Siracusa, Sicily Again

From Malta it is only 90 miles to Siracusa, Sicily and since we so enjoyed it 2 years ago, we decided to go back. The last time we did the major sightseeing of the old Roman ruins and historical landmarks (posted on the blog under July 2010) and so decided this time around we would just eat, drink and be merry ! We anchored outside of the harbor and would dinghy in to walk, mingle and experience the wonderful sights and sounds of the old city. It was exuberant and full of life as we remembered it and were not disappointed.

One of our favorite places in Siracusa is the outdoor market. It is undoubtedly the best we have found anywhere in Europe. Abundant fresh fruit, veggies, homemade cheeses, olives, fish and nuts. What more could you want. And of course it comes complete with the theatrics and liveliness that only the Italians can create. The little band below was playing in front of our favorite vendor - the Cannoli King.

Sooo, the Cannoli King has of course, the best cannoli ever with homemade cheese and we just cannot resist. He also has homemade fresh ricotta and smoked mozzarella that we always get. And best of all he is such fun as you can see below. He grabbed Willow (after asking Richard of course) and whirled and danced her to the funky little band. Great fun as well as great cannoli's....

We have had so much fun with the Italian people this year and we know it is because somehow we have shifted our perception. We used to take their "fake mad" and demonstrative nature personally. Now that we have spent enough time with them we are comfortable and so it is that they are warm and playful with us.

We also revisited a favorite little Mom and Pop restaurant. It sits back off the street in kind of a cave and has only 5 tables. Mom cooks and Pop serves and serenades the customers singing with great robusto to the little music box in the corner. And great food also as you can see we cleaned our plates.

We are thankful for a light, playful and totally fun time in Siracusa but it is time to move on as we are wanting the quieter serenity of anchoring in crystal clear water and a slower pace. Till soon.....

Malta

We decided that we wanted a new experience with a new place that we had never been and since we were so far south after Tunisia, we decided to go to the country of Malta. It was an easy overnight to the island of Malta and Gozo and as we arrived at the outskirts of the islands we saw and were greeted with our first sea turtle since we have arrived in the Med. It was just lazily playing on the surface and seemed to say, "Come relax and play with me in Malta."
Okay..........










                                                                                 The Captain at the helm in his jeans and sweatshirt
                                                                                  as it is still a bit chilly here. Where is summer???








The beautiful ancient city and port of Valletta
rises out of the rocky cliffs. It is a natural harbor
and quite majestic.








We went into the port of Grand Harbour and got a berth, as they say that it is one of the most impressive harbours in the Mediterranean. They were right.









And so we began sightseeing and playing the tourist with great gusto.















In the Stone, Copper and Bronze Ages, Malta was inhabited and civilizations of some complexity built temples and had elaborate burial traditions. One of these temples and tombs, the Hypogeum at Paola dating from 2400BC, is a fascinating underground structure carved out of limestone. It predates the Pyramids and Stonehenge and is the oldest known Stone Age temple along with the Tarxien Temple.
They believe that as a temple, fertility rites took place here because of the numerous statues found of the female figure. The most well known is below of the "Sleeping Mother Goddess"which was found in the Hypogeum and believed to be 5000 years old.

In the Tarxien temple, what was probably the most colossal sculpture them in existence was this sculpture presumably of the Mother Goddess. It has been broken in half and the top part is missing. Of course, we found all of this fascinating as it indicates the possibility of a Matriarchal Society with the worshipping of the Sacred Divine Feminine Goddess.

The Captain standing proud in front of EcstaSea at the dock.

The first mate smiling in the morning with her cup of coffee.

Standing at the dock  and finally enjoying some warmer days......

                                                         














We also went to the old city of Mdina and spent an afternoon exploring the beautiful walled city.

The colorful little gondola type boats that ferry people to and fro were anchored right off of our stern and were our backyard playground and entertainment.

We had a wonderful time in Malta as you can see in this picture of us on the old wall of Valleta with the harbour in the background. The Maltese people are undoubtedly the friendliest, warmest and happiest people we have met in all of Europe, and we thank them for their hospitality.
It was fun exploring this new country of Malta with it's rich history and culture. We have a deeper knowing and appreciation for the ancestors before us and as always leave with more expansive consciousness and gratitude.
Thank you Malta......

Tunisia, Once Again

 



Believe it or not, the first picture is of the full moon rising over the open ocean on our crossing to Tunisia and the second picture is the sun setting the next evening. The full moon on crossings is always magical and so surreal !!!




We had a safe and peaceful passage to Tunisia.



                                                                                                                         













This time in Tunisia we went 100 miles further south to a new modern marina in the Bay of Hammemet. It is basically a tourist marina and very sanitized and different than our last trip here. And with our deep intention to change our thoughts and vibrations about Tunisia, it served us wonderfully well.
We are learning more and more to "let go" of the old stories that no longer serve us. We had a really, really good story about our last trip to Tunisia with all of it's trauma and drama and it certainly didn't feel very good and did not make us want to come back. Our last trip is posted on the blog under June 19, 2010. But we have to come back every 2 years (hence this trip), so we really set out to forget the old story and deliberately create a new one more to our liking. How the Universe delights to fulfill our intentions and desires once we get clear about them.
And so it was that we had a wonderful and even fun 2 days in Tunisia. The people are warm and friendly and intensely proud of their country. It was especially important for us to acknowledge and honor them for being the first to initiate the Spring Uprising and Revolt in the Middle East last year.On our last trip 2 years ago, Ben Ali's picture was plastered everywhere -- no more. They are struggling but hopeful.







                                                                                                                         
As you can see from these photos we are happy here….
The food was wonderful and we ate on top of a floating restaurant with the tourist hotels behind us in the first photo and in the second the harbor is in the background.

                                                                                                                         


















The abundance of fresh local fruit was everywhere and we took advantage of it every chance we got.












One of the fun and very successful commercial undertakings they have going for them is about 4 of these big pirate ships that they fill with tourists and take out for the day. Comes complete with loud American music and great repetitions of "We will, We will rock you" !!!















We are thankful for seeing the "real" Tunisia last time and also thankful for this sanitized version this trip. It is all good and we find ourselves questioning what is "real" anyway. And most of all, we are thankful for our sweeter story that we now tell about Tunisia…..







                                                                                                                     

Traveling South

                                                                             After leaving Alghero, we took our time and traveled south along the west coast of Sardina stopping at night and anchoring in beautiful
                                                                             coves along the way. We anchored one night near an old mining town just near an outcropping of rock called Sugar Loaf.

     
       We went exploring in the dinghy into an archway in the rock and notice how magnificently turquoise blue the water was. The mine entrance was carved into the seaside cliffs. It was a beautiful anchorage and we rested well.
                                                         
        It is challenging to describe and pictures cannot capture it's essence.
           
                  
       









After 3 days traveling south we went into the port town of Carloforte on the island of San Pietro off of Sardinia. A picturesque town full of life and fun. We stayed several more days than we had planned as we heard there was a big festival. It is the Tuna (Tonno) festival as the fishermen bring in lots of fresh tuna and all along the seaside and city streets it would be cooked. So as the first night of the festival arrived we donned on our festive attire and went out to see the tuna. And all we saw was a concert in the town square with Tango dancing. Oh well…..when you can't understand Italian that's what happens. Tonno----Tango, pretty close, both start with a t and end with and o !!! So it wasn't "Dancing with the Stars" but "Dancing under the Stars". Okay, then we heard the Tuna would come the next night but we decided to move on.
                                                                                                           











But not till we visited the Vinoteria for some really cheap but good wine poured out of big vats into bottles. Surprisingly good wine…..                                                                                         

   


   It was a fun foray into a quaint little seaside village but then we move on south to anchor on the south side of Sardinia and wait for a good weather window to sail even further south to Tunisia. 
                           





We will sailing to Tunisia under the light of the full moon and what an opportunity to let the Light of the Mother help us shift our past negative stories about Tunisia and begin again, fresh and new with positive expectations.
Yes, we are thankful for the opportunity to "choose again"how we perceive and are excited to see what awaits us there.