double dutch

Our trip to The Netherlands was quickly accomplished.  Within two weeks we had plane tickets, hotel reservations, and the bags were packed.  Constantly adjusting our travel plans to accomodate an ever increasingly energetic Smalls, regrettably gone are the days of only carry-on baggage.  We lumber to the airport...

Landing near Amsterdam, Smalls in a carrier, we take a train to the center city.  Public transportation rocks in Europe.  To be carless, is a freeing experience, and we love trains, so there is that...  

Suddenly, Amsterdam is not exactly our kind of town.  Perhaps it's the pot wafting through the streets, or the lovely ladies beckoning from under their red lights...  It just doesn't seem uber family friendly...  

However, with daylight waning, we wander across town to a destination that intrigues us all - a Mariner's museum.  Where there might be pirates...  and an exhibition on the West India Trading Company.  This adventure does not disappoint - mainly for the tall ship we get to explore...

We find a Thai restaurant down the street from the hotel, our first "non" Italian food since we have arrived last July...  and it is divine.  We head out the following morning for our actual destination - The Hague.

While I had been to several locations in The Netherlands, Den Haag was not previously one of them, and I was intrigued by the history and political reputation of the city.

Since we were gifted a welcome drink at the bar to bide our time while our room was prepared, we decided to inquire as to what is a local specialty.  I think we were both surprised to learn that Gin is made locally.  The Major was presented with a itsy glass, filled literally to the brim, and shown to sip off the top before picking it up.  A local dutch custom.

I was delighted to know that beer is also a specialty...  and while I really only was aware of Heineken, previously, the beers that I tested during the week were much more flavorful and interesting.  Not to mention there were many Belgium beer offerings probably due to the proximity...

While we sipped, and waited in the bar, a group gathered in front of a television, rapt attention for what looked like a queenly figure.  A toast went up at the end of the announcement, and we learned later that in fact the Queen had just proclaimed her plans for abdication of the throne.  

Other than that exciting news, it was a quiet week in The Hague.  The Major attended training, while Smalls and I poked around the Escher museum next door...

With a bonus display of artistic chandeliers...

Sampled Flemish fries...

Compared dutch and Belgium beers...

And discovered a new favorite food for the whole family - dutch pancakes...

Crepe-like pancakes with savory ingredients - like cheese, red pepper, bacon, and mushroom...  

And of course, there was Appeltaart...

And don't forget about the Herring!

We found a little street vendor that sold herring like you have never seen before.  It was almost like sashimi - it tasted like it had just moments before been taken from the sea.  

Finally, we ventured out to the seaside part of The Hague, called Scheveningen, where apparently, even the art is appropriately into the fish...  

And we discover one of the most impressive displays of seafood we have ever encountered...

Full of herring, we return to Amsterdam with a day to spare and decide that in the misty weather a canal ride, might be a great way to see the city without getting our feet wet.  We putter down several canals, and to the outskirts of the city, observing architectural wonders, houseboats, and feats of engineering.

On our way back to the hotel, we swing by a cheese shop we discovered the week before, with a mission to acquire "all the cheese we can carry".  The flavors are so drastically different than Italian cheeses, we have a hard time limiting our selection.  We ultimately decide that a goat gouda.

And a two-year-old Edamer, are our favorites.

On the train back to the airport, loaded with cheese, our palates cleansed and ready for our familiar Italian delicacies, we strategize on how best to create dutch pancakes at home.  

blood orange

I felt completely relieved when we returned from our New Years trip to Sicily.

That feeling of "having survived" something.  The three of us, successfully reunited with our belongings...

... everything (and everyone) in one piece.

And with the bonus of a couple of new recipes...

Blood Orange Salad

Funny thing, vacations...  We dream about how fun and relaxing they will be.

In our family, I have finally begun to come-to-terms... fun very rarely comes with relaxing.

It occurs to me after we are unloaded from the trip, a strong desire to stay in one spot for a while setting in...

We have just returned from an adventure.

No wonder I feel in need of a vacation.

More on that later...

Let's rewind.

Major says...  "let's take a drive down the coast".

I say...  "isn't Sicily down there?"

And thus it begins...

We skip Amalfi this trip since the Major and I have already visited that part of the country (albiet many moons ago), the infamous coast is a mere day-trip away...  we'll save it for a sunny spring weekend perhaps...

We instead jog over to the coast once we pass Salerno to take a look-see at Maratea - a resort town tucked into a peaceful cove.

Maratea

We imagine throngs of fancy people milling the streets of the bitsy city in high season, and agree that the tiny winding roads approaching the city make the Amalfi coast look like a superhighway...

On the Calabrian Riviera

We bob in and out of coastal towns for a couple of hours till we hit our first formal destination of Tropea - a town perched on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the volcano Stromboli.

While we search out a nice place for dinner, we stumble upon a gathering in the center of town.  By the looks of it, the entire town has shown up to see a traditional dance presentation, and we are treated to a Tropean Tarantella.

Tropean Tarantella

What a captivating surprise.  But we are starving, so we press on.  Finally discovering only two open restaurants hiding amongst the dozens we pass shuttered closed.

Red Tuna Carpaccio salad with Red Tropean Onions

Tropea is known for red onions of all things, and the culinary creations offered do not disappoint.  Being on the coast, there is also a plethora of fruits from the sea...   we are especially pleased with the Mussels, although we discover later that they are probably from Spain...  not that Spanish food is a problem, but we do try to eat local whenever possible.  In this case, we ate the local preparation - peppered mussels - or rather, mussels in a black pepper sauce...

The next day, we decide to do some car-sightseeing of the area, discovering even smaller, windier roads in a mountainous territory inland from Tropea.

This rough terrain has been dominated by a mafia family known as 'Ndrangheta.  As we twist and turn through the changing landscape, it becomes clear that our short jaunt will actually take hours - as the switchbacks and hairpin turns present themselves in rapid succession... slowing our pace to a crawl.

Calabrian Winding Roads

It's a wonder the mafia find this territory worthy of habitation...  or perhaps, it's the idea of keeping others out that is appealing.  We see only a handful of cars in the hours drive.

What we do find are breathtaking panoramic views of valleys and mountains, and herds of livestock... with accompanying shepherds (a sight I am unexpectedly thrilled by).

Already exhausted by a day of weaving and winding, we return to Tropea and plan our departure for the Island we could see in the distance most of the day - Sicilia.

****

We drive on board the ferry for the twenty-minute ride to Sicily, among busses, semi-trucks, and a seemingly endless line of cars.

Then a ramp is activated, and more autos drive on.  For Italy, this process is amazingly quick, smooth, and simple.  There is even a ferry option that involves train cars rolling directly onto a boat, and then back onto the tracks on the island.  Perhaps we will try that option next time.

Taormina is another resort town, with a wealth of upscale shops on its singular main street.  Capped by one of the most amazing ancient sites I have ever visited.  I suppose the effect is compounded with the experience of having described this kind of theatre to hundreds of my students over the years...

Teatro Greco di Taormina

We sit for a moment, absorbing the view of Mt. Etna and the Mediterranean Sea.  The spirit of the ancient grounds brings about a hungry desire - for lunch...   So we look for a reasonable place - and settle on a small establishment tucked away just past the neighborhood juggler off the main square... 

Taormina Performance Art

Although it is generally rare for us to be disappointed when we eat out in Italy, in this case, we have discovered a real gem.  The blood orange salad (above), mixed fish appetizer,

pasta alla Norma (with eggplant, ricotta, and smoked cheese curds), 

and pasta alla sarde (sardines).

These typical Sicilian dishes set a high bar for the duration of our trip.  We are simultaneously pleased with the delectable house white wine...  which is slightly fizzy, dry and pairs perfectly with the citrus and seafood offerings.

I had no idea that blood oranges were only grown on the side of Mt. Etna.  One of those unexplainable feats of nature, although people have tried to grow these trees in other parts of the world, they have never been successful.

For the rest of our trip food plays a central role (oh, who are we kidding, this is always the case!) - but sometimes the food is more exciting - and in Sicily this is definitely the case.  Ingredients we have become used to -

Sepia Ink Pasta

but used in new and delightful ways.

Typical Sicilian Appetizer

On the West coast of the island, we search for traces of African and Arabian influence...  we find couscous and squid stuffed with grapes...  

among the more common veal marsala (drizzled with balsamic).

On every adventure we scour local markets...

In search of new and unusual food items - in this case we were rewarded with one called "cardi" - apparently a type of cardoon.  

Unfortunately we did not have a kitchen at our disposal to try the cardoon, but the Major got a lesson from the man selling the vegetable, so we are prepared when we next cross paths.

We did bring home some sea salt from Trapani.

Along with the culinary lessons, we chase history intensely.  

From the valley of eight ancient temples in Agrigento, 

the ancient Greek ruins in Syracuse, 

to the gold Basilica in Monreale...

with the notable Arabian designed facade.

The unbelievable three-dimensional baroque offerings in Palermo...

Fairytale castles in the misty medieval town of Erice -

where I even find a sweet baby Jesus that doesn't give me the heebeejeebies...

Baroque, baroque, and more baroque in Ragusa, 

and Noto...

An unexpectedly mystical elephant monument in the centro storico of Catania...

And finally, a wine-shaped cave as tribute to the Greek God of wine and theatre - Dionysus.

As we criss-cross the island, Smalls napping in her tiny auto-chariot, or carried snugly on her daddy's chest, we marvel that she probably won't remember a thing about all of the amazing things we are experiencing...  

We struggle against our urges to try to "see everything"... but really..., it's already too late.  

We're exhausted - ready to go "home", to sleep in our own bed, to not have the pressure of "seeing all the things" and eating out for every meal.

We've been in Italy for almost six months now...  and we are constantly reminded by strangers to slow down - "piano, piano" they say...  

I do think that somehow the Italians are more keenly aware that this journey we are on is not a sprint...

But we are learning.