Sophie’s World

Opening the door in February, this is what met the eye. Same today. The kids are out making a snow sphinx; a typical first day of Christmas!

La befana rules Rome’s Christmas markets (witches on Piazza Navona above). Witches are everywhere, laughing wickedly, madly. They sit on brooms or in rocking chairs (or fall off their brooms and rockers laughing).

The story of Befana is nice though: On their way to Bethlehem, the magi stop by her house, the cleanest in the village, and ask for shelter for the night. When leaving the next morning, they invite her to join their search for a special baby. Befana declines, too busy cleaning. But after they leave, she thinks for a bit - and decides to go along after all. She finishes her work and follows the men but is too late. She never finds the baby.

Every 6 January – Epiphany – she flies about on her broom, still searching. On that day, Italian children leave a glass of wine and something to nibble on for her. I bet Santa is jealous - he must be tired of porridge (Scandinavia) or milk/cookies (USA).

In every house she looks, she leaves a present for the children. Anyone of them might be baby Jesus, after all.

Enough talking, this is a photo post. I’ll end with a little Befana poem:

La Befana vien di notte
Con le scarpe tutte rotte
Col vestito alla romana
Viva, Viva La Befana!

National Geographic's Intelligent Traveler blog is hosting a holiday series called My City Celebrates. Again, I was inspired, so heeere's Oslo!
Holmenkollen March 2009 My City Celebrates: Oslo When I need ... [Continue reading this entry]

Bragernes Church This is how Drammen looked in February - and should look in December. Not quite there yet.

Passports with Purpose is an annual travel blogger get-together for charity. This year they are teaming up with the non-profit organizations American Assistance for Cambodia and Japan Relief for Cambodia to build a school in rural Cambodia. The bloggers ... [Continue reading this entry]

Seal - Esmark Glacier, Svalbard Oslo is crisp and sunny today. Last night's snowfall all but vanished by noon. Not so on Svalbard, where noon temperatures are forecasted to be ... [Continue reading this entry]