Pa and Uncle Ricco's Visit

We were really happy that Pa and Uncle Ricco could come and stay with us over the last week.  Pa had just finished a 10 day stint in New Orleans at a Jazz School (he even made the front page of the New Orleans paper marching with his slide trombone!) and Ricco arrived ahead of a stay to visit friends in Florida and Boston.  Hope you enjoy the photos of their stay!

Can't come to the US without sampling some of the local Ales. 
Pa and I are having a Troegs Pale Ale while Ricco enjoys
a water at Alibi's Pub in Carlisle.



Pa and Ricco were in town for the Army War College 'Boat Wars'.  Syndicates were required to build a boat using cardboard and tape and then race it the length of the pool. Dinner that night was hot dogs, burgers and beers..

.

Ricco, Me, JJ (Student from Romania) and Pa
at the AWC Boat Wars

 We took the opportunity while Pa and Ricco were here to get down to Gettysburg - about 40mins South of here.  It was a full day with a look at the Visitor Centre, a battlefield tour and a walk through the museum.  The curators have done a really wonderful job at preserving the battlefield as well as giving a clear and succinct narrative of what happened on this ground back in July 1863.  The scale of the fighting (and the losses!) is quite amazing.


Not sure whether Abe would
appreciate Doogs' bunny ears...



Cannon like these mark significant spots all over the
battlefield.  The fencing is also pretty common - no nails, no
holes...just pieces of timber leaned together.



Doogs and Pa at the Mississippi Memorial on the
Western (Confederate) side of the battlefield.



The tour guide gives us the narrative at
'Little Round Top' at the Southern end of the
Gettysburg Battlefield.



Ferg, Pa, Ricco, Doogs and Fi at Little Round Top.  The
view is looking NW across the Peach Orchard towards
the town of Gettysburg.




General Lee's Headquarters building is still standing on
the Western side of the town.

These markers stand testament to the various Regiments
and leaders (in the background) who fought at Gettysburg.



Doogs donned the blue of the Union and
took a musket in his hand.  the supervisor asked
him not to point it at anyone...right before he took
a sight picture on Fergus...



Café Bruges in Carlisle.

Fi and the boys took Ricco and Pa over to Philadelphia on Wed 14 Aug.  Pa was going to start his flight home and Ricco was heading on to Florida and Boston.  Of course, no visit to Philli could be complete without a visit to the Rocky statue and a decent sandwich.  Russ, our US sponsor here in Carlisle who is a Philli local, gave us the tip to have a sandwich at Dinics.  They weren't disappointed!

 

Doogs and Uncle Ricco at the Rocky
statue in Philli.

 

The boys hit the Rocky stairs
outside the Museum of Art in Philli.

They don't come much better than
Dinic's pork and beef sandwiches.

Ricco started with an entrée...

Thumbs up all round for Dinics sandwich!

 

 So 504 Belveder is pretty quiet now that Pa and Ricco have gone on their separate ways.  Until next time...

 

Our First International Fellows / Families Excursion

As part of our induction (or indoctrination!), the College takes students and families to various parts of the country to give us an insight into US history and way of life.  Our first hit out was to Lancaster to see how the Amish people live and then onto to Philadelphia.  We really loved the history in Philly - hadn't realised what a key role the city had played in US independence and in drafting the constitution. 

A typical Amish house - big enough to accommodate
an average of 7 children.

Fi and Doogs beside some of the carriages
produced in the Amish workshops.

Fi with one of the Amish animals.  The sign reads: 'Please
keep your distance from Golden Dust - she has been
known to bite!'

The boys with one of our
favourite classmates, Richard from Uganda.

The boys with Charlie (Poland) outside
Independence Hall in Philly.

Fi and Doogs inside Independence Hall, the very room where
George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and others nutted out
the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Fi with the Liberty Bell in Philly.

Doogs, Charlie (Poland), Julian (Germany) and Ferg.



From L-R: Dougal, Fergus, Andrea (Chile), Tara (Canada),
Julian (Germany), Charlie (Poland), Veronika (Poland), Ingrid (Norway).