The Other Las Vegas

The other Las Vegas is situated in the central part of Spain. The capital is Aranjuez. The Tagos (Tajo) river runs by it, the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula (over 1,000 kilometres long).

Pisco

Pisco is brandy produced in Chile and Peru, developed by Spanish settlers as a substitute for their native orujo, a pomace brandy from Northern Spain.  Brandy is produced by distilling wine and has 35%-60% ABV. Pomace is the solid remains of grapes, olives or other fruit after pressing for juice and oil. It is often used as animal feed or fertilizer. A well known pomace brandy of Italian origin is grappa (often served as a digestivo or after-dinner drink).

Viaduct

A viaduct is a bridge with several spans, often used for crossing a valley. The word comes from Latin via being road.  The rest of the word follows the pattern of the English word, aqueduct.

The Pons Septimus in Southern France was the longest viaduct in antiquity. It was roughly 1500m long.

Birth of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) in the Early 1990s

The SADC was started in 1992,  headquartered in Botswana, and is a regional economic community comprising 15 member states from Angola, Botswana, Mauritius, Namibia to South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Note that its name refers to "Southern African" development community as opposed to "South African".

Its purposes are regional integration and poverty eradication. One of their stated integration goals is a single Southern African currency. The most northerly state in the SADC is the DR Congo, which has 70% of the world's coltan (tantalum from coltan is used in the manufacture of capacitors).

Intergovernmental Organisations or IGOs

Intergovernmental organisations are established by treaty between participating countries. They are distinct from mere "groupings" e.g. G10, or the Middle East Quartet.

Venice (Venezia) and its Six Districts (Sestieri)

Venice (Venezia) lies in the "Venetian Lagoon" and is connected to the Italian mainland by the Ponte della Liberta. Trains cross the bridge to reach the Venezia Santa Lucia station.  The airport in Venice is Marco Polo airport.

Venice is surrounded by islands like the San Michele Island and San Giorgio Island, and Giudecca to the South. These lagoon communities became the foundation for a maritime republic.

The Six Districts of Venice are:

• Cannaregio - the most populous district. The Jewish ghetto was the area where Jews were confined.
• Castello- the largest Sestieri.
• Dorsoduro - built on less swampy land.
• San Marco - the most famous, due to its Piazza.
• San Polo - linked to San Marco by the Rialto bridge.
• Santa Croce - only sestiere where car circulation is partly allowed.

The city's main mode of public transport is the vaporetto.

The Decameron (14th Century)

The Decameron (also known as Decamerone in Italian) is a collection of tales of seven women and three men sheltering in a villa just outside Florence to escape the Black Death. It is written in the Florentine dialect.