Taormina Books & Theatre

Being away from the computer and the tv for a week, I did some reading.

Allan Mallinson has written a series of books about a young chap making his way up to command of a regiment of light dragoons. I read the first one, set in the Waterloo campaign. This is my second and is set in 1830, during a period of civil unrest (no constabulary at that time) and then in the Belgian war of independence. I enjoyed the novel, it's not something I usually read but when on holiday...I found the author's moralising a bit heavy handed, but apart from that, a good story.

Then back to history for my second book, "Saladin", just read because it looked interesting when I was in Waterstones. A very good book, very informative, for example, I did not know he had trouble with the Assassins. It may have provided some back story for my Ottoman project.


This was our fifth holiday in Taormina. Each time we say will visit the Roman Theatre - this time we made it. Here are some photos

The theatre is on a promontory overlooking the town

It is one of the largest in the Med

Entrance

Very stylish sandals

The theatre is now used for concerts and other events

From the top, the view looking north

The view of Taormina

The view looking South

Taormina, Sicily

Yesterday, B and I returned to Yorkshire from a very good holiday in Taormina, Sicily. We spent a week at the Villa Angela Hotel. Every room has a balcony with views of Mount Etna, the sea and the bay on the left and the hill town of Castelmola on the right.

On opening the curtains on the first morning

We spent the time relaxing by the pool, reading, eating too much pizza and partaking in some fine dining in town. No visits to forts or battlefields, no military museums, just relaxing in the sunshine. We did visit a Roman theatre and a couple of ruined castles, so we got some history. I have more photos to sort out and share later, but here is one of Mount Etna on our last morning, taken as we waited for the transfer to the airport.

Overnight, a cold front had moved in and the volcano had its first snow of the autumn. 

Border Reivers Show, Gateshead

Saturday, 2nd Sept. I caught the train from York to Newcastle, then the Metro to Gateshead International Stadium for the Border Reivers Wargaming Show.

This is a small show, about 30 traders and a similar number of demos, but size isn't everything, I could get close to all the stands and chat to the dealers.

A few items were purchased.

From the bring and buy, a bag of Dixon SYW Prussian Grenadiers, 16 grenadiers, two ensigns, a drummer without a drum and a Garrison Prussian Fusilier. For ten pounds, a bargain, I will buy a command group from Dixon.

Fortunately, I really like the Garrison SYW figures

Then a couple of camels for the Ottoman baggage train and a very aggressive looking priest from Footsore; a figure I have wanted for some time.

From Warbases, a couple of buildings for the Ottoman project and some bases.

The buildings are laser cut MDF, so they are very flat, not like any middle eastern building I have seen. Talking to the seller, he suggested PVA glue and sand, the same as I use for figure bases. I will give it a go.