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BUON ANNO! Italian Capodanno (News Year) Traditions

12/29/2017

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Capodanno (New Year) and the Festa de San Silvestro (Festival of St. Silvester)
Most cultures and countries celebrate the New Year (whenever it comes) by eating, drinking, celebrating, and often watching fireworks. They all tend to look at the New Year as a "new beginning" which they hope will bring good things (luck, health, fortune, love,) and good times in the coming year. They meet the day with anticipation and joy.

In Italy, December 31 is the Feast Day of San Silvestro, a saint who served as Pope from 314 to 335 and oversaw the conversion of Roman Emperor Constantine 1st's conversion to Christianity. Since the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, this day coincides with New Year's Eve and is the source of some of the Italian New Year's traditions, which are rife with symbolism.

So … what is it the Italians do to celebrate New Year's Eve?

EAT THE TRADITIONAL MEAL
Italians never miss a chance to celebrate an event with food, usually specialized for the kind of event. The nature of the specialty depends of the kinds of foodstuffs available at the time and location of the celebration and the local superstitions and beliefs. However, the New Year's Eve meal is very symbolic and well thought-out.

The traditional Italian New Year's meal features pork sausage [Cotechino] and lentils [lenticchie]. The meat is from the actual hoof of the pig [lo zampone] which is considered symbolic of abundance and bountifulness, apparent in the high fat content of the pork. This isn't just an Italian tradition. I imagine it comes from the time when pork could only be butchered in the winter.

The shape and color of the lentils reminds one of gold coins, thus representing money earned in the coming year. Thus, to the Italian way of thinking, the more you eat, the better off you'll be. Lentils are also long lasting and represent longevity.
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The tradition of eating one spoonful of lentils for each sounding of the bell at midnight is rarely carried out these days, but has been translated into a different form by the Spanish.
Traditionally, the New Year's Eve dinner ends with eating grapes and other dried fruits. Grapes on the table are supposed to ensure the diners will be frugal with their money. This is based on the superstition that if an individual resists eating the grape harvest before the New Year, he or she has the willpower to be frugal and spend wisely.

While this belief has been around for back hundreds of years, the more recent tradition from Spain of eating 12 grapes in 12 seconds, one per each stroke of midnight dates back to the 1800's and had been adopted in many other countries. According to Judy Cantor-Navas on foodrepublic.com, "Eating the grapes pretty much guarantees starting off the year with a little adrenaline rush, and most likely some laughs. While the goal of getting the 12 grapes down in time can spark a contest of who is más macho around the table, the biggest challenge is more likely to be not gagging as you cram them in your mouth and try to swallow while laughing hysterically."

WEAR RED UNDERWEAR
Whether or not you have a date, both men and women wear red undergarments on New Year's Eve. This tradition apparently dates from early celebrations of the Feast Day of San Silvestro.
While red traditionally means, in many cultures, love, good fortune, and fertility, the color has been used for centuries to ward off war, disasters, evil spirits, and negativity, and has a more general meaning than good fortune in love or sexual endeavors, as most modern Italians believe.
Your New Year's Eve underwear not only needs to be red, but it must be new and given to you by someone else. No raggy old underwear is acceptable, and it's considered cheating if you buy your own new garments. I supposed you and a friend could each buy for the other without violating the code.

Finally, tradition requires that these be thrown out the day after the party for the ritual to be effective. Maybe that's why one sees vast displays of cheap red underwear between Christmas and New Year.

THROW THE OLD OUT THE WINDOW
It's a bird. It's a plane. It's a unidentified falling object! It's New Year's Eve in Italy.

The first New Year's Eve I experienced in Rome in 1963, I was surprised to learn you couldn't be on the streets from about 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. because it was traditional for people to throw out old possessions, particularly crockery but even furniture, out of the windows. Apparently, in southern Italy that was considered symbolic for getting rid of the getting old to welcome in the new year. Porbably elsewhere as well.
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Since most of the apartment buildings in old Rome were four to six stories high, that could be a lot of debris and deadly for anyone on the sidewalk. The people who owned cars in those days, had to park them off the streets in protected locations. Around 3 a.m. a fleet of street sweepers [men with brooms, not machines] flooded the areas of Rome popular for parties, and began sweeping up the trash. Even years later, when the populace stopped throwing out so much of the heavy stuff, they would still throw out champagne bottles [spumante, in Italy] which can do almost as much damage to a skull.
Since I can't find many photos on the internet of the Italian streets after a New Year's Eve I assume the Romans have replaced the falling objects with the alternative tradition of crashing pot and pans together at your front door to frighten the evil spirits. That tradition actually comes from another ancient Roman festival, which is unrelated to New Years.

SMASH PLATES
Smashing plates, glasses, and other glass and pottery items against the ground is another tradition to drive away bad omens which might contaminate the coming year. Since throwing things out the window is related to southern Italy, perhaps this accomplishes the same thing for other Italians.

WATCH FIREWORKS
Watching fireworks is not exclusive to Italians or invented by them, but they go in for the big bangs. It's very dramatic to see fireworks light the skies above ancient monuments, but there's a purpose to their madness. Superstition has it that demons and negative spirits don't like loud noises. Fireworks ensure that, in addition to entertaining the revelers with awe-inspiring sights, the bad spirits are gone before the new year begins.

PLAY CARDS ALL NIGHT

Even at the most trendy New Year's Eve parties, many of the guests of all ages will spend the entire night playing cards or tombola, a game similar to bingo. Tombola originated in Naples in the 1700s to get around gambling, which the church frowned on. As a concession to the church, King Charles of Naples banned gambling during the Christmas period, but the Neopolitans got around the law by playing bingo at home. Another card game popular in the south is Scopa.
Italians party until sunrise on January 1 so they can see the new year arrive. They don't do anything half way.
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CONFRONT THE FUTURE
Italians love superstitions. New Year’s superstition foresees the first person you meet after midnight on New Year is the person who establishes what kind of year you will have. Meeting someone older of the opposite sex means you will have a great year because this is a sign you will live a long life and be lucky in love. Avoid seeing a baby or someone of the same sex. This is not the best start for the year.
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Variations of the omen cautions Italians to avoid meeting a doctor first, because it means your health will deteriorate. Seeing a priest or a postman are also bad omens, although I didn’t find an explanation. From my own experience with my husband’s Italian family, I’d say it means someone will die or at least you’ll be getting some bad news.
 
BANG ON OLD POTS AND PANS
This action is supposed to exorcise previous bad luck and evil spirits. This, along with throwing old things out the window and smashing crockery, symbolizes an attitude of letting go of unhappiness in preparation for a better, more promising future. Wear a crash helmet.
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​“Out with the old …”
EXCHANGE SMALL PRESENTS                               "... and in with the new”
Exchanging gifts is considered lucky. Favored items include sweets, jars of honey, gold or silver items, money and coins, as well as lamps. The sweets and honey signify peace and the sweetness of life, precious metals and currency invoke prosperity, and lamps are thought to bring light (good fortune, happiness, wisdom, and so on) into one’s life for the next year.
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In some places such as Naples, however, this custom can differ slightly, and instead of the items mentioned, they use figs wrapped in bay leaves. This is an echo of an ancient Roman tradition of exchanging jars of figs and dates in honey, together with a bay branch, for good luck.
 
LIGHT THE YULE LOG
Yet another way to drive evil spirits away is to light the Yule log on the last day of the year. Its flames are believed to scare away any malevolent spirit, and it is also a gesture of inviting the Virgin Mary into your home, where she can warm the infant Jesus near the fire. After the log has burned out, the ashes are then collected and used as charms to protect the home from various types of damage.


FINALLY, GO JUMP … IN THE TIBER
A more recent tradition -- for a very few but growing number of people -- is to jump off the one of Rome’s many bridges into the Tiber River. The very cold Tiber River.

In the photos, brave Italians jump from the Cavour Bridge, which serves as a traditional New Year celebration which dates back to 1946, in Rome, capital of Italy.
HOWEVER YOU CELEBRATE, BUON ANNO!
Happy New Year! See you in January, 2018.

Resources 
https://www.buzzfeed.com/conzpreti/the-weirdest-new-years-eve-traditions-from-around-the-world?utm_term=.avAX9xW5y#.trB24Km07
https://selectitaly.com/blog/all-you-can-italy/new-years-eve-traditions/
http://www.thelocal.it/20151231/italian-new-year-traditions-and-superstitions
http://www.123newyear.com/newyear-traditions/italian.html
http://www.italymagazine.com/featured-story/new-years-eve-italian-traditions
https://www.touritalynow.com/blog/buon-anno-italian-new-years-eve-customs/





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CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD

12/22/2017

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CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD
Most of us living in the US and Europe know the common Christmas traditions of the western world. Although Christmas is a Christian religious celebration, it's surprising to find it is celebrated throughout the world, sometimes in places we wouldn't expect, and sometimes mixing Christian and local traditions.
Merry Christmas!


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FRANCE – "JOYEUX NOEL!"


● The Nativity scene is familiar throughout the Christian world, but the French are "Creche Crazy." In addition to the usual figures, all sort of other people [called Santons] are present, such as the baker, the street sweeper, the butcher, street vendors, and so on.                                 
     

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● "Father Slapper" exists under several pseudonyms, but in France he is Pére Fouettard, the "Whipping Father" or "Slapping Santa" who travels with St. Nicholas and brings a whip to punish naughty children. Wow! That's a new one on me.

● Instead of leaving a snack of milk and cookies for Santa or hanging up stockings, French children leave their shoes by the fireplace, hoping Pére Noel will fill them with small presents, candy, and nuts.
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SWEDEN – "GOD JUL AND (OCH) ETT GOTT NYTT AR!"


In Sweden the Christmas is all about time spent with family and friends and eating lots of food and sweets.

The festivities start with the St. Lucia ceremony on December 13, the Winter Solstice on the old Julian calendar. The youngest girl in each family dresses in white with a red sash and wears a crown of evergreens with tall candles attached to it. Small children now use battery candles, but real ones are used after about 12-years-old.

Santa Lucia was a young Christian girl who was killed for her faith in 302 AD. There are several stories, but the most popular is that this girl brought food to the persecuted Christians in Rome when they were hiding in the catacombs. She wore the candles on her head so she would have both hands to carry the food.


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GERMANY – "FROHE WEIHNACHTEN" or "FROEHLICHE WEIHNACHTEN!"

● Advent is an important part of the German celebrating of the season. An Advent Calendar can be a wreath of fir tree branches is decorated with 24 decorated bags or boxes hung from it, each marked with the day and holding a small present. An "Advent Kranz" is a ring of fir branches with four candles which are lit at the beginning of each week in Advent.


●Carp or goose are often served as the traditional Christmas meal, and Stollen is a popular fruited yeast bread eaten at Christmas.

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NEW ZEALAND – "MERI KIRIHIMETE!"

Even though Christmas comes in the summer in the southern hemisphere, the European traditions of the Christmas tree, snow, Santa Claus, are familiar but have local twists. The native Maori have influenced some of the Christmas traditions.

Maroi gingerbread cookies       Maori Christmas Dance        Strawberry/Kiwi Pavlova


● Caroling is a Christmas tradition there, but the islands have their own Christmas songs which are set to traditional tunes sung in Maori, and original titles such as A pukeko in a ponga tree.
 

● Santa is often seen in parades and at stores wearing jandals [New Zealand flip-flops] and occasionally wears a New Zealand "All Blacks" rugby shirt.
 
● Children leave out carrots for Santa's reindeer and beer and pineapple for Santa.
 
● Along with conventional Christmas Trees [with Kiwi birds as toppers instead of an angel or star], the New Zealand Pōhutukawa tree is associated with Christmas. They grow to a large size but small ones can be decorated along with their red flowers. They are often found on Christmas cards.

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EGYPT – "EIDMILAD MAJID!" [Egyptian]  or  "EID ALMILAD!" [Arabic]


Egyptian Arabic for our Merry Christmas means Glorious Birth Feast, Although only 15% of the people are Christians, most of whom belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church, they are not the only Egyptians who celebrate Christmas. It is popular as a secular holiday with other religions there.
 
●Christmas is celebrated on the 7th of January [as in Ethiopia, and some Orthodox in Russia and Serbia].

●During Advent, the 43 days before Christmas [November 25 through January 6], Coptic Christians eat a vegan diet, no animal products. It is called "The Holy Nativity Fast".

● Baba Noel [Father Christmas] is expected to climb through a window, not come down a chimney. I'm not sure if he rides on a sleigh or a camel.


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CHINA - "SHENG DAN KUAI LE!"  [Mardarin] or "SEN DAN FAI LOK!" [Cantonese]


Here, only 1% of the population is Christian, so it's possible to assume most Chinese don't know much about the religious basis for Christmas. Nevertheless, in large cities [most of them are large by our standards], the holiday has been embraced. Shopping malls and some streets are decorated in traditional themes, including Christmas trees.\

● In China, it is called "Sheng Dan Jieh" which means Holy Birth Festival.

● Most of the world's artificial Christmas trees and decorations are produced in China by people who do not know what the items are used for.

●A popular Christmas Eve tradition is giving apples. Stores sells them wrapped in colored paper. In Chinese, Christmas eve is called "Ping'an Ye" which means peaceful or quiet evening which was translated from the carol "Silent Night".


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INDIA - "SHUB NAYA BARAS!"

There are 25 million Christians in India, which is only 2½ % of the population which is predominantly Muslin and Hindu. Christmas is not as big a festival as others but is widely celebrated, mostly in the southern part of the country, and fun.
 
● Instead of the traditional Christmas tree, banana or mango trees are decorated.

● Paper lanterns [leftovers from Diwali, The Hindu Festival of Lights] are hung between houses and clay lanterns are placed on ledges and window sills.     


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ICELAND - "GLEÐILEG JÓL!"




Christmas in Iceland is known as "Yule" or "Jól" and originated as the ancient winter solstice celebrations which were absorbed into early Christian tradition. Yule includes New Year through Epiphany.
 
●December 23, or Þorláksmessa, is a celebration of Iceland's major Saint, Saint Thorlakur Thorhallsson, the Bishop of Skálholt, who died on December 23rd. This is the day the traditional Christmas tree is decorated.
 
●Annar Jóladagur, is Boxing Day, the 26th of December. Public entertainment is not considered appropriate for Christmas eve and day, but on Boxing Day dancing is again allowed.
 
●Everyone gets a new piece of clothing and a book during Yule. Children also receive a candle and sometime a pack of cards.
 
●It is tradition to light up and decorate cemeteries during Yule season.


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● Another Yule custom is the coming of the Jólasveinarnir or Yuletide Lads. These are magical people who come from the mountains each day during the Yule celebration. From December 12 to Yule Eve a different lad comes. Legend has it that the Jólasveinar first came to Iceland in the 17th century as the sons of Grýla and Leppalúði, a couple of child-eating, bloodthirsty ogres.
 
This is an interesting beginning for beings the Icelanders consider playful imps who like to eat and play tricks on people. They leave little presents for children in shoes placed on the windowsill.
 
The child may get a potato or message telling them to be good next year. The last one leaves January 8, the day the Epiphany is celebrated. Presents may also be brought by Jólasveinn, or Yule Man.


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JAPAN - "MERI KURISUMASU!"

Christmas has only been celebrated in Japan for a few decades, so there aren't any truly Japanese traditions, except for foods prepared especially for Christmas. It isn't a religious holiday, and it's not a day off, but is widespread in cities with decorations in malls and the ubiquitous Santa Claus. The Japanese think of Christmas as more of a time to spread happiness. Christmas Eve is more like a romantic day when couples spend time together and give each gifts.
 
●Eating Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas day is a favorite. In China Christmas is KFC's busiest day of the year.
 
●Traditional Japanese Christmas dessert is sponge cake decorated with strawberries and whipped cream.


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AUSTRALIA – "HAPPY CHRISTMAS!"

Christmas comes in the summer "down under". The day is celebrated at the beginning of summer vacation there, and traditionally Australians have a big picnic on the beach. But most of the early settlers came to Australia from Britan and Ireland and, of course, brought their Christmas traditions with them.
 
● Christmas dinner is often a picnic at the beach with cold meats, prawns, crayfish, oysters, and other seafood. Lots of mangos, cherries and other summer fruits, and Christmas Crackers.


● Australians decorate their home with, Christmas trees, wreaths [often made of their Christmas flower, ceratopetalum-gumm], candles, and what we would consider similar decorations.
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● They also put out Christmas lights and neighborhoods are very competitive. You can see very beautiful to many lights to very tacky. A family in Canberra won a place in the Guinnes World Records for 19 miles of lights [500,000 lights].

Photo from Bill Chappel article on Breaking news from NPR


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● A very popular event is called Carols by Candlelight, either in groups of friends and family, or at outdoor concert venues.
 
● When Santa reaches Australia, he gives the reindeer a break and makes his rounds with kangaroos.


DO YOU KNOW OF OTHER INTERESTING CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS?
 
Resources
http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/merry.htm
http://christmas.lovetoknow.com/chinese-christmas-traditions
http://www.clubpimble.com/fun-pimble/15-countries-that-have-different-names-for-santa-claus
http://www.all-about-india.com/Christmas-In-India.html
http://randomvacay.com/worlds-12-weirdest-christmas-celebrations/
http://www.geishablog.com/uncategorized/celebrating-christmas-in-japan/
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/beyond-a-traditional-holiday-15-unique-ways-to-celebrate-in-japan
http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/newzealand.shtml
https://www.reference.com/holidays-celebrations/people-south-africa-celebrate-christmas-2ddc577ab1a8d6dc
http://goafrica.about.com/od/peopleandculture/a/christmas.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Itx1nyHbDE
https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-christmas/christmas-traditions-around-the-world-ga1.htm
https://interiorsonline.com.au/blogs/inspiration/diy-australian-inspired-christmas-wreath
https://98five.com/carols-christmas-guide-2016/Z
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/11/26/247164212/500-000-lights-familys-christmas-display-sets-new-world-record
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/australia-food-blog/2014/dec/23/how-to-do-an-australian-christmas
 


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ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR: The Bird Flu Incident

12/15/2017

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If you read my blog, you know that next month Desert Breeze Publishing will release DESTRUCTION OF THE GREAT WALL, the third book in my action/ adventure/ romance series: "Tour Director Extraordinaire". This will be the first time it's been in "print".

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Okay, you know that! You don’t know this.

The heroine, Harriet Ruby, had an "adventure" on her trip to China which didn't make the cut since it's totally irrelevant to the story line … but fun! The characters in this scene, now on the cutting room floor, includes our heroine, Harriet, and her aunt Connie while they are on a tour in Xi'an, China.

This is a taste of the series without being a spoiler. Enjoy.
 




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HARRIET RUBY’S BIRD FLU ADVENTURE

 
    
That night I actually slept. Not soundly, mind you, but it was better than mountain climbing with a herd of sheep. I missed Will and flopped around trying to find a comfortable position, but my dreams were pleasant. At least no one shot at me.
     It was still early when I awoke, so I took my time showering and getting dressed. My intention was to stop by the dining room and grab a cup of coffee-to-go and a piece of fruit on the way to the lobby. In the middle of trying to tame my hair—which insisted on acting as an independent entity having nothing to do with the rest of me—the telephone rang.
     A strong sense of duty overpowered my inclination not to answer. Besides, there was an off chance it might be Will calling. "Hello?"
     “Harriet, come quick!” Connie’s hysterical voice blasted me through the telephone.
​     In my short career as a tour director, those words had become two of my least favorites in the English language. I held the receiver away from my ear. “What’s the matter, Connie?”
     “It’s hard to explain. You see, Mario and your parents left earlier for breakfast and—”
     "Connie, cut to the chase. What’s wrong?”
     “I’m getting to that. I called room service for coffee, then poured a cup and took it out on the balcony and—”
     "What happened?" I think I raised my voice ... unintentionally, of course.
​     "Well, you don’t have to shout. Anyway, I spotted this bird … I mean, not standing up or singing or anything … but flopped on the pavement. You know … dead.”
​     Jeez. “I’m on my way.” I found my aunt still in her dressing gown, her hair stuffed into a terry cloth turban. On her hands she wore white cotton gloves like you buy at the pharmacy. In one, she held the plastic bag the hotel provided for dirty laundry.

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     "Thanks for coming,” she said, her voice imbued with relief. The miracle-worker had arrived.
     "No problem. What’s in the bag?”
     "I think I need you to translate for me.”
     Great. Whatever was going on, it had to be worse than I could imagine … and that’s saying a lot. With a sigh, I nodded and sat on the chair.  “Why don’t you try again?”
     “I guess that wasn’t very clear, was it? Okay, I found a dead bird on the balcony and thought it might have died from the Bird Flu. I heard on the English news channel last night about new outbreaks infecting people. Some of them have died. I thought there was no sense in taking chances.”
     So she called me to take the chance. “I’m with you so far.”
     “Well, I always carry gloves because I get this rash on my hands when—”
     I cut her off with, “I’ve got the picture. You put on the gloves because Avian Flu is very contagious. Good idea. Then what?”
     She glared at me, sincerely distraught but still wanting to spin the tale in her own leisurely and disconnected way. “I bent a wire hanger, pulled the bird onto a sheet of newspaper, and shoved the whole thing into this bag. When I called the front desk to report it, whoever answered had no idea what I was talking about.”
     Why was I not surprised? “What do you expect me to do?”
     My aunt expelled a huff of exasperation. “Well … report it to someone. This Avian Flu thing is a real health crisis, you know, so finding a diseased bird might be important.”
     I had to admit Connie was right about that. Avian Flu was a full scale medical emergency in the Orient and reporting the incident was the responsible thing to do. Points for Connie.
     I glanced at my watch. There was still time. “It’s only eight. Let me do some checking, and I’ll call if I find out anything.” I stood to leave.
     Connie turned white. “You’re not going to leave me here, are you?” Her voice was high and agitated. “I mean, holding this dead … creature?”
     How pathetic. With a resigned sigh, I sat down at the table and searched in the desk drawer until I found the English-language phone book. It wouldn’t do any good to argue with her.
     After several minutes of searching, I found the listing for a government department with a title the sounded like it might have something to do with public health. I punched in the number, wondering where this office was located and how much the call would add to my hotel bill.
     By eight thirty, after being transferred five times, I ended up with the phone number of the Beijing office of the World Health Organization. Eventually, the receptionist connected me with a German   research scientist named Bonavein Honroth.
     “You can call me Boni,” he said in a friendly but serious manner. Since his English seemed a little skitzy, we conversed in German.
     Bonnie? Bony? I don’t think so. “Hello, Mr. Honroth. My name’s Harriet Ruby-Talbot. I’m calling from Xi'an. China.”  I explained the dead-bird situation for what seemed the hundredth time. At least now I sensed the person on the other end of the line understood what I was blathering about.
     “A dead bird,” he said when I’d finished. Over the phone, his voice sounded thoughtful and distant. “And you’re calling from Xian? Birds die from many causes, you know, but we’ve had some incidents in that general area. It was wise to call this in.”
     “Thanks. What do you need to know?”
     “First, I need you to ascertain whether or not the bird died of starvation.”
​     Oh. Come. On. He had to be kidding. “How am I supposed to do that?”
     “I’ll walk you through it. But don’t take the bird out of the plastic bag or touch it.”
     Like I needed that advice. Connie huddled near the phone listening to the voice at the other end of the line as though she could understand what he was saying. I suppose she took comfort in knowing that I wasn’t pretending to talk to someone to appease her. Would I do something like that?
     “All right, hold on.” I covered the speaker with my hand and turned to my aunt. “Give me the bag.”
She stripped off the gloves and handed them over with the laundry bag. I put on the gloves and picked up the phone. “Okay, go for it.”
     "Turn the bird over,” he instructed. “Birds with the Avian Flu actually die of starvation. If so, your bird should have a hole in its stomach.”
     “A hole?” Astonished, I lapsed into English.
     Bonavein cleared his throat. “I mean, the stomach will be collapsed. It caves in and leaves a deep indentation like a hole. Not necessarily a perforation.”
     “Okay, give me a minute. It’s awkward maneuvering this in a plastic bag.” I put down the receiver again. By gently shaking the bag, I succeeded in getting the bird upside down on top of the newspaper, but I couldn’t see any details.
     “Go to the window and hold it up to the light,” Connie suggested.
     Good idea ... for once. By putting my eyes close to the plastic, I eventually got a fix on the dead bird’s belly.  Open-mouthed, I stared at it long and hard. "Oh, shit!"
     I put it down and picked up the phone again. “Okay, Bonaven, there is a hole, but it’s not what you’d expect.”
     “Is it perforated?” he asked.
     Isn't a hole a perforation by definition? "Yes, it’s been perforated … but on purpose.”
     He sucked in a breath. “I beg your pardon? Are you saying the bird was perforated deliberately?”
     Heat crept up my neck, and I coughed a few time. “Ahh, well, yes … so a wooden dowel can be inserted.”
     "I beg your pardon?” he repeated as though I dropped an anvil on his head. A little stunned, to say the least.
     “What I’m saying, to my chagrin, is that it’s an artificial bird. A garden ornament.”
     Behind me Connie gasped and swore in Italian.
     "Sh.” My hiss quieted her down. “I’m terribly sorry about this, Mr. Honroth. I’ve wasted a lot of your time,”--and mine—“but I assure you, it was not intentional.”
     Complete silence.  I visualized a blond German scientist in a white lab coat curled up under his desk in a catatonic state, eyes rolled back into his head and holding a telephone receiver in one limp hand.

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​     Finally the man cleared his throat again. “That’s quite all right,” he forced out, his voice an octave higher than before. “Better not to take chances. Good day, Ms. Ruby-Talbot.”
​     Had I mentioned my name? Rats! I hoped I hadn’t told him I was a tour director. “Bye.” I dropped the receiver in its cradle as if it were red-hot metal and glared at my aunt.
     "
Well ... through the bag it looked like a real bird,” she said defensively. "I was upset!"
     I snatched up the plastic bag containing the dead specimen and pushed it into her hands.  “Aunt Connie, I think this is yours,” I said and stomped out the door.
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                                                                         Question: When I googled images of an “Artificial bird on stick”,
​                                                                         why in the world would the search engine come up with this dinosaur?
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THE TERRACOTTA ARMY: Xi'an, china

12/9/2017

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Book 3 of the Tour Director Extraordinaire Series will be released in January, 2018. The title, Destruction Of The Great Wall, gives you a clue where it's set, although it is about an metaphorical emotional wall as well. I'm thrilled because this will be in print for the first time. Before, the publications were as e-books. I just can't give up print books.

China is such a vast country with an incredibly long and colorful history, there are too many wonderful things to even list. You'll be seeing a lot of blogs about China in the coming months. Thank you for bearing with me.

THE GREAT ARCHEOLOGICAL FIND OF THE 20TH CENTURY
Unearthing the Terracotta Army in Xi'an, China, is one of the most significant archeological discoveries of the 20th century. The buried mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China, was discovered in 1974 in the Linton District of Xi’an by local farmers digging a well.
​
This photo shows, more or less, how the terrain looked when the discovery was made, even though, in some articles, it is described as a piece of barren wasteland.
Picture
I thought the presence of a mound like this in such flat terrain would have sparked someone’s interest, but surprisingly, this mausoleum was lost to the collective memory at some point in history, in spite of its vast size. In recent centuries, no one knew of its existence.

The discovery quickly drew the attention of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, and soon a full scale excavation began. Qin Shi Huang’s burial complex is very large – an estimated 21 square miles -- making it hard to believe the monumental construction lay forgotten for nearly two thousand years. While it is true archeologists continually find artifacts, structures, and cities from humanity’s ancient past, they usually have an idea what they are looking for. No one was even looking for this one.

QIN SHI HUANG, THE FIRST EMPEROR OF CHINA
Ying Zheng [259 BC – 210 BC] was prince of the State of Qin. At thirteen-years-old, Ying became a boy king and began the construction of his tomb. At the age of thirty-eight he conquered all the warring kingdoms and states of China in 221 B.C. and became Qin Shi Huang, First Emperor of China. He is remembered for his military acumen and interest in object of beauty and sophistication. He is also remembered for his brutality and his suppression of Confucianism.

​His tomb was completed in 208 BCE, shortly before he died or maybe because he died, and is comprised of more than just a burial chamber but a large complex including everything that a king might need in the afterlife – army, servants, chariots, household implements and decorations – everything to help him rule his empire. All full sized.

Picture
​His armies, the Terracotta Warriors [sometimes called Terracotta Army] are life-sized statues made of terracotta clay. Their purpose was to defend the emperor in his afterlife.

This practice is similar to the Egyptian burial of their pharaohs, although the pyramids at Giza predate the Terracotta army by about 2,000 years. The armies, servants, etc. buried with the pharaohs were miniature figures.
                                                                                             
                                                
Portrait of Qin Shi Huang, first emperor of Qin Dynasty
​                                                        from an 18th-century album of Chinese emperors' portraits.
​                                                                                                                    
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_Shi_Huang
​THE TERRACOTTA WARRIORS
The entire burial site, including the warriors, was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987. Although the discovery was made nearly fifty years ago, archeologists still are not sure of the ultimate size of the complex. While the map below is too small to read in detail, notice the center right markings indicating vaults [pits] 1, 2, and 3. That is the extension of the excavation so far.


Four major “pits” had been excavated and restored when I was there in the early 2000s. Many more years of excavation are required to unearth the parts they know about. While it seems a long time, imagine the initial uncovering, digging out, matching the ruins, and rebuilding them.

​           The Site Map                            Workers tagging parts of broken figures    Original State after digging down to statues

Broken terracotta statues                             A final Restoration

​
THE STATUES
The life-sized warriors vary in height [according to role and rank] and facial features. The tallest were the generals and height descends by rank, but the facial features are believed to represent actual individuals. Each of the warriors has a unique face. Originally, the figures were painted, but only a small number have been found with the original brilliant colors.
The warriors wear the kind of dress probably worn during fights. The military ranks can be differentiated by the uniforms, hair, and hats.
​

The buried army also includes full-scale chariots and horses, as well as other non-military statues necessary to the emperor's afterlife, including acrobats, officials, and musicians. These were found in separate pits from the army itself.
  Chariot horses                                            Photo by: Louis Mazzatenta, National Geographic
Picture
​​THE PITS
Estimates from 2007 indicate pits 1, 2, and 3 hold more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which remained buried in the pits nearby Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum. Other terracotta non-military figures were found in other pits, including officials, acrobats, strongmen, musicians, and servants [with probably slaves thrown in for good measure]. Everyone and everything needed to serve the Emperor in the afterlife.

​
Scholars theorize, based on clues left by Sima Qian, a Chinese historian of the early Han dynasty, that some of the craftsmen who had worked on mechanical devices designed to prevent entry into the burial chamber met unfortunate deaths. They had observed the treasures in the Qin Shi Huang tomb and could not be trusted with those secrets. Once they placed the emperor inside the tomb, the passage was blocked. Possibly the craftsmen who knew the secrets remained inside and died beside their leader.

G
eological finds prove the theory that the tomb was looted in ancient times and the weapons and figures broken and burned. Another Military leader, Xiang Yu, is suspected of the arson and looting, so it must have occurred not long after the demise of the emperor.

The size and relationship of the pits is shown in the diagram below. Remember, the four pits excavated so far are represented by the small indications to the middle left of the of the complex drawing above.

Picture
​● Pit 1 covers more than 17,000 square yards and 16 feet deep, containing over 6,000 soldiers and fifty chariots with four horses each. It has been covered by building a structure around it to protect the excavation.
​

Pit 1 - ​Photo: Will Clayton                        Pit 1 - Photo source:                              Pit 2 -   Restored                              
http://alexolah.blogspot.com/2015/05/        Museumofthecity.com        
                      
Pit 2                                                          Pit 2 - Source
​                                                                  https://www.topchinatravel.com/xian/what-is-terracotta-warriors.htm 

 
● Pit 2 comprises 7,176 square yards and contains more complex combat formations of over eighty war chariots and 1,300 warriors and horses, and thousands of bronze weapons. It describes a scene consisting of cavalries, chariots armies, infantries, and archer units. Based on the postures, two is thought to be a special troops pit.

​Apparently, this is where most of the painted warriors have been found. The excavation has been very slow because at present there are no efficient techniques for preserving and maintaining colored terracotta. Once unearthed, the color fades within minutes.
 
● Pit 3 contains only 68 warriors, 1 chariot drawn by 4 horses, and 30 mace heads. Although Pit 3 is smaller than the others, excavations were completed there because it had not been burned, as had Pits 1 and 2 so the contents are in better shape.


​Pit 3 - Photo: https://www.topchinatravel.com/xian/what-is-terracotta-warriors.htm
Pit 4 is empty. Archeologists and historians believe it is empty because the complex was not complete at the time of the Emperor’s death. Though excavations have been slowly uncovering the area over the last 30 years, the underground palace, the central part of the mausoleum has not been excavated. Archaeologists predict that might take 200 years to unearth it all.

When one of our tour group asked the guide why the others hadn’t been excavated, he replied that they would not be touched until the work underway was completed.  That way, future archeologists would have something to do.

WHY THE TOMB REMAINS UNOPENED
There is an ongoing debate in China that has delayed the complete excavation of the Qin Shi Huang tomb. Some people maintain that an excavation is immediately necessary due to the potential for seismic activity in the region. But others argue that China does not yet possess the technology or ability to carry out the exploration properly. There is also trepidation, as stories tell of entryways that have booby traps to prevent access to the tomb, and high levels of mercury could pose a health risk.
​
While these arguments continue, deep within the magnificent mausoleum of the First Emperor of China the remains of Qin Shi Huang still await the promise of immortality. Perhaps he has attained it after all. True immortality rests in the minds of men and in the preservation of history.


PERSONAL ANECDOTES
When I was there in 2001, one of the original farmers who made the discovery was in the gift shop signing books. At least, that’s what we were told. I’ve learned to take everything guides tell tourists with a large grain of salt. I seriously doubt it was the man wrote the book, but he smiled up a storm and signed his name to every one. Agewise, he looked like he might have been a farmer in 1974, but it’s just as likely he was a member of the family or maybe even a complete stranger.

I didn’t buy the book, which I regret, but I did purchase terra cotta replicas of some of the figures (each about 8 inches tall) and hauled them back to California.  We had strick weight limits flying on the Chinese airline, so they were a real pain. I nearly had a stroke when I got home and found the very same figurines in Pier 1 Imports for less than I paid in China.  What a bummer!
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Picture

​​DESTRUCTION OF THE GREAT WALL
Book 3 of the Tour Director Extraordinaire Series
By R. Ann Siracusa

COVER BLURB

I'm Harriet Ruby, Tour Director Extraordinaire. At last, one of my fondest wishes has come true! Will Talbot, my favorite Super Spy and the love of my life, wants to include me in his covert mission to recover a list of double agents for the US government.

Wow! Usually, I want to know everything, and he can't tell me anything. Now, I'll be part of the action. I am so-o going to love this!


Not that I have a big role. I only have to pretend we're husband and wife when he accompanies me on my China tour. The tour group members are strangers we'll never see again, and we can spend three intimate weeks together. I mean, how hard can that be?
            
Surprise, surprise! My parents show up on the tour as replacements for some cancellations. Now, we have to lie and tell them we're married to protect Will's cover. And then, other problems erupt when terrorists kidnap me and my mother to lure Will into a trap. Not to mention the damage my assault rifle does to the Great Wall... Oh, man. It wasn't my fault. Really!
​
EXCERPT

     Will fired off a six-shot burst. “Get down!” he shouted and dropped prone into the tall grass and out of sight. There was no other cover here — nowhere else to go.
     I dove onto my stomach after him, but not before I took a heavy painful blow to the chest.
     “Aii!” My body slammed into the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of me. The soft wet earth sent splatters of mud across my goggles. With all the air whooshed out of my lungs, I couldn’t breathe and lay there gasping for oxygen. I couldn’t think.
     Three projectiles whizzed past my head in rapid succession.
     Ohmigod! Time to get out of here. Vision impaired, I scrambled in the direction I thought Will had gone. My elbows and knees dug into the ground, dragging my body on my stomach through the wet grass, my automatic weapon clutched in both hands in front of me.
     Zing. This was no fun at all. Where was he?  My heart pounded against my ribcage. Sharp pain stabbed through me with each breath. My aching hands knotted around my rifle. Black dots cavorted in front of my eyes and everything had fuzzy edges. I sucked in a big gulp of air ― along with it a small bug.
     “Aah-ugh!” I tried to spit it out but already the critter fluttered its wings in my throat. Coughing, I buried my face against my arm to muffle the sound. Before I could stop hacking, a hand grasped my ankle and pulled me into a pit behind a bunker.
     “Eek!” I smashed down on top of a warm body. A nice hard, well-muscled body. One I recognized by feel and scent. “You did that on purpose.”
     “Shh.” Will waited long enough for both of us to relish our position, then rolled me off onto my rear end.
     I pulled away and sat up, then collapsed with my back against the dirt wall of the ditch. He studied me for a long moment ― although I couldn’t see his expression through the protective gear ― then pulled some sort of spy instrument out of his backpack and fiddled.
     Will crouched behind the bunker, peering into the periscope-like tool. He whipped around. “You’ve been hit.” His tight voice conveyed alarm.
     Jeez, did he need to lighten up, or what? I threw down my automatic Spyder MR2, pulled off my facemask and helmet, sent them rattling to the ground beside the weapon, and then stared down at the damp red stain on the front of my shirt.
     “Right. And it hurts like the devil.”

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Resources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mausoleum_of_the_First_Qin_Emperor
http://www.terracotta-warriors.org/history.htm
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/archaeology-and-history/archaeology/emperor-qin/
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/south-east-se-asia/china-art/a/terracotta-warriors-from-the-mausoleum-of-the-first-qin-emperor-of-china
http://www.history.com/news/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-terra-cotta-army
https://www.livescience.com/25510-terracotta-warriors.html
http://www.globalmountainsummit.org/terra-cotta-warriors.html
http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-06/10/content_25612238.htm
http://www.visitourchina.com/xian/attraction/the-terracotta-army-and-horses.html
https://www.historicmysteries.com/qin-shi-huang-tomb-first-emperor-china/
http://www.ibiblio.org/chineseart/contents/ache/c02s01.html
http://www.chinawhisper.com/top-10-unsolved-mysteries-of-emperor-qinshihuangs-mausoleum/
https://www.tes.com/lessons/gILtGwE69QPN6Q/history-lesson-8-6-the-tomb-of-qin-shi-huangdi
http://www.chinatourguide.com/xian/terracotta_warriors_pit2.html
https://heathorn.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/acm-terracota-warriors/
https://www.thinglink.com/scene/578267949878476802
http://www.moriental.com/Set-Of-5-Qin-Dynasty-Terracotta-Warriors-In-Miniature-SM_p_706.html




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AURORA AUSTRALIS

12/1/2017

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December 1 is Antarctic Day, an appropriate time to publish a blog on Aurora Australis.

PRETTY LIGHTS

Most of us enjoy seeing the beautiful and festive lights during the Holiday Season. They are cheerful  and contribute to the joy of the season. They use up a great deal of electrical energy, but we love them and refuse to give them up.    
But one of the most spectacular displays of lights is a natural phenomenon and doesn't add anything to the electric bill—if you live in one of the auroral zones of the world.
                                                                  www.backpackerguide.nz. Mawson

AURORAS

An aurora is a natural light display in the sky. Nature's light show. The word comes from the Latin word meaning sunrise, also the name of the Roman goddess of dawn. The aurora borealis (northern lights) were named after the goddess Aurora and the Greek name given to the north wind (Boreas) by Galileo in 1619. I wonder if Galileo actually traveled to the north to see them, but didn't go into it. Later, I found a reference to them being named by a French Astronomer in the 1500s.

After reading several incredibly technical descriptions of what causes them, I settled on the simplest from Wikipedia which says auroras are "...caused by the collision of solar wind and magnetospheric charged particles with the high altitude atmosphere (thermosphere." They appear as curtains, sheets of light, or as a diffuse glow.

AURORA AUSTRALIS
I think I will name my next heroine after the southern lights: Aurora Australis. The aurora australis are seen near the south pole in the southern hemisphere. The word australis is the Greek word for south.
They are strongest in an oval around the south magnetic pole and not often seen in populated areas, although I found photos taken in Tasmania and Australia. Increased solar activity sometimes increases visibility from more distant locations.
Picture
The best time to see them is in the winter (which is summer in the northern hemisphere). The colors depend on what gas is present in the atmosphere:
​
1) oxygen emissions = Green or brownish-red
2) nitrogen emissions = blue or red.
​

Photo: Aurora Australis taken September 11, 2005 by NASA's IMAGE satellite

Colors and the forms themselves can change within seconds or glow without change for hours.
                                                                                                 
1st Row: Mawson Station Antarctica        Scott Allerton Photography                  Amundson-Scott Station South Pole
Photo: Lydia Jean Dobromilsky                                                                             Photo: Hunter Davis

2nd Row: Ararat, Victoria-ABC                 Sophie Fazackerly on instagram                                                                  
Facebook: Bec Potter                                                                                       
                                          

3rd Row:    Invercargill                           Photo: Francois Fourie, Tasmania         Timelapse photo: Alex Cherney-vimeo 

​ADD TO YOUR BUCKET LIST
Seeing either the aurora borealis or the aurora australis has always been on my bucket list. However, I went to Antarctica at the wrong time of year, and missed out. I guess I went to New Zealand and Australia at the wrong time of year also. Darn.

Maybe I'll be lucky and visit the Northern Lights on one of my trips. If you want to see the display, you need to plan your trip accordingly.


​Resources
​http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora|
http://planetfacts.org/aurora-australis/
http://www.universetoday.com/42623/aurora-australis/
http://vimeo.com/35630244
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=1346
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AwrSnJ_dbjRUC1oApGBPmolQ?qid=20120422124934AADciCP
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/tierra_hueca/esp_tierra_hueca_24.htm
https://hughsblog.wordpress.com/tag/aurora-australis/
https://imgur.com/r/pics/f59oSrX
http://thesmartlocal.com/read/aurora-australis
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/96562768
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/skywatchers-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-australis-in-victoria-20150623-ghvlit.html
http://strangesounds.org/2016/02/extremely-rare-purple-aurora-australis-tasmania-pictures.html
http://www.theantarcticbookofcookingandcleaning.com/earth-days-dark-sector-antarctica.html
https://pixabay.com/en/astronomy-aurora-aurora-australis-1866786/
https://happyholidaysblog.com/beautiful-christmas-tree-blue/
https://www.popsugar.com/tech/photo-gallery/43351238/image/43351245/Aurora-Australis-Apollo-Bay-Australia
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/best-places-see-southern-lights-180964246/
https://www.backpackerguide.nz/best-times-locations-see-southern-lights-new-zealand/

http://solarviews.com/cap/aurora/wea02000.htm




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    Author R. Ann Siracusa

    Novelist, retired architect and urban planner, world traveler, quilter, owl collector, devoted wife-mother-grandmother, great-grandmother, and, according to some, wild-assed liberal.

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