Thunderstorms and Chaos

Local Report on the Flooding and Landslides that Occurred as a Result of Very Bad Storms Last Night and This Morning

Landslides close stretch of Catania-Messina highway and State Road 114, at least four people are dead and 20 missing after floods hit the Messina province. Landslides close stretch of A18 Catania-Messina highway and State Road114 as storms lash Sicily, traffic is severely disrupted. According to local media and Police reports, several landslides occurred last night in the Messina province, closed a stretch of the A18 Catania-Messina highway in both directions between the Roccalumera andTremestieri exits, as storms hit several Sicilian provinces including Palermo, Catania and Trapani, disrupting rail services, ferry sailings and causing traffic chaos. Motorists are facing massive detours. A stretch of State Road 114 was also shut in the same area. At least four people are dead and 20 missing after a river of mudflooded parts of Messina as the area was hit by heavy rains. Officials said at least 100 people fled their homes when violent mudslides collapsed several buildings and swept away cars during a rain storm that lasted through Thursday night and early Friday. Mayor Giuseppe Buzzanca told Italy's Sky TV that rescuers were usingdogs to search for the missing in the hardest-hit suburbs. Sky aired images of flooded streets, filled with debris and mud reaching up to the wheels of cars. Buzzanca said rescue efforts were being hampered because many roads and railways were cut and parts of the city were still isolated, with help reaching those areas only on foot.

Swim Time

Thomas loves the pool, although probably not all the attire we make him wear there...

Gambino Winery

Thomas enjoys the flora at Gambino as much as we enjoy the wine! We passed a billboard for their wines in Taormina that read "Gambino, La rima con Vino" or "Gambino, rhymes with vino". How clever and struck me as very funny (after a glass of wine with lunch)!

Trecastagni Garlic/ Three Saints Festival

The main church of Trecastagni - with a newly refurbished exterior!

The three brothers.

Our town is supposedly named for three brothers, although "tre castagni" really means "three chestnuts". Every year the garlic harvest coincides with the celebration of the martyrdom of the three brothers, so there is a very large festival. Our town is not huge by any means, but there were at least one hundred food stalls and market booths out in the streets including a dozen selling large bunches of garlic for about a Euro each! The festival started on Friday and ends tomorrow. Last night was the largest event with many people recreating the march of the three brothers from Catania into Trecastagni carrying large pedestals and candles. The procession ends at the town church, which is decorated with icons of the brothers and beautiful murals and mosaics. We didn't get to go into the church, however. We were wearing shorts, and in Italy most churches will not allow you in so we didn't even try! [Upper arms and most of the legs have to be covered (remember this if you are ever touring in Italy in the summer - a lot of the famous cathedrals and churches will turn you away!)]. We did, however, walk through the streets and take lots of pictures. As usual the festivities are followed EVERY evening by a rather loud (we live only two blocks from the main square) and ambitious fireworks display. A small display is usually set off around 0730 with a much, much larger one around 0930. What a joy to hear that every single night like clockwork.

Mother's Day

Today the weather was a terrific 75 degrees and sunny! After much to-do with the GPS, we managed to locate the Gambino vineyard and buy some vino. Our favorite Sicilian wines! Then we headed to Taormina for some walking and a nice lunch overlooking the ocean. We happened to run into some old timers from a cruise. They were from Culpeper - go figure! Thomas was especially good today. Not sure if he knew it was Mother's Day, or if he was just having a good day.

Adventures in the Yard

Thomas loves roaming the yard and scouring for plants and flowers. Our roses aren't out yet, but we do have so nice red poppies in the front yard.

He also likes play with the wild cats, including this one we call Giuseppe!

Palm Sunday

We ventured into Catania on Palm Sunday morning. Street vendors were selling woven palm leaves to the church crowds (and I do mean crowds!). Took us a minute to figure out what was going on! We had forgotten it was Palm Sunday. Time flies...

Catania

Continuing our world tour of Roman amphitheaters (they really are everywhere!). Here are the ruins of one in Catania.

Italians vs. Europeans (and pretty much of the rest of the civilized world)

All Quirks Italian

Wish I could say I wrote this, but I did not! Even if you don't live in Italy, this guy's summation of life in Italy will give you the LOLs...

"Many people have a very romantic idea of Italy... beautiful Tuscan hills, ancient Roman ruins, and stunning coastline. Yet by living here I've discovered another side of Italy... the funny side! Not many people know these undercover SECRETS OF ITALY that I am about to share with you... There are many American conveniences that are MISSING in this country. Feel free to drop these at your next cocktail party and you really will be an Italian Expert!

1. PIZZA... one size fits all. While you can order Medium, Large, or Extra Large Pizza at your local Pizza Hut, in Italy it is One Size Fits All - the size of a large plate. A pizza here is considered a normal entree, so its pretty much one per person at the local pizzeria!

2. CAR SEATS... yeah right! I'm not exactly sure if there is a branch of the government here that looks after safety, but I think I've found an area they should investigate: CAR SEATS. As in, they are no where to be found. If you drive past a car with a child, you can pretty much be sure they will either be crawling over the seats, sticking their heads out the window, or riding shotgun in a scooter.

In America, Britney Spears did the same thing and almost lost her baby to child services. Here... NORMAL.

[In an ironic twist, I feel the need to add that one of the safest car seats in the world (and one of only two rated in the US for a 60+ mph car crash) is produced by Peg Perego - YES! An Italian Company!]

While I haven't looked up the stats of Italian childhood injuries in car crashes vs. other nations, it is definitely a curious phenomenon. Which brings me to my next point:

3. TOILET SEATS... also missing! Hanging out with all the missing car seats are our good friends, the Toilet Seats. As in, they don't really exist in this country. While it my just be a hidden ploy to strengthen Italian quads for "Speedo Season," you can be sure that only 1 in 10 Italian bathrooms are equipped with this new technology.

In a related story, Toilet Paper can only be found in 6% of all Italian bathrooms, prompting new meaning to the acronymn BYOP. On the street corners at Red Lights, there are typically salesmen pushing the small individual packs of Tissue... and I don't think its for blowing your nose. Women can be seen carrying these in their purse, or more discreetly, stuffing handfuls of the free "Wet Wipes" at McDonald's into their pockets. This is one time you don't want to air dry. (And don't even get me started on flushing! I have yet to flush a toilet in this country the same way twice, often spending at least 5 minutes in front of the different buttons, levers, pulley systems, and medieval devices used to get the job done. And when ESP lets you down, check the floor... foot pedals are also popular!)

[I must also add here that at most tourist destinations, you must PAY to use the toilet! The attendant will provide you with TP and papertowels as those will not be in the restroom unless you fork over the Euro!]

4. DOOR KNOBS... Still years away. In our condo building, every morning there is the daily SLAM that wakes up everyone else in the building...
usually measuring around 3.2 on the Richter Scale. We like to call this SLAM "the first person to leave their house." That noise is due to the fact that doors here do not have door knobs, and can only be shut due to brute force. Why door knobs are not used is unknown, however one would think you shouldn't need a RUNNING START to close your front door.

5. LINES... they are only getting longer! When standing in line at a public place in Italy, such as post offices, airports, or grocery stores, you can be sure that after 15 minutes of waiting you will be at least 8 people FARTHER BACK from the front than when you began. I am not sure why this exists... however the "Amoeba Effect" of rude-cutters is widespread. You may not believe me, but when the nice grandmother steps in front of you, throwing elbows like she was SHAQ is boxing you out in the NBA Finals, you will know what I'm talking about.

The rule, as in driving, is NO EYE CONTACT as you follow these 3 simple steps to Italian cutting:
1) Find the Line you are supposed to be in.
2) Find the Person in front of that line.
3) Step in front."

Bret and I can both attest to these - all true, all frustrating and all very un-American. If you have ever thought of living in Italy, consider a more civilized country such as Germany or even Spain...

Villa Romana at Piazza Armerina

This trip was a few weekends ago, but I am just now getting around to posting the pictures. We visited a town called Piazza Armerina in Enna (a province south and west of Catania in the center of the island) where there is a Roman Villa with the most extensive and intact collection of Roman mosaics in the world. It's pretty unreal and especially amazing considering the location of this villa (pretty much in the middle of nowhere although at one time there was a canal that ran past the estate). It's also huge and rivals any of the larger homes found at Pompeii. Excavations are ongoing, so there were several sections of the home we were unable to view. The Italians have erected this glass and metal structure over the villa to protect it from the elements and also allow visitors to tour the home without actually walking on the mosaics (hello Pompeii, are you listening?).

Afterwards we visited an agriturismo outside of town for a long Italian lunch.

Siracusa

Located on the southeastern shore of Sicily not far from Catania, we visited the town of Siracusa. We toured the Parco Archaelogico della Neapolis today and took some great photos of ancient ruins including the Roman Amphitheater (Teatro Romano), the Greek Amphitheater (Teatro Greco), and the Ear of Dionysus (Orrechi di Dioigni).

Thomas and I in front of the aqueduct intake at the Greek Theater.

The Roman Amphitheater which postdates the Greek Theater but is considerably more degraded. The Romans also utilized the Greek Theater and added their own special flourishes.

The Greek Theater is still in use today! The new season of shows begins in May so the workers were out in full force, erecting a stage and seating platforms over the existing ruins. The pictures are tainted by the modern architecture, but the ruins are nevertheless impressive. An ancient aqueduct intake at the very top of the theater is still currently flowing! The aqueduct is perhaps a Roman addition. I wondered how patrons could hear if they were sitting at that level. That flow was quite loud. I suspect they stopped the flow during the entertainment. [And, yes, it is possible to stop flow to an aqueduct!]

The Ear of Dionysus. You can actually walk inside! The cave amplifies event the smallest sound and at one time was an ancient prison.

Ciao, ciao piccolo gatto!

The first day we moved in, a scrawny little cat was following me around everywhere. He was very skinny, and I felt badly for him. I started buying him cat food and putting it out for him. Stupid me! All 8 wild cats that live in our hood came out and were eating it, so the little cat wasn't getting any. So then I started bringing him in the house so he could actually eat the food. He got to know our schedule, and when we'd be home, and he always came to the door to wait for us. Bret made him a bed, and when it was really cold, we'd let him hang out in the house for a few hours. Thomas really liked him. We named him Gepetto, and I thought we might actually claim him for our own even though Thomas and I are allergic to him, and we don't even really like cats! He grew on us. He got fat and happy and his hair puffed up like a chow chow! He is quite possibly the funniest looking cat I have ever seen.

Long story short, the landlord's grandkids asked to come in our yard one day (sometimes their toys end up over the fence), so I let them in. They grabbed Gepetto right in front of my face and left! Gepetto came back the next day, though, so I just thought they had wanted to play with him. The next day, the landlord, his son, and the two grandkids came back. The landlord kept saying something about the gatto and the bambini, so I let them in the yard and they took the cat again! This time, however, he hasn't come back, and we are pretty sure he is now living with the grandkids. We hope they are taking care of the little bugger. Mind you, there is no shortage of cats to feed! Gepetto's brother Giuseppe is now the chosen cat except he howls when Bret brings him in the house! He is definitely not a people kind of cat like Gepetto was (is). In homage to the piccolo gatto, I dug up a cute picture of him and thought I'd post.

Thomas' 2nd Birthday - Elmo Cake

A couple of people wanted to see the Elmo cake I had made for Thomas' birthday. I was rather unsuccessful emailing the photo with AOL. Here Elmo is in all his red glory! We had a party with his friends here before we left for the states, and the entire cake was devoured!

We're Back!

Thomas and I touched down in Catania around 1045 am this morning local time. Our trip was pretty good. We managed an upgrade on the transatlantic flight, which was great. We almost missed our short haul flight due to less than an hour turnaround and having to go through both security and customs. Luckily, we didn't, and Thomas had pepped up by then. This won't surprise anyone but our luggage didn't make it. I had to file a lost baggage report, which took close to 20 min (go United for having a process that takes less than 5!) and was annoying; however, about three hours after we got home, the airline actually called to say they had our bags! Awesome.

Anyway, we were glad to see everyone, albeit briefly and are happy to be back at home!

Back in the USA!

Thomas and I finally made it late Sunday evening. We had a brilliant trip. Thomas was very good and even slept for a few hours on the last of our flights. We were very lucky to upgrade to business class on the long flight, and it proved invaluable. The flight attendants took very good care of us and gave Thomas a special dinner. He was quite popular among the ladies! All would have been perfect if the airline had not lost our luggage, and I had not lost my coat (with both house and car key in pocket no less!). The airline has apparently found our bag, although is not ready to provide it to us yet!?!? As for my coat, I hope it is waiting in the Frankfurt Lost & Found where Bret can grab it up on his way next week . Here's to a great stay and a better return trip!

American Life in Italy - Part Uno

Subject - Television

We do get limited American programming. We have an American Forces Network (AFN) satellite which shows mostly soap operas (General Hospital - yay; no As the World Turns - boo hiss), sports (even Redskins - yay!), radio stations (ok, AFN radio stations - boo hiss) and a variety of shows from a bunch of different networks (sometimes we get Food TV shows or PBS specials). Don't get too excited. We get about six channels even though our satellite tells us there are 200. Almost everything except the news and Oprah (go girl!) is a day late. That stinks when you haven't watched the finale of Dancing with the Stars, and the winner is posted on the front page of AOL the morning of the day it is going to air - grrr! On the other hand, if you want to know what's going on on Oprah today, I can tell you at 10am EST, and you can plan accordingly.

After a few weeks, I convinced Bret we needed the Sky (Italian/British programming) satellite - lots more channels, including movies, some American sports, lots of kids stuff, music channels, etc. At first the only one who watched it was Thomas! Lots of the kids' shows are in English, so he loves to watch Curious George and Handy Manny (Manny Tuttofare - translates as "Manny who does everything" in Italian...LOL). You may (or may not) find this hard to believe, but apparently the Italians love Law & Order. It's on at least two channels every hour of every day. We also get CSI, NCIS, According to Jim (seriously, do Americans even watch that?) et al. Now I tend to watch this programming more than AFN. I like to watch shows in English with Italian subtitles - a good way to communicate.


Now, to the good stuff. Bret doesn't watch much other than sports, Thomas cartoons, and me pretty much everything else. However, we have all found one show we LOVE and watch pretty much every day for at least 10 minutes. It's called Shaun the Sheep (Shaun, Vita di Pecora). "Life's a treat with Shaun the Sheep!" Enjoy him on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGh7gHjmDWw&feature=PlayList&p=58985094B0F775A7&playnext=1&index=3

Christmas

Thomas had a great Christmas! He had piles of presents under the tree from his family and friends, and he didn't really know what to do with any of them. For all the curiosity leading up to Christmas, he was not the least bit interested in opening anything! We opened most gifts on Christmas Eve, and then Santa left him some things Christmas morning, including a new kid-sized chair with his name on it. He loved all his toys but seems to particularly like his Mr. Potato Head. He is starting to learn body parts, so I think that's why he finds it interesting - "eyez, nose, mou - aka mouth, hat...". Ok, so hat isn't really a body part, but he sure likes saying it.

Christmas Eve presents!

Thanks to everyone for the gifts. He is enjoying playing with all of them!

Santa gifts...

Happy New Year/ Buon Anne!