Carnevale?

So I've come across a new Italy trinket that I thought was interesting/weird. I know everyone knows about mardi gras which inevitably ends with Fat Tuesday where everyone gets really drunk and does stupid stuff. Well here it is called Carnevale and it is the 40 days leading up to Lent, where you would give up something to identify with the sacrifice of Christ. They celebrate a little differently here. Children have been running around town in costumes for the past month and they spray shaving cream and silly string at people in celebrationg for Carnevale. Does this sound strange to anyone? I guess parents just let them do whatever they want and that is their rebellion before Lent...I really don't know. Francine has already been attacked twice by kids while she has been walking. Today I was walking along the ocean, which is a really popular walking area, and I realized I was in the gauntlet of dressed up children armed with silly string and such. Thankfully it started to rain so I was saved from being attacked. But, alas, the big celebration is this Tuesday and I just know that my fate lies in the hands of these punks. So I'll let you know how that goes.

I know it has been a while since I have posted. It was right before my big trip, which was fabulous. I felt like such a jet-setter, except flying really cheap airlines and sleeping in airports. So I'm going to give you some pictures to help sum up my trip.


Dublin. This is Francine and I in front of a typical pub. It was cold, but oh so magical!


This is the view from my hotel room in Nerja, Spain (aka the motherland) where we had our Mid-year conference.


We went to the Rock of Gibralter for a day, which turns out is right across from Morocco (the hunk of land in the background). So, we thought it was fitting if we acted like african animals for the occasion.


We were trying to take a picture on top of the lions in Trafalgar Square, London and everyone else was ready, but I was having some trouble getting around the Lion's large butt. Nathan kept assuring me that he would catch me, but as you can see he was lying.