "We'll look them up when we get back to the hotel tonight!" Capri Sun Capri—an island lin the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples, Italy. It has been a resort since Roman times and was named by those people as "Goat Island". Some of the main features of the island include the Marina Piccola (the little harbour), the Belvedere of Tragara (a high panoramic promenade lined with villas), the limestone crags called sea stacks that project above the sea (the faraglioni), the town of Anacapri, the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra), the ruins of the Imperial Roman villas, and the vistas of various towns surrounding the Island of Capri including Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Sorrento, Nerano, and Naples.
While touring Italy, you met Cherrie.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Cherrie the Yellow Lovable Labrador. They both received one silver mole!
@ Bar Ridente, Sant'Angelo “Let's practise some of these Italian phrases in our brochure, Bright Eyes. I'll ask you what your name is! Come si chiama, Lei?” asked Bahama. “No, my name isn't 'Lei'," replied Bright Eyes, somewhat irritated. "Why are you asking that? Anyway—Mi chiamo Bright Eyes." "It doesn't mean, 'What's your name, Lei?'" responded Bahama indignantly. "The whole thing means 'What is your name?'" Bright Eyes seized the phrasebook. "Doesn't make sense, going round asking pets if they're called 'Lei'", she grumbled. Bahama sighed heavily. "Let's try another one instead." Bar Ridente, Sant'Angelo Bar Ridente is a large snack-bar/café located in the village of Sant'Angelo's main square. It has an indoor bar area where you can have a quick drink, or alternatively, a large outdoor seated area where you can sit down to have a snack, light meal or just a drink. There's also a kiosk where you can buy cold drinks and ice creams . Just look at those locally grown lemons!
While touring Italy, you met Bahama.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Bahama the Luscious Lilac Dolphin. They both received one silver mole!
@ Pizza Oven As Bright Eyes's tour of "Southern Italy" comes to an end, she rests under a shady tree and looks back on a perfect day. Purple Clouds Have you ever seen a purple cloud? No? Well now you've not seen just one, but a whole bunch. Pizza Oven It's not only pizza that tastes fantastic when cooked in a wood fired oven! But to sample the genuine flavour of Italian pizza, the authentic oven is a must! Bright Eyes has completed their tour of "Southern Italy"! Your PnF tour of Italy is now over, but PnF will hold a new event again soon!
While touring Italy, you met Choose a name.
Bright Eyes shook paws with Choose a name the Tabby Cat. They both received one silver mole!
Bright Eyes has completed the quest of
