Linda Bilodeau’s current book, The Wine Seekers takes place in Tuscany and Naples Italy. These blogs are a summary of her research trip there.
Because of its strategic location, we chose to stay in Pienza to take advantage of its close proximity to Montelciano, Montepulciano and several interesting vineyards.Pienza is an ancient city dating back to 828 when it was first mentioned. However, when one of its native sons, Enea Silvio Piccolomini was elevated to Pope Pius II, the city was completely changed. The city was completely leveled and done over in Renaissance style in order to create a utopian city that would be a seat of thinking and learning. Certainly Pope Pius II was successful in his endeavors as the beauty in this city is still admired by natives and visitors from all over the world.
There is no end to the beauty in this town. The squares, hanging gardens, cathedral, and cobblestones make up the architecture that is a feast for the eye. We wandered around one whole evening and a good part of a morning, happy to enjoy the vistas and the friendly natives.
Of particular note was the Piccolomini garden which is in front of the papal palace and overlooks the valley. Here ivy covered walls, fountains, fruit trees and well- manicured flowerbeds are simply delightful to view.
We enjoyed our stay in Pienza and loved returning each evening to this fabulous little city, real jewel in this part of Tuscany.
Best Linda Bilodeau
www.lindabilodeau.com
The Wine Seekers is now available on www.amazon.com
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Linda Bilodeau's latest book, The Wine Seekers takes place in Tuscany. These blogs are a summary of her research trip through enchanting Italy.
Moving through Tuscany is easy with a car and a tour guide who knows what she's doing and we were privileged to have American born, Claire as our guide. Claire was born in the states but has spent a large part of her life in Europe and quite a few years as a tour guide in Tuscany. She knew the area and the region, spoke the language like a native and was aware of those wonderful little out of the way places where tourists rarely roam.
We toured many small villages along the way but Siena was one of my favorites and therefore the reason. I made this a village of importance in my latest book, The Wine Seekers. Siena is set on three hills and connected together via alleyways and almost tunnel like streets. It's not easy to find one’s way around and walking is an up and down adventure. But once you reach, the Piazza Del Campo, you have found Siena's heart and soul. The main church always referred to as the Duomo in Italy was built in the 12th century, but unfortunately money ran out, and this magnificent structure in Romanesque style never ended up being the largest cathedral in Europe. Still though only partially built, it is worth taking the time to tour and we did.
The Piazza Salimberi holds the oldest bank in continuous existence, making Siena an important center of commerce. Nicola the protagonist in The Wine Seekers finds the root of his family’s long held secret lies partly in this city.
The Etruscans, an ancient people who populated this region, founded the city. Siena is where the myth of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome was born. All over the city one can view statues of the she-wolf nursing these young orphans and of course that image became a symbol of the city of Rome.
We were fortunate to visit Siena on a Wednesday when the big open-air market takes place and shopping in Siena is a pure delight of the senses with everything from local food to local crafts to young artists displaying their works.
The city is also the home of St. Catherine of Siena whose mystic beliefs are now being studied most fervently. She also plays a role in The Wine Seekers.
We unfortunately only spent the day touring this lovely city as we wanted to see villages nearby but my hope is to return some day to this city of ancient history, art and commerce.
Best Linda Bilodeau
www.lindabilodeau.com
The Wine Seekers is now available at www.amazon.com
Moving through Tuscany is easy with a car and a tour guide who knows what she's doing and we were privileged to have American born, Claire as our guide. Claire was born in the states but has spent a large part of her life in Europe and quite a few years as a tour guide in Tuscany. She knew the area and the region, spoke the language like a native and was aware of those wonderful little out of the way places where tourists rarely roam.
We toured many small villages along the way but Siena was one of my favorites and therefore the reason. I made this a village of importance in my latest book, The Wine Seekers. Siena is set on three hills and connected together via alleyways and almost tunnel like streets. It's not easy to find one’s way around and walking is an up and down adventure. But once you reach, the Piazza Del Campo, you have found Siena's heart and soul. The main church always referred to as the Duomo in Italy was built in the 12th century, but unfortunately money ran out, and this magnificent structure in Romanesque style never ended up being the largest cathedral in Europe. Still though only partially built, it is worth taking the time to tour and we did.
The Piazza Salimberi holds the oldest bank in continuous existence, making Siena an important center of commerce. Nicola the protagonist in The Wine Seekers finds the root of his family’s long held secret lies partly in this city.
The Etruscans, an ancient people who populated this region, founded the city. Siena is where the myth of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome was born. All over the city one can view statues of the she-wolf nursing these young orphans and of course that image became a symbol of the city of Rome.
We were fortunate to visit Siena on a Wednesday when the big open-air market takes place and shopping in Siena is a pure delight of the senses with everything from local food to local crafts to young artists displaying their works.
The city is also the home of St. Catherine of Siena whose mystic beliefs are now being studied most fervently. She also plays a role in The Wine Seekers.
We unfortunately only spent the day touring this lovely city as we wanted to see villages nearby but my hope is to return some day to this city of ancient history, art and commerce.
Best Linda Bilodeau
www.lindabilodeau.com
The Wine Seekers is now available at www.amazon.com
Saturday, June 20, 2009
An Italian Summer - Florence
Our trip from Naples back to Rome and then on to Florence was uneventful. Though the Italian Rail system is not as advanced as other European countries,(no high-speed trains), we traveled, comfortable in our coach car and took in the delightful countryside as we moved along.
We had hired a guide to take us through the various towns in Tuscany simply because without preplanning one could wander for weeks in all of these charming little villages. And not having that kind of freedom or finances, we decided to make the most of what was left of our 12-day trip.
We were ecstatic to find out that our very modest, yet comfortable hotel, was situated right across from Duomo, the main church in Florence. This cathedral, Santa Maria Del Fiore is the crowned jewel of Florence and its dome can be seen from all over this city of about 500,000 people. We unfortunately arrived on a Sunday at the end of a weekend when all churches and museums are open to the Italian public for free. (This happens once a month in Italy) And Italians from all over flock en masse to historical cites, creating endless lines (It is their city and homeland after all!)
Undaunted, we decided to walk around and our guide took us past a gathering where a Mime was performing. We stopped to watch and I happened to say, "Oh I love Mimes." The next thing I knew, the Mime grabbed me and planted a healthy Italian kiss on my lips! Shocked, I straightened and found my husband and our guide bent over laughing. It seems my face was covered with white face paint!
After cleaning up, we visited the Uffizi located at the corner of the Piazza della Signoria, a site of Florence civil life and government for centuries (Signoria Palace is still home of the community government). In the Piazza is a beautiful functioning fountain that serves as a terminus for an old Roman Aqueduct. (Yes, still in use after all these centuries.)The museum itself is a feast for the eyes. We saw reproductions of the statues of famous Italian Masters. The originals were once on display but have since been moved inside for safekeeping.
We went on to the Ponte Vecchio, (Old Bridge) and the only bridge in the city to survive World War II. It is an amazing structure originally built by the Etruscans and then rebuilt in the 14th Century, and it expands across the Arno River into the oldest section of the city. A fascinating place filled with shops and more piazzas.
Spending the day, strolling through this marvelous city left us famished, and we ended it with a lovely Italian dinner at a small tratorria. I used Florence as a backdrop for some scenes and a murder in The Wine Seekers and hopefully captured this beautiful city's personality.
Best Linda Bilodeau
http://www.lindabilodeau.com/
The Wine Seekers is now available at http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20= In Kindle format.
We had hired a guide to take us through the various towns in Tuscany simply because without preplanning one could wander for weeks in all of these charming little villages. And not having that kind of freedom or finances, we decided to make the most of what was left of our 12-day trip.
We were ecstatic to find out that our very modest, yet comfortable hotel, was situated right across from Duomo, the main church in Florence. This cathedral, Santa Maria Del Fiore is the crowned jewel of Florence and its dome can be seen from all over this city of about 500,000 people. We unfortunately arrived on a Sunday at the end of a weekend when all churches and museums are open to the Italian public for free. (This happens once a month in Italy) And Italians from all over flock en masse to historical cites, creating endless lines (It is their city and homeland after all!)
Undaunted, we decided to walk around and our guide took us past a gathering where a Mime was performing. We stopped to watch and I happened to say, "Oh I love Mimes." The next thing I knew, the Mime grabbed me and planted a healthy Italian kiss on my lips! Shocked, I straightened and found my husband and our guide bent over laughing. It seems my face was covered with white face paint!
After cleaning up, we visited the Uffizi located at the corner of the Piazza della Signoria, a site of Florence civil life and government for centuries (Signoria Palace is still home of the community government). In the Piazza is a beautiful functioning fountain that serves as a terminus for an old Roman Aqueduct. (Yes, still in use after all these centuries.)The museum itself is a feast for the eyes. We saw reproductions of the statues of famous Italian Masters. The originals were once on display but have since been moved inside for safekeeping.
We went on to the Ponte Vecchio, (Old Bridge) and the only bridge in the city to survive World War II. It is an amazing structure originally built by the Etruscans and then rebuilt in the 14th Century, and it expands across the Arno River into the oldest section of the city. A fascinating place filled with shops and more piazzas.
Spending the day, strolling through this marvelous city left us famished, and we ended it with a lovely Italian dinner at a small tratorria. I used Florence as a backdrop for some scenes and a murder in The Wine Seekers and hopefully captured this beautiful city's personality.
Best Linda Bilodeau
http://www.lindabilodeau.com/
The Wine Seekers is now available at http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20= In Kindle format.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Linda Bilodeau's most recent book, The Wine Seekers takes place in Italy. These blogs are a summary of her research trip.
From Rome we decided to venture to Naples. I was told quite a lot about Naples from tour guides, it wasn't safe, it was dirty, I shouldn't venture there alone-all of which I found untrue. However, because of time constraints, we decided to hire a guide for the day. Early in the morning, we boarded a train in Rome, the idea being we'd spend the day and early evening touring Napoli as the natives call it.
We arrived just as the weekly market was in full swing, and from the train station, we made our way through a sea of bodies purchasing vegetables, fruit, bread, pasta, cheeses, and clothing. Tables and stands created the maze one had to meander through and if we hadn't been on such a tight schedule, I might have spent more time wondering through the market.
Our guide, a native of Naples, took us first to Piazza Del Plebiscito, the main city square which is bounded on the east by The Royal Palace and on the west by the Church of San Francesco Di Paola. The skinny streets and side alleys running off this square created a nice back drop for a lot of aciton in The Wine Seekers.
We then made our way to the edge of the city and viewed the lovely Castel Dell'ovo and lively Naples bay. As Nicola Romolo, the main protagonist in The Wine Seekers, walks with his uncle through the streets of Naples, he learns the tale of this castle and the miracles of San Gennaro who was Bishop of Naples and martyred here in the 3rd century. Little Italy in New York still celebrates this saint's feast day every year with parades and the miraculous changing of his blood to liquid. (Read more about this in The Wine Seekers)
Naples is known for Pizza Margherta. The ingredients of this dish and temperature of the wood burning ovens it is cooked in is regulated by city law. Lemoncello a sweet liquor is a delicious and refreshing after dinner drink. Gelato and espresso can be found on every street corner and if you're really in the mood for sweets, try a baba rum cake, guaranteed to sweeten any mood. Of course the cities most famous dish is Spaghetti Ragu made with a fresh tomato sauce and meat either served with the spaghetti or on the side. The ragu sauce is lovingly known as Italian gravy since it tends to be thick and flavorful. But there is no such thing as "jar" sauce here, all ragu is made fresh for dinner or lunch.
As we strolled along, our guide warned us about the Camorra and their strange rituals. She related many told tales about the infamous mafia, most of which you can find in The Wine Seekers. I enjoyed our tour of Naples and incorporated much Italian folklore from the history of this city into The Wine Seekers.
I hope you will read it to get a very special taste of what this Italian city is like.
Best Linda Bilodeau
www.lindabilodeau.com
The Wine Seekers is available at www.amazon.com or at your local bookstore.
The Wine Seekers is now available on Kindle at www.amazon.com
From Rome we decided to venture to Naples. I was told quite a lot about Naples from tour guides, it wasn't safe, it was dirty, I shouldn't venture there alone-all of which I found untrue. However, because of time constraints, we decided to hire a guide for the day. Early in the morning, we boarded a train in Rome, the idea being we'd spend the day and early evening touring Napoli as the natives call it.
We arrived just as the weekly market was in full swing, and from the train station, we made our way through a sea of bodies purchasing vegetables, fruit, bread, pasta, cheeses, and clothing. Tables and stands created the maze one had to meander through and if we hadn't been on such a tight schedule, I might have spent more time wondering through the market.
Our guide, a native of Naples, took us first to Piazza Del Plebiscito, the main city square which is bounded on the east by The Royal Palace and on the west by the Church of San Francesco Di Paola. The skinny streets and side alleys running off this square created a nice back drop for a lot of aciton in The Wine Seekers.
We then made our way to the edge of the city and viewed the lovely Castel Dell'ovo and lively Naples bay. As Nicola Romolo, the main protagonist in The Wine Seekers, walks with his uncle through the streets of Naples, he learns the tale of this castle and the miracles of San Gennaro who was Bishop of Naples and martyred here in the 3rd century. Little Italy in New York still celebrates this saint's feast day every year with parades and the miraculous changing of his blood to liquid. (Read more about this in The Wine Seekers)
Naples is known for Pizza Margherta. The ingredients of this dish and temperature of the wood burning ovens it is cooked in is regulated by city law. Lemoncello a sweet liquor is a delicious and refreshing after dinner drink. Gelato and espresso can be found on every street corner and if you're really in the mood for sweets, try a baba rum cake, guaranteed to sweeten any mood. Of course the cities most famous dish is Spaghetti Ragu made with a fresh tomato sauce and meat either served with the spaghetti or on the side. The ragu sauce is lovingly known as Italian gravy since it tends to be thick and flavorful. But there is no such thing as "jar" sauce here, all ragu is made fresh for dinner or lunch.
As we strolled along, our guide warned us about the Camorra and their strange rituals. She related many told tales about the infamous mafia, most of which you can find in The Wine Seekers. I enjoyed our tour of Naples and incorporated much Italian folklore from the history of this city into The Wine Seekers.
I hope you will read it to get a very special taste of what this Italian city is like.
Best Linda Bilodeau
www.lindabilodeau.com
The Wine Seekers is available at www.amazon.com or at your local bookstore.
The Wine Seekers is now available on Kindle at www.amazon.com
Monday, June 8, 2009
Linda Bilodeau"s most recent book, The Wine Seekers takes place in Italy. These blogs are a summary of her research trip though this beautiful country.Our second day in Rome was spent taking in as many sites as possible. How far and fast can two people get around this marvelous city? Wel,l we weren't out to set any records but we had a "to see" list, quite important when you have limited time in a city so large.
Since we were staying close to The Spanish Steps, we decided that was the place to start. The steps, Scilinata della Trinita connect the Piazza Trinita dei Montia with the Piazza di Spagna. With 138 very steep stairs, it is the widest and longest staircase in Europe.
The stairs were never meant for sitting, as an eating area or for just wallowing away the hours. Instead their purpose was to connect the The Holy Sea with the Bourbon Spanish Embassy. Even today lottering isn't allowed, but one can climb those steps, and we did! We were fortunate to be there in the month of May when pots of Azaleas are placed on the edge of every step. A gorgeous site! There is also a Flower market, open all spring, summer, and fall and at Christmas time, a 19th century creche is placed on the bottom step.
From this area, we made our way to Tevi Fountain. The fountain is the biggest and most beautiful in Italy. It is the ending point of the Aqua Virgo, which brings water from Salone Springs to all the historic fountains in the old part of Rome. Naptune, the sea god guards the fountain's center and he holds onto two sea horses, one calm, one wild, representing the moods of the sea.
It is said if you throw a coin over your shoulder while standing with your back to the fountain, you will return to Rome one day. We did this and perhaps our dream will come true.
From here, we started wondering through some beautiful piazzas, the Piazza Navona being one. This lively square is city central with three fountains and the Church of Sant Agnese in Agone. Built in 1652, this lovely church commomerates St. Agnes. The legend goes that she was brought to this square and stripped of her clothing but a miraculous growth of her hair to cover her body saved her from public shame.
Rome is full of beauty, history, legends, the ancient mixed with the modern. I hope my coin toss into Trevi Fountain brings me back to this marvelous city.
Best
Linda Bilodeau
www.lindabilodeau.com
The Wine Seekers is available at www.amazon.com
Since we were staying close to The Spanish Steps, we decided that was the place to start. The steps, Scilinata della Trinita connect the Piazza Trinita dei Montia with the Piazza di Spagna. With 138 very steep stairs, it is the widest and longest staircase in Europe.
The stairs were never meant for sitting, as an eating area or for just wallowing away the hours. Instead their purpose was to connect the The Holy Sea with the Bourbon Spanish Embassy. Even today lottering isn't allowed, but one can climb those steps, and we did! We were fortunate to be there in the month of May when pots of Azaleas are placed on the edge of every step. A gorgeous site! There is also a Flower market, open all spring, summer, and fall and at Christmas time, a 19th century creche is placed on the bottom step.
From this area, we made our way to Tevi Fountain. The fountain is the biggest and most beautiful in Italy. It is the ending point of the Aqua Virgo, which brings water from Salone Springs to all the historic fountains in the old part of Rome. Naptune, the sea god guards the fountain's center and he holds onto two sea horses, one calm, one wild, representing the moods of the sea.
It is said if you throw a coin over your shoulder while standing with your back to the fountain, you will return to Rome one day. We did this and perhaps our dream will come true.
From here, we started wondering through some beautiful piazzas, the Piazza Navona being one. This lively square is city central with three fountains and the Church of Sant Agnese in Agone. Built in 1652, this lovely church commomerates St. Agnes. The legend goes that she was brought to this square and stripped of her clothing but a miraculous growth of her hair to cover her body saved her from public shame.
Rome is full of beauty, history, legends, the ancient mixed with the modern. I hope my coin toss into Trevi Fountain brings me back to this marvelous city.
Best
Linda Bilodeau
www.lindabilodeau.com
The Wine Seekers is available at www.amazon.com
Friday, May 22, 2009
An Italian Summer - Rome
Linda Bilodeau"s most recent book, The Wine Seekers takes place in Italy. These blogs are a summary of her research trip though this beautiful country.
How can one travel through Italy and not stop in Rome? We had decided to spend two days in this marvelous city and found we were shortchanged. Never go to Rome unless you have a week to spare, there is just far too much to do and see.
But only having a short time in Italy, fifteen days and many places to cover to do research for The Wine Seekers, we had to make our choices.First and foremost on our agenda was a trip to Vatican City.
Fortunately, our hotel was within walking distance and the weather was gorgeous so we hiked the three miles over there. What a treat!On our way, we ran into an excavation site. As often happens in this city throbbing with history, a construction site unearthed an underground ancient Roman Home.
On display for us were carved out rooms and a detailed explanation of what it might have looked like. The homes current inhabitants were cats! And we saw them in all colors, shapes and sizes lounging in the sun. As always, we found alley ways and little out of the way squares along the way. Rome like most European cities is built such that streets open into squares making walking an adventure into wonderland and driving (we dared not!) a nightmare.
We arrived at St. Peter's square to find it full of people and the lines unmanageably long. We decided to skip the guided tour and did one on our own. We found our way into St. Peter's Basillica after a short stint in one of the smallest lines. We saw the work of Michelangelo, the ceilings, the altars, the statues, all breathtakingly beautiful. We walked through chapels, and in and around altars, taking in information from our ear phoned tour.
If you're Catholic, this is ground zero and we felt fortunate to see the seat of our religious beliefs. But no matter what your religious beliefs are, you can't help but be awestruck by the reverent nature of this spectacular building.
Linda Bilodeauwww.lindabilodeau/.com
The Wine Seekers which takes place in Italy is avaialable at www.amazon.com
How can one travel through Italy and not stop in Rome? We had decided to spend two days in this marvelous city and found we were shortchanged. Never go to Rome unless you have a week to spare, there is just far too much to do and see.
But only having a short time in Italy, fifteen days and many places to cover to do research for The Wine Seekers, we had to make our choices.First and foremost on our agenda was a trip to Vatican City.
Fortunately, our hotel was within walking distance and the weather was gorgeous so we hiked the three miles over there. What a treat!On our way, we ran into an excavation site. As often happens in this city throbbing with history, a construction site unearthed an underground ancient Roman Home.
On display for us were carved out rooms and a detailed explanation of what it might have looked like. The homes current inhabitants were cats! And we saw them in all colors, shapes and sizes lounging in the sun. As always, we found alley ways and little out of the way squares along the way. Rome like most European cities is built such that streets open into squares making walking an adventure into wonderland and driving (we dared not!) a nightmare.
We arrived at St. Peter's square to find it full of people and the lines unmanageably long. We decided to skip the guided tour and did one on our own. We found our way into St. Peter's Basillica after a short stint in one of the smallest lines. We saw the work of Michelangelo, the ceilings, the altars, the statues, all breathtakingly beautiful. We walked through chapels, and in and around altars, taking in information from our ear phoned tour.
If you're Catholic, this is ground zero and we felt fortunate to see the seat of our religious beliefs. But no matter what your religious beliefs are, you can't help but be awestruck by the reverent nature of this spectacular building.
Linda Bilodeauwww.lindabilodeau/.com
The Wine Seekers which takes place in Italy is avaialable at www.amazon.com
Saturday, May 16, 2009
An Italian Summer
It was about this time of year when I first toured Italy doing research for The Wine Seekers. Since opportunities to travel are few, I thought I'd share some of my best Italian experiences with you.
Our trip started in the exciting city of Milano (Milan) where we landed after an overnight flight from Miami. Milano bustles with activity at eight in the morning which is about the time we hit the streets looking for the train station. We had slept little on our flight but after an espresso, (Italian's start their day with a cup each morning, and you can find coffee bars almost every where) and some directions, we boarded a bus to take us over to Milano Centrale, one of the most beautiful train stations in Europe. Built in 1864 and refubished in 1931, it has no lack of exquisite features, and we didn't mind being lost in this fabulous place.
The train station does not feature any specific architectural style but is a blend of many different styles, which I took to be an omen of things to come. I hadn't come all this way to Italy for the expected and instead, wanted a trip that would send me into a different world. A world that I hoped I shared in The Wine Seekers.Italians are never in a hurry and they enjoy lingering over coffee, a pastry, browsing though shops or chatting with a friend. All possible in this lovely station which to me seemed designed to fit their culture and their life style. Getting to the correct train track didn't prove easy as the station is on multi levels.
We rode up and down escalators until dizzy than worried we'd miss our train, and finally stopped to ask a kind woman at a information station for directions. We were grateful to hear her tell us where to go in perfect English.
The Italian train system is not a high speed rail as it is in other European countries and we found it would be a long four hours before we reached Rome. Not concerned with the time, we sat back to enjoy a look at the beautiful countryside while enjoying some breakfast.
Best Linda Bilodeauwww.lindabilodeau.com - Enter An Italian Summer Romance Contest Today. The Wine Seekers is now available at www.lindabilodeau.com
Our trip started in the exciting city of Milano (Milan) where we landed after an overnight flight from Miami. Milano bustles with activity at eight in the morning which is about the time we hit the streets looking for the train station. We had slept little on our flight but after an espresso, (Italian's start their day with a cup each morning, and you can find coffee bars almost every where) and some directions, we boarded a bus to take us over to Milano Centrale, one of the most beautiful train stations in Europe. Built in 1864 and refubished in 1931, it has no lack of exquisite features, and we didn't mind being lost in this fabulous place.
The train station does not feature any specific architectural style but is a blend of many different styles, which I took to be an omen of things to come. I hadn't come all this way to Italy for the expected and instead, wanted a trip that would send me into a different world. A world that I hoped I shared in The Wine Seekers.Italians are never in a hurry and they enjoy lingering over coffee, a pastry, browsing though shops or chatting with a friend. All possible in this lovely station which to me seemed designed to fit their culture and their life style. Getting to the correct train track didn't prove easy as the station is on multi levels.
We rode up and down escalators until dizzy than worried we'd miss our train, and finally stopped to ask a kind woman at a information station for directions. We were grateful to hear her tell us where to go in perfect English.
The Italian train system is not a high speed rail as it is in other European countries and we found it would be a long four hours before we reached Rome. Not concerned with the time, we sat back to enjoy a look at the beautiful countryside while enjoying some breakfast.
Best Linda Bilodeauwww.lindabilodeau.com - Enter An Italian Summer Romance Contest Today. The Wine Seekers is now available at www.lindabilodeau.com
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