A Delicious Culinary Introduction to Italy

Dear PGC Travelers,

Since the tour starts in two weeks, Incantato Tours wants to share a delicious typical Roman recipe with you for traditional Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Feel free to try it at home with family and friends and enjoy it. There are so many more delicious food finds you are going to make in Italy during your 2014 Italy Performance Tour.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara
(serves 4-6)

• Ingredients:
• 1 pound dry spaghetti
• 4 fresh large eggs
• 8 ounces guanciale, pancetta or slab bacon, cubed 
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Sea salt

1. Bring about 6 quarts of generously salted water (it should taste like the ocean) to a boil, add the spaghetti and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the guanciale and sauté for about 3 minutes, or until the meat is crispy and golden and has rendered its fat. Turn off the heat.

3. In a small bowl whisk the eggs and the cheeses until well-combined.

4. When the pasta is done, reserve 1/2 cup of the water, then drain.

5. Return the guanciale pan to medium heat, and add half of the reserved pasta water to the pan. Toss in the spaghetti and agitate the pan over the heat for a few seconds until the bubbling subsides. Much of the water will evaporate

6. Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg mixture and stirring quickly until the eggs thicken. The residual heat will cook the eggs but work quickly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it out with a little bit more of the reserved pasta water.

7. Season liberally with freshly cracked black pepper.

8. Divide the pasta into bowls and serve immediately.


Recipe and photo courtesy of http://www.thekitchn.com/

Learning Italian with Incantato Tours

For a lot of people Italian is the most beautiful living language there is. Every word ends in a vowel and it practically begs to be stuck into a romantic sonnet. The sound is just so melodic and soothing.

Since the Phoenix Girls Chorus is going to embark on their 2014 Italy Performance Tour with Incantato Tours, we thought knowing some Italian vocabulary for their free time when they are without their tour guide might be a good idea.

Please find below some common greetings:

• Buongiorno! (bwohn-johr-noh) = Hello! and Good morning!
• Arrivederci! (ahr-ree-veh-dehr-chee) = Goodbye! 
• Ciao! (chou) = Hello! and Good-bye! 
• Buonasera! (bwoh-nah-seh-rah) = Good afternoon! Good evening!
• Buonanotte! (bwoh-nah-noht-teh) = Good night!
• Come si chiama? (koh-meh see kyah-mah) = What is your name?
• Mi chiamo…(mee kyah-moh) = My name is...
• Come sta? (koh-meh stah) = How are you?) 
• Bene, grazie. (beh-neh grah-tsee-eh) = Fine, thank you.

Courtesy is important no matter what country you are in. Use these courtesy phrases below when speaking in Italian so you can be considerate and polite:

• Per favore (pehr fah-voh-reh) = Please
• Grazie (grah-tsee-eh) = Thank you
• Prego! (preh-goh) = You're welcome/ by all means/ after you
• Mi dispiace (mee dees-pyah-cheh) = I'm sorry
• Mi scusi (mee skooh-zee) = Excuse me (formal)
• Scusi, un informazione, per favore. (skooh-zee oohn-een-fohr-mats-yoh-neh pehr fah-voh-reh) = Excuse me, I need some information, please.
• Permesso? (pehr-mehs-soh) = Excuse me — when walking through a crowded train compartment/ "May I come in?" when crossing the threshold of someone's house
• Sì (see) = Yes
• No (noh) = No

To communicate in Italian and to travel with ease, there are practical questions in Italian that you'll use daily and it comes handy to know:

• Chi? (kee) = Who?
• Cosa? (koh-sah) = What?
• Quando? (kwahn-doh) = When?
• Dove? (doh-veh) = Where?
• Perché? (pehr-keh) = Why?
• Come? (koh-meh) = How?
• Quanto? (kwanh-toh) = How much?
• Dov'è la stazione? (doh-veh lah stah-tsyoh-neh) = Where is the station?
• Scusi, dov'è il bagno? (skooh-zee doh-veh eel bahn-yoh) = Where is the bathroom?
• Come si arriva in...? (koh-meh see ahr-ree-vah een pyahts-sah dehl-lah reh-pooh-blee-kah) = How do you get to...?
• Parla inglese? (pahr-lah een-gleh-zeh) (Do you speak English?)
  
  
  
  
  

The Phoenix Girls Chorus Itinerary for June 2014

Day 1, Tuesday, June 17 - Depart for Italy
Overnight flight to Italy via London

Day 2, Wednesday, June 18 -  Arrive in Rome
Benvenuti in bella Italia! Upon arrival in Rome you will meet with your Incantato Tour Manager and then transfer to the charming Costa d‘Ulisses for the first part of your journey near the beach. From there you will check-in to your hotel and in the evening everyone will enjoy a welcome dinner.

Day 3, Thursday, June 19 - Cathedrals & Castles on the Coast
Visit the magical cities of Gaeta and Sperlunga that attracted the Romans already over 2000 years ago. Then prepare for a special performance in Itri, an ancient castle located on a hilltop.  This will be hosted by a local choir who will also prepare dinner for the girls.

Day 4, Friday, June 20 - Sightseeing and Concert in Rieti at 6 pm
Bid farewell to the beach and continue to Rieti in the very heart of Italy. The charming hill top town has a lot to offer. The highlight Teatro concert takes place on this evening at 6 pm.

Day 5, Saturday, June 21 - Exploring Assisi (Recital) Festa della Musica Performances
Explore nearby Assisi with an expert guide prior to PGC presenting a recital at the Basilica of St. Francis. Upon return to Rieti, celebrate the world-wide celebration of music Fete de la Musique or Festa della Musica as it is called in Italian in the town of Rieti and today‘s line-up will feature the Phoenix Girls Chorus in several events. There will also be special reception with the cultural mayor.

Day 6, Sunday, June 22 - Sunday Mass at St. Peter's Basilica at noon
Today's program has changed as PGC's Cantabile was invited to sing in the prestigious Sunday Mass at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Thus, the group will embark on a day trip to Rome and return to Rieti for dinner and to stay overnight.

Day 7, Monday, June 23 - Under the Tuscan Sun
Experience the beautiful countryside of Umbria and Tuscany as you journey towards Florence. You will stop in Siena for sightseeing, which is still one of Italy's most ancient cities. As you will see in the small streets and alley ways, not many private cars are allowed inside of the city. After Siena you will then board the coach to continue onto Florence and check into your Florentine hotel. A sampling of local food is also planned and a concert is scheduled for in the evening.

Day 8, Tuesday, June 24 - Florence Sightseeing & likely Florence Concert at 7:45 pm
See the wonderful city of Florence with an expert guide, that will show and tell you the famous stories of the city and of the Medici Family. The entrance to the Accademia Museum to see Michelangelo‘s David will also be included. Inside the Museum you may learn about the invention of the modern day piano that was created by a man who was employed by a Prince of the Medici family. Later on, PCG is likely being the featured choir for a concert at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore right in the heart of Florence. Thereafter, the young ladies will see Florence by night.

Day 9, Wednesday, June 25 - Scenic Road to Rome & Sightseeing 
See the rolling hills that make this region so famous once again as you journey to the Eternal City of Rome. You will start with a walking tour of the Baroque Squares, climb the Spanish Steps, see the Trevi Fountain and also try some gelato prior to check-in at your hotel.

Day 10, Thursday, June 26 - Ancient Rome Tour
No visit to Rome is complete without a walk through the Coliseum and Roman Forum. There will also be free time for you to do some shopping for souvenirs, people watch and see the street artists etc.

Day 11, Friday, June 27 - Exchange & Concert
You will have a chance to explore the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel on a special tour before PGC will present a final concert after a school exchange. A special farewell dinner concludes the day.

Day 12, Saturday, June 28 - Depart for Phoenix
After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport for your journey back to the US. The travelers will return home with memories to last a lifetime.

Incantato Insider: Rieti

Though most international travelers know about and have visited big Italian cities like Florence and Rome, or famous smaller ones like the towns of Cinque Terra or the Amalfi Coast, few know just how many hidden gems are sprinkled throughout the Italian countryside. Rieti is one of these - a town that's important to Italians (and Italian history) and virtually unknown to American tourists.

Rieti is the name for both a city and a province (like a county) in the region (like a state) of Lazio. Many Italians know Rieti because it's along a major route to get to Rome (also, incidentally, in Lazio). As the capital of the region of Rieti, the town also is a major cultural and commercial center for the many tiny towns in northern Lazio and southern Umbria.

Historically, Reiti was a major site in the Sabine nation long before Italy was united, and later became a strategic point in the early Italian road network that linked Rome to the Adriatic Sea. Rieti also became a favorite Papal seat and was the site of several important historical events, including the marriage of Constance Hauteville in 1185, the crowning of Charles I by Pope Nicholas in 1289, and the celebration of the canonization of St. Dominic by Pope Gregory IX in 1234.

Interesting features of modern Rieti include the Cathedral, with a stunning Romanesque bell tower built in 1252 and a statue of St. Barbara by Giannatonio Mari; the Palazzo Vescovile – or Bishops Palace – with its Rennaissance windows and a Grand Hall housing the Diocese Gallery; and the Santa Maria in Vescovio, an 8th century church with frescoes from the 13th and 14th centuries depicting the Last Judgment and scenes from the Bible.

As the center of the Rieti province, the town of Rieti also features a number of gelaterias, clothing stores, delicious restaurants, and the surprisingly diverse music store Mussicisti.

The Rieti Valley also is an important part of the Cammino di Francesco, or Saint Francis Walk. Along with Assisi and the Verna, Saint Francis made the Rieti Valley his home. It is here that he created the first Nativity in Christianity in 1223, wrote the Rule of the Franciscan Order, and most likely composed The Canticle of All Creatures.

Discover St. Peter's Basilica with Incantato

The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter is located within the Vatican City. St. Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people. It is the symbolic "Mother Church" of the Catholic Church and is regarded as one of the holiest Christian sites in the world. It has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".

In Catholic tradition, it is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession. Tradition and some historical evidence hold that Saint Peter's tomb is directly below the altar of the basilica. For this reason, many Popes have been interred at St. Peter's since the Early Christian period. There has been a church on this site since the 4th century. Construction of the present basilica, over the old Constantine basilica, began on April 18, 1506 and was completed on November 18, 1626.

St. Peter's is a famous place of pilgrimage, for its liturgical functions and for its historical associations. It is associated with the papacy, with the Counter-reformation and numerous artists, most significantly Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475-1564), an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer. Michelangelo took over a building site at which four piers, enormous beyond any constructed since the days of Ancient Rome, were rising behind the remaining nave of the old basilica. He also inherited the numerous schemes designed and redesigned by some of the greatest architectural and engineering brains of the 16th century.

Incidentally, there are over 100 tombs within St. Peter's Basilica, many located in the Vatican grotto, beneath the Basilica. These include 91 popes, St. Ignatius of Antioch, Holy Roman Emperor Otto II, and the composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Exiled Catholic British royalty James Francis Edward Stuart and his two sons, Charles Edward Stuart and Henry Benedict Stuart, are buried here, having been granted asylum by Pope Clement XI. The most recent interment was Pope John Paul II, on April 8, 2005.

 

Welcome to Rome with Incantato Tours

• Rome's early history is shrouded in legend. According to Roman tradition, the city was founded by the twin Romulus and Remus on April 21st, 753 BC
• Due to its centrality on many levels, the city has been nicknamed "Caput Mundi" (Latin for "Capital of the World") and "The Eternal City"
• Its rich artistic heritage and vast amount of ancient, notably architectural and archaeological sites, contribute to the city's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 
• Rome is the third most visited tourist destination in the European Union
• The city is also an important worldwide hub of the cinematic and filming industry, home to the important and large Cinecitta Studios, which saw the filming of several internationally acclaimed movies, as well as television programs
• The Rome metropolitan area is the world's 35th richest city be purchasing power
• The city hosted the 1960 Olympic Games and is also an official candidate for the 2020 Olympic Games
• Rome is an important center for music, and it has an intense musical scene, including several prestigious music conservatories and theaters. It hosts the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (founded in 1585), for which new concert halls have been built in the new Parco della Musica, one of the largest musical venues in the world
• A Jewish influence in the Italian dishes can be seen, as Jews have lived in Rome since the 1st Century BC. Examples of these include "Saltimbocca alla Romana," a veal cutlet, Roman-style, topped with raw ham and sage and simmered with white wine and butter, as well as "Carciofi alla giudia" - artichokes fried in olive oil, typical of Roman Jewish cooking

Incantato Insider: Gaeta and Sperlunga

The region of Lazio today features a varied landscape of volcanic lakes, mountains, ravines, and olive groves. The area was inhabited at least 60,000 years go, although the first signs of a significant civilization date back to the 10th century BC. Aside from Rome, the YPAS travelers will also be visiting other towns in the Lazio region, including two in the south: Sperlunga and Gaeta.

A seaside town surrounded by sandy beaches, the old town of Sperlunga is marked by whitewashed buildings and narrow alleyways. The modern part of town lies down on the seafront. 
In ancient times, this area was a favorite retreat for the Romans during the hot summer months, which is why there were villas built along the coast. Archaeologists found a luxury villa complex on the outskirts of town, along with some amazing 2nd century BC Hellenistic sculptures in a large cave open to the sea.

The historic center of Gaeta is dominated by a mighty Aragonese castle. However, the town's most outstanding feature is the Duomo's elegant late Romanesque bell tower with its lofty summit topped by a roof of colored ceramic tiles. 

Discover Assisi with Incantato Tours

There are many reasons why Assisi is one of Incantato's favorite destinations in Italy. A fairly small city of 30,000 inhabitants, Assisi sits perched on a hilltop surround by the stunning Umbrian landscape. 

When visiting, you feel like you have stepped back in time, finding yourself in what seems like a village from the Middle Ages with its old gates and main street, the Via de San Francesco. You can also visit the two 14th century forts Rocca Maggiore and Rocca Minore (large and small fort) and enjoy the gorgeous views. However, the most important sight is the Basilica of Saint Francis, named a UNESCO world heritage site. There are also many traces of Roman times around the city, including remains of the city walls or the Piazza del Comune, the main square of Assisi. Here you can find the Temple of Minerva. With six Corinthian columns, it was erected in the 1st Century BC. The square is also a nice meeting point where almost all streets converge. In the streets surrounding the main square there are many shops offering small handicrafts and local specialties. You can also just sit down and relax, knowing that beneath your feet lies an ancient Roman Forum where people used to meet 2,000 years ago.

Phoenix Girls Chorus - flight schedule

Departure for Europe:

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

British Airways flight BA288, leave PHOENIX (PHX) at 7:25PM

Arrive in LONDON (LHR) at 1:05PM on Wednesday, June 13, 2012

British Airways flight BA704, leave LONDON (LHR) at 2:40PM

Arrive in VIENNA (VIE) at 6:00PM

Return to USA:

Sunday, June 24, 2012

British Airways flight BA901, leave FRANKFURT (FRA) at 7:25AM

Arrive in LONDON (LHR) at 8:10AM

British Airways flight BA289, leave LONDON (LHR) at 2:35PM

Arrive in PHOENIX (PHX) at 5:10PM