Sunday, August 26, 2012

Siracusa and Ortigia

This weekend we decided to explore Siracusa and the island of Ortigia, which is right by Siracusa. Siracusa is close to the area where Mike had stayed when he was deployed to Siciliy when Tommy was in Kindergarten (I think that was 2003).  Siracusa is also where Tommy has been wanting to go since we have been here, which should be no surprise to anyone who knows him since the English version is Syracuse.
(at the end of the blog is a link to some video Tommy took, hopefully it works out)

How he didn't pack any Syracuse shirts in his luggage, I don't know, but he didn't.

In Siracusa, there is a large archaeological park with both Roman and Greek ruins.

So we headed in to see what there was to see.

First you come to the Roman ruins, you are not allowed to walk around in the ruins, just look from above.










Then we walked over to the area of the Greek ruins.  The first Greek ruins we came across was the Orecchio di Dionisio.  This is a cave that is shaped like the ear.  In English it is the Ear of Dionysius.  The legend is that Dionysius used the cave as a prison.  He would put them in the back of the cave, and because of the amazing acoustics, which allows for no echo, he could stand outside the cave and hear what they were saying!  So cool! 

As we approached, we could hear chattering from inside, but since it was likely all in Italian, we could not understand it.

Here are the kids standing just outside the cave.  You can see that the opening looks like the opening to the ear canal.


The kids are entering the external auditory meatus (forgive the audiology speak, but Mike and the kids had to hear it as we were walking through =)

You can see Mike (striped shirt on the right) and Tommy (and Sam if you look to the left of Mike in front of the woman) as they approach the tympanic membrane.

This in not a beautiful picture, but it is the tympanic membrane, and so I had to include it.

Looking out from inside the ear.  I sent the kids out and called their names, but they said there was too many people talking for them to hear.

Another little cave.

The kids loved squatting in this tunnel for the picture!

Finally, after what felt like a long walk, we got to the Greek ampitheater, or as Tommy called it, the Carrier Dome.




This is the theater, obviously looking down from above.  There was a level path around the outside at the upper level, and on the other side were cave-like areas carved into the stone.

As you sat in the bench where Tommy is, you could see not only the stage, but the sea off in the distance.

Tommy figures these are the luxury boxes, and let me tell you, on a 100+ degree day, sitting on that bench shaded from the sun, it sure felt like a luxury box.

From the box looking out

Then, in one of the little openings, was this cute waterfall and pond.  Not drinkable water, but people were splashing themselves to cool off.


To the right of Sam, there was a doorway that would bring you to this room, and the window looked out toward the path.  The kids figure this must be the concession stand.

just another little cove

Sam and Mike with the sea way off in the distance.

Sam on the edge above the theater, notice no picture of Tommy in this spot

We made our way down into the theater a little ways on our walk out.


After spending time in Siracusa, we drove a little further to the island of Ortigia.  It was beautiful and I want to move there.  I will tell you now that the pictures in no way show the beauty of this little town.  One street we walked along, on the harbor side, had what looked like a permanent street carnival with little rides, and gelato stands along the way.  The rides were not going, I would guess they open up at night.
This was driving into the marina area where we parked.




The street behind the kids was just so perfect and beautiful.  You really can't tell from the photo.

Same street, slightly different angle.  I need to work on my photography so I can really show you the beauty in the pictures.






This is a fountain in the middle of one of the town squares.

I just liked this building and intersection.


The cathedral in the big plaza


This is the plaza area

And of course, what is the best way to finish a busy day?  With gelato!  We seemed to have kept the shop open later than they planned.  As we sat and finished our gelato, they were pulling all the signs in from outside and putting all the chairs away.  However, not one person told us it was time to leave.





Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Happiness is......

According to the lyrics from the song Happiness is, from You're a Good Man Charlie Brown,


Happiness is finding a pencil.
Pizza with sausage.
Telling the time.
Happiness is learning to whistle.
Tying your shoe for the very first time.
Happiness is playing the drum in your own school band.
And happiness is walking hand in hand.
Music and lyrics by Clark Gesner 




I assume that this song doesn't run through most people's heads when they hear the words happiness is, but most people weren't in the chorus for the musical You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.  It may have been a long time ago, but I was, so when I hear those words, the tune pops into my head.

Anyway,  this week happiness for Tommy and Sammie was.....


Getting gelato from the gelato truck that goes through our neighborhood.  They claim they have never gotten ice cream from the ice cream truck, but I can't believe that.  I know they never did at our house, but I am pretty sure we have gotten ice cream from Skippy when they were at my mom's house.  Even if they had, they had no idea what they had to do to get the guy to stop.  I tried to tell Sam she had to stand at the corner and jump and wave him down, but she didn't fall for that.  They figured out if they just stand at the end of the driveway he will stop.

For me this week, happiness is......


Seeing my car in my driveway!  It was a couple of weeks passed the so called required delivery date, but it finally arrived.  Of course that meant that we had to spend most of the morning yesterday in offices filling out paperwork, and then it had to go for an inspection, but now it is in my driveway!  It felt so good to drive it!  We shipped it in June and then drove Mike's little car for a while and have been borrowing a car since we have been here, so it has been a long time since I have been behind the wheel.  It felt soooooo good to drive it!  It is one more step to normalcy.  Our household goods are due here in about 2 weeks.  Hopefully they don't take any detours and make it here on time!