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Exercise Expeditions Your excuse to Travel
Photo courtesy of Ragnar Relay Series
By Alison Moore
Although most people try to plan workouts into a trip, some tourists plan trips around their workouts. These competitors learn that athletic excursions can expose new ways to exercise—and new ways to travel. Whether it’s a weekend stop to participate in a race or a two-month vacation to bike across countries, destination athletes are finding ways to make exercise their motivation to travel and travel their motivation to exercise.
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Running: Napa Valley Venture The light reflecting off water, the crisp ocean breeze, and the steady drum of feet hitting pavement. The Golden Gate Bridge has about 10 million annual visitors, but McKenzie Ashman is experiencing it in a less conventional way—she’s running it. Although Ashman made sure to stop by Chinatown and Fisherman’s Wharf, it was the 106mile relay from the Golden Gate Bridge to Napa Valley that attracted her to the area. Running can be an easy excuse to travel because race series bring
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runners together from all corners of the world. Ashman stumbled upon the Napa Valley Ragnar Relay when a friend was looking for some extra runners for the race. Despite being a few weeks into her college semester and living states away from the race’s location, Ashman and her friends committed to participate in the relay. The lure of a weekend trip to the Bay Area called her away from the streets she knew so well in her college town. Ashman admits that the decision to make a trip across states during a busy semester was unusual, but the commitment to the race helped her dedicate the time, money, and energy she would have to spend. “I
wouldn’t have gone to San Francisco on a roundabout trip otherwise,” she says. “I couldn’t find a reason to spend the money. But saying I was running and training was a good enough reason for me.” Making memories with people from the excursion made the trip especially worthwhile for Ashman. She found that relay running with new friends allowed her opportunities to make connections that can be difficult to find in everyday life. “The team motivated me to work a little harder. What I did affected them too,” she says. “The location mattered, but I felt a responsibility to the people who were going with me, and I don’t think I would have
Photo courtesy of Ragnar Relay Series
Participants can explore the vineyards of California while running the Ragnar Relay from San Francisco to Napa Valley.
felt that responsibility in my own backyard. I opened up to people who I’m really not sure I would have otherwise.”
DIY
Photo by Brendan Gray
Races of various distances can be found all over the world for runners of all skill levels. The Ragnar Relay series offers relays and trail relays across the United States, while the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series offers half- and full-marathons all around the country as well as in other parts of the world, such as Madrid, Dublin, and Oslo. So invite some friends, sign up for a race, start training, and get ready to travel.
Triathlon: Interstate Iron Man Triathlons are one of the more daunting athletic challenges, but they take place in a variety of locations and at various distances, making them a great choice for any ambitious athlete. Meghan Henry, a serious triathlete and Iron Man competitor, has traveled to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Louisville, Kentucky; Lake Placid, New York; and Kona, Hawaii—swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and running 26.2 miles in each location. While Henry has always been athletic, joining the world of triathlons was an accident. When she went to college, she ran and swam simply to stay in shape. Eventually she met the president of her college’s triathlon club. He persuaded her to attend a couple workouts. A month later she competed in her first triathlon, placing first, and she has been addicted ever since.
Henry says she blindly signed up for her first Iron Man in Coeur d’Alene. She had a fractured tibia on race day. Her training had come from a book, and she had an overall sense of being unprepared. As a result, the race did not go the way Henry anticipated. “The cannon went off at 6:30 sharp, and the 2,500+ athletes, including myself, dove into the clear waters for the 2.4-mile swim,” Henry says. The swim was “uneventful,” but it was followed by “a horrific bike ride.” “I had no idea that there were actual mountain passes that we had to go up,” Henry explains. “This shows just how naïve I was going into this race.” She then began the marathon portion of the race. At mile 25, her body felt numb and her vision was blurry. She soon fell into unconsciousness. When she woke up, she refused aid from the EMTs, because accepting aid would disqualify her from the race. The EMTs contacted her father. But Meghan Henry had made her mother
Experiencing the blue waters of Austria brings the country to life as these swimmers participate in the Iron Man race.
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Even though Meghan Henry is a college student, she feels justified in making travel arrangements for these experiences and for her health. “Using exercise as a means of traveling allows me to spend the necessary amount of money because I know that I am doing something beneficial for my body,” she explains. “Exercise allows me to keep a healthy lifestyle, which includes traveling to different places across the world.”
Biking: Sightseeing and Cycling Biking offers significant advantages to the destination athlete because cyclists can usually travel farther for longer periods of time and can even eliminate the need for a car. John Russell first started biking in 2007 as a simple way to fill his time as a high school student in Vancouver, Washington. “I picked up my bike. Five miles became 15, and eventually I got to 100 miles in one day,” he says. “I began to wonder, How far could I go if
DIY Since triathlons can be modified from standard Iron Man distances, runners of all levels can begin their triathlon career with a trip. These races can be found in just about any location. Three of the most popular options in the United States are the Nation’s Triathlon in DC; Escape from Alcatraz in San Francisco; and the Nautica Malibu Triathlon in Malibu. For something outside the United States, the Bali Triathlon in Jimbaran Bay might suit a more adventurous appetite.
I didn’t have to come home every night?” So Russell tested his limits. During the summer between his junior and senior years of high school, he biked 1,000 miles around
A bike ride across Europe might seem daunting. But when you reach overlooks in the Alps, your thigh-burn will feel worth it.
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Photo by Pascal Gertschen
promise that she would not let her quit, no matter the consequences. She finished the race and was rushed to the emergency room with a temperature of 93.4 degrees Fahrenheit. “I did not foresee myself passing out at mile 25. So what did I do to rectify this feeling of inadequacy? Well, there was only one solution: to sign up for Iron Man Louisville in four weeks to compete with my newly earned ‘Iron Mind,’” she explains. “Because of my determination to finish, I would not give up—instead of saying I can’t, I changed my mindset to I can and I will.” Now Meghan Henry travels all across the United States to compete in these races, and she feels there are benefits from getting outside of her geographic comfort zone. “The advantage of racing away from home is, primarily, the touristic experience. Being able to experience a new town is definitely worth the traveling expenses,” she explains. “Being able to associate with people from the area is also an advantage of traveling. The people are very welcoming, providing the town itself with the ultimate friendly ambiance.”
the state of Washington. When the next opportunity came, he took it: a trip from Washington State to San Francisco with about half a dozen high school friends. Slowly the group’s numbers dwindled to three, then two, until everyone except Russell had backed out. “I thought, I don’t need all these friends to bike; I’ll just do it myself,” he says. Being on his own meant Russell could push himself farther than originally planned. He made it to San Francisco with a week to spare and decided to keep biking. He biked down to Los Angeles, San Diego, and eventually Mexico. The trips grew to include a bike trip from Portland to New York and even a goal to bike 10,000 miles in one year, which Russell says he accomplished on a ride that culminated at the Canadian border at about 11 PM on New Year’s Eve. “I couldn’t bring myself to miss that goal after all the work I’d put in,” he says. “For the rest of my life, if I don’t top that, I’ll be happy.” While some find a connection in group travel, Russell doesn’t mind biking and traveling alone, which is how he biked across Europe during the summer of 2013. The freedom of riding solo gives him the chance to meet new friends, such as a grandmother at a state fair in Kansas who bought him dinner, or a group of Spaniards who had never met anyone like him. Russell tells of a stop he made near Castellón de la Plana: “I stopped at this bar to get water and ice. I go in there, and there’s only one person who speaks English. They’re so excited because they’ve never had an American in their bar. You get a much better local flavor. People will actually stop and say, ‘Hey I want to ask you about your trip.’” According to Russell, experiences like these are impossible for him to have anywhere besides on his bike,
and biking has allowed him to do new things and grow in unique ways. “There’s no way I would have done this if I hadn’t done it with biking,” Russell explains. “It’s the cheapest way to see these things you never would have seen. It’s the most freedom out of any form of travel. The fact that I turned my wheels across the United States and Europe—it’s a humbling experience.”
Four Tips for Race Tripping ▶▶
Pack light Racing accessories other than basic running clothes can get bulky and take space in your bags. Save room for these items by bringing versatile cloth-
DIY
ing and easily packable
Biking across states or countries can be difficult when highways restrict bike traffic or when routes are difficult to find, but some races and bike tours can provide a place to jumpstart your biking travels. The Group Health Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic is the largest multiday cycling event in the Northwest. And a tour with a company like Bike Tours Direct could help you travel from Florence to Rome on a seven-day cycling trek.
suggestions.
items. See page 88 for
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Plan strategically Athletes should anticipate some soreness and minor injuries after strenuous exercise. Don’t plan travel activities that you think you’ll be overly exhausted for or in too much pain to accomplish. If necessary, do your sightseeing in the days before your race.
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Choose wisely Chances are your trip might be a short one if you’re only stopping in for the race. Choose a location with a few must-do items and commit to them. Having
Bragging Rights
nothing to do besides race
While beginning an exercise expedition can be a little daunting, inspiration can be found in ordinary people and everyday races. If you’re looking for a way to break into a new form of athleticism, travel can be a great motivator. By simply signing up for a race that you’re comfortable with, you can use this commitment as an excuse to travel— and earn some serious bragging rights while doing it.
travel plans.
may underwhelm your
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Celebrate appropriately If you have to skip your usual bed and breakfast brunch for your race, go out to a fancy local place to celebrate for lunch or dinner; you will have burned around 1,200 calories during the race. Make some time to do fun things as a reward after your hard work.
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BUEN 32 ▶ spring 2014
CAMINO a pilgrimage
By Jessica Reschke www.stowawaymag.com â—€ 33
For more than a thousand years, the city of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, has welcomed weary pilgrims with open arms. Each year, Spaniards and other travelers from around the world trek hundreds of miles through the rolling hills, wooded forests, and pastoral fields of the Camino de Santiago, and the warmhearted people of Spain wish them buen camino or “good walk.” You too can make the pilgrimage and take in the stunning scenery, the rejuvenating camaraderie of other travelers, and the unexpected exhilaration of a life-changing walk.
Know the Legend Adventurers have flocked to this path since AD 814 when, according to legend, a shower of falling stars led a Spanish hermit to the hidden tomb of the apostle Saint James (Santiago) on a path now called the Camino de Santiago. Many Christians still believe that Santiago de Compostela is the site of Saint James’s burial. But you don’t have to be a traditional pilgrim to embark on this journey. All you need is a pair of walking shoes and a hunger to see life in a new way. “It’s such an authentic way to see a place. It’s beyond seeing Spain,” says 24-year-old Brittany Koteles of Belvidere, Illinois, who completed the Camino in 2010 while studying in Spain. “You’re retracing the steps of a journey that thousands of people have made, and you’re sharing it with strangers,” Koteles explains. “You’re crossing a country on foot, seeing the beauty it has and meeting the people who live there. You can’t have a much more authentic tourist experience than that.” Travelers on the Camino de Santiago find rewards in their personal journey, not just in their destination. In Spanish, the noun camino means “the way” or “the journey,” but as a verb, camino means “I walk.” The Camino de Santiago isn’t just
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another European vacation—it’s a chance for you to walk purposefully along a gratifying road of introspection. “Sometimes I think we turn tourism into a to-do list,” says Koteles. “This trip is one of the best ways to counter that. It’s a way to let travel facilitate your learning about other places, other people, and also yourself.”
Make Your Own Adventure
Everything about this modern pilgrimage can be personalized, including the extent to which you plan ahead, the pathway you take, and your choice of food and accommodations.
Preparation Don’t be afraid to set out without a distinct plan. Read online forums like www.caminodesantiago.me to find out what other travelers have done. If you’re in Spain or southern France, “take your passport or some sort of ID and go to nearly any city’s culture department or town hall, and they’ll tell you where to go,” says Koteles. If you’re already in Europe, the Camino is a journey you can be impulsive about because it’s not going to break the bank. Most of the paths wind through the verdant,
hilly scenery of Galicia in northern Spain, where you can traverse amazing countryside on US$15–20 a day. Pilgrims often carry only the bare necessities on their backs and spend their days strolling through picturesque medieval villages and culturally rich cities as passersby wish them a “buen camino.” Most travelers appear on the path during their summer vacations, but if you want to experience better weather and smaller crowds, go in May. “They call it the España verde, the green Spain, because there are forests and beautiful cliffs and mountains,” says Koteles. “There’s so much more to Spain than flamenco and the Mediterranean backdrop. This trip is more than an immersion into Spanish culture; it’s an immersion into Camino culture. You’re in an environment that allows you to learn from the stories of the people. You bond quickly because you’re achieving this crazy, amazing task—together.”
Paths Whether you are traveling for spirituality, for exercise, or for scenic retreat, “there’s no grand beginning,” recalls Koteles. “We took a night bus to Lugo about 120 kilometers [75 miles] outside of Santiago. We got off the bus at 7:00 AM and started walking—and we didn’t stop for five days. You think you’re going to get lost and that you
Previous page: photo by Jason Jones; Above: photo by Miguel Ángel García
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, is the traditional starting point for most of the Camino paths. The first day begins with a difficult hike, but it provides views like this as a reward.
won’t be able to find the path, but we just asked somebody where the Camino was and they showed us to the first sign.” Koteles explains that symbols of a scallop shell, the sign of Saint James, officially mark the direction of the path. In the wilderness, you will find your way by following the footprints of other pilgrims— along with arrows that are spraypainted yellow. There are nearly 30 recognized trails on the network of paths referred to as the Camino de Santiago. Whether you’re starting in Spain, France, Portugal, or even Germany, there is a path that will get you to Santiago de Compostela. One of the best ways to choose between them is to first determine how long you have to travel and from which city or country you will start. From there, you can visit a website such as www.csj.org.uk to learn more about each particular path. The most popular paths to Santiago de Compostela follow the
trails of the earliest long-distance pilgrims who came from beyond the Pyrénées in France and traveled west across northern Spain. The three most customary of these are the Camino Primitivo, which includes stops at remote monasteries; the Camino del Norte, which follows the stunning coastline cliffs of northern Spain; and the Camino Francés, or French Way, which is the most traditional path. The average distance for the full walk on the French Way is about 780 km (485 miles), but the length depends on which of the many trails you choose. If you feel deterred by this distance, pick a starting point that is farther along. Remember, this is your Camino; so make what you want of it. Eventually, after many days—or weeks, depending on where you begin your journey—your path will meet up with the majority of the walkers about 97 km (60 miles) outside the city of Santiago de Compostela. Here, the buzz of excited travelers will
accompany you as you cross the final hamlets to reach your long-awaited destination.
Food and Accommodations Hearty Spanish meals are inexpensive, and the majority of young pilgrims opt to stay in albergues, which are inexpensive hostels, lodges, or community centers reserved for travelers on the Camino. Expect to pay between five to ten euros (about US$6.75–$13.50) to sleep in simple bunk beds. Wherever you begin your journey, be sure to pick up a credencial—also called the pilgrim’s passport—so you can acquire stamps and gain access to inexpensive lodging. Nearly any bar, restaurant, or albergue will have its own hand-carved wooden stamp. In addition to being souvenirs, stamps in your pilgrim’s passport also provide proof that you walked the last 100 km (62 miles) on foot, which is the feat required to earn your certificate of completion.
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“And then she did the Camino, and it changed her life—so she left her job and bought a cottage on a secluded portion of the Camino.” María Pilar now leads a simple life making jewelry, and she opens her home to pilgrims whenever she can.
Take Away Memories
You can have your credencial (pilgrim’s passport) stamped for evidence of your walk.
Opposite and bottom right: photography by Ron Albers; Top: photo by Jesús Pérez Pacheco
Join A Fellowship of Pilgrims
When Koteles and her friends set out on their own spontaneous pilgrimage, they never imagined the friendships they would create. “When you get to town each night, you have people waiting for you, cheering you on,” she says. On their journey there was a group of five elderly men from Madrid; everyone referred to them as los abuelos (the grandpas). Led by a charismatic 89-year-old man, they were one of the first groups to complete their walk each day. When Koteles and her group finally arrived at the end of their journey, the city of Santiago was crowded with tourists. “We somehow found the abuelos in the center of town in a plaza,” she remembers. “A band was playing, and it started raining, and we were just dancing with the abuelos in the rain, celebrating.” This is one of her most prized memories from the trip. “You form incredible bonds with people because there’s no pressure from the real world. You skip 10 steps of the
getting-to-know-you process because everyone’s there with a purpose.” Similarly, along the path friendly faces wait to welcome you to the part of Spain that they call home. A few days into the journey, Koteles and her friends walked by a woman in her garden who greeted them and invited them in for tea. “Her name was María Pilar, and she explained that years ago she had a corporate position at a job she didn’t like,” Koteles recalls.
Get away from the office or the demands of school, and let life slow to the pace of your walk. On the Camino, time is your only luxury—experiences are your only priority. If you’re looking for a chance to reflect, reevaluate, and remember what is truly important in your life, there is no greater setting than the paths through the rolling green hills of Spain. You may begin your journey with strangers, but you will arrive in Santiago with friends for a lifetime. Take paths that are out of the way. Meet new people. Try new foods. Learn new words. The cathartic power of nature and the rejuvenating power of fellowship will be your greatest allies on this strenuous but beautifully rewarding journey.
The scallop shell, the symbol of Saint James, marks the many paths of the Camino.
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All in One
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Rhythm 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP By Kylee Buchanan
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Above: Brazilians celebrate their team’s victory after a particularly tense game against North Korea in the 2010 South Africa World Cup. Right: Residents celebrate in the vibrantly decorated streets of Recife.
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Previous page: photo by Chrystian Cruz; Right: photo by Marcello Casal Jr.
Most countries take soccer—or football, as it is known in most nations—very seriously, and Brazil is no exception. This year, Brazil will host the world’s most renowned and important soccer competition: the FIFA World Cup. With five World Cup titles, Brazil stands as the numberone team in the world in terms of wins. The fierce competition that will no doubt come from the teams competing will be accompanied by fierce celebration among players and fans alike.
Photo by Henrique Vicente de Oliveira
“Brazilians are extremely passionate about their football,” says Giovanni Brassanini, a native Brazilian. “It gets very intense between rivalries. When it comes time for the Cup, practically every household that you walk into will have their TV on, and they’ll be watching the games.” The 2014 FIFA World Cup games will take place from June 12 through July 13 in twelve different cities across Brazil, and each city will have one or more stadiums that host the games. No matter which area of Brazil you choose to visit during the World Cup, you are guaranteed to find a wide range of festivities in which to participate. Brazil is a perfect place to host the games because of the easygoing nature of its people, the diverse range of its exotic destinations, and the abundance of its exciting celebrations. Travelers will be able to
experience not only the various cultures coming together for the World Cup but also the unique opportunities found in the cities themselves. Brazil will provide the atmosphere for these cultures to fuse together in one rhythm to create an experience unlike any other.
Northern Cities
Northern cities such as Recife, Fortaleza, Natal, and Manaus provide a dynamic experience for those visiting for the World Cup. Brazil hosts many celebrations that showcase music, dancing, and parades. One such celebration is Festa Junina, which takes place at the end of June in many northeastern cities, including Recife. Festa Junina was originally celebrated by Brazil’s Portuguese settlers to commemorate St. John’s day, though
most Brazilians nowadays just use it as an excuse to gather with friends and family and celebrate in the summertime. Brazilians celebrate Festa Junina with colorful decorations, traditional clothing, and a variety of foods. The music is generally forró music, which incorporates the accordion, percussion, and the metal triangle. Specific traditional dances accompany this style of music. You won’t want to miss this festival, as it is uniquely Brazilian.
Central Cities
Traveling to the central cities of the World Cup—such as Salvador, Cuiabá, Brasília, and Belo Horizonte? One celebration to check out is Boi Bumba, a Brazilian folk celebration centering on the tale of Boi Meu Bumba. Locals dress up in costumes and use giant puppets to tell the story of a bull who
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Southern Cities The southern coastal cities—such as Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Curitiba, and Porto Alegre—will likely be the most popular places to visit. Most of the events for the World Cup will take place in Rio, including the final World Cup game. While in Rio de Janeiro, be sure to check out Copacabana Beach. Travelers come from all over to experience the lure of the Copacabana with its expansive coastline and crystal blue waters. Recently, it hosted the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. World-renowned resorts and hotels such as the Miramar, the Sofitel, and Copacabana Palace line the beach, and there is plenty of beach volleyball to keep you occupied. An area in Rio that will host many World Cup events is Lapa Street, home to the famous Escadaria Selarón, a uniquely painted staircase embedded with pieces of tile, ceramics, and mirrors. Artist Jorge Selarón expressed that this was his tribute to
Top: Brazilians celebrate the traditional Boi Bumba festival with music, dance, and large, colorful costumes. Above: The Escadaria Selarón, a cultural highlight of Rio de Janeiro, is a uniquely constructed staircase embedded with pieces of tile, mirror, and ceramics.
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Photos by Breno Peck and Vincent Poulissen
dies and is brought back to life. The story is accompanied by traditional drumming and dance. Although the city of Parintins hosts the biggest celebration of Boi Bumba, the city of Cuiaba also hosts a celebration. It will take place in June during the World Cup, so be sure to take part in this unique cultural experience.
With pastel-colored houses and the Pelourinho (the famous UNESCO heritage center), the historical coastal city of Salvador is one of Brazil’s oldest cities. Be sure to venture out at night to witness remarkable music: Afro-Brazilian drum groups often perform in the streets, going back to Brazil’s African roots. Many street artists draw inspiration from the beautiful surroundings and sell their artwork on the street. “If I could describe the culture in one word,” says Brassanini, “it would be exotic. Brazilians are comfortable and confident in themselves. It is a very colorful culture. There is always a lot of excitement.” Salvador is also known for its serene beaches. The calm inlets of Salvador’s beaches are perfect for sailing, swimming, and fishing. The coast along Salvador is lined with coral reefs that create tide pools of stone that are ideal for wading in and exploring the sealife that Brazil’s coasts have to offer.
Photo by Lucas Ninno Ometto
the Brazilian people. Lapa Street also has a thriving nightlife. Many restaurants, microbreweries, bars, and dance clubs line the street, and it is closed off to cars at night so pedestrians can wander and explore. Emily DePaula, a college student whose parents emigrated from Rio de Janeiro, has traveled to Brazil on many occasions and highly recommends discovering the music played at night along Lapa Street. “There is such a variety,” DePaula explains. “You’ll walk by and there will be a place that is playing country music, another one that plays strictly techno, and another one that plays afroreggae music. It’s the best place—it’s so much fun to go there.” Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo share a love for a specific kind of dance: the samba. Known for its African rhythmic origins, the samba has been adapted to many different styles, but the rhythm stays the same. These dances involve elaborately decorated costumes that accentuate the samba’s quick movements, and the dancers exude an exuberant, flirtatious energy that reflects the energy of the Brazilian people. Samba schools in certain parts of Rio and São Paulo have frequent competitions. Try to catch one of these competitions while you’re in Brazil for the World Cup. Rhythm and a zeal for life are embedded in Brazilian culture. As the world’s attention turns to the World Cup during those memorable days in 2014, those who travel to Brazil for the World Cup will have a chance to enjoy diverse cultures, exotic celebrations, unforgettable experiences, and new friends—becoming united all in one rhythm. ▶▶
fifa.com
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festajunina.com.br
Soccer (or futebol) is played in all parts of Brazil by people of all ages.
Past World Cup Highlights South Africa, 2010 Winner: Spain The South Africa 2010 World Cup theme was Wave Your Flag, an invitation to members of each nation to rally support for their country. The anthem used throughout the competitions was “Wavin’ Flag” (recorded by African singer K’naan). Another uniquely African aspect of this World Cup was the widespread use of vuvuzelas—a loud African instrument that fans around the world blew to cheer on their teams. In the final World Cup game, Spain beat the Netherlands 1–0 and took home the Cup.
Germany, 2006 Winner: Italy The Germany 2006 World Cup is remembered for its tense final match between France and Italy. Minutes into that game, French player Zinedine Zidane put France ahead with a penalty kick. Italy soon caught up with a goal by Marco Materazzi, and the match ended with a tie at 1–1. Later, Zidane was suspended from the penalty shootout because of a red card he earned for headbutting Materazzi on the field. During the penalty shootout, Italy pulled ahead, winning 5–3.
Korea and Japan, 2002 Winner: Brazil Brazil made World Cup history in 2002 with a win in Asia. Brazil is currently the only country that has won the World Cup on every continent where the World Cup has been hosted. This particular World Cup was fraught with upsets, including Senegal’s unexpected win against France in the opening match. However, Brazil managed to work through the games to the final match against Germany, in which one of Brazil’s most famous players, Cristiano Ronaldo, scored both of the goals that earned them the 2002 Cup.
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Home Sweet
SICILY Becoming Ragusani
Photo by Alessandro Bonvini
By Mary-Celeste Lewis
“Ciao, baby!” a man yells cheerfully to you in a loud voice. “Baby” may be the only English word he knows, but his greeting calls your attention to an eccentric restaurant in a truck. The side reads “Ù Ziu Pinu ” (“Uncle Joey’s” in Sicilian) and the tanned, friendly man who called to you leans out of this portable kitchen over a case of raw meat to beckon you forward. When he asks what you want, you shrug, so he smiles and starts frying up fresh meat. When he hands you the steaming sandwich, you can’t help but smile back and feel welcomed as you take your first bite. Welcome to Sicily, one of the friendliest islands on earth. www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 45
Ragusa-Ibla’s hilltop location makes for beautiful views—and a lot of stairs.
La Bella Sicilia We’ve all seen movies that take place in those small, sleepy Italian villages where the old men wear plaid suits and flat caps and sit under gazebos in the park playing cards. Laundry hangs from balconies and swings in the breeze, and fruit vendors drive through the streets, shouting out their wares. More than anywhere else in Italy, the region of Sicily has continued to do these things, making this region seem like an Italy from days gone by. According to Jessica Rosato of Como, a city just outside of Milan, the people of Sicily “have really kept their traditions. It’s very different from the North.” However, when you ask travelers which cities they visited on their last trip to Italy, many list the big names such as Rome, Florence, and Venice— hot spots for tourism. Rarely do you hear of a vacationer visiting Sicily. Why don’t we ever seem to make it down there? In popular tourist
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destinations, it can be hard to see past the guided tours and into the lives of the people who live there. La bella Sicilia (beautiful Sicily), however, still awaits intrepid adventurers seeking a more traditional Italian experience.
Welcome to Ragusa Although most of northern Italy has become thoroughly industrialized, southern Italy has maintained its agricultural feel. Much of the produce sold in Rome and northward is grown in Sicily, especially the oranges. The feeling throughout all of Sicily is laid back, but it slows even more dramatically during the drive to the town of Ragusa in the heart of the Sicilian countryside. Agricultural communities like Ragusa seem to move slower and breathe deeper. Even the air is different in Ragusa. Ragusa is like a little town trapped in time, and though it boasts baroque architecture as beautiful as anywhere else, the humble people there are
steeped in traditions that are rapidly disappearing in the larger cities. Rosato describes the feeling in Ragusa as “how you’d feel in your own home: everyone is social and cheerful.” Annette Marshall had to wait many years for her opportunity to make a pilgrimage from her Australian home to her family’s homeland in Sicily—and she wasn’t disappointed when she arrived. Marshall’s grandparents were both Ragusani, natives of Ragusa. “My grandmother taught me that love is the most important thing in the world, and it starts with family love,” Marshall says. She also explains that she and her family “always opened our hearts and our doors to anybody that came in our lives.” Marshall’s nonna (grandmother) exemplified that warm, friendly nature typical of the people of Ragusa. That affectionate nature and those welcoming feelings are exactly what Marshall found when she visited there.
Describing what makes Ragusa special, lifelong resident Liliana Rollo says that the Sicilian people, especially those from Ragusa, are more accogliente (welcoming and friendly) than people in the rest of Italy. As if to illustrate her own point, Rollo repeats several times during a brief telephone conversation, “I hope you’ll come and see me when you take a vacation in Italy.”
Buon Appetito!
Left: photo by Salvatore Ciambra; Right: photo by photo_gram
Sicilian cuisine is famous for a reason. Speaking of her childhood and of her grandmother’s legendary cooking, Marshall says, “When we’d get home from church, I’d help Nonna in the kitchen, and we’d have great Sunday lunches—and that was tradition.” Marshall loved her stay in Ragusa partly because “even the food reminded me of Nonna, and I realized how much she’d kept up the traditions of the food because everything tasted like Nonna’s!” Ragusa has several delicious culinary traditions unique to the province—some are not available elsewhere in Sicily. You’ll find
delicious cannoli (sweet, ricotta-filled fried pastry shells) at Dolcemania in Via Paestum 36. You’ll find arancini, fried rice balls filled with meat sauce, at the Pasticceria Giovanni di Pasquale in the piazza (town square) near the cathedral. L’impanata Ragusana is a creation made with very thin layers of dough wrapped around flavorful toppings like tomatoes, ricotta, and sausage; it’s reminiscent of hand-held lasagna and can be found in most paninerie (bakeries) throughout the city. You’ll also find cassata Ragusana, sweet and simple ricotta-filled pastries. The city’s pizza is every bit as delicious as you’d imagine authentic Italian pizza to be. And the panini (sandwiches made with fresh, grilled meat) are beyond compare, especially at Ziu Pinu’s restaurant. It is well worth taking a trip to Ragusa even if all you do there is eat the local goodies. Ragusa and Ragusa-Ibla, the tiny hilltop village next door, have maintained a food culture filled with rich traditions. The stone pathway from Ragusa to Ibla winds down dozens of stairs and through twisting, crumbling passageways covered with
On an ordinary day in Ragusa, half a dozen fruit and vegetable vendors drive through the streets distributing their goods. The residents know their favorites and head out in their slippers to meet the vendors on the street.
romantic graffiti from generations of love-struck teenagers. Ragusa-Ibla keeps a traditional schedule between the hours of one and four in the afternoon; all shops and churches close promptly at one, and everyone goes home to have a big lunch with the family. A three-course meal, followed by dessert and a long nap, is a rigorously followed Sicilian tradition to this day, especially in towns like Ragusa and Ragusa-Ibla.
Agriturismo For those who want to try traditional home-cooking but don’t feel comfortable inviting themselves to a stranger’s house for lunch, there is agriturismo (agricultural tourism). Agriturismo is more than just visiting farms; it’s putting yourself into the lifestyle of a countryside Sicilian for a few days, but without all the work. This method of vacationing, a few steps beyond bed-and-breakfasting, is steadily growing in popularity in Italy and throughout all of Europe. People escaping from city smog can often rent rooms in renovated farmhouses, which usually have traditional kitchens that are open to curious visitors from all over. Angela and Alessandro of Florence wanted a relaxing holiday, so they tried staying in a refurbished farmhouse called Tenuta Carbonara in the Sicilian countryside. “It was truly unforgettable for us,” they rave in an online comment. But the best part of their stay seemed to be their everhospitable hostess, Nella Tuminello, who runs the Tenuta Carbonara establishment. Nella is a one-woman wonder. She cares for her guests and makes sure they feel at home in a laidback environment. Her traditional, home-cooked Sicilian meals are met with rave reviews by even the hardest-to-please guests. In fact, for those who can’t get enough of her cooking, Nella teaches cooking classes. In these two- to three-hour
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Taking It Slow As its laid-back reputation suggests, Sicily is best enjoyed at a leisurely pace. You don’t necessarily need to go to the town of Ragusa or to the farmhouse at Tenuta Carbonara in order to find that mysterious “it” factor that makes Sicily such a wonderful place to visit. It could be the beautiful Mediterranean climate or the region’s tenacious hold on its traditions. It could be the cracked and crumbling plaster finishes on the houses, the
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I felt more alive than I’d ever felt in my whole entire life.
lazy palm trees swinging in the breeze over baroque wrought-iron balconies, or the food culture that causes the streets to empty at midday to allow for home-cooked meals. It could be the sun-dried tomatoes and bottled olives still prepared by hand at home—or the young men sitting right next to the old men playing cards in the park, suggesting that this quiet Sicilian way of life is here to stay. “I came home, and I felt more alive than I’d ever felt in my whole entire life,” Marshall says of her life-changing trip to Ragusa. If you’re looking for
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high fashion, busy people, and a cosmopolitan lifestyle, try Milan or Rome. But if you’re looking not only to meet amazing people and eat wonderful food but also to slow down and be inspired, head down to Sicily. It’s waiting for you. ▶▶
tenutacarbonara.com
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ecodelgusto.com
Also see the novel Eco del Gusto by Emmanuele Lombardo, available in English as well as Italian.
At Tenuta Carbonara, Nella Tuminello’s culinary students watch her carefully. She doesn’t speak much English and doesn’t use recipes.
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Photo by Mary-Celeste Lewis
demonstrations, Nella guides guests through the steps of making cassata Ragusana, l’impanata, or other regional delicacies, like ravioli stuffed with fresh local ricotta. Tenuta Carbonara isn’t the only place you can stay at in Sicily—there are many fine opportunities for agriturismo in the region. Nella and other hostesses may not speak much English, though, so be prepared to watch their demonstrations carefully!