More Lack of Posts!

Things will continue to be slow around here for the next several days--Allison and I are planning to head to Venice tomorrow (more camping!) if we can navigate the bus strike in the morning to get to the train station, and then to the 10K run in Brescia on Sunday. Until next time, hope all is well with everyone!

Camping Update

As Allison indicated, we didn't go to the national park this past weekend. We went to the train station (early, I might add--we arrived with time to spare for a 7:46 a.m. train! Amazing how little traffic there is at that time of day.) thinking that we would go there, but then changed our hearts and minds and decided to head south toward Naples, the coast, and sun instead. We were considering going to Sorrento, but Allison found the blurb in our guidebook about the island of Ischia (in the Bay of Naples) while we were on the train, so we decided to give that a whirl and took the boat from Molo Beverello, Naples' port. I haven't copied the pictures onto our computer yet, but hope to get to that soon. The island was gorgeous and was packed with both Italians and Germans (who apparently love Ischia in particular; many of the signs are bilingual in Italian and German, instead of Italian and English as in most other locales).

My favorite thing that I forgot to take a picture of was a sign by the bathroom at our campground, which stated in four languages: 'Civilized people leave sinks clean.' I think that Allison would like to get a copy of that sign for our place--you know, just as a reminder to me.

Another reason it's good to work in Italy...

. . . days off. Tomorrow is a holiday in Italy, Liberation Day. Thank you to the allied troops of WWII for making this day possible. On Thursday as I was leaving work I stopped by the secretary's desk with a quick question. To her answer, she added that they had decided to close the office on Monday--why? because they decided most people wouldn't come in anyway. Add that extra day to the Monday we have off next week (don't even know the reason), and the days we had off last week for Easter, and I feel like they've given me the personal ticket to enjoy this Spring. It's enough to make me forget that I get paid once every three months. Liz, I kind of feel like it's our very own Rodeo Days from Tucson here in Rome.

On that note, Eric and I went on our first camping excursion. To celebrate our tent (thank you again Aaron for the rockin' wedding gift), the nice weather, and our long holiday. Pictures to follow soon of our destination--and island called Ischia, off the coast of Naples. What fun! What sun! What a back ache!

Camping

Allison and I are planning to make our first foray into the camping world tomorrow in a national park in Abruzzo with the tent her brother gave us for our wedding. If we aren't gobbled up by bears, we'll report back.

Ok, so there shouldn't really be any danger of that since it's not really rustic wildnerness camping where we're hoping to stay. But we WILL have to use a tent!

Ok, Some More Montepulciano

While in Montepulciano, we visited a little wine shop in town. Well, at least we thought it was little. After going inside, however, the wine-sellers told us that we could visit their (vast) wine-cellars underneath. The space was composed of an Etruscan tomb...

...a medieval torture chamber, and who knows what else. Most of the area is now filled with barrels of wine...

...which are fairly large, no?

But there is a little museum down there with some artifacts, one of which was a real medieval chastity belt:

The store sells such treats as the Montepulciano Vino Nobile. We bought one bottle, but are (for now) saving it for something special.

Easter Visit

My brother Ryan came down for Easter weekend. More on that anon, but just thought I'd post one quick photo before I head out the door.

Peeps in St. Peter's and St. Peter's Square

I Stole This from Vanessa's Blog

From the top of the Capitoline Museums. Doesn't it look like we're in a movie, or like we've just spotted land after a long sea voyage, or both?!?

Two More from Montepulciano

We stopped to have coffee in Montepulciano later in the day after our lunch of microwave dinners (we ordered off the menu in a little empty cafe and soon heard the soft whir of the microwave in the background; odd, we thought, for a charming little Italian town) at this sweet place with a sweet little balcony with a sweet view. Here is the sweet view:

And here are Dan, Liz, and Allison sweetly enjoying the sweet view on the sweet little balcony. Splendid!

A Christian Sarcophagus from the Vatican Museums

Good Friday

Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

Man of Sorrows
Philip P. Bliss

Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, Who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Race Readiness

Ok, so all posts around here are going to be a bit out of order as we try to catch up. Strict chronological consistency will not be observed. So going back to the marathon, here is Allison in her running get-up complete with number:

On the morning of the race, I gave her a Chauncey Billups 'No Pain' tatoo:

Along with a little Scriptural encouragement:

Allison is now helping me train for a 10K at the end of the month (we're both planning to run it), with a longer-term goal of trying to do a half-marathon in Philly in September. Take my word for it: she's a good coach. But she doesn't tolerate any slacking, kind of like the Lloyd Bridges coach character on Seinfeld.

More Pics

For some more Italy pics taken by friends (this time Vance), see here and here.

Montepulciano

Liz, Dan, and Allison in Montepulciano, home of the exquisite Vino Nobile. I'm not sure what Liz is doing with her hands, but it looks very artsy and expressive.

More Italy Pics

Liz and Dan have started posting some of their Italy pictures for interested persons.

Company, Inc.

We've had a slew of company recently, which we hope to be able to document in more detail soon. Here are Dan, Liz, Vanessa, Jeralyn, and Allison; the only one who is missing is Jaclyn, unavailable for comment at the time of the photo, as was I, since I was TAKING the photo.

Slow Business

Sorry for the lack of posts around here lately. That will probably continue for a little bit, but hopefully soon we'll get some more stuff up. In the meantime, hope all is well with everyone!