Three Coins

It is said that if you throw one coin in the Trevi Fountain, you will return to Italy; if you toss in two coins, you are asking for marriage;and if you throw in three you are seeking divorce.

We threw three coins in the fountain, one from my husband with a wish to return, one from me as my similar request and the third at the request of our brother.

With this, our journey to Southern Italy and Sicily is coming to a close.  We are left with warm memories and a desire to one day return.
Until then, Arrivaderci Italia!

When in Rome

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. And we did.

Italy is a Catholic Country, so starting the day with Mass was of course, most appropriate.  We then toured Rome taking time to stop the Coliseum.

As we walked the grounds surrounding this massive structure it is easy to imagine the great crowds gathering, gladiators practicing and life and death duels that played out in the field.  

St. Peter's Basilica

Mass today was at St. Peter's Basilica.  We joined a Latin/Italian Mass presided over by a local Cardinal.  The music and choreography of the Mass were beautiful.

The Basilica is rich in Catholic history and tradition. Marble floors, walls and ceilings adorned with works of art and mosaics, and statues each told their own stories of the love God has for his people. 

Following Mass at noon, Pope Benedict XVI addressed the crowd in at least six languages and offered words of hope, encouragement and blessings. 

Castle in the Sky

Over one thousand feet above the town below, the Abbey of Monte Cassino was established 1500 years ago by Benedict of Nursia.  Built over many years by the monks who lived a life of prayerful work, this structure of devastated in World War II during the battle of Monte Cassino in 1944.
Now rebuilt it sits offer sanctuary to all who come to visit.

As we rested in the peaceful silence of the nave of the chapel, it became apparent that something was about to happen. Monks appeared from all corners and as the church bells ended their tolling at 4:00 p.m. the monks began their melodic and prayerful chant. What a treated for the senses.

As we retreated to catch our bus for the ride down the narrow and windy road back to town, the setting sun fell onto the courtyard casting shadows in some corners and offering illumination to others. 

These Benedictine monks certainly understand that food for the soul needs to appeal to all of the senses.

Buried Treasures

Life in Pompeii came to a complete and sudden stop that fateful day. The ash that preserved countless treasure of first century life, also took many lives.

Imagine this young child, unable to breathe because of the heavy ash and smothering gasses that choked his city. One can feel the fear in his eternal pose.

Pompeii

When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. spilling ash over the town of Pompeii, burying it in 10 - 20 yards of ash, little did people of the time even image that this would become a tourist destination 2000 years later.

This act of nature preserved a day in the life of this town forever. Here you see the stone street lined with homes and shops.  The three large stones in the street are stepping stones for crossing the street when rain waters made crossing treacherousness.

The groove that you see in this street was created by the wear of carts on this road.

A walk through these streets takes you passed houses, bakeries, markets and even a brothel. It is easy to picture yourself on a street 2000 years ago, complete with the sites, sounds and smells of yesteryear. 

Sunrise Over Vesuvius

It was with sadness that we left the port of Palermo and the Island of Sicily. Our return passage to mainland Italy was by cruise ship from Palermo to Naples.
As the day dawned anew, we were privileged to watch the sun rise highlighting Mount Vesuvius.

1800 Kilograms

That's right.  In the construction of this cathedral in Palermo, they used 1800 kilograms of gold in the tiles to decorate the church and the courtyard. Here, in the courtyard, all pillars are double and most are ornately decorated with ceramic and gold tiles.

Man Power

 To build these incredible temples a pully system was established to raise the rocks to their places.  The 'u' shape in the rock was carved so that rope could be inserted and using a 'hamster wheel' human powered gadget, the rocks were raised into position. Take a close look at the stones at the top of the temple and you will see the 'u'.

You can see how big this is with Peter standing beside a broken 'u' stone.  In the last photo, I put my hand in a 'u' to give you an idea of its width.

We were treated to Mass in the Church of St. Nicholas. Build in the 1300th century by Cistercian monks this build is a real marvel.

After Mass I waited patiently until everyone left and took this image.

Mandrakes are Real

These are mandrakes in bloom. Our guide told us that they scream if you pull them out of the ground.  I think she was kidding, but I didn't want to test it.

Valley of the Temples

Agrigento did not disappoint.

Founded in 580 B.C. this town was inhabited by Romans, Greeks and Carthaginians. Each civilaization created its own buildings to reflect their culture, leaving us with a wonder glimpse into life on Sicily over 2000 years ago.

The Valley of Temples feature 7 ruins including the Temple of Juno, Temple of Concordia, Temple of Hercules, Temple of Zeus Olympic, Temple of Castor and Pollux, Temple of Vulcan and the Temple of Asclepius.
Here is the Temple of Hercules

And the Temple of Concordia

Scattered around the park are various more recent sculptures adding to the visual appeal of the park

Looking Back

The day spent on the road brought us to the village of Agrigento. A small coastal village with a very long history.  Glimpses from the road beckon us to our retreat in time, a tour that awaits.

A Lady of Tears

A miracle happened in Siracuse, Sicily in 1953. This miracle continues to draw crowds of the curious over 50 years later.

The story began when recently-wed Angelo and Antonnia Jannusa began to experience difficulties with the pregnancy of their first child. It was then that Antonnia discovered the plaque of the Virgin Mary began to cry.  The plaque cried for four days and since then has not shed a tear. However, in those few days crowds gathered to see these tears. Scientists collected evidence to prove or disprove the miracle that thousands had seen.
Based on the evidence collected at the time - tears were collected from the plaque and proven to be human, photographic evidence was collected and statements from witnesses were preserved, this crying plaque was declared a miracle.

Today, housed in a large sanctuary, the Lady of Tears still draws believers and non-believers a like.  The site of her was enough to bring our chatty group to complete silence. That alone is a miracle.

This Greek Theatre, recently excavated near Siracuse, is over 2500 years old. It takes your breath away to imagine the audiences, famous, infamous and possibly long since forgotten, who sat to enjoy tragedies and comedies in Greek style.

This theatre was carved from a single stone.

In 2010, Andreas Bottecelli used this venue for this only European concert stop.  15,000 people enjoyed that historical concert.

To our delight, in a nearby cave with spectacular aucostics, Fr. Tony and a fellow traveler, Richard awed this audience of travelers with their version of Panis Angelicus.

Sacrificial Altar

Cut from a single stone this 197 yard long altar hosted many ceremonies in Roman times that were highlighted by animal sacrifices. The altar was designed to herd bulls to a platform, sacrifice the animals, allow their blood to pour through a duct work leading it from the celebration and finally roast the animals for a feast.

Ruins at Siracuse

As we continued our journey through Sicilian, Greek, Roman and Arab history, we were treated to recently discovered ruins at Siracuse.  Shown here are the remnants of Roman Threater.

Who?

Yes, we were here too!

In the Shadow of Etna

In the shadow of Mount Etna, Italy's and the world's most active and kindest volcano, rests the Greek Theatre of Taormina. Built for both athletic and theatrical productions this showcase holds many ancient delights for those who are curious.

Worn with time

These stairs, part of the Greek Theatre in Taormina show signs of their age.  Worn by the footfalls of villagers and visitors, conquerors and the conquered, imagine the stories these stairs could tell if only we had the ears to hear it.

Roman Theatre

In Taormina a small Roman theatre was first built for cultural festivals.  Today, dwarfed by the town, it remains as a tribute to times gone by.

Stone Well Trod Upon

There are moments when history hits you.  Today, as we walk through Taormina, a town inhabited by Greeks, Romans and Arabs at different times, the history of it all begins to take shape.
On these ancient stone wars were won and lost, lives were changed and time marched on.
How different today is from those days long ago when masons first laid those stone.

The buildings in here also mark the changing cultural influences as evidenced by the stonework.

Morning's Glory

At Play

With a little time to spare and a desire to set  foot in the Mediterranian my husband and his sisters ventured to the ocean to test the waters.

Taormina at First Glance

We were delighted to spend the evening in Taormina at a hotel that afforded spectacular ocean views to to privileged guests.

Both daytime and evening views offered a delight to the senses.

Travel Day

The road from Salerno to Sicily crosses miles of mountainous farmland dotted with pastures, sheep, cows and crops.

This is an early morning view of the bay by Salerno in the morning light. 

Our travel day began early and was highlighted by a short ferry from San Giovanni to Messina and then onwards to Taormina.  

Happy Day Stan!

We all travel for our own reasons.  Some because of a long held desire to visit a remote locale, others to get away from it all and yet others to mark milestones.
We have learned that at least four birthdays will be celebrated with fellow travelers on this journey. Today, we were privileged to share dinner with Stan who was, as you can see, delighted a surprised to be recognized on this special occasion. Happy Birthday Stan!

Views from the Coast

A few of many images from this spectacular coastline.  Enjoy!

When Bus Meets Bus

The narrow roads of the Amalfi coast, once trails for villagers and their livestock, were not planned to accommodate modern transportation.  So what happens when two tourist buses meet on those narrow roads...someone needs to move.

Thankfully our skillful and careful drivers maneuvered their vehicles inch by inch around each other.  Much to the relief of passengers on both vehicles. 

Long and Windy Road

The Almafi Coast is  roller coaster ride, with tight corners around s-curves as we looped between the rouged mountains and ocean below.  At moments awe inspiring and in other moments terrifying the coast offer plenty of entertainment for all.

These roads, not only link the many small communities of the coast, they are also integral to daily life.  The doors of many homes and business open directly onto this very busy roadway.