Much better!

 The 4th July Independence celebration was well organized as usual.

 In other words, things are back to normal in Tamarac, after the confusion that reigned 6 days before with the Caribbean Heritage celebrations at the same venue. (https://joan-myviews.blogspot.com/2025/06/such-confusion.html).

Bravo Tamarac City👏.

So, as usual, we enjoyed the music provided by VAM Band, food from the trucks and camaraderie.

I was ready for the rain😊

And the little rain that came was welcomed by those who came prepared, as it cooled down the place. 

The Mayor got soaked but didn't miss a beat😁

Carol, Mayor Gomez, Joan 

Donna, our Trini friend dropped in too😊

VAM band worked up the crowd

Then it was time for fireworks.

Last year, they had a drone show and it was good, but the child in me prefers good, old-fashioned fireworks!

Thank you Tamarac, we love and appreciate these regular music sessions at the Sports Complex, when the organization is seamless.

Island groove

 If you want a Caribbean person to go missing, just beg the Lord to send a teeny weeny bit of rain😊.

For that's just about the amount of rain that fell before what turned out to be a great musical event put on by the Tamarac City.

But alas, most Tamarac residents missed that really nice and energizing event.

Our groovy Mayor never missed a beat though.

Neither did my friend Cora (91)😊.

She enjoyed the short time there. She may not spend all night at these events but she loves the great outdoors.

The few people who came also had a great time as the music was good throughout.

When we got there, the "stilt" experts (Bahamian?) were just finishing up their routine.

Then it was time for great Caribbean music.

Nadine Sutherland who closed out the show, kept the vibes going.

And the kids had a great time too.

Plantation City was represented.

Nadine Sutherland 

Miramar City was also represented.

Hope in 2024 Tamarac will host more Caribbean music events.

It really sets the groove.👍.

Dion, Greece.

Yesterday, the weather was terrible with all-day rain and the temperature dropping to 54😱.

 

We even had to light the fireplace!

All was not lost though as we stuffed ourselves with delicious Greek food (rain or shine, they deliver,) watched movies and bonded even more.

The next day, the weather was great, so it was off to see the ruins at Dion and climb Mt. Olympus.

(Joan, my views: Magnificent Mt. Olympus (joan-myviews.blogspot.com)

They are still excavating the site!

The ruins of  ancient city of Dion are located at the foot of Mount Olympus in the north of Greece, once known as Macedon.

Houses in modern Dion are close to the museum

Legend has it that Dion was the burial place of Orpheus, the famous Greek prophet and musician.

However, the site was most important under Macedonian rulers, notably Philip II and his son, Alexander the Great as both kings celebrated victories there, and it was at this sanctuary that Alexander conducted sacrifices before his campaigns into Asia.

These marble mosaics were the actual floor of their famous baths.

 It shows the affluence of the period.

Dion is now an UNESCO heritage site, as in the 5^th Century AD, it was an important Holy Place for the emerging Christian philosophy and worship.

In Greece it is the second largest site of ruins after Acropolis and even today when we were there, we saw people still excavating ruins.

Remnants of the solid city wall that once protected Dion.

The stadium is still fairly intact. They held Olympic games here. They lasted 9 days.

Another view of the stadium.

Dion was first made internationally famous through the writings of the Greek poet Homer. It was destroyed by an earthquake in the 7th Century.  

Despite its importance to Greek history and mythology, serious excavation did not begin there until in the 1950’s.

The museum

The museum is only five minutes away and it has a comprehensive collection of artifacts from the period.

If you love Greek history, it's a must.

The mosaics from the baths are well preserved.

The female figures are clad and the males nude.

Busts of Greek philosophers.

A new town has sprung up around the museum. The ruins in the yard and the new homes and businesses in the area, make an interesting contrast.

I thought this was a vineyard but it's a Kiwi orchard

An aged horse gets a morning walk

new homes are right beside the ruins in the museum yard.