Episodio 1/30

@ Cooknook
Claire 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?

Episodio 2/30

@ Pizza de Resistance
"Rosa," gulped Claire 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, Claire!" said Rosa 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."
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
“Oh wow, Claire, there's a butterfly!” I. M. Yors cried out.
“It looks like a Mazarine Blue," replied Claire knowledgeably.
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
"A bit of trivia here, swinger!" remarked Claire, 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, Claire!"
"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 swinger.
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
“I don't know how to pronounce half of these place names, Claire!” said Tweety Pi ruefully.
"Never mind," said Claire. "We'll look them up when we get back to the hotel tonight!"
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
"We'll be seeing a bit of everything here in Italy," remarked jonny. "You could say, from Giotto to gelato!"
"That pistachio gelato we had last night was superb!" marvelled Claire. "You can certainly tell the difference between Italian ice cream and the mass produced stuff we have at home!"
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
“Let's practise some Italian phrases, Claire!" said Amethyst. "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!'”
Claire looked puzzled. "Why do I have to say anything at all, Amethyst? 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?"
Amethyst 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 ...!"
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
"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, Garth?" remarked Claire. "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!"
Garth 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," he said. "It says here that it's a very popular design for wedding cakes!"
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
On disembarking from the tour bus, Whoot surveyed the current stopping place. “Would you fancy living here, Claire?”
"Well, it's certainly a bit different to where we live," said Claire. "But I could get used to it, I daresay!"
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
"When we get back I'm going to go to the library and see if Mrs Eucalyptus can recommend a book about architecture," said Zoe. "I've realised how little I know about it."
Claire thought about this. "Good scheme!" she said.
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
"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, Icicle?" remarked Claire.
"Well, they certainly are amazing, Claire," responded Icicle. "But I'd rather own a little Fiat 500! They are terminally cute!"
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
“Let's practise some of these Italian phrases in our brochure, Claire. I'll ask you what your name is! Come si chiama, Lei?” asked Sebastian.
“No, my name isn't 'Lei'," replied Claire, somewhat irritated. "Why are you asking that? Anyway—Mi chiamo Claire."
"It doesn't mean, 'What's your name, Lei?'" responded Sebastian indignantly. "The whole thing means 'What is your name?'"
Claire seized the phrasebook. "Doesn't make sense, going round asking pets if they're called 'Lei'", she grumbled.
Sebastian sighed heavily. "Let's try another one instead."
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
“Oh wow, Claire, there's a butterfly!” Splat cried out.
“It looks like a Mazarine Blue," replied Claire knowledgeably.
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!
Claire and Hugo shook paws, said “How do you do?” and posed for a souvenir photo. “Why am I always on the left?” grumbled Claire. “Let’s change sides.”
“No,” said Hugo. “This is my best side.”
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 Claire'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!

Episodio 16/30

@ Yellow Corn Marigold
“Let's practise some of these Italian phrases in our brochure, Claire. I'll ask you what your name is! Come si chiama, Lei?” asked nellie.
“No, my name isn't 'Lei'," replied Claire, somewhat irritated. "Why are you asking that? Anyway—Mi chiamo Claire."
"It doesn't mean, 'What's your name, Lei?'" responded nellie indignantly. "The whole thing means 'What is your name?'"
Claire seized the phrasebook. "Doesn't make sense, going round asking pets if they're called 'Lei'", she grumbled.
nellie sighed heavily. "Let's try another one instead."
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
“Let's just drink in this scene, shall we, Claire?” suggested Jewel, sinking down on a convenient tree stump.
Claire agreed it was well worth spending some time there!
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!
"Italian pets talk with their paws an awful lot, don't they, Mochi?" remarked Claire.
"You know, I was talking to the tour guide about that, Claire. 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!"
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
Claire 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 Claire. “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?”
Claire thought about it for a while. “You may have a point there, Choose a name!” she said.
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
“Let's practise saying 'hello' in Italian," said Ziggy.
"That's an easy one—Ciao!” said Claire, beaming happily.
"Mm—yes, and mmm—no," replied Ziggy. "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 Claire, somewhat grumpily.
"The simplest thing to say to friends or strangers to greet them is Salve!" replied Ziggy.
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
Claire and Bess shook paws, said “How do you do?” and posed for a souvenir photo. “Why am I always on the left?” grumbled Claire. “Let’s change sides.”
“No,” said Bess. “This is my best side.”
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
“Would you pass me the binoculars, Claire?” said Splash. "I think that's an Alpine swift flitting around over there! They spend most of their lives in the air, you know."
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
“What have you got in your rucksack, Henrietta?” asked Claire. “It looks very full!”
“I’ve come prepared for anything, Claire,” responded Henrietta. “There’s canvas deck shoes, tennis shoes, flip-flops, sandshoes, walking boots, sandals, loafers—you name it, I’ve got it!”
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
"It would be great to live on a houseboat in Italy!" said Daisy Duke enthusiastically. "You can sail round most of the country, and when you get tired, just moor the boat and hop in a bunk!"
Claire considered this carefully. "I don’t think houseboats are designed to go on the sea, Daisy Duke. You’d have to get a proper yacht, or something.”
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?
"I think there'll be quite a few tired paws, wings and flippers when we get back to the tour bus," said peace, after she and Claire had spent some time exploring another narrow, winding alleyway to its end.
"Is there a gift shop at the end?" enquired Claire. "The thought of that generally keeps me going."
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
“Would you pass me the binoculars, Claire?” said Amethyst. "I think that's an Alpine swift flitting around over there! They spend most of their lives in the air, you know."
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 texture of fairy floss, the scent of fresh grapes and orange blossom and the mouthwatering flavour of lemon sherbet, green apples and juicy peaches. Sounds lovely, doesn't it, frosty?" remarked Claire.
"I'm sorry, I missed the first part of what you were saying. Is it a gelato flavour?" asked frosty.
Claire chuckled. "No, not gelato. That was a description of Asti Spumante, a delicious sparkling wine from Piedmont. Along with Lambrusco and Prosecco, it's a popular budget alternative to champagne."
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
"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, Joe?" remarked Claire. "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!"
Joe 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," he said. "It says here that it's a very popular design for wedding cakes!"
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
"I think there'll be quite a few tired paws, wings and flippers when we get back to the tour bus," said MooBerry, after she and Claire had spent some time exploring another narrow, winding alleyway to its end.
"Is there a gift shop at the end?" enquired Claire. "The thought of that generally keeps me going."
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 Claire'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!
Claire has completed their tour of "Southern Italy"! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also tour part of Italy!