Much thanks to our neighbor Diann for taking this picture.
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And a thank you to Rod and Ileene for this picture too.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Doña Blanca, Spain
February 22, 2014
This is an archaeological site just 30 minutes from Rota. The site dates back 2800 years including a time where the Phoenicians lived there. The Phoenicians were powerful from 1200 BC to 332 BC when Alexander the Great defeated the Phoenician capital city of Tyre. The Phoenicians are known for sailing and being excellent craftsmen. Most notable, a rare purple dye extracted from the Murex snail and their 22-letter alphabet which formed the beginnings of our modern alphabet. The main feature of the site is the Tower of Dina Blanca which claims to be the place where King Pedro I (Pedro the Cruel) imprisoned his wife, Dona Blanca de Borbon. Within the uncovered ruins (using our rudimentary Spanish to read the signs) the structures included a bakery oven and some sort of wine making area. Also on the site was a cemetery space and we saw what looks like a well. Hopefully the well is not getting dead body runoff! Much of the site is still underground and it would be so cool to see a reconstruction of all the structures. The site is relatively small as it only took us 45 minutes to talk around the while site. It was close and free, so an excellent little trip out!
This is an archaeological site just 30 minutes from Rota. The site dates back 2800 years including a time where the Phoenicians lived there. The Phoenicians were powerful from 1200 BC to 332 BC when Alexander the Great defeated the Phoenician capital city of Tyre. The Phoenicians are known for sailing and being excellent craftsmen. Most notable, a rare purple dye extracted from the Murex snail and their 22-letter alphabet which formed the beginnings of our modern alphabet. The main feature of the site is the Tower of Dina Blanca which claims to be the place where King Pedro I (Pedro the Cruel) imprisoned his wife, Dona Blanca de Borbon. Within the uncovered ruins (using our rudimentary Spanish to read the signs) the structures included a bakery oven and some sort of wine making area. Also on the site was a cemetery space and we saw what looks like a well. Hopefully the well is not getting dead body runoff! Much of the site is still underground and it would be so cool to see a reconstruction of all the structures. The site is relatively small as it only took us 45 minutes to talk around the while site. It was close and free, so an excellent little trip out!
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Walls Up
The exterior walls are getting put up, and the interior walls are going up later this week.
Much thanks to our neighbor Shelley for taking this picture.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Rome, Italy
February 14 - 17, 2014
We spent two days in Rome. Damon had never been to Italy before, but I had been before on a study abroad in 2010. It absolutely amazes me how much has changed over the past 4 years in my life, all for the better. Our flights were uneventful which is always a plus. The train worked out perfectly getting to the hotel too. Our hotel was nice, except for the hard mattress and minuscule shower. Our first full day we went to the Vatican Museum. Thankfully, I bought tickets online so we bypassed a huge line. The Vatican museum is very extensive and interesting. After the museum we went to St. Peters Basilica which is magnificent. We then went to the Castle de'Angelo and the Piazza Popolo. The Piazza Popolo has the direct street axes toward the Forum. On Sunday, we went to the Forum, Coliseum, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, dinner at deLuigis and the Spanish Steps. The Forum and Coliseum were so big! Thinking of all the history that has been seen there is extraordinary. We bought our Coliseum tickets at the Forum which skipped a huge line. Then we walked to the Pantheon and through the Piazza Navona to deLuigis for dinner which was so yummy. Our last stop was the Spanish Steps but the fountain in front was covered being restored so we couldn't see it. The next morning we caught the bus to get to the airport that was much easier than I had expected. A nice and short trip. Most likely our last big trip before our little boy joins the party!
We spent two days in Rome. Damon had never been to Italy before, but I had been before on a study abroad in 2010. It absolutely amazes me how much has changed over the past 4 years in my life, all for the better. Our flights were uneventful which is always a plus. The train worked out perfectly getting to the hotel too. Our hotel was nice, except for the hard mattress and minuscule shower. Our first full day we went to the Vatican Museum. Thankfully, I bought tickets online so we bypassed a huge line. The Vatican museum is very extensive and interesting. After the museum we went to St. Peters Basilica which is magnificent. We then went to the Castle de'Angelo and the Piazza Popolo. The Piazza Popolo has the direct street axes toward the Forum. On Sunday, we went to the Forum, Coliseum, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, dinner at deLuigis and the Spanish Steps. The Forum and Coliseum were so big! Thinking of all the history that has been seen there is extraordinary. We bought our Coliseum tickets at the Forum which skipped a huge line. Then we walked to the Pantheon and through the Piazza Navona to deLuigis for dinner which was so yummy. Our last stop was the Spanish Steps but the fountain in front was covered being restored so we couldn't see it. The next morning we caught the bus to get to the airport that was much easier than I had expected. A nice and short trip. Most likely our last big trip before our little boy joins the party!
I liked how this very pagan-style statue is right below a painting of a pope.
This is the statue that the castle it is named after, the Archangel Michael
The river was VERY high.
This was the miniscule shower we had in our room that had a light show for a shower head.
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