This video is of the explosions from the same night we were driving up to the mountain. Listen to the rumbling in the background; that is exactly what it sounded like when we were there.
- The Latimer's
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Playing with Lava
Happy Bar Mitzvah Zion!!
The exploration spirit really kicked in here. The boys had so much fun playing in the craters and on ash mounds. Zion keeps talking about this place to every new friend we meet.
-The Latimers
Journey to the Monte
We just drove up the mountain winding our way through the little villages to the top. We were looking for a hotel or B&B but little was open, for this is the slow season. We finally found a hotel randomly along the road. Eliza walked in and they acted shocked to see a guest. We had the place to ourselves.
My last sight in the night was seeing Zion's face beaming with excitement and anticipation of the coming day. He kept silently mouthing V-O-L-C-A-N-O and then break into giddy laughter.
The ash that landed during the night.
The volcano is alive. All through the night the volcano was erupting and shaking the whole mountain like an approaching monster. The shaking scared Noah into a marsupial state.
In the morning all the towns people on the SE slope were in the streets sweeping ash into large mounds. Who would want to live in a place where everyday ash covered everything? Little did we know that this wasn't the "everyday" but a rare-ish occurrence that we were fortunate to witness.
- The Latimer's
My last sight in the night was seeing Zion's face beaming with excitement and anticipation of the coming day. He kept silently mouthing V-O-L-C-A-N-O and then break into giddy laughter.
The ash that landed during the night.
The volcano is alive. All through the night the volcano was erupting and shaking the whole mountain like an approaching monster. The shaking scared Noah into a marsupial state.
In the morning all the towns people on the SE slope were in the streets sweeping ash into large mounds. Who would want to live in a place where everyday ash covered everything? Little did we know that this wasn't the "everyday" but a rare-ish occurrence that we were fortunate to witness.
- The Latimer's
Sunday, April 28, 2013
The Answer
So apparently no one likes riddles anymore. There were two honest attempts.
So the answer we were looking for was 'Mount Etna'. Though most people in American have never heard of it (including me) we should know it, for it is the highest active volcano in Europe. It is listed as an inactive volcano in the Merriam-Webster dictionary I have on my phone, but that is extremely false. As we approached, the beast was spewing hot lava quite high into the air against the setting sun. Upon seeing this we had some doubts about our sanity of driving towards it, but this was an excursion for our son.
Zion has been so enthralled with volcanoes for the last little bit. Many times throughout the last months he will ask me about what can stop hot lava. "Is it stronger than the fireplace? Is it stronger than concrete? What is stronger than lava? What can stop it?" And his weapon is always some sort of lava gun.
In the 1669 it destroyed the city of Catania. The explosions on Mt. Etna are getting more and more common in recent years. The hotel owner at the top of the mountain is predicting it may do that again soon. "All that needs to happen" he tells me, "is that as it is fulling up it needs to find an easier route out of one of the vents. Then the whole world will hear of Etna again." He thinks that the top of the mountain, where his Hotel sits, is in the safest place because it is near the crater, where it already has an easy exit on the top of the volcano, but the people on the sides and in Catania have to stay on their toes. For one day it will make its way out towards them.
- The Latimer's
So the answer we were looking for was 'Mount Etna'. Though most people in American have never heard of it (including me) we should know it, for it is the highest active volcano in Europe. It is listed as an inactive volcano in the Merriam-Webster dictionary I have on my phone, but that is extremely false. As we approached, the beast was spewing hot lava quite high into the air against the setting sun. Upon seeing this we had some doubts about our sanity of driving towards it, but this was an excursion for our son.
Zion has been so enthralled with volcanoes for the last little bit. Many times throughout the last months he will ask me about what can stop hot lava. "Is it stronger than the fireplace? Is it stronger than concrete? What is stronger than lava? What can stop it?" And his weapon is always some sort of lava gun.
In the 1669 it destroyed the city of Catania. The explosions on Mt. Etna are getting more and more common in recent years. The hotel owner at the top of the mountain is predicting it may do that again soon. "All that needs to happen" he tells me, "is that as it is fulling up it needs to find an easier route out of one of the vents. Then the whole world will hear of Etna again." He thinks that the top of the mountain, where his Hotel sits, is in the safest place because it is near the crater, where it already has an easy exit on the top of the volcano, but the people on the sides and in Catania have to stay on their toes. For one day it will make its way out towards them.
- The Latimer's
Friday, April 26, 2013
Manual
I haven't really driven a stick in 12yrs.
Nothing like immersion.
Yup this is our car a Suzuki Swift, containing our 2 suitcases, 1 large backpack, 3 smaller bags, 2 car seats, 1 travel crib, 2 adults and 3 children. We fit fine...except for Eliza's legs.
- The Latimer's
Nothing like immersion.
Yup this is our car a Suzuki Swift, containing our 2 suitcases, 1 large backpack, 3 smaller bags, 2 car seats, 1 travel crib, 2 adults and 3 children. We fit fine...except for Eliza's legs.
- The Latimer's
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