We ended this day with Our Traditional Thanksgiving Feast and German Chocolate Cake as requested by Jeff for his Birthday Cake. this was our last meal together for a while, Jeff, Annie, Abby , Thorben and Chris had to leave the next day for the States. How wonderful for us all to be together in such a far away country for Thanksgiving and Jeff's special Birthday. I am sure we will all be anxious to return to Sicily. I am the lucky one I got to stay for a while longer and Heather and I had more adventures that I will keep sharing.

JEFF'S BIRTHDAY November 27th

To celebrate Jeff's Birthday we went on a tour with Alfina called "THE GODFATHER", tour . We visited Seaside Villages which were used as scenic backdrops for the film series. This was such a fitting way to celebrate Jeff's Birthday. It was a beautiful day and what sights we saw.

Thanksgiving Evening Meal Together

For our Thanksgiving Meal together we had a traditional Italian Meal at Borgo Antico. Our reservation was for 6:30PM and we got lost and did not get there until 9:00PM they were very understanding , because we kept calling telling them where we were and asking for better directions. This is not the end of the story when we got there we ask about payment for the meal and they only took Euro and we did not have enough Euro amoung us. We had intended to pay with a credit card. Well you will not quess what the Owner said. He said that we could pay him tomorrow. I don't think that would happen in Our Country. So ,we went on to enjoy a 7 course meal all delicious and we were really, really full. This is called an Agriturismo, which is a farm that grows all the food that is prepared and served. Very Healthy and very enjoyable. They have these Agriturismos all over Sicily.

THANKSGIVING DAY IN SICILY

Eleven of us head out on Thanksgiving Day for another Adventure. We head to Agrigenta and the Valle Dei Templi to tour the Greek Temples which date from 430BC. The afternoon Sun light was great for taking pictures. I think you will enjoy these pictures of the Temples and My wonderful family that accompanied me to see these majestic sights.

SYRACUSE

The day in Syracuse was a leisure day of taking pictures and enjoying the day. Syracuse is the Southern tip of Sicily. It is where Archimedes the renowned Mathematician , engineer and inventor was born 287 BC.

The Greek Theatre in Taormina is one of the most famous Sicilian Monuments in the World. In its hay day whether it was gladiatorial combat or a theatre preformance it held 50000 people. What stories this place could tell. You could almost feel the spirits of years gone by. It was AWSOME.

Greek Theatre in Beautiful Taormina

Beautiful Taormina

Taormina, is on a bluff above the Ionian Sea. Taormina is Sicily's most famous tourist resort and I hope you can see from these pictures. We took many pictures I wish I could show them all to you, but a few will give you the idea of its beauty.

Day three more of the family had arrived in Sicily and we would have our First Bus Tour. Our Guide was Heather's Italian Teacher, Her name was Alfina and I just thought she was such a good Guide. Our trip was to Palermo, the Capital of Sicily. We first went to the Catacombs, where 8000 people are buried there. It was featured in National Geographic , not to long ago.

We saw so many magnificient Catherdrals. What History there is here in this land.

Day 2 in Sicily

Espresso at Belpasso Cafe. Then off to Ben's Soccer game with his Italian Team. By the way, none of the players speak English. Nice playing field.

Beginning of my Travels to Italy

I arrived in Sicily on time at the Catania Airport with my Son Chris, my Luggage missing, of course that is another story for later.

Matt and Heather's Home is so lovely. The Sicilian soil is so fertile that it grows many wonderful healthy things. In Matt and Heather's yard alone they have: an Olive tree, Pomegranate tree, Persimmon tree, a grape vine that is all over their fence. a couple of Poinsettia trees. As if that is not enough they have a wonderful view of Mount Enta.

We had our first authentic Italian Meal in the Town near by called Motta at a friend of Matt's called Paradise Pizzeria.