Homeward Bound...Final Post 02-23-2016

We had an uneventful trip back to Sicily and were awarded 4 seats on a C17 from Sigonella, Sicily to Norfolk, Va.  With a stop over in Rota, Spain for crew rest.  There was another gentleman from Washington State who showed up this morning.  He wanted to go to Norfolk also.  He is a retired Air Force pilot and they opened up a seat for him.  So the 5 of us loaded up and headed across the Mediterranean to Spain.  Great trip.  The aircraft was loaded with cargo.  We sat next to a Predator Drone.  It was being sent back to the US.  The crew was very friendly and when they found they had a retired Air Force pilot and a retired Army aviator on board, they invited us up to the cockpit.  This time tomorrow should find us back in the USA.  Back to winter.

Our pilot, from Pennsylvania

Our ride...C-17

Office with a view

Terry Carter & Jerry Hatfield 

The Predator took up most of the seats

Kicking back in Malta 02-22-2012

Our Mediterranean adventure is coming to an end.  We will spend the day in Valletta and catch a flight back to Sicily tonight and declare ourselves present for a "Space A" trip to Norfolk, Va.  They are showing 4 seats released to Space A travelers.  There are 4 of us, so that is all we need.
We traveled to the old town on the city bus line.  The bus was crowded, so we stood in the aisle.  Linda was holding onto a vertical post for stability.  A buzzer kept going off, indicating that some one wanted off the bus.  I told Linda they must want to get off badly.  A lady standing next to Linda said "Senora, you are pressing the button" as she pointed to the exit button Linda was pressing.  Everyone around us appeared to be greatly amused.
We had a good day sightseeing, returned to the hotel, and our transportation took us to the airport. We are optimistic that we will be heading out in a C17 next morning.

Malta by moonlight

Linda as St. John Knight

Lunch in the square

Palace Guard

Royal  Palace

I don't know what this is...

Valletta Street

Entrance to 5D movie

Coffee break

Terry on break

We are watching a 5D picture about the history of Malta

the Blue Grotto 02-21-2016

He put on a show in the harbor

the Ottomans were here first

Harbor, Malta's national boats

Farmers Market

The weather is very nice.  Short sleeve.  We had a tour set up today to visit the Blue Grotto and a fishing village by the name of Marsaxlokk.  Both of these locations are high on the tourists' list of places to go.  Since we are in that category, off we went.  Although, I might add, our day got off to a somewhat difficult start.  Our instructions were to meet our tour bus at Dick's Bar, just down the street from our hotel.  We would be picked up at 0910.  So we left our hotel and walked down to Dick's.  We got there at 0855.  0910 rolled around...no bus.  We waited until 0920, no bus, then walked back to the hotel.  We told the concierge there was no bus.  He called the tour company and they said the driver stopped to pick us up.  We were not there.  We were there, no bus.  Long story short...another bus was sent to pick us up and join the tour group.  Once we connected with the group, we had a good tour.
The Blue Grotto is located on the southern coast of Malta.  It has always been a favorite destination for tourists, but  many in the US became aware of it when the location was used in the Brad Pitt film "Troy" filmed in 2004.
Marsaxlokk  has a long history as a fishing village, but it is also well known for its Sunday fish market and flea market.  The village has a population of 3400, but the tourists come by the thousands every Sunday.  The harbor was used as an anchorage for the Ottoman Fleet during the Great Siege of Malta.  It was also here that the first Phoenicians landed in the ninth century BC and set up trading posts. We walked down to the docks near our hotel and saw an interesting sight.  There was a guy putting on quite a show using water propulsion.
Our trip here is coming to an end.  Tomorrow we will do some more sightseeing and then take a flight back to Sicily.  We should be headed home either Tuesday or Wednesday.  We plan to be in Auburn this time next week.

A windy day in Malta

Heading into the Blue Grotto

The water is beautiful

They better hope Governor Bentley doesn't see this

More Grotto

Pretty water

How clear can it be?

one of a series of caves

Look in the center of the picture...a rock climber

Fisherman's Market

Our drive back to our hotel

Malta 02-20-2016

Visited another country.  Flew from Catania, Sicily to Malta, an island nation in the Mediterranean Sea.  If we kept going south our next stop would be Benghazi, Libya.  Uneventful flight,  Took about 25-30 minutes.  Weather very nice, English breakfast great, full cup of coffee, wonderful.
Before boarding our flight we left our rental car at a car park near the airport.  We do not speak Italian, the guy at the car park spoke even less English.  We left him the keys to our rental car, with all of our personal belongings in the trunk, and boarded a shuttle bus to the terminal.  We can only hope we see the car again.
When arriving at Malta, we were met by our driver and taken to our hotel.  His name was Joseph.  I asked him where he was from.  He said Syria.  I asked him if he had been to the U.S. before?  No, he replied...but I would like to go..he said with a smile.
After we settled in, we signed up for a couple of tours and then took the Hop On, Hop Off bus and checked out the Island from the top deck.  More later.

Malta

Terry, Mary on the Hop On, Hop Off

Linda, Jerry on the Hop On , Hop Off

WWII Memorial

Aquaducts from long ago

US Embassy, Malta

This church was hit by a German bomb.  Right through the dome.  The people inside were not injured,  The bomb did not explode.  It was determined to be a miracle.  Later the German pilot, who dropped the bomb visited the church.  He had made a mistake.  His target was a nearby airfield.  He asked for and recieved forgiveness from the congregation.

Melinta, ancient capital of Malta

St. Paul's Island.  Where St Paul shipwrecked in 60 AD.  He stayed here 3 months, before continuing on to Rome,  He is given credit for bringing Christianity to Malta,

Return to Sigonella 02-19-2016

We left Regusa this morning to return to Sigonella and ready to fly to Malta on Saturday.  We had a very interesting trip through the interior.  We drove through small mountain villages and to make unbelievable turns on unbelievable narrow roads.  The GPS lady who gives you your directions should get out of her office and ride in the car with you and just see where she is sending you and what she wants you to do.  No joke, we were going up this very narrow road and the GPS said to make a sharp left turn, followed immediately by a sharp right turn.  This was two switchbacks, almost 150 degrees, each.  Terry had to stop the car.  I got out and talked him through both turns.  I just wish I had taken a photograph.  We made it through ok, saw some beautiful country, and arrived  safely back in Sigonella.  Tomorrow, another day, another adventure.  Oranges grow everywhere over here.  Mary and I got out of the car and got some from along side the road.  Imagine my surprise when I saw where they irrigated these wild oranges.

This little dog barked at us, every time we walked by him

Mountain Village

87 steps. We walked up, then down, 3 times

Just a pretty street

Mountain scenery

Free oranges

Mount Etna from about 35 miles away.

Voyage of Discovery 02-18-2016

When we started our journey we were on the eastern side of Sicily near the town of Catania.  We drove north toward Messina and then west along the northern coastline to Marsala.  Today we drove through the interior to the ancient city of Regusa.  Our accommodations have been  great (except for the shower in the hotel in Trapani)  Small does not begin to describe the size of that shower.  Today we are staying at the San Giorgio Palace.  When I saw the size of the shower, I almost cried, I was so happy.  If I have room I will post a picture.
This has been a great adventure.  Any time you take a "Space A" hop, it is an adventure.  Terry and I have been close friends for many years and for Linda and I, to have shared this trip with Terry and Mary has been great.
I have laughed quite a bit watching Terry butcher the Italian language.  I did not know what he was saying and I am reasonably certain the Italians did not either. When Terry greeted them with the phrase "buena sera" it sounded like "whad's up".  You know what I mean.
Regusa can trace its history back to the 2nd millenium BC.  It has been ruled by the Carthagenians, the Turks, Romans, the Byzantines, and less not forget the Normans.  Mary Norman Carter's folks found their way to Regusa.  Geoffrey Norman, son of Roger Norman was the first Count of Regusa.
This trip is one of extremes, tonight we are in a Palace, tomorrow night we will be in the BOQ at Sigonella Naval Base.  More about that later.

Doing what husbands do, our wives are shopping

Church in Regusa

another church

view from our hotel room

city street Regusa

Mediterraean Sea shore

We had lunch here (Italian Big Mac)

Linda, Mary, Terry