News About The Greer Family
February 10, 2003: Storms, Visitors, and Festivals
Winter Storm
Part of the appeal of coming to Tunisia for the winter was the fantastic weather that we would get to enjoy. The picture above is more typical of the weather that we have experienced since the New Year. Everyone tells us "the weather is never like this". This seems to be a common refrain that we hear in the Mediterranean, so we don't know if weather patterns are really changing or whether people just have selective memory about the weather. It's also been cold and we are glad that we have all of our Vancouver winter weather gear onboard Dragonsinger as we have had to use it all. The day this picture was taken the temperature was 8-9C and the wind was blowing more than 70 km/hr.
Visitors
Bobbie, Karalee, Brandy, and Jocelyn
For only the second time in one and a half years we have visitors onboard Dragonsinger. What is surprising, or perhaps it shouldn't be, is that it's the same person who has visited us both times. Last year, Bobbie joined us in Palma de Mallorca. This year, she has brought her daughter Brandy to see and explore Tunisia. The day after they arrived, all of the ladies headed to the southern part of Tunisia. They plan to spend two nights in the desert, then explore more that Tunisia has to offer.
'Id al-Adha
Sheep
The biggest festival of the year in Islamic culture is 'Id al-Adha (shortened to Aïd). This two-day festival starts with the ritual killing of an animal, which in Tunisia means a sheep. All around Monastir this week there have been lots of sheep. Whether they are stuffed into the trunk of a car or carried in the arms of a person on the back of a motor scooter, the sheep all seem tranquil and unaware of the big part they will play in Aïd on Tuesday. While in Western eyes this may seem a little gruesome, it is important to remember that sacrificing animals has been a custom in the Mediterranean for many thousands of years.
School
Allen and a Dinosaur Egg
Our weeks since the New Year are been following a regular Monday to Friday routine. We focus on school five days a week and all of us are ready for a break when the weekend comes around. It is surprising how we fall back into regular routines, even if we are in a completely different country and culture. Our travel schedule will start again in March or April, so we are pushing to get a lot of school done before then. Allen is currently working on a Dinosaur module which he's been really enjoying, especially when he gets to make dinosaur eggs.
Travel Pictures
Siracusa
David has spent some time organizing pictures from Siracusa, Sicily, Italy and Malta. Siracusa is an ancient city that has been struggled over for the last two thousand years. Malta is small in size, but large in statue as it commands a key strategic role in the shipping lanes of the Mediterranean. Click on the links below to get a feel for either place.
- Italy:
- Malta: