2026–Turkey and Sicily

I really appreciate all of you for following along on our trip. We fly out tomorrow and are looking forward to being back–and yet also will miss the adventure of traveling. We connected with so many people, saw cool places, had thought about time and the human condition. I love…

Max got a shave and a haircut: Howard and I walked up to the old (1170) Castle. I think this would make a great wedding venu. One last day tomorrow.. Love Barbara

We decided to stay a couple of days in Milazzo because this is where you depart to go to the Aleutian Islands, which are supposed to be pretty cool. BUT its too windy for the boats running to the islands. This is a beautiful seaside town with no real big…

We didn’t know much about this town, but it is a cute beach front town with a kick-ass Cathedral. The cathedral has this amazing Byzantine Mosaic. Christ’s hand is 9 meters long!. The mosaic is HUGE. I need to get more pictures tomorrow. Love. Barbara

So we skipped Pamukkule in Turkey–white steps–for good reasons… BUT when we heard we were 20 minuies from the Turkish Steps we decided we had to go. it was perfect weather and a perfect excursion. Here when you are being stupid the guard blows his/her whistle at you. (Don’t climb…

In 400 BC there was a city of 200,000 Greeks living in this area. They had enough money (and slaves) to build 13 temples in a row. The largest was HUGE (but gone now. This gem was totally coverted into a church until King Ferdinand II took away the church…

Well..Modico was charming as well. AND I didn’t love our B&B but then I looked at my notes are realized we only paid $100 to stay there. It was wonderful for that price!! Their church looked so simple from the outside And was so gorgeous inside. Tomorrow is the Valley…

We wanted to see the Baroque Church in Noto, so drove there for lunch. It was SO beautiful I literally cried. Then there was this bigger church, but I loved this Virgin Mary as well We are just spending one night in Modico–this may have been a mistake. We shall…

The Big Church here in Siracusa was built on a site that had a Temple to Athena. The architect intentionally incorporated some of the existing columns both inside and outside. . Some of my favorite pictures: I’m going to make a quilt of the floor pattern! Somehow! love, Barbara

We are in Sicily. And loving the food and churches and outside eating. The Pizza and cannoli, the Aperol Spritzs. The winding streets and balconies. It is beautiful and magical. BUT Siracusa is ALSO the birthplace of Archimedes. And he lived here in 200BC except when he went to Alexandria…