Syracuse, Naxos, and many other things

So many apologies for the lack if posts lately. Last week was the week of tests and papers and not much time for fun things :) All the same, I have lots to talk about so here goes the longest post in the history of the world.

I wanted to say something about my Baroque Art History class. Just about every Wednesday, we go on a mini-field trip somewhere around Catania and look at Baroque art. Unfortunately since we have to take notes, I am not able to take pictures, but I wanted to mention some of the places we have been. First of all, the place where I study, Piazza Biscari, where Coldplay shot their "Violet Hills" video, is a palace. Though we getting to hang out in part of it, it is a very extensive palace with many beautiful rooms so we got to explore that. There are beautiful ball rooms and bed rooms, etc with tons of paintings and beautiful woodwork throughout. This is a picture (courtesy of google) of the ballroom. Gorgeous.



Last week, we went around looking at churches and monasteries which were also beautiful. One benedictine monastery, which is now home to University classrooms and offices, in particular was very opulently done with expensive paintings, etc throughout. (Ironic huh?) Though it was a cold hike to get there, it was well worth the hike. Pictures are on the left and right.



Also last week, we made friends with a lot of the Italian students here at our dorms. We hadn't been hanging out with them much, which I thought was silly, so I invited a bunch of them over to hang with us and now we hang out every night before dinner. They are really funny and fun to hang out with. Some of them speak really good English, but others of them speak no English and only Sicilian, which I can't understand at all so it is always interesting to attempt to communicate. We also had a big party with them for Mardi Gras (though they call it "Carnivale"). Lots of dancing and lots of fun. I love dancing!

On Wednesday, I went to my favorite place for lunch. I go to this place at least twice a week and love it! I don't know if I have mentioned it before, but it is a chicken place (typical southerner seeking out the chicken) where they roast the chickens in a giant clay oven over a fire. It is SO GOOD! Reminds me of Dad's rotisserie chicken. yum yum yum. I get hungry just thinking about it. Anyways, the woman that runs the place (we call her Chicken Lady) with her husband doesn't speak any English so I really like trying to talk to her. She gets a big kick out of me coming all the time. At first, I think she was annoyed at my limited Italian, but now she smiles and laughs every time I come in. Last week she started just spouting Italian and then brought out some freshly cut veil and made me a big steak and introduced me to her daughter. She is like my Italian grandmother. She tells me to be sure to stay away from the boys and go out and groups or they will come and try to take me home with them. :) Great stuff.

On Friday, for our field trip, we went to Syracuse. It had some really great temples: one to Apollo and one to Athena (seen above in it's present state). The one to Apollo is in ruins, but the one to Athena has over time, been made into a Catholic church, so it's columns and such hold up the walls. It was really beautiful. Syracuse is also home to the famous spring of Arethusa.
Click here to see pictures.

This week was filled with lots of studying, but again some hanging out with the Italian students. Friday we went to Naxos, a bit north of Catania. We checked out some remains that were pretty cool, but the area was absolutely GORGEOUS! (Tired of me saying that yet?) I wish I would have had a fish eye lens to be able to have a picture of the entire panorama, but just imagine snow-capped volcano to the left, followed by a light sandy beach and the clearest water you have ever seen and some beautiful foliage on the shore. My pictures just don't do them justice, but check them out anyways. You will get the idea. Click here for pictures. We spent a lot of time walking around, along the beach, and had a really great meal at a restaurant that over-looked the water. I had some spaghetti with a light seafood sauce with shrimp, fish, and mussels. Tasty tasty.

Today, though I thought I would be riding a bus to the beach because it is sunny and in the mid 60s here, I have come down with some nasty virus that is going around. It's not horrible, typical sore throat and a bit of a stuffy nose and I am fine, but I spent most of the day sleeping and taking naps- which wasn't so bad either. :) Anyways, this coming week, we go to Gela for our field trip and then me and a few friends are going to Rome for the weekend. I AM SO EXCITED! I will post pictures as soon as I can the following week and if you have any suggestions of places to go or see, please let me know!

Love and prayers, Alli