Sicilian Images

Today, May 1st, is a national holiday here in Sicily - the equivalent of Labor Day in America - so we are (shockingly) headed to the beach and then a BBQ.

Therefore, won't be much to post today on RPP, so I thought I'd leave you a couple images that I hadn't posted before.  The first is of the sunrise this morning by the sea, which I (also shockingly) was up taking pictures.  The second was of a "fog eclipse" in Taormina, where the low-flying clouds made the sun appear as if it was an eclipse, all framed over an ancient castle.  Enjoy!

Morning Waves at Baia Verde.

Fog Eclipse.

~ J. Twice

A little Grazie goes a long way...

Political Signs you probably wouldn't see in America...

As most of you are probably well aware, Italy recently held a series of elections throughout the country to elect a new government.  My friends here in Catania have assured me that this is a pretty normal occurrence, happening up to twice a year!  (No joke!)

There was the usual campaigning - posters, rally's, TV commercials I could not understand - however the one thing that struck me about the recent elections did not occur before the election, but AFTER.

All around Catania, the winning parties and officials have hung thank you signs (GRAZIE!) to the voters.  I thought this is pretty cool... probably the next best thing to Barrack Obama running around the U.S. giving post-election high-fives (although I could see him doing it...)

A little Grazie goes a long way...

So the next time any of you get elected to public office, be sure to thank us little people who got you there!

Grazie!

J. Twice 

Corsari Game Highlights

Here's the highlights from our wild game against the Palermo Corsari on Sunday.

It should be noted that the final score, 74-57, was ONE MORE POINT than the 2006 NCAA Basketball Championship Game (in which Florida beat UCLA by the score of 73-57!)  This is all further proof that the Catania Elephants are the "Loyala Marymount" of football (and yes, I may throw a pass left handed in memory of Hank Gathers.)

Enjoy!

~ J. Twice  

  

Elephants Win 74-57!

Blue Skies at the Palermo Velodrome... a perfect afternoon for football!  (And a far cry from the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field!)

Another Wild One here in the IFL... as on Saturday afternoon the Catania Elephants outlasted the Palermo Corsari 74-57 to improve to 3-1!

Yes... you read that right... 74 to 57... as in 131 combined points... as in 20 touchdowns... 0 punts... and two goal posts held up by "DUCKTAPE!"  (See George's Blog Post - Hilarious!)

Saluting our FANBASE after the game!  (Yes, that includes everyone on the internet!)

For while our game was held at the Velodrome (Cycling Arena) in Palermo, it closer resembled a track meet, with our offense scoring on every full possession of the game, Matt Epperson running back two kickoffs for touchdowns, and their offense - behind shifty quarterback David Lozano Perez - answering back throughout the game.  It was - dare I say - another VIDEO GAME in the IFL!

Playmakers posing after the game... from left to right, Claudio, Matt, Me, Enrico, and Brandon.

I finished the day (unofficially) 21-27 for 343 yards and 6 touchdown passes.  Enrico Lombardo, our strong running back, had 192 yards on 20 carries and 3 touchdowns, while Matt Epperson had 11 catches for 209 yards and 3 TD to go with his 2 kickoff returns for TDs.  Claudio Mangano added 6 catches for 95 yards and 2 TD.  All of this is a credit to our offensive line - who has been improving every week, as well as the great play of our TE/FB Guiseppe Strano, whose physical presence was a HUGE lift to our offense.  Fortunato Camarda also had an 18 yard TD catch.  Our defense came up with a couple big stops early on in the game, and also forced a turnover early in the second half that helped us build our cushion.

AFTERGLOW THOUGHTS:

IFL FANTASY FOOTBALL - I checked yesterday on ESPN.COM, but they are still not offering a place to play IFL Fantasy Football.  However, if you have the first pick in next year's draft, I suggest you look at drafting Matt Epperson with the first pick.  Matt's speed - but more importantly his courage and heart - is amazing... and how's this for a stat line: 11 catches, 209 yards, 2 kickoff returns for TD... and SACK!!!  (He played outside linebacker and strong safety too...)

Going deep...

... and across the middle.

FORTUNATO - CALL ME LUCKY!!!  One of the great things about playing in Italy is the people you meet... and one such guy is Fortunato (Call me "Lucky") Camarda.  A twenty-year veteran of football, his leadership on our team is fantastic, and he really plays the game the right way and for the right reasons.  He teaches during the week, and also leads workout classes at a local gym during the afternoons called "GAG" - an Italian Acronymn for Gluteals, Abs, and Legs.  Christie has been taking the classes with Lucky for about a week now and is just started to walk normal again... 

'Lucky' posing with Matt and Brandon after the game.  Yes, that is Davide jumping in the background...

On a fourth down play at a crucial point in the game, Lucky ran a beautiful route and caught a diving touchdown in the corner of the endzone.  It was a great play and summed up the teamwork that exists on the Elephants.  ATTAWAY LUCKY!

FOOTBALL MEXICANA - I definitely have a new found respect for Mexican football and its many great players, after watching the imports from both the Corsari and the Sharks of Palermo.  In the USA, you do not hear much about football south of the border, however I was well aware of their great talent after my older brother Chad, as well as Brandon, played in the Aztec Bowl -- an NCAA Division 3 All-Star game played against the Mexican All-Stars.  But after the last two weeks, I am even more impressed, with quarterbacks Arturo Sanchez (a dropback passer) and David Lozano (a running & passing QB) playing great along with the other skill players and linebackers/defensive ends.  It just goes to show that football is fast becoming a global game.  ATTAWAY MEXICO!  

Posing with the 3 Mexican Players on the Corsari.

SKIING - EXTREME RUNNING BACK TRAINING:  Kids - if you ever dream of one day being a great running back... START SKIING!  Our running back, Enrico Lombardo, works as a ski-instructor, and I have rarely seen such powerful legs as he cuts through defenders like they are moguls.  While he has yet to do a "Double Dafney" into the endzone, I wouldn't put it past him.  ATTAWAY ENRICO!

Enrico takes the ball for this double-black diamond.

PRE-GAME PREP:  Before our game, there was a rugby game held at the Velodrome.  When it finished, a team of officials quickly prepared the field for American Football.  This included soccer goals being installed, then the Goal Posts being DUCK-TAPED to the outside of the nets!  (See below for pics!)  They also had to hurriedly line the field... however the sidelines guys made a mistake, and then spent the next 20 minutes with brooms trying to sweep the wrong lines off the field!  The end result was a field with (unofficially) 28 lines crossing the field at various intervals.  Hilarious!   

    

The makeshift Goal Posts and many lines of the field... all part of the charm of Italian Football!  Bottom right, Matt and Gianmarco celebrate a la "THE NFL JUMP UP AND BUMP BODIES INTO EACH OTHER" after Matt's kickoff return.

PICS PICS PICS:  Here's some more pictures from the game!

Defense ready for action.

The Elephants with their PINK ELEPHANT partners... Claudio & Roberta, JJ & CC, Matthieu & Jordana, and 'Cupino & Valeria.

Aren't we the All (North) American couple?

Malibu roommates... ready for the beach after another exhausting Sunday.

~ J. Twice

Images from a Morning Walk

7:04am.  Sunrise over the rocks of Aci Trezza.

In nature photography, patience & immersion are the names of the game.  In order to get the best, most authentic shot of an animal, a photographer must often spend hours or even days crouched in an environment - until slowly the animals become accustomed to him, and he becomes invisible, blending into the background.  At this moment, the photographer can finally capture the real essence of a place or creature.  

One of my most enjoyable new hobbies while living in Italy is to do a similar thing, but with an urban environment... to 'harmlessly' immerse myself in my surroundings, letting the world go by until I am left as a mere 'spectator' with flip-flops and my camera.  

When this happens, I can truly capture the close-ups, panoramas, and characters that define a place... and share with all of you the way that I see the world - from a Cinematic perspective.

7:26am.  The depth of character on this man's face is incredible.  What is he thinking?

The following pictures are from my walk this morning through our local fishing village of Aci Trezza on a quiet Saturday morning, as the sun began to creep from behind the morning haze and the city itself slowly woke up and took a metaphorical yawn.  While my pictures and words don't quite do it justice, please imagine the faint smell of saltwater in the air, church bells chiming the hour, fisherman casually cleaning their boats, and the first joggers of the day tracing the coastal promenade in their white running Nikes.  This is the real Italy that few get to see.  

7:34am.  The first chores of the day.

7:48am.  A rusty Vespa sleeps against a wall.

8:02am.  In a quiet alley, a brass faucet provides fresh water to the locals.

8:13am.  A lone boat already hard at work in the morning haze.

~ J. Twice

Another Amazing BBQ

The summer home of Valeria has character, in the great small town of PuntaLazzo on the foothills of Mt. Etna.

Friday was a holiday in Sicily to celebrate the "Liberation from Fascism" (something we like to celebrate too in America... yet do not quite have the same fervor as the Italians that hung Mussolini by piano strings) -- and coincided with the celebration of our friend Valeria's birthday and consequent Sicilian BBQ.

As I have mentioned before on this blog -- if I bring ANYTHING back from Sicilia, it will be the way we do BBQ here!  First off, as opposed to just a main course and appetizers served immediately upon guests arrival, a Sicilian BBQ is an all-afternoon affair centered around PEOPLE and CONVERSATION (as well as Ping-Pong where Applicable).  For this BBQ, the location was in Puntalazzo, a small, sleepy town in the foothills of Mt. Etna located about 45 minutes northwest of Catania at the beautiful "mountain" home of Valeria's family.  Here, we lounged all afternoon -- enjoying food, friendship, ping-pong, and camaraderie among our many new Sicilian family members.

As always, numerous courses were served... including our favorites Salciccia (Sausage), Involtini, and Cippolata.  However, the best might be the desserts of Crispella (Fried Rice in Honey), and cakes of Chocolate and Riccotta.  All in all, it was a fantastic afternoon and just a further reminder of how Sicily is really now our home and how much we love it here!

~ J. Twice

The best rendezvous point: the side of a road just after a toll-booth!  

Davide's son Allesandro had his 'public unveiling' at the BBQ - and showed off more hair than the entire American contingent combined!

Claudio's Ducati motorcyle is 100% macho... a la "Tool Time"!

George's favorite BBQ item -- Cippolata!  (Green Onion wrapped in Bacon)

The BBQ filled with pepper-infused Sausage... amazing between a soft bread roll!

The cute girls (and Matthieu behind!)... from left to right Jordana, Christie, and Roberta.

Matt is enjoying himself here in Sicily... no joke!  She must have seen him play in the last game...

Tatonka

I just wanted you all to know that you can eat Canadian Buffalo for dinner in Italy!  Glad they are not an endangered species here!

~ J. Twice

Lost in Translation

Bill: We know how you feel sometimes...

Lost in Translation.  Good movie – Sophia Coppola’s debut as a director, a phenomenal job by Bill Murray in a rare ‘dramatic’ role, and having been to Japan, a pretty bang-on portrayal of what it is like to be an American visiting there.  (RPP Movie Critic Note: For those of you who have seen the film – and if you haven’t, go rent it – it’s NOT supposed to be GOOD in a “that was a Good Movie” sort of way… hence my wife not liking it… so I ask you to judge it by the criteria of did it or did it not accomplish its major goal – to portray the feeling of isolation and disorientation by being in such a place both physically and metaphorically in your life.  Complicated, enough?)*

Barely coherent tangent aside, Italy has its fair share** of “Lost in Translation” moments as well… however they come more in the form of “Ha Ha, that was funny” as opposed to “Questioning my overall goal of life” variety.  For instance, as has been mentioned on this blog before, the Italian word for hurt is broken.  Which makes sense – if your TV does not work, it is broken, so therefore if your arm doesn’t work it must be broken as well.  The comedy comes in the English translation, where ‘broken’ translates only to a fractured bone… so for the first month or two of the season, we (the Americans on the team) were seriously wondering if anyone here drinks milk, as arms, legs, and knees were getting ‘broken’ left and right.  We would ask, “How can your ankle be BROKEN… you just tripped?” Definitely Lost in Translation.  And don’t even get me started on the Italian use of impossible…

Christie and Valeria... not applying for jobs at the United Nations anytime soon.

However, the reason for this blog is the funny moment that happened this weekend at dinner.  Christie, whose hearing is usually impeccable, was chatting with our friend Valeria about the pasta we were eating.  Unsure of the exact way to say it, Valeria was trying to tell Christie that our pasta was homemade… but instead used the word “hands” – as in ‘our pasta is hands – made.”  However, not anticipating this use of wording (and having just struggled though appetizers of Liver and other exotic local specialties), Christie suddenly exclaimed in a loud voice, “Our pasta is made by ANTS?  That is disgusting!”  (Thinking she had said ants – made, not hands - made!)  Needless to say, all the surrounding tables in the restaurant began looking at us, while we began laughing hysterically.  This is what we mean by, Lost in Translation!***

Friends enjoying dinner -- from left to right Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Monica, Joey, and Chandler. 

~ J. Twice

* See the film – it will make the last paragraph much more relevant.

** Funny Side Note: If you repeatedly write “Fair Share” as “FARE SHAIR” – is that an early warning sign of dyslexia – or just excessive Italian white wine, which can be translated as WATER?

*** I should mention that later in the dinner Christie also mistook the name of an Italian restaurant for “ECUADOR” – and exclaimed out of the blue to Valeria, “I’ve never been to Ecuador!”  Dios mio! 

Ask Claudio... he will explain this sign...

NOT Missing Edmonton...

Just another April afternoon in Edmonton...

I am VERY HAPPY to report that in the last two days, Edmonton - our former home in Canada - received almost 50 cm. OF SNOW!

Unfortunately, Christie and I have been laying on the beach here in Sicily the last two days and were totally unaware of this situation until we checked the internet this evening.  Immediately she got a bout of homesickness, and asked me if we could move home immediately... but I told her that we should go ahead and keep "roughing" it here in the 25 degree heat.

April looks a little different in Catania as opposed to Canada...

Everyone remembers where they were when the storm hit... we were in Taormina.

Apparently, all the roads around Edmonton have been as slippery as ice skating rinks, with over 30 crashes yesterday morning on the small highway leading north of the city!  (Not unlike Catania driving...)  Local officials are calling this the storm being the biggest storm in over 20 years to hit during April!  Crazy!  

And we thought the driving here was bad...

~ J. Twice

The Mighty Pen of Responsibilty

Today is officially the first entry in my personal daily journal using my brand new pen, the "UNIBALL EYE MICRO .2 MM" edition.  Now, I know this seems pretty trivial to most... using a new pen is big news to this guy?  However, to me the significance is quite substantial, monumental even.  Let me explain...

You see, I have a slight 'habit' of losing things.  Perhaps some of you do, too.  Although not small things... BIG things.  And not just a few... LOTS - iPods, Digital Cameras, Cell Phones, Wallets (my specialty), and keys.  So on this trip, I made it a point to find one item - in my case, a pen - to prove that I can be responsible.  It can best be summed up in the words of Walter from The Big Lebowski, "It's about drawing a line in the sand, dude... upon this line, YOU DO NOT CROSS!"

"I bought a seven dollar pen... because I was sick of not caring when I lost it!" - Mitch Hedberg

Therefore, when I left over 80 days ago on this journey, I picked out the best two black pens I could find in our house and brought them with me as my official "journal" pens.  I was SO careful with them, making sure I put them at the exact same every day (technique #3 in 'Christie Chorley's Strategies for her Husband's Success), treating them like GOLD.  Proudly, on February 25th and April 19th respectively, MY PENS RAN OUT OF INK!

In my 28 years on Planet Earth, I have never had a pen run out of ink before!  I am now officially on my way to being (dare I say) a responsible adult!  Now for the mini-van, 2.5 children and a dog...

Happily posing with Black Beauty, my new pen.

Deep down, I was proud of my achievement, and therefore went ahead to splurge for a $3 new pen, congratulatory gelato, and glowing blog post.  However, I must say that having a pen run out so soon has also made me feel a little paranoid towards pen companies... Do they only fill them part way because they know people will lose them?  I wonder...  This is all uncharted waters for me, in the Sea of Responsibility.   

~ J. Twice

Wrist Action Video

I have received a number of comments from my recent Gelato "wrist action" post, so I thought I should upload a little video showing the Taormina Orangemen in action!

As you can see, just like a loud preacher can whip the crowd into a frenzy at a Midwestern Revival, so to can a gelato-artist whip your gelato into taste-bud ecstacy!  Next time you are scoopin' at home, see if a little wrist action can't supercharge your ice cream experience!

Sicily Desserts: Key to Victory

Cannoli: SLANT

Gelato:  WRIST-ACTION

Ciao,

J. Twice

Elephants Down Sharks 41-34

In the latest edition of "IFL Madden Video Game Football," we survived a great rally by the Palermo Sharks to win our home opener in wild fashion Saturday, 41-34.  The week 3 win moves our record to 2-1 heading into next week's matchup against the other Palermo team, the Corsari - who are also 2-1.

The game itself was a back and forth battle, beginning with the first challenge: getting the game started.  Due to some unknown circumstances, 2 of our referees were Missing In Action - thus pushing the start of the contest back almost an hour!  (Which fits right in with Italian Time...)

When we finally kicked off, our defense played strong and forced a punt on their first possession.  4 plays later Gregorio Barbagallo ran a beautiful post route for a 35 yard score and a 6-0 lead.  However, this Palermo team was much improved from the team we scrimmaged a month ago, and began to battle back - led by their Mexican Quarterback Arturo Sanchez.  Palermo's offense, using a "run and shoot" style ball control, utilized a quick passing attack of slants and outs to march the field and even the score.  However, the lead was short lived, as Matt Epperson ran the ensuing kickoff back, giving us the lead again.

The first half continued in that same fashion, with both teams scoring almost every possession for a 27-25 halftime lead for the Sharks.  However, we came out strong in the second half, and took the lead on two Claudio Mangano touchdown catches - one from 60 yards and the other on 4th and goal from the 1 yard line.  Needless to say, I was smiling on the sidelines as I couldn't believe we were in another see-saw shootout!  I finished the game with 293 yards and 4 touchdown passes (Claudio had 7 catches for 153 yards, Matt had 3 for 66) and another 11 yard touchdown run, while Sanchez himself threw 5 TDs.

One funny note - most of my family and friends tease me for not being the "strongest runner."  I just want everyone back in the US to know that I had 4 runs for over 10 yards... Mike Vick who?  haha...

In the fourth quarter, both defenses stiffened, with the Sharks having one final try to tie the game.  However, our "D" stepped up huge, and didn't allow the Sharks into the endzone down the stretch, highlighted by a great 4th down sack by Fabio to seal the win.

I must say that what happened after the game is what really will stick with me.  The Sharks players - who I must commend for playing with extreme heart and determination - were all very friendly and gracious, and I enjoyed talking at length with many of them.  They are a quality team, who despite 3 close losses, are getting better every week and show the level of competitiveness in the IFL.  The moments spent after the game with our family, friends, teammates, and now competitors makes me further realize that football is much more than just the SCOREBOARD... but about the experience of being in the "arena" and getting to learn more about yourself as a person and grow from the lessons you have learned.

~ J. Twice

Sharks Gameday

GAMEDAY: WEEK 3

Sharks Palermo (0-2) 

at 

Elephants Catania (1-1)

Stadio Santa Maria Goretti

Catania, Sicily

On Saturday, we open our home schedule with a game against our cross-island rivals, the Sharks from Palermo.  We are very excited to be finally playing in front of our family and friends here in Catania, and have been spreading the word to everyone we know!

The Homefield of the Elephants.

Look for results and highlights on Sunday!

Ciao,

J. Twice 

Photo-Essay: Catania Market

Today we spent the morning at Catania's famous fish market... which runs everyday and sells MUCH MORE than just fish.  My first reaction was... how, after 80 days, have we not been here before?  

We bought fruit, vegetables, and meat, which Christie later turned into a fabulous lunch.  Here's a few shots from the market from the J. Twice School of Photography as a sort of "Photo Essay."  Enjoy!

The Butcher.

Gritty Hands.

Fish Chaos.

VOTE ON PICTURE TITLE:

a) Out of Body Experience.

b) A real Fisheye.

Hanging Mozzarella.

Big Man.  Small Tomatoes.

Multicolored Bins.

~ J. Twice