A Welcoming Place

Finally, Spring!

*Note to self - "April is not spring, April is not Spring!"  

With the month of May around the corner we discovered this simple quiet oasis just 2 blocks from our flat.......

Ebury Square Gardens 

Ahhhh...soaking up a little Saturday sunshine!  

An evening of Flamenco

After an afternoon of shopping for traditional costumes for Christy and Haley...just kidding!.....
we found a quiet restaurant willing to serve us an early meal before our evening of exciting Flamenco dance, song and guitar.

For dinner?  A huge pan of Paella and the best pitcher of Sangria to quench our thirst!

I can not claim these fantastic action shots of our entertainment. The lights were low and we were not allowed to use a flash but one of our travel buddies shared these with us.  Ole'!

Sights of Seville

Seville in a day....we did our best!  We met our guide at the beautiful Spanish Royal Residence, Alcazar. It is a palace rich with moorish architecture and gardens with the amazing (and still memorable) scent of orange blossoms.

Our next stop with our guide was the Cathedral, layered on top of an existing 12th century Mosque, with the Minaret which once called Muslims to pray, now being used as a bell tower calling Christians to worship.  I think the layers of religions is one of the most interesting aspects of the places we visited on our trip through Andalusia .... curious findings like Muslim writings from the Koran inside a Catholic chapel or the Star of David carved into the pillars of an ancient Mosque.

....... And the tomb of Christopher Columbus, who we all know from 3rd grade history discovered America and apparently made the Queen of Spain very wealthy! 

But my favorite place was behind the walls of an ordinary brick building, the Plaza de Espana, actually constructed for the Latin American Expo in 1929.  

Even with a 10 minute rain shower the colorful tiles, ornate bridges, canal with row boats for hire, fountain, and horse and carriages made this location magnifico!

Treasures from Sicily.....

Was it down this street....
or was it down this street?

Tim and Sandra managed to find their way back to
Signor Fiore's art studio where they fell in love with this 8 foot painting.  The bold colors and the red roof tiled houses along the sea just reminded them of this pretty little town and they "had to have it"!  All 8 feet of it!
This is the artist, Fiore, posing with Sandra in his studio with a huge rifle on his arm .... (no idea why)... but he was very proud that day!

Over the next few days we scavenged through trash piles to find cardboard boxes and in her best Italian hand language, Sandra managed to find packing tape but "bubble wrap" was out of the question! The plan was to wrap it, hopefully fit it in the car, hopefully check it at the BA counter and hopefully carry it through the airport, on to the Gatwick Express, down Chester Row, and proudly display it in their London flat.

There was no back-up plan................It made it!  

My treasures came from the town of Caltogirone - famous for it's ceramics or "majolica".

The highlight in the center of town are the Scala di Santa Maria de Monte ~ a flight of 142 steps covered with enameled ceramic tiles.....

whew!  We made it!   Oh wait, another ceramic shop!  

How cute are these? They hang on the wall - hmmmm,

perfect for....... maybe a beach condo!  

And from every curve in the road...

Mt. Etna was watching over us!  

Giuggiulena Bed and Breakfast in Siracusa

And we're off......

This time to Sicily, Siracusa to be exact.  We are in dire need of a little warm weather and sunshine. 

Just look at Mt. Etna greeting us as we land.  

Tim and Sandra chose "Giuggiulena" Bed and Breakfast as our home base and what a fantastic choice .... large rooms with a balcony overlooking the blue waters of the Ionian Sea. 

A photographers dream........

Can you imagine going to sleep, after several bottles of wine, to the sound of waves breaking on the rocks just below your window?

~and then being treated to this totally indulgent Italian breakfast and a cappuccino on the balcony with the morning sun promising a beautiful day ahead?

Sabrina and her sister spoiled us and offered good suggestions on restaurants, markets, maps, and closing times that helped to make our adventure perfect-o!

Feathers.....

Easter Blessings everyone!

I took a picture of this lovely Easter table setting at the Country Living Fair last week,

just in case anyone I know may be hosting Easter in their home.  

I just love the simplicity.......

and the little feather tag on the napkin! 

Spring is coming!  

Castle Combe

Castle Combe, renowned for being one of the prettiest villages in England sits in the Cotswolds, about a 2 hour drive from London. This tiny hamlet is a favorite location for film companies......Doctor Doolittle, Wolfman, and recently War Horse. It is said that the Romans used the waters from the river Bybrook to help feed their spa in the Historical city of Bath, just 12 miles from Castle Combe and The Manor House Hotel and Golf Club.

We spent a wonderfully relaxed March weekend here with friends.  It was gorgeous!

Our room was at the highest point with a bird's eye view across the moss covered tiles of the many peaks of the Inn.

And a bath tub to soak away the chill after our girl's day at the spa in Bath....

I did say "relaxed weekend"!

The guys played a round of golf in rain, sun, snow, wind, and muddy conditions ... Rick says it's the best he has played in years!