Good Day ROAD TRIPPERS!!! Another glorius day in Sicily. But I have decided to switch things up. We could spend another month in Sicily alone and we just cannot do that. So I am going to do a representative sampling of the rest of Palermo and the rest of Sicily and finishing up with Mt. Etna and then we will be moving to the Romeo Resort Hotel in Naples where I have booked all of the Suites for us beginning Monday morning 03 August. We will check in there whether we actually are ready to move or not but we will definitely move there no later than Tuesday morning 04 August. Here is a link to their website, and as per usual, we have extra accomodations should anybody wish to invite friends or family free of charge: https://www.romeohotel.it/it/naples/ Our first stop today will be the Museo Di Zoologia P. Doderlein in Palermo. Here is a link to their site and they have a virtual tour on there as well: http://www.museozoologia.unipa.it/informazioni.html Next we are going to the Museo Geologico e Paleontologico G.G. Gemmellaro in Palermo. Here is a link to their site and they also have a virtual tour: http://www.museogeologia.unipa.it/storia.html For our next stop we will be creeping into the Catacomba Paleocristiana di Porta d'Ossuna. Here is a link to the government tourism site and a link to the wiki: https://turismo.comune.palermo.it/palermo-welcome-luogo-dettaglio.php?tp=68&det=25&id=200 https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombe_di_Porta_d'Ossuna Next we are going to the Parco d'Orleans. This is the only Ornithology Park in Italy. Here is a link to the wiki: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parco_d'Orléans Off we go to creep around the Necropoli Punica. This is huge and they are still finding more every time they fix something around the city. Here is a link to the wiki: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necropoli_punica_di_Palermo Our last stop in Palermo wil be the INAF Palermo Astronomical Observatory. We will have a tour of the observatory facilities and the museum, and we will be allowed to see on their monitors what their deep space telescopes are observing. Here is a link to their site and a link to their page for the museum which has a virtual tour on it: http://www.astropa.inaf.it/chi-siamo/ http://www.astropa.inaf.it/museodellaspecola/ Next we will go to Alcamo, Sicily. Here is a clip from the wiki and a link to the wiki: Alcamo is the fourth-largest town in the province of Trapani in Sicily, with a population of 45,374 inhabitants. It is on the borderline with the Metropolitan City of Palermo at a distance of about 50 kilometres from Palermo and Trapani. The town has an area of 50.5 square miles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcamo Our first stop in Alcamo will be the Castello dei Conti di Modica. This is a castle dating back to 1340, it has been fully restored. Here is a link to the wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_of_the_Counts_of_Modica_(Alcamo) Next we are going to the Castello di Calatubo. I have obtained permission for us to visit this Castle even though it is closed to the public. Here is a link to the wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calatubo_Castle Ok, I thought we needed to stop at least once while we are in Sicily at a Bakery. I couldn't find any in Alcamo that had websites so I am giving you a restaurant guru link for Caffe' Enny. Just click on the pictures and you will see just a sampling of the things that are baked fresh daily in the store: https://restaurantguru.it/Rh6-Srl-Alcamo Our last stop in Alcamo is the Castello dei Ventimiglia. This is just ruins and only one of the four towers remains. Here is a link to the wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_of_Ventimiglia Next we are moving on to the City of Trapani, Sicily. We will only be doing two stops here today, and picking up again tomorrow. Here is a clip from the wiki and a link to the wiki: Trapani is a city in western Sicily with a crescent-shaped coastline. At the western tip, offering views as far as the Aegadian Islands, is the 17th-century Torre di Ligny watchtower. It houses the Museo di Preistoria e del Mare, with archeological artifacts. North of the harbor, the Chiesa del Purgatorio church holds wooden sculptures that are paraded around the city during Easter’s Processione dei Misteri. The city has an area of 105 square miles and an estimated population of 67,531 people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapani Our first stop is the Riserva Naturale Saline Di Trapani E Paceco. This is a huge Nature Reserve of over 1000 hectars. Here is a link to their website: http://www.wwfsalineditrapani.it/riserva.htm Our last stop of the day is the Museum Of Optical Illusions. Here is a link to their website and a link to their galleria page: https://www.mooitrapani.com/ https://www.mooitrapani.com/galleria/ Cocktail hour is 6 pm and dinner is 7 pm at I Grilli here in Trapani. Here is a link to their menu: https://www.ristoranteigrilli.it/menu/#menu
That was fun walking ( or floating ) through those Wadis , floating on the Dead Sea , walking through Petra and so on I's liked sleeping in my bubble watching those stars at night , without a snake slivering into my sleeping bag , or scorpion crawling over my face. Wahhhhh !!! what's that sound outside ? yikes I's sees eyes , nice kitty , nice kitty Ok I am save as long as we don't get a pack of hyenas or something , do I have a toilet in here ? Am I think there is a miniature Zebra outside or are those a cross between a tiger and a dog ? or are those tiger dogs ? good they left https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordanian_cuisine https://migrationology.com/jordanian-food/ last call for Jordanian food and drink , last night we all were invited to a Bedouin family , I had lot's of tea and falafels . Today we head back to Turkey , and pick up where we left . Diyardakir : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diyarbak%C4%B1r Grand Mosque : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diyarbak%C4%B1r Hasan Pasa Hani : https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasan_Pa%C5%9Fa_Han%C4%B1 Centuries old Inn with shops and eateries Gazi Kosku : I like eating here . Behram Pasa Camii : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behram_Pasha_Mosque Suluklu Inn Hotel Diyarbakir the Turks for sure love those black and white stripes , but nothing was as much fun as the Abu Darwish Mosque in Ammon Jordan , that place made me smile Dice Bridge : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicle_Bridge
Ehehe another striped mosque Sheikh Matar Mosque https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh_Matar_Mosque Iskender Pasa Konagi : http://bianet.org/biamag/print/173554-surgun-yorgun-kaygili-ve-kirgin-konak-cemilpasa-konagi https://www.trthaber.com/haber/kultur-sanat/diyarbakirin-400-yillik-konaklari-yasamla-bulustu-405877.html Ulu Beden Burcu : https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulu_Beden_Burcu https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=tr&u=https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulu_Beden_Burcu&prev=search&pto=aue Mesudiye Medresesi : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Mosque_of_Diyarbak%C4%B1r Diyarbakir Church https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mary_Church,_Diyarbak%C4%B1r St Giragos https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Giragos_Armenian_Church 2008 2012
Mardin Province : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardin_Province Mardin : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkLIyB7Xnfg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkUqrzBdl4o Over 5000 historical buildings were restored to good as new conditions , all cables and such were buried under ground , so as to give the old parts of the town a more authentic feel . Mor Hananyo Monastery Mardin Evleri Main Post building Grand Mosque Mardin : Kasimiye Madrasah :
Good Evening ROAD TRIPPERS!!! Sorry for the last minute change in plans, but as John Lennon said "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans". I spent the day at Urgent Care, bad case of Conjuctivitis in both eyes with minor corneal abrasions from rubbing them. And its not helping any that we are getting the wind currents carrying the smoke and particle debris from the San Bernadino fires. We will still be moving to Naples in the morning and will take a day trip to Mt. Etna and I will research the other areas of Sicily again and if there is anything we just have to see, we can throw in random day trips here and there. I just love the trips Schmet is doing at the same time as we are always on the go and seeing something!!!!
We are and thank God for the time delays, this trip is getting exhausting LOL so much to see and so much to do. This has been the best road trip ever!!!!!! And you take care of yourself Cy ok!!!! No more hospitals for you!!!!!
yes Cyrrena , did you see my post over on Look and Feel ? ttobey mentioned you on a twitter broadcast for being very insistent on getting a broom mount . He boasted how easy it was to make the mount and how he was teasing us about it for a year .
Mardin 2 : http://comenius.langevin-la-seyne.fr/trk_mardin.php good site for information , stories and pictures. Mardin Castle It took 27 years to restore the ruins of the castle and for 27 years no tourist was able to visit . It does not help , that the castle is used for military use too ( radar ) . Mor Behnam Kirklas Kilisesi : https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C4%B1rklar_Kilisesi Meryem Ana Kilisesi : Sitti Radviyye - hatuniye Medresesi : I guess it must be a tomb :
Good Day ROAD TRIPPERS!!! Here we are at the gorgeous Romeo Resort Hotel in Naples. This will be our base of operations for a bit while exploring the Southern Italian Mainland. We will have at least one day of rest in order to enjoy the amenities of the hotel, it may not be a full day, it may be the day we take the excursion to Mt. Etna over on Sicily. For today, we will be exploring around Naples and the surrounding areas. I hope everybody ate a good hearty breakfast, is wearing comfortable clothing and hiking boots, has drinks/water and snacks, camera/phone fully charged, flashlight, hat/sunscreen in your backpack, along with your swimming gear. Lets get rolling!!! Naples is the 3rd largest city in Italy and in on the Southern coast of the Mainland. Here is a clip from the wiki and a link to the wiki: Naples, a city in southern Italy, sits on the Bay of Naples. Nearby is Mount Vesuvius, the still-active volcano that destroyed nearby Roman town Pompeii. Dating to the 2nd millennium B.C., Naples has centuries of important art and architecture. The city's cathedral, the Duomo di San Gennaro, is filled with frescoes. Other major landmarks include the lavish Royal Palace and Castel Nuovo, a 13th-century castle. The city has an area of 45.95 square miles and an estimated population of 967,068 people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naples Our first stop of the day will be the Underground Naples. This is an entire city beneath the city. Here is a clip from the website about a few things we will see and a link to the website: During the excursion, in addition to admiring the remains of the ancient Greco-Roman aqueduct and the air-raid shelters of the Second World War, you will visit the War Museum, the Hypogeal Gardens ( www.ortipogei.it ), the Seismic Station "Arianna" and much more. https://www.napolisotterranea.org/ Next we will be going to the Galleria Borbonica. This is amazing as well, we are booked for a private Villa delle Memorie tour. Here is a link to their website: https://www.galleriaborbonica.com/en/history Next we are going to creep around in the Catacombe di San Gennaro. Here is a link to their website: https://www.catacombedinapoli.it/it/luoghi/catacombe-di-san-gennaro-napoli Our next stop is the Museo Cappella Sansevero. This is a Chapel that is much more than a Chapel as you will see. Make sure to look at all the links under AREAS at the bottom of the page, its amazing: https://www.museosansevero.it/the-sansevero-chapel/?lang=en Off we go to the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli. This museum houses most of the interesting finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum, both doomed cities after the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Here is a link to their website: https://www.museoarcheologiconapoli.it/en/history-of-the-museum/ Next is a stroll down the Via San Gregorio Armeno. I think a bit of retail therapy is in order and I think a bit of cheer from this street will do us all some good!! Here is a link to the Italy tourism site for this street: http://www.italia.it/en/travel-idea...-armeno-the-christmas-nativity-tradition.html Now we are visiting the Castel dell'Ovo. This Castle supposedly has an egg locked away in the basement upon which all the fortunes of Naples are built. Here is a link to the government website: https://www.comune.napoli.it/casteldellovo Now a visit to the Castel Sant'Elmo. This Castle dates back to 1275. But there is no egg in the basement. Here is a link to their website: http://www.polomusealecampania.beniculturali.it/index.php/il-castello Back to creeping about, this time in the Cimitero delle Fontanelle. We will be having a private guided tour of this Cimitero that is over 3000 square meters!!! Here is a link to their website, there are some nice photo galleries on the site: http://www.cimiterofontanelle.com/it/ More creeping!!! This time in the Catacombe di San Gaudioso. The entrance to these crypts lies within the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità. Here is a link to the website: https://www.catacombedinapoli.it/?/en/places/catacombs-of-san-gaudioso-naples No creeping this time!!! We are off to visit the Castel Nuovo - Maschio Angioino. The construction of this castle began in 1279. We are booked for a private guided tour. Here is a link to the government website, keep scrolling down and under the last blue box you will find information on the castle: https://www.comune.napoli.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/1372 Now we are going to the La Neapolis Sotterrata - Complesso Monumentale San Lorenzo Maggiore. This is an above and below ground complex and museum. We are scheduled for a private, guided tour. Here is a link to their website: https://www.laneapolissotterrata.it/en/home-ing/ Our last stop today is a long one since it is the Isola di Procida. I thought I would put in one of the Neopolitan Islands here since we have done a lot around Naples today and its still early. Here is a clip from the wiki and a link to the wiki: Procida is one of the Flegrean Islands off the coast of Naples in southern Italy. The island is between Cape Miseno and the island of Ischia. With its tiny satellite island of Vivara, it is a comune of the Metropolitan City of Naples, in the region of Campania. The island has an area of 1.6 square miles and an estimated population of 10,596 people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procida We will be going to the Palazzo D'Avalos. This was a castle that turned into a military school that turned into a prison. Here are a couple of links to tourism sites with some good photos: https://www.italyscapes.com/places/campania/procida/castles/palazzo-davalos/ http://incampania.com/en/location/13071/ Last we will follow this guide from the Procida tourism office except for where to sleep: The port of Marina Grande The ancient village of Terra Murata The seaside village of Marina della Corricella Arena Marina The houses of Casale Vascello Beaches, bays and coves House - Graziella Museum Information for each is on the page linked below: https://www.traghetti-napoli.net/isola-procida/cosa-vedere-visitare Cocktail hour is 6 pm and dinner is 7 pm at Blackwood in Naples.
OMG!!! I have GOT to get caught up! And yep, 'cause basically, when Plato was writing down the account from the Egyptians, he slipped a decimal point or something in the translation, where it wasn't 10,000 years before his time, but only 1,000; it wasn't 3,000 miles away, only 300 (from, perhaps, Alexandria, or a similar coastal Egyptian city); it wasn't 2,000 miles across, but only 200 or whatever, etc., etc., etc. And yeah, Minoan flush toilets were pretty darned advanced compared to what the ancient Hellenes (Greeks) had at the time, or 1,000 or 10,000 years before. ;-> If you divide by a common factor, you pretty much get Thera/Santorini. Once upon a time, it was a colony of Crete, and a nice round circle (very round; the primary mountain was a lovely cone...); now it looks like the letter "C". :-/ When the volcano went up, it pretty much trashed the Minoan navy and changed the balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean, allowing the Hellenes to come into their own. Uwk
I haven't had ANY further alerts from this thread! Every once in awhile, I blunder over to the Test forum and notice a new post, but sometimes it's way far down... :-/ I miss the trips! Uwk
According to The Cartoon History of the Universe, Vol. 3, pg. 131, "In Egypt, the word for 'taxes' meant 'labor'," so you may very well be right. Uwk
As Uwk "catches up" via the time portals to the rest of the gang as if he'd been there the whole time, he gets a huge, toothy Kerra grin on his face for the moussaka...but will probably have fruit kefir as opposed to the Retsina. ;-> (In RL, my family and I would also travel around all over the place in the continental US during school breaks [Winter Break, Spring Break, Summer], since my parents were both teachers [before my mom retired] and our academic schedules pretty much coincided. We'd also camp out in state and national parks and monuments rather than hotels [which were way more pricey; hey, American teachers w/American teacher salaries :-/], and Dad, being a former Park Ranger and, at that time, biology teacher, would make every vacation into a series of field trips! He was an awesome teacher, so it was always very cool! ] Uwk
<skip> [though Uwk digs the wee fish nibbling between his paws ] Like the Glittering Caves of Aglarond in the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers book. Uwk
You can have all my snails; they're yet another mollusc I'm allergic to (which is all of 'em, the whole bloody phylum). :-/ I'll be upwind of the scent of them cooking, enjoying the booze. Uwk
Aw, yeah, St. Paul's Shipwreck... There's a verse in the Rudyard Kipling poem, "The Last Chantey": Then cried the soul of the stout Apostle Paul to God: "Once we frapped a ship, and she laboured woundily. There were fourteen score of these, And they blessed Thee on their knees, When they learned Thy Grace and Glory under Malta by the sea!" (I highly recommend the entire poem; I'd memorized the whole long length of it at one point, I loved it so much...still makes me sniffle to this day ) Uwk
