Sicily
is unbelievably rich in beauty, in history, in arts, in culture. Walk
among the greatest Greek ruins anywhere, see incomparable Roman and
Norman mosaics; explore remote hilltop villages and spectacular
landscapes; visit sites of Mafia and anti-Mafia activities; climb
smoking, fuming Etna (if she lets us). Siracusa, Agrigento, Taormina,
Palermo, Monreale, Piazza Armerina, Erice, Segesta, we touch every
corner of the island. Enjoy a Sicilian cooking class, traditional
cheese and pastry-making demonstrations, winery visits, wine tastings,
and some of the best restaurants in Sicily.
No
one does Easter week with the same spectacle and sheer delight of
Sicilians. This is Catholicism with all the spleandor of the
Resurrection with more than a splash of pagan devilment. We will go
across Sicily, from festival to festival, discovering regional festival
foods, and seeing the major tourist sites along the way.
Sicilian cuisine melds the flavors of at least ten passing civilisations. Most of them never visited Tuscany, and those who know Tuscany cooking and think they know Italian food are seriously mistaken. Here, there is an echo of Greek, a taste of the Arab, and a strong dash of Spanish. Come for the best of fresh fish and an amazing variety of maritime edibles. The fresh ricotta and cherry tomatoes of Sicily cannot be matched. These, plus eggplant, capers, oranges and lemons, almonds, pistachios, etc. appear in even in sauces for pasta. Then there are desserts, such as "cannoli" and cassata cake (in the photo). Flavors are strong and rich. Cooking classes. Lucia knows some of the best local chefs. We will have hands-on Sicilian cooking workshops in their restaurant kitchens and in their homes. We will visit the farms where they make cheese and olive oil, kitchens of pastry-makers, wineries, and an outdoor museum of traditional farming tools and techniques.
And
sometmes we will let the master chef work for us. Stephen will take you
on a gastronomic exploration, for he is the man with a love for best
cuisine and a quarter century devoted to finding out-of-the-way gems.
We will dine at Michelin-starred restaurants in Palermo and Ragusa. And
at last, natural foods and the Slow Food movement are catching on, with
many farmhouse B & Bs (agriturismo) offering traditional cooking in
the freshest and most natural way.
All Italians know that Christmas in Napoli is the most traditional and personal. In the narrow bustling streets of Spaccanapoli can be found the finest hand-crafted ornaments, creches, nativity scenes, as well a special holiday foods that make the whole experience a riot of sensation.
We will spend the week between Christmas and the New
Year visiting Pompeii, Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, the Greek
temples of Paestum, Naples' remarkable catacombs, and the priceless
National Archaeological Museum.
And every Italian also knows that the New Year
celebration in Piazza Plebiciuto in Napoli is the most splendid and
raucous. All Italy will be watching on TV; and we will be there.
These
two cities defined the urban life of the Roman Empire. Rome, the huge
metropolis, the father of our sense of what it means to be civilized
and urban. Rome, the incomparable, the Eternal. And Naples, where Roman
city life is displayed more clearly than anywhere else (Pompeii and
Hercularneum) and the greatest archaeological museum in the world.
Douglas Kenning is a university teacher, actor,
classical scholar, and guide. He lives in Sicily and has been the
official guide to Rome for university and adult programs.
We will arrive in New Delhi, but begin our introduction to India in Old
Delhi. On the first day after arrival, we will visit the Raj Ghat, the
incredible cremation site; Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India;
and the Red Fort, once the most opulent of Moghul palaces. Then we are
on the road, going to Mukundgarh, to Bikaner, then Jaisalmer, lands of
deserts and camels, then back east to Jodhpur and Jaipur, "The Pink
City of Rajasthan". On then to Agra for Fatepir Shikri, the Taj Mahal
& Agra Fort, then back to Delhi. Our final afternoon will take us
at last to modern India, touring New Delhi to visit the Humayun's Tomb
and the mystical astronomical Qutub Minar. We will drive along the
ceremonial avenue, Rajpath, past the imposing India Gate, Parliament
House and the President's Residence, and finish with a drive through
the Diplomatic Enclave. Late evening transfer to airport.
Stephen and Lucia are very experienced in Rajasthan, where Stephen helps support a girls school.
Tunisia is where the Arab world is most Western, most in touch with Europe and has been so since Roman times. The coast is ringed with resorts and magnificent beaches, but the souk in Tunis, is as mysterious and fascinating as any in the Arab world. We will not see the coastal resorts, but plunge into the wonder, the unusual, not the familiar. The souk in Tunis, Roman ruins rising from dusty plains, the ancient holy city of Kairouan, home of fabulous weaving, the mysterious underground dwellings of Matamata, and the Sahara itself, where we will reach out across the waves of the ocean of sand.
This is a journey for the adventurous, as we
will be traveling and living simply, eating local foods and staying in
modest accommodations.
Douglas
Kenning is a university teacher, actor, classical scholar, a hiker, and
guide. He has lived in Tunisia, deep in the heart of the country, and
led tours there.
This is the heart of it all, the great cradle of Western Culture and the one place where West meets East. Jerusalem. Etched in pain and struggle, where the stones speak with more passion over more centuries than any place in the world. Jerusalem. You need say little else. We will spend our initial days in the Old City, walking the streets, visiting the greatest of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim sites, becoming at home there, in the narrow lanes, getting to know the shop keepers. One day for orientation and rest, one day each for the Jewish, Christian, and Arab quarters. Then we will take to the roads for a day trip to Bethlehem and Hebron. A further day will take us to the Jewish Museum and Vad Yashem, the Holocaust Museum. Then we will return to the Old City, for you to explore on your own for two days, though I will be with you and perhaps we can decide on things we may have missed in the opening few days. We even could organize an excursion down to Massada. Our final day will be down on the Dead Sea, where we can visit Qumran, the Essene community that predated Jesus and left the Dead Sea Scrolls, and then a relaxing afternoon floating in the Dead Sea (and I mean floating) and taking a mud bath, if you like.
The
experience of Jerusalem is unique and benefits from true immersion. We
will stay in simple accommodation in the Old City. It will be clean,
quiet, friendly, and about a two-star standard.
Douglas Kenning , actor, scholar of history, a hiker, and guide.
He has lived in Jerusalem and teaches a university course on the
History of Jerusalem.
EASTER FESTIVALS OF SICILY
CRUISING THE CUISINE: 
And
sometmes we will let the master chef work for us. Stephen will take you
on a gastronomic exploration, for he is the man with a love for best
cuisine and a quarter century devoted to finding out-of-the-way gems.
We will dine at Michelin-starred restaurants in Palermo and Ragusa. And
at last, natural foods and the Slow Food movement are catching on, with
many farmhouse B & Bs (agriturismo) offering traditional cooking in
the freshest and most natural way.
INDIA -- Rajasthan, 
TUNISIA