Agrigento

We took a bus in to the temple complex of Agrigento this morning. The Temple of Concord is the first temple you visit. Although it isn’t complete, you still get a pretty good idea of what this impressive structure probably looked like in its heyday. Built to honor a Greek goddess (there's some dispute over which one), this magnificent temple is not as impressive as the one that follows--the temple of Concordia. The temple of Concordia is truly impressive. Our guide, Luigi, tells me that this temple is intact and almost exactly as it was in the 400 BC. Minimal restoration has been done on this lovely structure. After the Greeks, Christians modified it to suit their needs; the walls are still visible in the interior. Later we visited the temple of Zeus, which was mostly in ruins. The really fascinating part of the ruins, however, was the reconstruction of a towering statue. Although this statue was laying down, archaelogists claim that they were contructed to stand upright between the columns, and they stood at least 20ft high! The archaelogical museum of Agrigento is impressive as well. Luigi explained that many of the vessels portrayed scenes from Greek mythology; mostly of the Gods falling in love. Very romantic!

Catania

As I sit in the café outside the amphitheatre (Greek and then Roman on top of it), a pair of men play guitar and mandolin, singing of love lost (Ciao, Bambina!). You really know you’re in Sicily, the land of the costa nostra, but also the land of romance! Across from me is an ancient square, flanked by churches that date back centuries. The square is reportedly where Elizabeth Taylor smashed a guitar over Richard Burton’s head in a fit of pique. Most of my students won’t know those names (ask your parents or even grandparents!). The churches have skulls and crossbones over the lintels and at the cornices. When I asked why the grim reminder, I was told that it was for just that purpose. Repent your sins! You too will die. Sort of a grim reminder of why we confess, but true none the less. As a Catholic, I feel right at home in this very Catholic of countries, though I must confess that I also felt at home in Jordan, though it is 96% Muslim. Perhaps it is because in Jordan, other religions are so widely accepted and respected. I must head back to the ship as we set off for another part of Sicily tonight. Ciao, bambinos!

Lipare

The eruption of Mt. Stromboli capped the evening of a marvelous day spent on the island of Lipare (emphasis on the Li, not the par!). We toured the island, known for its pumice and obsidian quarries, now shut down, and its marvelous capers, the bud of a beautiful climbing plant that’s pickled. After our bus tour, we ended in an archaeological museum filled with funerary urns. These large jug-like pots were filled with the deceased (whole, not, cremated!) and buried. There were small ones for children and larger ones for adults, all buried in great pits. They buried their treasures with them, just as the pharaohs did. Some of the most fascinating finds were small clay masks that were done as models for the larger ones the actors would use when producing a Greek tragedy or comedy. The masks clearly were of a comic or tragic nature and the archaeologists could even determine, in some cases, the play that the masks were intended for. After a lovely stroll around the town’s picturesque and winding streets, we ended back at the pier and reboarded to head for Catania, Sicily.

Ma’in Hot Springs

When they say hot, they mean hot! I had no idea that a hot spring could actually scald, but Ma’in Hot Springs is so hot I nearly blistered my feet on the rocks. As we approached the hot springs in the sweltering heat, I questioned our sanity! Why on earth were we going to a hot springs to soak in boiling hot water on an already hot day? But after soaking in the sulfurous waters, and standing under the hot, hot, waterfall, I sat on the rocks in the shade and I understood why humans have been doing this at Ma’in for centuries. For one thing, you are surprisingly cooled off when you get out because the breeze cools your wet skin. Of course, it may just be that it seems a lot cooler after the scorching heat of the water! Aside from feeling cooler after soaking in the springs, your muscles feel completely relaxed and like jelly. As I climbed up to the grotto behind the waterfall, and lowered myself in to the hottest pool yet with a yelp, I was reminded forcibly of the saying, “It hurts so bad it feels good”. That’s sort of Ma’in Springs in nut shell! That night we went to our final dinner at a really fabulous restaurant. There was a fellow outside pounding coffee beans in typical Bedouin fashion and inside we were entertained by a really talented oud player. An oud is a bit like a guitar and can be quite lovely, with inlaid wood and camel bone. The musician was very talented and played many traditional Jordanian songs. I was saddened to say goodbye to everyone, but excited to start the next leg of my journeys—to the Mediterranean.

Irbid

Today's adventures began in Irbid, a large city in northern Jordan that feels like a village. We visited Mustafa's school, Wasfi al tall. Munther Al Rshedat is the principal, and you could tell he was excedingly proud of his school! This school is a vocational school, which means students study things like electronics, TV and radio maintenance, automotive mechanics, etc. They also take social studies, math, religion and so on. We visited a "religion" class for lack of a better descriptor. They were actually studying the body as it relates to the soul using exerps from the Quar'an! When I asked the students (high school) if they had any questions for me, they asked me what I thought of Islam. I told them that I was impressed with Islam's acceptance of all faiths and its assertion that all people are loved by Allah. It just reinforced the idea that wars and terrorism are started by extremists and perpetuated by misguided politicians who are more concerned about maintaining power and global influence than they are by saving lives. The average person here just wants to raise their families in peace, practice their religion, and live happily.

Ma'an Secondary School for Girls

As you can see by our smiling faces, we had a wonderful time in Ma'an today, Rabia's home town. Ma'an is located in the South of Jordan, about an hour from Aqaba. Rabia's school, the Ma'an Secondary School for Girls, hosted us, and we had an engaging time visiting classrooms, speaking with students and visiting with the school's very enlightened and progressive headmistress. Mrs. Salfa Abu Tayeh, the headmistress, is a bedoin woman of great character and strength. She believes strongly in womens rights and issues, and is an activist in this area. You can see her dedication and love of her students and teachers as she speaks. Although she speaks English well, she sometimes elected to speak Arabic and have Rabia translate. The translation was almost unnecessary, though. Her great passion for education shown in her animated face. Later that afternoon we joined Rabia's family for a traditional meal of mansef; typically goat or lamb served over rice with a rich yogurt based sauce and pine nuts. Delicious!

A Visit with Manal's Family and Maysoun's Mother

This is Manal and her lovely family. Manal is the one on the couch in the lovely traditional dishdashe. To her right is her husband and her 5 beautiful children are on either side and in front. Manal and her friends and family welcomed us all in to her home and prepared a delicious and traditional Jordanian feast including mansef, a rice and lamb or goat dish that is absolutely delicious. Manal really outdid herself! Hummus, tabouleh, mansef, stuffed grape leaves and stuffed zuchinni, to name just a few of the dishes. After, we enjoyed tea and coffee with another tradition in Jordan; kanafe, which is a cheese desert with a sweet breaded topping. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely, and as usual ate far more than was actually wise! I was grateful that we spent an hour or so after walking along the nearby shops, letting the food that I'd indulged in so extravagantly settle. As we walked, Maysoun explained that her mother lived nearby, and would like to have us come visit for fresh lemon drink. Maysoun's mother is just as sweet and warm as Maysoun herself. What a delightful person! I fell in love with her immediately and it is evident that she and Maysoun are very close. The Jordanian version of lemonade was brought out on a tray, served in small, delicate looking glasses. Jordanians are big on fresh fruit drinks. You can buy them almost anywhere and watch as they take the fruit, whip it up in a blender, and pour it in to a glass. Mango is a big favorite everywhere, but my personal favorites are the mango/strawberry mixture and the lemon. They often add just a touch of mint to the lemon, and it's never very sweet, but it's so delicious! The evening was lovely and cool, and as we sat outside with the scent of the jasmine perfuming the air, sipping our lemon drinks and eating ice cream, I couldn't help thinking that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right at that moment. Again, I am reminded of how lucky I am to be experiencing all this. Truly, I've made friends I will never forget and will always want to stay connected with. I only hope to return very soon to visit with all of them again.