If you are a track fan and want to see video of Valexia Droughn's State Championship 100 Meter race, scroll down two posts. I've just been able to add the video thanks to her coach, the Honorable Brian FitzGerald.
Monday night was dedicated to a Juniors practice and a final Catania area good-bye dinner with Paul.
Junior's at Work
We're getting better.
Paul and Gus
Gus led us to a very cool outdoor pizzeria in the hills above Aci Trezza where his sister works for our last dinner with Paul.
Paul would be leaving us via Trapani and Croatia on his way back to Santa Barbara, California.
IN THE BIGGEST UPSET SINCE SUPER BOWL III, the pizzas were so big that Paul could only eat half of one with his beloved anchovie and multi-vegie pizza.
Vanessa
Sometimes, for no apparent reason, I think of her.
Evolution of Sports in Catania
Encouraging news for the Elephants, on our way out of town Tuesday to drop Paul off in Trapani on Sicily's west coast, we found this new ad.
Paul thought the first character on the left of the ad was a GREAT example of "Basso Spalla!".
Koreen and Shi Young
Sometimes, for no apparent reason, I think of them.
One of Trapani's Duomos
Paul arriving at Trapani's Albergo Messina
Not bad for 20 Euros a night.
I didn't do it!
Laurie in the Albergo Messina's Courtyard
Paul was ready for a nap as he helps contain the "thinking" angel.
Paul is one of the most fascinating people you could ever meet.
He did a TREMENDOUS job coaching our defensive line and improving our defense by leaps and bounds over last year.
As long as they live, no 2009 Elephant will ever forget his three signature phases: "Contain!", "Panini!" and "Basso Spalla!".
THANKS Paul for a job well done!!!
Trapani's Pallazo Senatorio
What a unique street name!
Chiesa di San Agostino
Not all Italian fashion this spring is about the color purple.
An Old Balconey
Trapani's Post and Telegraph Office
I had to go in here to try to pay my 39.10 Euro parking ticket from Acirealle a few weeks ago at their hospital waiting for Paul after his accident.
I had actually gone to the Aci Castello Post Office at 8:00 a.m. this morning to finally pay this fine just as they were scheduled to open. At about 8:10 with four of us waiting for the doors to open, a postal delivery man rode up on his scooter and was asked why they were not open.
His answer? We open at about 10:00 or maybe 10:30 today. Why?, he was asked, again. Just because.
The joys of living in Italy.
The very cool, and EMPTY, interior of the Trapani Post Office
The Trapani Post Office's Glass Ceiling
Aci Castello's Post Office has nothing like this unless they were installing it between 8:00 and 10:00 or 10:30 today.
Trapani's Mediterranean Sea Wall
Chiesa e Collegio dei Gesuiti's Pulpit
I wish we still used these in Catholic Church services.
Fontana di Saturno
What is this?
We saw this puzzling sculpture in Trapani's Cattedrale di San Lorenzo.
Purgatory? Right this way!
The Chiesa del Purgatorio
A perfectly normal looking Italian Baroque church from the outside. On the inside this church is very stark and plain except for more than ten large Candelas depicting scenes from Christ's Passion which are apparently stored here until needed for next year's Easter Week parades and festivities.
Here is a sampling of the Candelas, remember, each figure is at least life size.
Christ Carrying His Cross.
The Crown off Thorns
Those do not look like any Roman uniforms that I've ever seen before.
Slap Down?
Who doesn't love a potential beheading?
I don't remember this from my bible studies but it must have happened if it is in Purgatory.
Items for sale at the back of the Chiesa del Purgatorio
The Liduvina Perez Mystery Saint-of-the-Day Contest: No Clues! Name either of the two saints, yellow and blue, on the bottom row of this religious display.
How old are these two gnarly tress?
I think they were both featured as the talking trees in the classic movie "The Wizard of Oz".
Hay Baling Time in Sicily
After leaving Paul in Trapani, we started the long three plus hour drive back to Malibu through the Sicilian countryside.
We decided to stop for dinner in Caltanissetta, the ancestral home of our friend Mike D'Antuono and his mother Lucy D'Antuono.
One of Caltanissetta's interesting street benches
Caltanissetta's Piazza Garibaldi
Cattedrale di Santa Maria la Nova e San Michele
Caltanissetta's City Hall
Also located on Piazza Garibaldi
Chiesa di San Sebatiano
Located about 50 yards directly across from the Cattedrale on Piazza Garibaldi.
Piaza Garibaldi's Neptune Fountain
This fountain acts as a buffer on the Piazza between these two competing churches.
"EEK!"
An interesting mutant amphibious mouse (?) in the same fountain where Neptune reigns.
Caltanissetta's City Hall close up
Covo del Pirata
We found this very nice place to eat on a side street in Caltanissetta and were treated to some very delicious pasta. Strange name for an establishment considering that the closest sea water is about 30 miles away.
We finally rolled into Malibu at about 11:30 p.m. and were greeted by our new housemate, QB Arturo Sanchez, who moved into Paul's room while we were gone in a cost-saving mode for the Elephants now that we are the last imports in town.
It now looks like we will be leaving Catania on June 29th to start our own long trek home to Camarillo, California.
WELCOME TO MALIBU ARTURO!
3 comments:
=) She is my favorite Disney princess. Can't wait to see you guys soon!!
Your mystery sculpture is clearly a Catholic salute to Thing of the Addams Family.
Is it possible that there's just one Corso Vittorio Emmanuel, but it manages to wind through every city and town in Italy (and hits every Piazza Garibaldi on the way?)
BY JOVE DP, YOU HAVE IT!
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