DSA 2008 Graduation Trip

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:Greek Cultural evening, the end

2008-06-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

The Belly dancer tried in vain to teach Bobby and the boys how to belly dance. Some of them had enough belly, but lacked other endowments!

Last, but not least, Ya-Ya and Granny help finish out the last dance. Probably needed a couple more bottles of wine to really get it right!

COME GO WITH US NEXT TIME, YA'LL!!!!

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:Greek Cultural evening

2008-06-23T12:06:00.001-07:00

Of course, Hard Rock Cafe is not Greek culture, but we had to walk by it to get there. Bobby and one of our young ladies were impressed!

Some of the girls up dancing. No one got a photo of me when I was up there!

One of the dancers does the candle dance. She as pretty giood, did not set the house afire!

They even had a belly dancer! I guess that is where the Arab Hareem girls learned it.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:On the Acropolis Part 2

2008-06-23T12:01:00.001-07:00

Really, the prettiest thing on the whole Acropolis to me was this porch on the Temple of Poseidon where the roof was supported by statues of maidens instead of just columns.

Looking off the top you can see a 3000-year old Greek theatre.

Almost next door, you can see a more modern (2000-year-old) Roman theatre. The Romans stole the design from the Greeks!

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:On the Acropolis

2008-06-23T11:54:00.001-07:00

The 3 Amigos and the East end of the Parthenon.

Mr D., the 3 Amigos, and the Parthenon.

Ryan in front of the entrance of the Parthenon. It is a really big building!

There are 2 major temples on the Acropolis. The other is the temple of Poseidon. It is equally wrecked.

This is the end of the temple of Poseidon that the tour guide took to to explain all about it. The hill sort of falls away to the East.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:The Parthenon Part 2

2008-06-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

Another view of the missing, blasted part of the Parthenon.

Another photo of the least damaged east end.

A close-up of the inside freize on the East end. This is the one that did not end up in London with Lord Elgin!

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:The Parthenon

2008-06-23T11:40:00.003-07:00

The first real view of the Parthenon is from the parking lot. Doesn't look so big!

This is the back end, but the part you see first from the entrance to the Acropolis.

From the side, you can see all the repair work going on. The very white rock is replacements for things that are lost.

Here you can really see the extent of the scaffolding. It looks like they plan to completely re-create it. It will take 40 years longer to fix it than to build it originally.

Here you see the other side, without scaffolding. You can see the blast damage in the middle where the Venetian shell blew up the Turkish powder magazine in some forgotten 18th century war.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:Tour of Athens, part 2

2008-06-23T11:31:00.000-07:00

Cousin Bobby Bethea in front of the Athens stadium where the modern olympics were renewed in 1896.

Cuz Bobby and his buddy Matt.

The 3 Amigos (thanks, Alex) in front of the olympic stadium.

One of the major statues in downtown Athens. (It looks like the 3 Amigos, dancing!)

The entrance to the Acropolis. We got there after a hard climb of many steps. It would be dangerous in the rain, lots of slippery marble.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:Tour of Athens

2008-06-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

On our walking tour of Athens, we have the 3 Amigos, Tour Director Alex, and Bobby Bethea: The Macho 5!

Bobby and a couple of the kids sitting with a little Athens statue.

Right in the middle of everywhere fast, furious, and business is this little church!

A view of the Acropolis and the Parthenon from the pool on the roof of our hotel, the Hotel Oscar.

Athens is so beautiful, they even have trees growing on their parking garages!

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:The Guards, again

2008-06-19T18:43:00.003-07:00

Pam tried to distract him as well, and was almost successful. Right after this they had to change the guards!

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:The Guards

2008-06-19T18:35:00.000-07:00

The guys at the guard post in front of the Greek Parliament building. No, he did not laugh, though they looked a little funny.

Mr. D., auditioning to be a guard. Unfortunately, I am not tall enough. The uniform is very unique. It was sooooo hot!

Brandy ad Mom, Debbie, also tried to distract this poor guard. Did not work.

This is Gabriella from Ohio with the guard.

3 other Ohio girls tried as well.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:leaving Delphi

2008-06-18T11:10:00.001-07:00

Mo'lasses (you ask him) and Ryan contemplating the navel of the ancient world, the midle of it all.

Here is the Ohio group posing for a photo. Hi Guys!

Wieland expressing his delight and enthusiasm for the scenery.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:Delphi

2008-06-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

Delphi has a well-preserved amphitheatre. It sat 5,000. Here I am standing in it.

Here are the guys touching the rock that says "Do not touch rock". Who could resist?

The Agora in Delphi is where pilgrims could buy Delfi t-shirts and postcards. None were on sale today!

The guys in Delphi, showing how much the ruins go up hill.

This is what is left of the main temple at Delphi. The oracle went down into the rift, smelled the gasses, and made pronouncements which were then "interpreted" by the priests. Sounds a little like CIA working papers today!

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE: Greece & Delphi

2008-06-18T10:48:00.001-07:00

Here is the spiffy Greek connector bridge from a distance.

Here we are on the big bridge that connects the Peloponesian Pensula with the rest of Greece.

Here are my guys sunning themselves and setting out the bait for girls on the pebble beach in Greece.

Lincoln Sigwald, another group ;eader, and Alex Pasquali, out esteemed Tior Director, on the pebble beach where we ate our first lunch in Greece.

Here is a photo, shot by Pam, that shows the 4 of us in front of the Athens Treasury at Delphi

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE: WE go to Greece

2008-06-18T10:39:00.001-07:00

We took the overnight ferry from Brindisi, Italy, to Petra, Greece. It was a large boat. Here is just one of the lifeboats.

Sunset on the boat. It had bee a glorious, beautiful day, and was a nice night.

Our Tour Director, Alex, answers a question just before we disembarque.

Yes, Dorothy, we are really in Greece, where many roads lead to Athens, by way of Delphi.

Imagine my surprise when I discover my cousin, Bobby Bethea, on the same tour bus as I am. I guess it pays to learn last names earlier!. Hi Bobby!

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE: Pompeii 2

2008-06-18T08:49:00.001-07:00

Here we are in front of the forum in Pompeii. Those things around our necks are not so they can track us, they are for the guide to talk to us thru.

This is a water-collecting pond in the middle of a rich person's house in Pompeii. I guess they has droughts as well. this fed the rain barrel.

In his back garden, there was a real ornamental pond. This was a person of wealth.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE: Pompeii

2008-06-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

Wieland waits for our guide to get us started into Pompeii. Stay awake, Wieland!!!

In the temple of Apollo, they prized strong young men, so I took this photo of the only 3 that I could find.

Here is our whole bus load of tourists, in the Forum at Pompeii.

The Pompeii Forum was one surrounded by these columns, with a 2nd story walkway. The grassy part on the inside was open, but covered with marble blocks.

The Romans liked fast food. There were these places om many corners. I believe the Roman name was Flavius MC Donaldus.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE: Sorrento

2008-06-18T08:23:00.001-07:00

The guys in front of one of the classier hotels in Sorrento. Certainly NOT our hotel, which is 4 miles out of town, but still on the beach!

The beach at Sorrento del Mer is very organized. They were expecting more folks than I saw all day.

Here is a look at our hotel as part of our group starts up the long stairs walk to the bus.

Continuing on up the stairs, with a resident's front garden on the right hand side. We stayed in shape for this!

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE: Capri From the Water

2008-06-17T12:40:00.001-07:00

There are some fine mansions on the back side of the Isle of Capri. It almost seems like it is impossible to get there by road, or boat. We were looking at things from a small Boston Whaler.

The water is very blue in places, hence the name of the famous "Blue Grotto".

The island of Capri is limestone, so it is riddled with grottos. This one had some pretty colored striations.

In the water at the bottom of this grotto there was a very interesting red algae.

Wieland says he is going to buy me a yacht so i can retire in style. I told him that this one would do!

pHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE: Capri Photo Essay 2

2008-06-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

The farther you get back into the small alleys of Capri, the more interesting and prettier it gets.

More fine little hidden areas.

Another pretty area. I like the stairs.

I like this tree, just growing great big in someone's tiny back garden.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE: Capri Photo Essay 1

2008-06-17T12:23:00.003-07:00

We had a little free time, and I used it to wander a few of the narrow streets and alleys of Capri City. Capri is an island, with 2 costal villages called Capri Larger and Capri Smaller, but the heart of Capri is the village on the hill. We had lunch there. This is a photo looking NE.

Capri, but looking SW. The hill is packed with pretty little houses.

One of the small squares that has 2 or 3 restaurants. it was very crowded.

Looking down the hill on the back of town.

The town clock, in the main square, and the bouganvillia that is growing there. This is the group meeting spot for when you get lost, and it is just above the entrance to the Funicular.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE: Naples & Capri

2008-06-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

We were not in Naples long (Thank god, since they are having garbage strike), but long enough to take a look at the 1234 AD Norman Castle in the middle of town. beautiful!

They would not let us inside, so we had to settle for a photo of the guys outside.

Here are the 4 of us on the beach in Capri, just after getting off the Ferry.

Here are a couple of the girls from the Ohio group, Gabriella and Brandy, left to right. nice kids!

The 4 of us up on the balcony in Capri City, over-looking the ocean and part of the harbour.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:Walking Tour of Rome, Part 2

2008-06-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

Another open doorway we stuck out noses into turned out to be a convent with a very pretty cloisture. Here is a photo of the orange trees. In such a small area, it is hard to get good photos.

In the middle was a fountain that had water flowing over a large rock, with several types of mosses & ferns growing on it. this was off Propoganda street, near the Spanish Steps.

In a different part of town, but still close to our hotel, we found Harry's Bar, a famous Roman watering spot. We had lunch in a sidewalk cafe near here.

Finally, arriving back at our hotel after a long day of being tourists in Rome. Tomorrow we leave for Naples, Capri and Sorrento.

Photos BY HOWARD DU BOSE:Walking Tour of Riome

2008-06-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

I love to look at roof-tops of a city. On our walking tour of Rome, My sister, Edith Du Bose and I looked up as much as we looked out. These antennas were seen from the top of the hill above the Spanish Steps, as was the next one.

Here is one very interesting way to make a roof garden on an older Roman house!

We spend a lot of time walking through any city we visit, looking up alleys and into doorways. Many Roman houses have courtyards and parking areaas inside. this one had a pretty garden.

Near out hotel was around "square" with an arcade on 2 sides. These were the lights in front of the ritzy hotel there.

Here is a close-up of the wrought iron light. Probably an old Roman eagle.

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:DAY 3, Part 2

2008-06-13T13:39:00.001-07:00

We covered a lot on the afternoon of Day 3, Friday. We spent a lot of it at the Vatican, but when we came out of St. Peter's, I was unable to convince the Swiss Guards that the guys were very dangerour characters, so I guess I will be stuck with them for another week!

We did get a nice photo of us with St. Peter's Square behind us. I am still not certain why it is called a square when it is mostly round. Do not they teach Geometry over here?

The Spanish Steps were crowded, but make a pretty picture. I was unable to round the guys up for a photo at the Trevi Fountain, because first they were eating gelato, then they were diving for coins! It was a pretty good walking tour just before dinner, then we had dinner in a Scottish pub where they were showing the next to last game of the European Football cup championships.

While we were atop the Spanish Steps, Wieland and I were "cussing ad discussing" which roof top apartment we would rather have. Walking back to the hotel, he saw this one and decided it might work, when he moves to Rome! Chao!

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:DAY 3, Part 1

2008-06-13T13:31:00.001-07:00

We got up bright and early on Day 2, so I got a shot of the guys without all the crowns at the Roman Coliseum.

As additional proof that I am really in Rome with the guys, and not sitting on some beach somewhere, here is a photo of mr. D and the guys in front of Constantine's Arch.

The Doctor came by, and we fell thru a rift in time, and the guys were accosted by these desperate thug gladiators. Luckily I was able to bribe them for our safety for 10 Euros.

The guys went to see a man about a horse, and it was just good fortune that the man was Emperor Marcus Aurelius ( as opposed to Emperor Nero!)

PHOTOS BY HOWARD DU BOSE:DAY 1 & 2

2008-06-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

Here are our guys, sitting in the airport, anxiously awaiting our flying chariot that will wisk us off to the trip of a lifetime, Rome and Athens (and parts inbetween!)

Part of one of the ancient Roman walls is 1000 feet from our hotel. this piece is shown with the ultra-modern Rome Central Train Terminal in the background.

I cannot resist cats. this is called "Cat on a hot piece of ancient Roman Wall".

We are eating out first dinner in Rome in this photo. My sister Edith from Germany has joined us, and Evan is hiding from the camera, for some reason.

Here is our whole bus-load, the Durham lot, the Charlotte lot, and the Ohio lot, in front of a local area church where there was a Cardinal investiture this afternoon.

OUR TRAVELING COMPANIONS IN ITALY AND GREECE

2008-06-04T06:11:00.000-07:00

On this year's DSA Graduation trip to Italy and Greece, The DSA 4 will be traveling with two other groups.

One of the groups is from Charlotte, NC, and is ably led by Group Leader Lincoln Sigwald. Mr. Sigwald teaches at Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School, and many of his travelers are from his school. Mr. S. has led 18 EF trips in the past. This is the 5th time that Mr. S. has done this trip, and indeed had our Tour Director, Alex Pasquali, so there should be no surprises.

The other group is from Dublin, Ohio, and is ably led by Group Leader the Reverend Pamela Heil. Rev. H. is youth minister at the St. Brigid of Kildare Church. this is her 4th EF trip. The folks with Rev. H. are all from her church, and mostly consist of family groups.

There will be many more adults than usual on this tour, which should be blessing. More later.

Mr. D.

OUR ESTEEMED TOUR DIRECTOR

2008-06-03T11:19:00.001-07:00

Here is a photo of Alex Pasquali, our Canadian/Italian tour director. Looking forward to meeting you, Alex!

DURHAM SCHOOL OF THE ARTS 2008 GRADUATION TRIP BLOG

2008-06-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of brother Ryan, very happy about something!

Indeed, a photo of 2 of the guys together! What a crew!

Trip Member Evan Spalding poses with his new (?) guitar Evan is the only non-DSAer in my group. He is the brother of Ryan Spalding.

Here is Mr. D, posing in the Forum in Rome in April 2008, on the DSA Spring Break trip. A couple of 2000-year-old relics! I look ready to travel, do I not?

Wieland poses in front of Mr. D's door, with all the posters. You can tell he can hardly wait to get on the plane!!

This is my 3rd Trip Blog, and on this one I will be sharing photos and a travel diary as DSA students Wieland, and Ryan, along with Ryan's brother Evan, accompanied by DSA teacher Howard Du Bose, travel for 10 days to Rome, Naples, Sorrento, the Isle of Capri, Pompeii, and Brindisi in Southern Italy, as well as Delphi and Athens in Greece. Follow our progress, where ever there is wireless internet!