Sweet Easter in ITALY

The Pupa, Cavallo e Cuore are traditional sweet cuisine of Abruzzo

It is said that the sweet, in the typical forms, was made at the time of engagement, when the couple appeared in public after parental consent.

The exchange of sweets often took place in a lavish ceremony, when the respective families of the bride and the groom exchanged sweets as a symbol of the future union: the horse to the family of the girlfriend and the pupa to that of the boyfriend. They used to put a boiled egg nestled in the middle of cakes ; the egg, according to pagan traditions, is the symbol of rebirth and the continuation of life and union.

Today they are  Easter sweets, related to Christian tradition that brings us back to the Last Supper when Jesus broke the bread and gave it to the apostles.

Leonardo da Vinci,  1495–1498, pitch and mastic , 460 cm × 880 cm (181 in × 346 in), Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan

The breaking of the cake in this case symbolizes  the same gesture of love and solidarity of the Christian event .

from Italian Team

Carnival in Greece

Carnival parade in Kozani

Carnival parade in Patra

Carnival parade in Patra

"gaetanaki"

 Carnival period started in Greece on 24 of February and it will end on  17th of March, the Carnival Sunday. Children but elder  people as well wait for Carnival Sunday to dress up, put their masks on and visit friends and relatives. 

            There is a big feast at Carnival time. Young or old, people sing and dance everywhere you go, in the streets, in houses and in clubs. It is the «jolly Carnival» as they call it

.

            People play game round a maypole, called "gaetanaki", similar to the maypole dance. Girls and boys jump, twist and dance round a tall pole which has ribbons of various colours attached to the top.

On 7th of March it is  “Tsiknopempti”. This day is similar to the Polish “Greasy Thursday” or the Italian “Fat Thuesday” On Tsiknopempti we use to roast meat, sausages, drink wine and make the sweet halvas (we have posted the recipe.)

The last Sunday of the Carnival, in many Greek cities and villages take place parades of  decorated flat- topped vehicles with many different funny displays, large figures of the Lord of the Carnival himself moving his big head and  groups of boys and girls dressed up in their carnival costumes singing and dancing. There are different customs in each city.

The custom "Genitsaroi and Mpoules"of Naousa

"Genitsaroi and Mpoules" of Naousa

:The custom of "Koudounoforoi" of  Sohos

The custom "Fanoi" of  Kozani

        

   When the festivities are over, people set fire to the effigy of the Lord of the Carnival. As they burn it, they dance around it and…the party is over.

The burning of the Lord of the Carnival

Lent and Easter traditions in Poland

http://www.slideshare.net/werkus/lent-and-easter-traditions-in-poland-17146885?utm_source=ss&utm_medium=upload&utm_campaign=quick-view

Have a look and compare!

Would you like to learn the Greek "Sirtaki" dance?

    This Greek popular dance, became famous from the film "Zorbas the Greek" a film based on the novel "Zorbas the Greek" written by the great author Nikos Kazantzakis. The famous actor Antony Quinn played the role of Zorbas. In a scene of the film he teaches Basil, another hero of the film, sirtaki in a unique way, under the rythm of a song written by the famous Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis.
    During a videoconference with our  Polish friends, they asked us to teach them sirtaki. So the Greek team started learning the dance  to teach it to everyone interested. 
   The first video shows you the steps.After learning these basic steps, open the second video to dance together with us.

         VIDEO 1 :  LET'S LEARN THE STEPS OF 

"SIRTAKI" DANCE

         VIDEO 2: LETS DANCE SIRTAKI TOGETHER

Welcome to Miniature Park, Inwald Slideshow Slideshow

Welcome to Miniature Park, Inwald Slideshow Slideshow: TripAdvisor™ TripWow ★ Welcome to Miniature Park, Inwald Slideshow Slideshow ★ to Inwałd (near Wadowice). Stunning free travel slideshows on TripAdvisor

Polish cartoons part 3

werkus's Fotobabble

Polish cartoons part 2

werkus's Fotobabble