A "sister" salt mine in Italy
Detail of the wall in Karczma Halit
Unique clothes line post.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Second Entry: Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland
Ever since I heard about this salt mine from our friend, Jerry, I've wanted to visit it. We enjoyed the beauty of the surrounding countryside while waiting for our group to enter. We chose not to pay the fee to take pictures as it's rather dark. Click on the link above to see some excellent shots of what we saw.
MANY steps to walk down into this dream world of carved rooms, statues, and even a chapel. Beautiful! Since it was my sister's birthday, we mailed her a hand-stamped postcard from way down there. (As of this date, she has not received it. Maybe they wait for the box to fill up before they haul it to the surface.)
First Entry: Krakow, Poland
A couple of months ago, our nephew asked if we would like to meet him in Krakow and travel to a few more places. His 'few more places' were pretty ambitious for two weeks so we cut back...a bit. Since Flint was traveling with work, I went on the adventure. The only thing that would have made it better was having Flint with us... and having a dining car on a couple of the trains! This trip will be divided into several entries as I took too many pictures. We met in Krakow on a Sunday. What a gorgeous, vibrant city! (All conversations were repeated two days later as JP was soooo asleep!)
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Sleep walking  Chlopskie Jadlo  Incredibly beautiful on the inside. We listened to the bugler on the hour. Centuries ago his predecessor warned of approaching enemies then an arrow pierced his throat in the middle of a note.      Beautiful old building in an excellent location        Where Polish kings were crowned and buried Pope John Paul II was archbishop from 1963-1978.   I just missed photographing a sword fight. We toured the Crown Treasury and Armoury of the Castle. Impressive. I read James A. Michener's Poland before and after the trip. The exhibit contained a feather headdress that whistled in the wind as the warriors sped into battle on their horses. Michener had described this in the book, but it didn't jive with my thoughts of American Indians' headdresses. The feathers did not touch each other in this headpiece, and the frame appears to have kept the piece away from the body. I recommend reading Michener's book before traveling to Poland. |
Monday, October 31, 2011
Mt. Etna....morning of 29 August 2011
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| Flint woke me up this morning as Etna was putting on a show. Oddly enough, this was the first day of school where I had taught.  |
Recent Trip...Naples and Area
Flint and I caught the evening ferry to Naples a couple of weeks ago as he had some work there. Another person, car, truck, or scooter would not have fit on the Partenope. Extremely crowded with people sleeping under the stairs, on the sofas and every other empty space they could find. When we had made the reservation, a room wasn't available, but when we checked in....we were IN! Thank goodness! The rooms naturally are small, but there is a bed and bath with a shower.
The dining room food was not as we remembered. If we do this again, we'll picnic (as we did on the return.)
Our new travel companion, Stella, didn't do too well on her first outing. Not sure which stars she steered by, but, we made it where we needed to go. Before thirty minutes passed at our destination, we ran into five former Sigonellans!
Plan for my day alone: The Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii.
I recently learned its story, and the fact that it came to be out of the good works of lay people impressed me. In my eagerness to get there, I took the crowded train to the Pompeii Scavi (ruins) rather than the one into town. However, I enjoyed my 15-20 minute walk along a wide avenue lined with huge oleanders beside the ruins to get there.
I think that the Sanctuary may be my new favorite. Very tranquil. No tour groups or if they are, they maintain silence. Everyone praying. I hesitated to take pictures and didn't until I was ready to leave. Even then, I stayed in one out of the way spot.
Along the outer corridor are votives and pictures of various situations where the intercession of the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii was invoked...tree falling across a car, hemmoraging profusely during surgery, falls down stairs, boating accidents....several had full heads of hair framed with them...not sure about those situations.
Mass is offered every hour in the Chapel of Blessed Bartolo Longo, the man whose work helped bring all of this about. He lies in a glass coffin under the altar. Two couples renewed their vows during the service I attended. Beautiful music led by one man at a keyboard.
I ate at a little place across the piazza where I could enjoy the exterior of the Sanctuary. The deepest green olives as a garnish on the caprese may have been the best I've ever tasted.
Short walk to this train station and a short wait before the train back to Napoli. However, gypsies boarded this one. An older female carrying a baby asked for money, of course. I pleasantly said, "No, grazie," like I was not accepting her offer for me to hold the baby....she wasn't impressed. The man and woman who had just sat down beside me moved to the next car inviting me to join them.
For supper, 'the men' invited me to join them at a pizzeria where I tasted my first fried pizza. Delicious!!! Very pleasant group, too, with lots to talk that wasn't work related.
The dining room food was not as we remembered. If we do this again, we'll picnic (as we did on the return.)
Our new travel companion, Stella, didn't do too well on her first outing. Not sure which stars she steered by, but, we made it where we needed to go. Before thirty minutes passed at our destination, we ran into five former Sigonellans!
Plan for my day alone: The Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii.
I recently learned its story, and the fact that it came to be out of the good works of lay people impressed me. In my eagerness to get there, I took the crowded train to the Pompeii Scavi (ruins) rather than the one into town. However, I enjoyed my 15-20 minute walk along a wide avenue lined with huge oleanders beside the ruins to get there.
I think that the Sanctuary may be my new favorite. Very tranquil. No tour groups or if they are, they maintain silence. Everyone praying. I hesitated to take pictures and didn't until I was ready to leave. Even then, I stayed in one out of the way spot.
Along the outer corridor are votives and pictures of various situations where the intercession of the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii was invoked...tree falling across a car, hemmoraging profusely during surgery, falls down stairs, boating accidents....several had full heads of hair framed with them...not sure about those situations.
Mass is offered every hour in the Chapel of Blessed Bartolo Longo, the man whose work helped bring all of this about. He lies in a glass coffin under the altar. Two couples renewed their vows during the service I attended. Beautiful music led by one man at a keyboard.
I ate at a little place across the piazza where I could enjoy the exterior of the Sanctuary. The deepest green olives as a garnish on the caprese may have been the best I've ever tasted.
Short walk to this train station and a short wait before the train back to Napoli. However, gypsies boarded this one. An older female carrying a baby asked for money, of course. I pleasantly said, "No, grazie," like I was not accepting her offer for me to hold the baby....she wasn't impressed. The man and woman who had just sat down beside me moved to the next car inviting me to join them.
For supper, 'the men' invited me to join them at a pizzeria where I tasted my first fried pizza. Delicious!!! Very pleasant group, too, with lots to talk that wasn't work related.
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| Exterior of Basilica of Pompeii |
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| Detail of Basilica |
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| Above the entrance |
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| Even with scaffolding, there were so many details to see. |
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| San Giovanni Rotondo...The town where Padre Pio spent the last fifty or so years of his life. |
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| Detail over door of the old chapel |
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| Old church is on the left |
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| Steps leading to Stations of the Cross |
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| Bee getting a sip of water |
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| On the road again...we stopped at Il Parco as we were in the land of mozzarella di bufala. Can you imagine milking these girls? I can't, but we're grateful some people don't mind! After visiting, 'the girls,' we drove on to the next place that might serve food. Tenuta Chianchito turned out to be one of the best meals...ever! Following are views of Pietralcina, birthplace of Padre Pio (now Saint), and the surrounding area. The marriage announcement caught my eye....many more posters of the happy couple, but not with the distinct look of that one. The man in the picture with Flint is a relative of Padre Pio. We ate at his trattoria. After another night in the area, we caught an emptier ferry back to Catania.              |
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