Episodio 1/30

@ Cooknook
▪Sandy Pines▪ begins his 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?

Episodio 2/30

@ Pizza de resistance
“Let's just drink in this scene, shall we, ▪Sandy Pines▪?” suggested Bandito, sinking down on a convenient tree stump.
▪Sandy Pines▪ agreed it was well worth spending some time there!
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.

Episodio 3/30

@ Roof Invasion
“You know, I'd like to spend a whole week in this region here, ▪Sandy Pines▪!” said peace.
"It's very pleasant indeed—but you never know, the next part of the tour might be even better!" replied ▪Sandy Pines▪.
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.

Episodio 4/30

@ Draped Grapes
▪Sandy Pines▪ and Digger were entranced on reaching this Mediterranean viewpoint and eagerly posed for a picture standing on either side!
Draped Grapes
Italy is the world's largest wine producer. The most famous Italian wines are probably the Tuscan Chianti and the Piedmontese Barolo.

Episodio 5/30

@ Camogli, Genoa
Saffron was distracted by the sounds of loud rustling as ▪Sandy Pines▪ unfolded a very large tourist map, in the course of which he succeeded in knocking Saffron’s hat off. “Put that away, do!” said Saffron, irritated. “We’re about to pose on either side of this amazing scene—the picture will all be of your map if you don’t fold it up pronto!”
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.

Episodio 6/30

@ Little Egret
"What does Benvenuti a tutti! mean, Silky?" queried ▪Sandy Pines▪, admiring the front of his travel itinerary.
"It means 'Welcome, everypet!" replied Silky.
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.

Episodio 7/30

@ Cygnet Rings
"A bit of trivia here, Mr. Panda!" remarked ▪Sandy Pines▪, reading from their tour brochure. "Can you name two films that popularised the Vespa as the ultimate way to explore Italy?"
"I don't think I can, ▪Sandy Pines▪!"
"Well, to be fair, they were both from before we were born. The 1953 film, Roman Holiday, and La Dolce Vita in 1960. It says the latter is a particularly good film."
"We'll have to see if we can watch them when we get back," said Mr. Panda.
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!

Episodio 8/30

@ Black-Winged Stilt
“Oh wow, ▪Sandy Pines▪, there's a butterfly!” Yozaria cried out.
“It looks like a Mazarine Blue," replied ▪Sandy Pines▪ knowledgeably.
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!

Episodio 9/30

@ Scooter Italiana
"It says in our brochure that Italy has produced many luxury sports cars, such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. That's impressive, isn't it, Hester?" remarked ▪Sandy Pines▪.
"Well, they certainly are amazing, ▪Sandy Pines▪," responded Hester. "But I'd rather own a little Fiat 500! They are terminally cute!"
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.

Episodio 10/30

@ River Rapids
"It says in our brochure that Italy has produced many luxury sports cars, such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. That's impressive, isn't it, Cashmere?" remarked ▪Sandy Pines▪.
"Well, they certainly are amazing, ▪Sandy Pines▪," responded Cashmere. "But I'd rather own a little Fiat 500! They are terminally cute!"
River Rapids
This river provides the ideal opportunity to relax on its banks as the sun sinks below the horizon!

Episodio 11/30

@ Frutta e Vino
"'Bella Italia!'" read out Nemo from their tour brochure. " 'A country in which you will be swept off your paws by quaint seaside villages, pastoral countryside, idyllic islands, dramatic mountains and ancient historic cities. It's easy to understand why Bella Italia is one of the most romantic destinations in the world.'"
▪Sandy Pines▪ settled back in his tour bus seat. "It's certainly been all that so far, Nemo!"
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!

Episodio 12/30

@ Tree in Mist
"It's turned a bit hot, ▪Sandy Pines▪. I'm going to put my sunhat on," said blue sunshine.
"Good scheme! I'll dig mine out as well," said ▪Sandy Pines▪.
Tree in Mist
This fine, tall tree looms up out of the misty dawn at the start of another beautiful day!

Episodio 13/30

@ In Vino Veritas
▪Sandy Pines▪ was listening enraptured to strains of music reaching them from a street violin player. “My mum used to sing this, Sif!” she exclaimed happily. "O Sole Mio or My Own Sun. This takes me back!"
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.

Episodio 14/30

@ Buon Appetito!
"Milan is widely considered to be the fashion capital of the world. Many internationally renowned fashion brands are based in Milan, including Dolce & Gabbana, Armani and Prada. Quadrilatero della Moda is the high-end fashion district in Milan that contains luxury brands and exclusive fashion boutiques. It’s one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world," read out Polly from the itinerary.
"We'll have to take care not to go too mad there, Polly!" responded ▪Sandy Pines▪. "Perhaps a designer T-shirt!"
"Hmm—I think a designer bath cube will be more within my budget!" remarked Polly.
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!

Episodio 15/30

@ Watery Perch
Half way through ▪Sandy Pines▪'s tour of "Southern Italy", he 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!

Episodio 16/30

@ Yellow Corn Marigold
“Let's practise saying 'hello' in Italian," said Yozaria.
"That's an easy one—Ciao!” said ▪Sandy Pines▪, beaming happily.
"Mm—yes, and mmm—no," replied Yozaria. "You should only say Ciao to pets you know very well. You mustn't say it to somepet's grandmother who you haven't met before, and you shouldn't walk into a shop and say it. It's far too informal."
“So what do you say then?" queried ▪Sandy Pines▪, somewhat grumpily.
"The simplest thing to say to friends or strangers to greet them is Salve!" replied Yozaria.
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.

Episodio 17/30

@ Confection Selection
"Milan is widely considered to be the fashion capital of the world. Many internationally renowned fashion brands are based in Milan, including Dolce & Gabbana, Armani and Prada. Quadrilatero della Moda is the high-end fashion district in Milan that contains luxury brands and exclusive fashion boutiques. It’s one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world," read out Choose a name from the itinerary.
"We'll have to take care not to go too mad there, Choose a name!" responded ▪Sandy Pines▪. "Perhaps a designer T-shirt!"
"Hmm—I think a designer bath cube will be more within my budget!" remarked Choose a name.
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!

Episodio 18/30

@ Breathe In!
▪Sandy Pines▪ and Mochi shook paws, said “How do you do?” and posed for a souvenir photo. “Why am I always on the left?” grumbled ▪Sandy Pines▪. “Let’s change sides.”
“No,” said Mochi. “This is my best side.”
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.

Episodio 19/30

@ Italian Tricolour
“Hey, have you seen what the next stop is, ▪Sandy Pines▪?” said Sarah. "It looks fantastic!"
"I'll get my camera ready," said ▪Sandy Pines▪.
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.

Episodio 20/30

@ Rose Dawn
“Hey, have you seen what the next stop is, ▪Sandy Pines▪?” said VV. "It looks fantastic!"
"I'll get my camera ready," said ▪Sandy Pines▪.
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!

Episodio 21/30

@ Mine's an espresso
"Milan is widely considered to be the fashion capital of the world. Many internationally renowned fashion brands are based in Milan, including Dolce & Gabbana, Armani and Prada. Quadrilatero della Moda is the high-end fashion district in Milan that contains luxury brands and exclusive fashion boutiques. It’s one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world," read out Snuggles from the itinerary.
"We'll have to take care not to go too mad there, Snuggles!" responded ▪Sandy Pines▪. "Perhaps a designer T-shirt!"
"Hmm—I think a designer bath cube will be more within my budget!" remarked Snuggles.
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.

Episodio 22/30

@ Arco san Felice, Puglia
“Where are we now, ▪Sandy Pines▪?” asked Sylvantra.
"If it's Tuesday this must be Tuscany!" joked ▪Sandy Pines▪. "Only kidding—let me check the map!"
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.

Episodio 23/30

@ Bella Italia
"Here's another bit of trivia for you, Eddy Spaghetti!" called out ▪Sandy Pines▪. "The Villa del Balbianello on Lake Como has featured in which two well-known films?"
"I don't know, ▪Sandy Pines▪. Which films were they?"
"The James Bond film Casino Royale and Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones," responded ▪Sandy Pines▪.
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.

Episodio 24/30

@ Italian Quintet
"I think there'll be quite a few tired paws, wings and flippers when we get back to the tour bus," said shotzee, after she and ▪Sandy Pines▪ had spent some time exploring another narrow, winding alleyway to its end.
"Is there a gift shop at the end?" enquired ▪Sandy Pines▪. "The thought of that generally keeps me going."
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?

Episodio 25/30

@ Is it Italian?
"What are you doing, Yay?" asked ▪Sandy Pines▪, coming across his friend in the hotel lounge, clutching a notebook and pen.
"I'm keeping a diary of our experiences on this trip, ▪Sandy Pines▪. I don't want to forget anything!" responded Yay. "Oh, and the tour guide taught me a lovely phrase just now—Dall'Italia, con amore!—'From Italy, with love'. I'm going to use it on my postcards home to my Mum."
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.

Episodio 26/30

@ Amalfi Sunset
"That was a lovely risotto we had for supper last night, wasn't it, Archie?" remarked ▪Sandy Pines▪.
"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 Archie.
Amalfi Sunset
The spectacular sunsets along the exquisite coastline are known and adored worldwide, and you simply cannot go home without experiencing one.

Episodio 27/30

@ Mediterranean Splendour
"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 ▪Sandy Pines▪.
"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 Hero.
▪Sandy Pines▪ 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!"
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?

Episodio 28/30

@ Capri Sun
"What are you doing, Banjo?" asked ▪Sandy Pines▪, coming across his friend in the hotel lounge, clutching a notebook and pen.
"I'm keeping a diary of our experiences on this trip, ▪Sandy Pines▪. I don't want to forget anything!" responded Banjo. "Oh, and the tour guide taught me a lovely phrase just now—Dall'Italia, con amore!—'From Italy, with love'. I'm going to use it on my postcards home to my Mum."
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.

Episodio 29/30

@ Bar Ridente, Sant'Angelo
▪Sandy Pines▪ and Boromir shook paws, said “How do you do?” and posed for a souvenir photo. “Why am I always on the left?” grumbled ▪Sandy Pines▪. “Let’s change sides.”
“No,” said Boromir. “This is my best side.”
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!

Episodio 30/30

@ Pizza Oven
As ▪Sandy Pines▪'s tour of "Southern Italy" comes to an end, he 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!
▪Sandy Pines▪ has completed their tour of "Southern Italy"! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also tour part of Italy!