baby boomer – Page 4 – Destination NOW

One Month Travel With One Carry On??

Packing is one of my biggest travel challenges. I always intend to travel light, but sometimes I get carried away at the last minute.

I’ve been able to go for two weeks with just a carry on. But a month? Can I get everything I will need into my trusty eagle creek carry on and my backpack? I’m going to try. I hope others find my attempt helpful. If not, at least this post will allow ME to remember what the heck I stuck in my bag.

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been “auditioning” my clothes to see whether they dry quickly, are versatile enough for weather that will vary between the 40’s and 70’s and, most importantly, can be crammed into my bag. I’ve tried out different combinations to see how comfortable I am at NJ’s current cooler temperatures. My discovery is that lightweight pants, when paired with silk long underwear work out just fine.

For past trips, I have either used local laundry facilities or I packed enough to get me through the entire trip.

P1150327 — In Pokhara, Nepal, doing the laundry was a cultural experience. The promised “tumble dry” only works if the government doesn’t shut off the electricity for several hours every day. Bet you know what happened while I was there.

THIS time, my plan is to wash as I go. I don’t normally hand wash clothes at home, so I gave it a whirl. I wanted to see how long it took for different items to dry, and I was also curious as to how my duds would look after I had sloshed and wrung them out. The verdict: I figured my technique needed a little work. Then I remembered a tip from a fellow traveler. She nixed the wringing, instead opting to gently squeeze, then wrap her garments in a microfiber towel. She swore her clothes were dry by the next morning. So, I ordered a microfiber towel from Amazon and gave it a try. My technique still needs work.

Because I expect to do a lot of walking, I wanted to make sure that I had comfortable shoes. I found a pair of Sketchers that should do the trick. Air cooled? Memory foam? My feet may be in better shape than my head.

I have super sensitive feet, so I am reluctant to put all my toes into one basket–or one pair of shoes– so I’ll be wearing my trusty Keens on the plane. Yes, I WILL wear those Keen sandals with a pair of socks, and YES, I DO know that is a huge fashion faux pas, but hey I’m old enough not to care.

Here’s how I started out:

Then I had to make some choices. One white knit top and pink bathing suit – out. (I found another bathing suit that squishes up smaller) Hanging toiletries bag, replaced by a zip lock bag, which also freed up space for my hair dryer and adaptors.

There are those that swear by rolling clothes, so I thought I’d give it a try. Some might think I am REALLY obsessive compulsive, to take everything out, and try to put it all back without rolling. Others would realize that I am completely committed to the scientific method. YOU can pick whichever explanation you prefer, but I’m going with the latter.

Want to know the result of my “science” project? Both methods produced the exact same result. Conclusion? Do whatever brings you joy. I wasn’t going to take everything out and roll it up again. I’m not THAT crazy, so I left everything packed flat. Here’s what made it into the bag.

6 long pants – 1 corduroy, 1 jeans, 4 quick drying (one lined, three lightweight)
6 long sleeved cotton tops. 1 knit, plus 2 short sleeve shirts
1 pajamas and 1 long underwear set that can double as pajamas
2 long underwear bottoms and 7 underwear, 2 bras, 8 socks
2 scarves
hair dryer (which I can use to dry clothes, if needed) and toiletries
laundry kit
1 Sketchers black air cooled shoes, with memory foam and flip flops for shower (or if I’m lucky, pool)
index cards (for teaching). According to our team leader, former volunteers have left supplies behind, so i don’t need to bring a white board or other teaching materials.
1 waterproof windbreaker with hood

Plus, of course, I’ll have the clothes I wear on the plane, like my fleece and the zip up sweater that would have fit in the bag if I had unzipped the expandable part. (But then, it might have been hard to get the bag into the overhead.)

My back pack will carry my money, credit cards, passport, travel info, iPhone, iPad, chargers, my mobile “pharmacy”, camera, , pens, snacks, sun glasses, water bottle and travel pillow.

Total weight of carry on–26.5 pounds, something I can easily hoist into that overhead bin. I think I’m all set. We shall see.

California Dreamin’

I had started writing about Napa and Sonoma while visiting there in August. I got distracted (which is not uncommon for me) and completely forgot about this post, leaving it to languish in my drafts folder until now.

Since then, fire has destroyed parts of some of the areas we had visited. Sadly, right now, southern California is also burning.

According to this Forbes article, the percentage of wineries damaged fortunately was low. So, time to publish this lost post to remind everyone of the glories of California wine country. Please visit, and bring your tourist dollars to an area that needs our support. You’ll have fun doing so–as we did last August.

My “lost post” follows:

It has become abundantly clear that our one and only offspring has become a Californian. As with everything in life, there is an upside to having our son three time zones away. We now have yet another reason to visit the greater San Francisco area.

So here’s the sad truth. My memory is definitely NOT what It used to be. I realized that I have been using my WordPress Posts as my memory bank, helping me to figure out where I was and when. Unfortunately, I neglected to post about our past California winery trips–and was dismayed to discover that I couldn’t remember which ones we visited, and which ones were favorites, worthy of a return trip. SO, this post is designed to correct that shortcoming. If it is helpful to others that plan to visit wine country and the greater San Francisco area, so much the better. It’s my way of giving back to all the generous bloggers and posters who offer travel tips, answer my questions on forums, share information on Trip Advisor. Thank you!

Let’s start with the airport. Whether you are renting a car, or taking mass transit, you will take the terminal’s elevator to the third floor, follow the signs for the skybridge and hop on the blue Sky Train. That same train will take you to the BART and Caltrain, if you opt for that mode of transportation. Last time, we took the BART. As I vaguely recall, it was relatively easy to use the machines to buy tickets. (Next time, I’ll pay attention and post about it.) THIS time, we were heading to Santa Rosa, so we rented a car. All of the rental car desks are at the same BART stop.

Note to self: Next time we rent a car, be sure to pre-register for the express option (or whatever the car company calls it). We cooled our heels for about an hour waiting in line for our Budget rental. Ah, the things you forget when you haven’t had an assistant arranging your business travel in almost six years!

For lodging, we did a mix of hotel and vacation rental. In the past, I only used VRBO, and was very pleased with our selections. This time, inspired by Janis over at Retirementally Challenged we decided to try AirBNB. I had had the mistaken impression that with AirBNB you rented rooms in people’s houses. In the past, the rentals I viewed had fewer photos than the rentals on VRBO. As with most things in life, it is good to update your perceptions every now and then. We were delighted with this beautiful little house in Santa Rosa.

For about $300 a night, we had a “serene, centrally located 1500 square foot” 2 bedroom, 2 bath house in a nice neighborhood in Santa Rosa, within walking distance of a few restaurants, a good wine store (that sold killer chocolate truffles) and close enough to the county fair grounds that you could sit outside and listen to the evening concerts, if you were so inclined. We LOVED it!

Santa Rosa has more than its fair share of great restaurants. Our first night, before our son joined us, we dined at John Ash & Co.

The setting was lovely, with lots of windows, overlooking gorgeous gardens. The food and wine were good, but was it worth $250 for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, one desert and one bottle of not expensive wine? The answer is a resounding “NO”! Good thing our son wasn’t with us. We would have blown our entire travel budget on that meal alone. Fortunately, much better values were awaiting us.

Both the Parkside Cafe and Two Spinsters offered wonderful breakfasts. We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at LoCoco’s Cucina Rustica in downtown Santa Rosa. But MY very favorite meal was at Francis Ford Coppola’s restaurant, Rustica, in Geyersville. (The Californians sure do like the name “Rustica”, don’t they?)

I opted for the Menu Di Stagione, which was 4 courses with paired wines for $69 (plus tax and tip). What a feast! I started with gazpacho, followed by caesar salad, then this delicious rack of lamb, ending with chocolate mouse.

as you can see from the glasses, I was having a hard time keeping up with the wine pairings

According to the menu, each course was accompanied by 3 oz. wine pairings, but my perception was those were very generous 3 ounces. The only mistake we made was doing a wine tasting BEFORE lunch. To say I was happy by the time the chocolate mousse rolled around, would have been an understatement.

We had never spent $90 for a bottle of wine, and after tasting this expensive stuff, I’ve concluded we aren’t missing much.

It was fun seeing the movie memorabilia. In addition to photos, posters and other props, you can get up close and personal with the godfather’s desk. Well, not too close. You aren’t allowed to sit in his chair and put your feet on the desk. Don’t ask how I know that.

The winery grounds are absolutely beautiful. If you want, you can make a day of it, by renting a cabana and hanging out by the pool. If you plan on swimming, it might be an excellent idea to wait till later for the wine tasting.

This is definitely a winery I’d visit again. I’d just skip the tasting and go directly to lunch or dinner. Speaking of dinner, after our huge lunch, we were all satisfied with a snack that night.

Our other favorite winery was actually one we had visited before. I recognized it as soon as we arrived there. Beringers has a fantastic tour of its winery.

We took it years ago and greatly enjoyed the experience. THIS time, we just went for the tasting. What we learned: If you are a member of their wine club, (our son is) the “basic” wine tasting is free for up to four people.

Sadly, this tasting proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am indeed a peasant. Can I tell the difference between $70 and $170 bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon? I cannot. I can’t even tell the difference between their $48 bottle of wine and the $10 bottles we normally consume.

For our final evening, we switched from our airBNB to a hotel. The River Terrace Inn, as the name suggests, is right on the river that runs through Napa. It is ideally located–you can stroll along the path that hugs the river to the nearby CIA, where we feasted on a wonderful, and inexpensive dinner. (That’s Culinary Institute of America, not the spy organization–although their food is probably delicious too.)

Yes, that big fork is made up of thousands of little forks!

Also nearby is Oxbow Public Market, site of the Kitchen Door Restaurant, which makes the most amazing mushroom soup on this planet. That soup alone would justify a trip to Napa.

We didn’t make it to Mike’s favorite restaurant, the Rutherford Grill (in Rutherford, of course), but there’s always next time. I hope there’s a next time (or a first time) in wine country for you too.

Disney’s Magic

Every now and then you have to experience a very different kind of travel, and for me, that time is tomorrow. I’ve never been on a big cruise ship, never chose a cruise that featured only one port and never cruised with children. If those things had been on my bucket list, I’d be getting ready to cross them off.

Disney’s Magic sets sail tomorrow from Manhattan’s cruise terminal for a 4 night trip to St. John, New Brunswick, then back. Just getting ready for the cruise has been a learning experience. For example, Cruise Critic is NOT the “go to” place to get information about THIS cruise. Nope. My niece discovered that the happening site is Facebook, where she located a private group just for our particular cruise.

Let me tell you, there is quite a Disney culture out there. People have been getting ready for this event for some time, creating their “FE’s” and special gifts to put in the FEs. Until yesterday, I had no idea what an “FE” is, and I bet you don’t either. It stands for “Fish Extender” and it is some sort of container that you hang from your door. Does that help? I promise a future post will include at least one photo of a Fish Extender, so if a Disney Cruise is in your future, you can decide whether or not you want one.

The people on the page are all very helpful and friendly, so I’m looking forward to a great time. The theme for this cruise is Halloween on the High Seas. Not only is there an opportunity to wear a Halloween costume, but there is also “pirate night”. There IS a costume, of sorts, in my luggage. I’m going to be a princess. I know, not very imaginative, but SOMEONE has to lower the bar, right?

Speaking of princesses… right now these two are en route from Massachusetts, with mom and dad. Arriving shortly. The excitement level is sky high!

Ten Random Reasons to visit Malta

If you plan on vacationing in Italy, why not extend your visit a smidgen and hop over to Malta? This amazing little country has an abundance of things to see and do, especially if you are interested in history and archaeology. We spent five days there in late May, and felt that our timing was perfect…perfect weather, not too crowded, reasonably priced. Yep, there was a whole lot to like about Malta.

It is very easy to get to Malta from Italy. Although we could have taken a ferry from Catania, we opted for the less expensive, faster way, via Air Malta.

The title of this post is “RANDOM Reasons” to visit Malta and that’s exactly what you are getting. Not order of importance, or magnificence–just the order in which they popped into this lazy blogger’s head.

1. The Grand Excelsior Hotel

It’s beautiful, it’s just outside Valetta’s wall, it’s close to buses that can take you wherever you want to go, the service is great, the pool is fantastic, the views from the restaurant and bars are incredible, and it is relatively inexpensive (at least it was in May, with several months advance booking. )

Be forewarned, though. The hotel is located below street level. 88 steps below, to be exact. The steps aren’t steep, but you WILL get your exercise. Which can be a good thing, if you eat as much as WE did.

The hike up those stairs is so worth it, because where else can you find…

2. Flower Shaped Gelato

Although there is an abundance of gelaterias in Malta, Amorino was our favorite. You can’t miss it–it is on Republic Street (the main street), on the right, if you are coming through the city gates. Your flower can have as many flavors as you want.

It doesn’t get much better than that!

And since we are on the subject of food, we discovered this wonderful restaurant close to the Blue Grotto.

3. La Cucina de Bettina

The owner of the restaurant was also our waiter. That’s him, in the black tee, explaining the menu to customers.

I’m ordinarily not a HUGE seafood fan, but this was incredible–the best tuna I have ever tasted! Fresh? Well, the owner told us our lunch had been swimming in the ocean just a few hours before. Take a look.

No, that was not the serving size, but close.

We also had a wonderful antipasto platter, and a bottle of wine recommended by the owner/waiter. I should have made a note of what we spent for this feast. All I can remember was that it cost MUCH less than we ever expected!

I could go on and on about the Malta food, but I’m sure you get the idea. It was delicious, varied and affordable.

4. Valetta

Let’s just start with the festive Republic Street.

Yes, it does look a bit crowded, but if you want a more peaceful experience, all you need to do is duck down a side street. Cruise ships dock in Valetta, so when multiple ships are in town, you do get throngs, but after 5, the city is yours.

The Grand Master’s Palace is on Republic Street, and there IS a guard changing ceremony every day.

Other activities in Valetta definitely deserve their OWN number, like…

5. The Malta Experience

Perhaps you arrived in Malta without doing any research at all. You know NOTHING about its history or the history of its many invaders. Not to worry. All you need to do is buy a ticket to The Malta Experience, then sit back and enjoy. You will be quickly brought up to speed! There are other options on the island, including one that promised you a 5D experience (moving seats, water spray, air blasts and leg ticklers) but this was the one we chose and we were not disappointed. Now if we had been traveling with children, we probably would have opted for the multi-sensory extravaganza.

6. St John’s Co Cathedral

It is impossible to capture the majesty and magnificence of this building. It doesn’t look like much on the outside. In fact, we walked past it a couple of times without even noticing it. But walk inside and WOW!

We’ve hit a lot of churches and cathedrals throughout Europe, and the Americas, but this has to be the most jaw-dropping one I have ever encountered.

“The Beheading of John the Baptist by Caravaggio is in the Co-Cathedral, but just off to the side. I needed to ask directions to find it.

The painting is HUGE–it fills a wall. You can’t get close to it, so I was unable to verify whether Caravaggio’s signature was formed by the blood flowing from the Baptist’s neck. TIP: If you go, bring binoculars or opera glasses to get a better view.

You are not allowed to photograph the painting. If caught, supposedly they confiscate your photo card.

No, I did not break the rules. This is a photo of a postcard, purchased from the gift shop. A poor substitute, but better than nothing.

7. Transportation Alternatives

Here’s another tip: forget about the Hop On Hop Off buses here. You are better served riding the regular city buses. They are far less expensive, and more frequent. Normally we are huge fans of HOHO, but this one had a host of negatives. Its headsets were not reliable. Some worked–some didn’t, and the information they provided was not that great. There were long periods of silence, causing me to wonder whether the headset had stopped working. I was frequently consulting the brochure to try to figure out where we were.

We soon discovered the HOHO doesn’t necessarily stop in front of attractions listed in their brochure. But it DID stop at listed attractions that were closed.

We made the mistake of buying the two day, (red and blue) pass, so never tried out the city buses, but we sure saw a lot of them. Next time, city bus will be our preferred mode of transportation.

If you DO decide to go the way of the HOHO, you can get aboard near the bus station close to the Grand Excelsior.

8. Tarxien Temples

If you are into archaeology, you’ll love the Tarxien Temples. Full disclosure. We had wanted to see the Hypogeum, but that was completely booked. And the Tarxien Temples were supposedly on the HOHO route, (not exactly, as noted above, but we found our way), so why not?

These four temples date back to the Neolithic age (3600-2500 BC). The Romans, 2000 years later, used the site for agriculture. The original structures were discovered In 1913, when local farmers complained about the large blocks of stone they were striking while plowing.

There are other ruins for those that are really, REALLY into prehistory, but this was enough for us.

9. Gozo

We wanted to spend a day touring Gozo, and after our experience with HOHO, decided to book a private tour through the hotel. We were not disappointed with our choice. Marco picked us up at 8:30, drove us to and from the ferry and around Gozo, making sure we spent our time the way WE wanted.

We drove by Popeye’s village, now a tourist trap, formerly the set for Robin William’s 1980 movie, stopping just long enough to take a couple of photos.

I remember suffering through the Iliad and the Odyssey during my Freshman year in college. Maybe if I had known I’d be visiting the cave of the nymph who bewitched Odysseus, I would have enjoyed the books more. (But probably not). The cave was closed because of “geological movement”, so we could only look at a hole in the ground, partially hidden by bushes, but the view of the nearby beach with its red sand was quite lovely.

Gozo had lots of beautiful ocean vistas, a lovely cathedral, a great multimedia show in Rabat, (the old center also known as Victoria), fantastic food—AND this rather graphic painting of St. Agatha. Seems the Roman suitor she rejected got a bit miffed and decided to cut her breasts off in retaliation.

She looks remarkably unconcerned, maybe because the little angel hovering over her head (holding a crown) told her that in years to come, the Maltese and Sicilians would create a pastry in her honor. Think I’m kidding? Take a look. They are called “Minni di Sant Aita”. Honest.

The Azure Window would definitely have made the list had we traveled to Gozo in 2016. Unfortunately for us, in March of 2017, the arch tumbled into the sea, so we had to content ourselves with this post card image, and a view of the site where it once stood. Still a scenic and lovely area, though.

10. Mdina

The oldest city on the island of Malta, Mdina was built and inhabited by Arabs until they were expelled by the Christians in 1250. Another fortified city, it has the mandatory moat and gates.

It also has the requisite cathedral, old buildings repurposed as cafes and gift shops, but MY favorite thing was the Palazzo Falzone, a 13th century building loaded with an incredible collection of antiques and the very coolest sound system ever.

You just put on the headset, point the wand at a plaque on the wall and voila, you have a narrative about the article/ room you are viewing!

Olof Gollcher, a Swedish philanthropist and heir to a shipping fortune, purchased the building in 1927, and used it as a repository for his collections of art, silver, furniture, weapons and books.

There you have it. This lazy, random blogger got you started. These ten highlights barely scratch the surface of all that is wonderful and glorious about Malta. The rest is up to you!

Catania, Taormina, Mt Etna–Oh My!

Okay, be honest. Before the G7 meeting, had you ever heard of Taormina? If I had, it didn’t register, until we booked this trip.

But before heading to Taormina, we still had lots to see and do in Catania. I’ll tell ya, I was totally unprepared for how much I enjoyed Catania. What a pleasant surprise. It was easy to get around, with lots to see, and of course, with an abundance of great restaurants.

The city was conquered by the Romans in 263 BC, and as with other areas in their empire, the Romans left their mark, which the city has wisely preserved.

P1180542 — I love the way the old and modern structures coexist. This amphitheater lies beneath the modern city

Yes, Catania has the requisite number of churches, fountains and statues. It also has lots of interesting streets, like this one. It isn’t immediately apparent, but as you climb all those stairs,

you are rewarded with views like this.

As one would expect of a city smack dab on the ocean, Catania’s fish market was HUGE, as were its products. Check out that swordfish.

Coming from coastal Massachusetts, however, this girl wasn’t all that impressed.

I DID get excited about the market’s fruit, though, especially those cherries. I don’t know who was more excited about my purchase–him or me? To show his appreciation, he gave me a slice of the most delicious cantaloupe I’ve ever tasted. Fresh, delicious fruit… aah, that’s what I call quality of life!

But I didn’t fill up on cherries. Good thing because we had yet another incredible lunch at a little outdoor cafe off of the main square, across from the cathedral. You’d think by now I would remember to write the cafe’s name down or take a picture of the menu, but I did neither. Sorry, future visitors to Catania. I believe it was on the corner, facing the elephant’s behind, where the tan umbrellas are.

On to Taormina, where security was tight. Good thing our group was in great shape, because we had to walk quite a distance. Bus access into the town and to the amphitheater was limited, even though the leaders would not be arriving for another week.

Notice the two different uniforms of the military/security people in this photo. I think every country must have sent their own people. There were LOTS more milling about!

The amphitheater was the perfect spot for a group photo. And what a group we were! All seasoned travelers, everyone was considerate, friendly and easy to be with. Of course I had my favorites (and they know who they are), but I would be thrilled to see any of them on a future trip.

Great traveling companions! Back row: Tom, Maxine, Jane, Sharon, Ann, Carol. (Ann should have been in the front!) Middle row: Sue, Sue, Lavonne, Al, Joel and Henry Front row: Mike, me, Daniel (way in front), Shirley and Owen.

The Greek Amphitheater is still used for outdoor concerts, but those white plastic chairs are not normally in place. People usually sit on the stone steps, bleachers or the grassy sections. The plastic seats were set up for the following week’s G-7 conference.

The view from the site is unforgettable. See that cloud of smoke in the distance? That’s Mount Etna.

And that’s where we were headed on our last day in Catania. But first, one last shot of Taormina. Yes, the streets in the city are a bit steep, but none of our group needed a golf cart to get around. (I’m just sayin’…)

Okay, so I’ll admit it. I was absolutely thrilled to be able to hike on an active volcano. Of course, this being OAT, we were accompanied by Marco, our expert local guide who made sure we were safe at all times. Marco came equipped wth visual aids, walking sticks and hard hats!

We learned our group was unique, in that EVERYONE made the hike and descended into the lava tubes. Apparently this was a first for Marco. He said on all his other tours a couple of people waited at the base and didn’t take part in all the activities. Yay us!

Here’s one of our guide, Daniel’s, photos. As you can see from our clothing (and my hat) It was cold and windy on the volcano. I was glad I’d packed my fleece!

P1010680 — That’s not OUR group in the distance. I wasn’t that brave (foolhardy) to stay behind to get that shot! In fact, WE were up higher than they, as you can see from the angle of my shot.

So why did we need hard hats? Well, when you climbed down into a lava tube, it’s a good idea to protect your head and turn your head lamp on.

Yet another one of Daniel’s photos–the group inside the lava tube.

If you think this blog post was a whirlwind, you’d be right. And that’s how it felt to be on the trip. A very nice, interesting, FUN whirlwind. We definitely got a lot for our money!

We said good-bye to our new friends at that night’s farewell dinner.

IMG_20170516_195855 — Once again, thank you Daniel!

Most were headed home, but very early the following morning (5 AM), Mike, Owen, Shirley and I started our Malta adventure, which I’ll be posting about next.

Eureka, We Found Syracusa!

For the last three days of our OAT tour, we were based in Catania. Enroute, we stopped in Syracusa, the birthplace of Archimedes. Remember him? He’s the guy in the bathtub, who shouted “eureka” when he discovered something of great importance? I don’t remember what he discovered, but I sure did like his word choice.

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably wondering why he’s holding a mirror, instead of sitting in a bathtub, like a Cialis commercial. Well, there are a couple of stories: The original legend was that Archimedes developed a parabolic mirror that captured the sun’s rays and then directed them toward the invaders’ wooden ships, setting them ablaze. Valeria, our local guide, said it was more likely that the mirror was indeed used to capture the sun’s rays, but was probably more effective temporarily blinding the enemy. You are free to pick whichever version you prefer. Archimedes also invented a crane with a metal hook that could pull a ship out of the water, known as “Archimedes Claw”. Now THAT would have made one hell of a statue!

We didn’t spend much time in Syracuse, instead moving to the fortress island of Ortigia, another lovely Sicilian town just packed with Greek and Roman ruins, Medieval Norman structures, and Baroque buildings, plus great restaurants and lovely boutiques. We weren’t there long enough!

P1180484 — Typical street in Ortigia. Lots of pedestrian only walkways.

We made a stop by the Fountain of Arethusa. You’ve all seen fountains before, so I decided to share a photo of this plaque instead. Don’t you just love it when there is an English translation? I hope it comes through large enough for you to read it!

Arethusa was one “wiry” nymph who didn’t rejoice in the “gifts of her body”. What a great translation!

After lunch we took a boat ride around Ortigia Bay. (This photo is courtesy of sweet Daniel, our guide, who shared the photos he’d been taking of us during the entire trip.)See that bridge? Wonder how we were able to fit under it?

Don’t worry. I’m going to show you…

Our captain instructed us all to scrunch down, then the awning was lowered. Okay, so it isn’t the best photo I’ve ever taken, but I’ll bet got the idea!

Something else to wonder. How do people on boats get take-out delivered? Wonder no more, because once again, I’m going to show you.

P1180523 — Yes indeed. That IS a pizza being lowered.

Our day wasn’t over. We had one more stop before we checked into the hotel. The World War II Museum commemorated the allies landing in Sicily. My favorite part of the museum was entering the replica of a Sicilian town, hearing the air raid sirens go off, piling in to the bomb shelter (which shook as the “bombs” went off) then exiting to see the devastation that took place.

There was lots more to see, but I decided to share this poster with the folks back home.

Lucky Luciano was sprung from a US prison so that he could communicate with his Sicilian Cosa Nostra connections to ensure that the US knew exactly where to land. As you can imagine, this was somewhat controversial, especially because some claim the US support of the Cosa Nostra leaders only strengthened their hold on the region after the war ended.

After settling in to the Katane Palace Hotel, Daniel took us for a quick tour, pointing out Catania’s version of “Restaurant Row”, where we had a wonderful dinner.

The perfect ending to a fantastic first day in Catania.

Ragusa

Full disclosure. This is no longer coming to you “live”. We have been home for a week. My blogging just couldn’t keep pace with our activities. We were BUSY! And when we weren’t busy, we were recuperating from the busyness… and drinking…and eating…and drinking.

Speaking of recuperation, the good news is that our friends recovered in time to join us the evening before we left for Ragusa. Daniel, our wonderful guide (We all love you, Daniel!) sent a doctor to the hotel in Palermo, then arranged for a driver to pick them up and bring them to our next lodging–the beautiful Agriturismo Berlingeri. AND while they were in Palermo, he had them moved to a larger room so they could be more comfortable. Pretty thoughtful!

Looking good after taking advantage of the Italian medical system!

So, about Ragusa. It is actually TWO towns–lower and upper Ragusa. After the earthquake in 1693, the majority of the population moved upward, but fortunately, some stayed behind to rebuild what is now Ragusa Ibla, the old town.

The two towns are connected by a LOOONG staircase. Graciela, our local guide, packed us onto a bus (and we were indeed packed) to the upper city so we could walk DOWN, which gave us ample opportunity to take in the panoramic views.

I didn’t count the steps, however it was NOT a strenuous stroll, especially given our frequent pauses–bathroom break, cold drinks, ogling everything. Graciela’s interesting stories kept us entertained and engaged all the way down.

Take a look at the underside of this balcony. Graciela pointed out that the top figure on the left is asking the top figure on the right for more food and drink. The figure on the left is responding with the universal hand signal for “go do something unmentionable to yourself.” Too bad the central figure is missing. Wonder what HE would have had to contribute to this interaction.

Lesson learned: take time to look UP. Cool things are EVERYWHERE!

Is it just me, or are some of these characters in dire need of dental care?

Our walk ended at the cathedral, where St. George plays a prominent role. Here’s HIS story. Initially, St. George was portrayed as a Roman soldier, who saw the light and ended up slaying the dragon. Graciela explained the dragon symbolized the pagans who were threatening the Christians.

Sometime during the middle ages, St. George got a make-over, becoming a medieval knight. This time the dragon was more specific; he represented the Muslims and Turks who were battling the Christians for control of the holy land. THAT St. George is portrayed in the huge painting on the cathedral wall. Nobody seemed bothered that George was killing dragons in two different centuries!

I bet you’re wondering what that silver and gold box in the middle of the cathedral is all about. Nope, it doesn’t hold the 10 Commandments and it isn’t a casket–but close. It holds 32 relics! Fingers, toes, pieces of the original cross–who knows? We didn’t get the specifics. One of our guides later commented “How many fingers and toes do you think the saints had?” Let’s ponder that for a while, and commend the entrepreneurs of the middle ages.

After our tour ended, we had free time to enjoy this lovely little mountain town.

Although there is a little trolley that can take you on a tour, we decided to walk off some of the great food and wine we had been consuming. Good thing, because the next day we headed off to a farm for a “Day in the Life” of a Sicilian family.

All OAT trips include a home visit or some kind of cultural exchange, and this trip was no exception. Here are Maria and her son John Baptiste, welcoming us to the family farm. John Baptiste, an archaeologist by training, is restoring the farm, which was his mother’s childhood home.

I know this looks like it could be an instrument of torture from the Spanish Inquisition, but it is actually the original wine press.

We didn’t make wine, but we DID help with the cooking, sorta the way my little 3 and 4 year old nieces help with cooking. The woman in the brown shirt and white apron? If it weren’t for her, the result would have been VERY different!

The food was magnificent! We could even tell ourselves that WE did some of the cooking.

Check out the oven. Doesn’t get more authentic than this.

So what else would you need to know if you are going to visit Ragusa? Well, the hotel we stayed at–the San Giorgio Palace Hotel– is ideally located. It is at the edge of town, carved into the hillside, and is within walking distance of everything — all of the restaurants, shops, cathedral and park. There is a nice patio on the 4th floor, where you can sip a glass of wine and watch the sun go down over the hillside. It was quite wonderful.

Next stop–Catania.

Oh, To Be Rich in Ancient Sicily!

No one knows for sure who lived in the Villa Romana del Casale. Some think it might have been the country home of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius; others theorize a provincial governor lived and conducted administrative duties here.

It was constructed in the middle of the 4th century AD, and owes its remarkable preservation to the mudslide that covered the villa in the 12th century. The building remained hidden until the 1950’s excavations.

Katya, our local expert, explained that we were going to view some of the finest examples of Roman mosaics in all of Europe, with scenes ranging from Homeric escapades to depictions of daily life, at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Katya was excellent, and that was true of all the local guides on our trip. We learned that our main guide, Daniel, had a choice of 4 or 5 different local guides for each site, and I have to say, he chose very well. Katya was interesting and so informative, a delight to listen to.

We began our tour by the aqueduct, which was the source of water for the baths–starting with the hot bath, and ending with the frigidarium, the cold bath.

The slaves kept the fires going in these ovens so that the baths were at the proper temperature.
I wasn’t taking notes, so don’t hold me to it, but I THINK this was the frigidarium. Or it was something else. Whatever. It was impressive.

The main attraction of the villa is the floor mosaics, and they are absolutely magnificent.

Probably the most famous room, the 10 maidens are exercising, wearing the ancient version of bikinis. And look, someone appears to have won the swimsuit competition, earning her a crown and a palm leaf to wave around.

Not quite so famous, but certainly as intriguing were these: one example of the many scenes of a hunt.

This woman’s clothing indicates she was from the eastern empire, possibly Muslim. There is another mosaic of a similarly attired woman, being carried off by soldiers. It isn’t hard to imagine what that mosaic was illustrating.

No commentary necessary for this one.

I particularly liked the depiction of the theater. Looks like the legend of the Cyclops was being featured.

Those white squares on the mosaic–I thought someone had been littering, but no. They were placed there intentionally to absorb moisture.

Here’s a close up of Cyclops. I really DID like that mosaic! Isn’t it amazing what the craftsmen were able to do with little colored stones?

One last look at the countryside and we’ll be on our way. Our timing was fantastic. We were leaving, just as hoards of tourists were arriving!

Phoenicians, Salt and The Port of God

What an island! Strategically placed between Africa and Europe, the east and the west, Sicily was home to successive waves of conquerors, and for our second day, we visited one of the conquering heroes’ settlements. The Phoenicians, originally from the area that is now Lebanon, were among the first waves.

But first, we took a close look at the commodity that gave us the word “salary”. Sal (salt) was once used by the Romans as currency. Unlike other parts of the world, where salt is mined, the salt here is extracted from the sea. The water evaporates from shallow beds, leaving behind a substance that is low in sodium, high in potassium and magnesium. The Trapani salt is practically a health food! The sea, the wind, the sun all work together, with a little help from human workers, to create this miracle ingredient. Doesn’t get more natural than that.

After learning more than I ever thought possible about salt, we boarded a boat for the little island of Mothya, where almost 3000 years ago, Phoenicians built a fortress and a settlement.

There’s not much left on Mothya, just some walls, (header photo) and a museum that once was the home of Giuseppe Whittaker. Whittaker, in fact, owned the entire island. Fortunately, he was interested in archaeology and history, left his home and property to the public.

The salt museum contained this rendition of what the settlement was imagined to be.

It’s not a big island; we were able to walk from one end to the other, working up an appetite for this amazing feast!

Our last stop was at the place the Arabs called “Marsa Allah”, the Port of God, now known as Marsala, for wine tasting. Check out the size of those barrels. That’s a whole lot of Chicken Marsala!

It is rare indeed that my wine glass is still full after a wine tasting. In fact, I would say that this was a first. To me, Marsala is way too sweet. Okay for cooking, but definitely not my choice for drinking.

Next stop, the Valley of the Temples.

Palermo, Sicily

Once again, my best laid plans have gone a bit astray. Somehow I managed to come down with a raging cold on the day we departed for Sicily. That undoubtedly earned me the hotly contested title of the flight’s Most Hated Passenger as I coughed my way across the Atlantic Ocean.

Ah well, one of the clear advantages of being older is you have learned to roll with whatever comes your way. Although, truth be told, there wasn’t much rolling, or any other kind of movement going on for the first two days we were in Palermo. I pretty much took to my bed, being unwilling to share whatever I had acquired with my fellow travelers. One definite advantage to group travel is Mike was able to enjoy sightseeing with the others while I rested up.

By day 3 (Saturday), I was able to venture forth, so we decided to strike out on our own.

Right by the opera house, we hopped aboard the free trolley, to one buggy driver’s disappointment. Pretty amazing that Palermo offers free transportation around the city to everyone!

Our first stop was what is now known as the Norman Castle, which started out as an Arab fortress. In the 1100’s it became King Roger 2’s humble abode. King Roger 2 was quite an impressive guy. This Norman ruler managed to pull off what current world leaders haven’t been able to accomplish: Christians, Jews and Muslims coexisted in harmony during his reign, melding together the best of their cultures.

The geometric designs in the ceiling of his bedroom have a definite Islamic flavor. This is one small section of a very elaborate design. I wonder if those gold mosaics glow in they dark. Does the beast in the center remind you of Maurice Sendak’s book ” Where the Wild Things Are”? I guess that’s one way to prevent your kids from crawling into bed with you. Now why didn’t WE think of that?

To get to that royal apartment, you had to climb up several massive staircases. I counted 100 steps! No gym membership required for Roger. But he didn’t have to travel far for church services. The Palatine Chapel is on the floor below, so he could roll out of bed and be at mass in less time than it took to place his crown on his head. Like the Royal Apartment, the chapel is shiny and bright, with Christian and Muslim motifs covering every surface.

At the start of our visit, we were approached by a woman who asked if we would like a free guided tour in English. Her students, these four young girls, were eager to practice their English on us and earn extra credit. What a nice idea!

The building has been remodeled multiple times over the years. The courtyard outside the chapel, for example, was redecorated around 1600.

Pay close attention to the portraits on the bottom. They form a border around the perimeter of the courtyard. These were notable saints…every last one of them male. So, either there were no women saints deemed worthy of a spot on the wall OR women’s virtue was so taken for granted that it didn’t seem they had to put any effort into attaining sainthood. So why make a big deal about it? You decide which explanation rings true to you.
Rather than go into culture overload, we decided not to overdo it, so headed back to rest up before dinner at Vino y Pomadoro, a wonderful restaurant close to our hotel. The menu had English “subtitles” so I was very relieved. I have this fear that I would accidentally order something that would horrify me, like pizza with rabbit and horseradish. Here’s what I got.

Next stop, Mazara.

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