Last day in Sicily

These photos are all of Noto.

On our last day in Siracuse, and Sicily, we visited another baroque town, Nota, this morning. It is being beautifully restored, and it is spotlessly clean. The rest of Sicily needs to have a few extra rubbish collections each week!

We then returned our car, which was a relief. We are both tired of driving, though we have seen so much because of it.

After lunch we went on a boat tour of the island of Ortigia, the original walled city in which we have been staying. The walls were built in 1252.

We are now waiting for our taxi to take us to the ferry for Malta.

This is the view outside our hotel.

Syracuse

In Ancient Greek times Syracuse was apparently more powerful than Athens. The well known philosophers and mathematicians visited. Archimedes tomb is here. 

There must have been another Golden Era here. Many buildings are baroque in style, though mostly shabby chic baroque now!

Early this morning we went for a bike ride. Before peak hour, we were still careful not to get in the way of any cars!!

There is a market around the corner from the hotel. Superb  cherry tomatoes are1 euro a kilo! Fish is about 10 euros a kilo. Why is Oz so expensive? Markets seem to be central to community life here, people chatting, calling out, kissing each other.

Other photos show breakfast as served by our hotel- beautiful, a few tips for the farm, and a whole tuna, ready to be sliced as required. Of course, the man doing the carving had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth all the time we were watching him, ash teetering on falling on tuna!

Mt Etna

Today we went almost to the top of Mt Etna. Like being on the moon. No smoke or lava where we were. Craters are massive. The top is almost 3000 meter high. People ski there in winter.

Taormina

Yesterday we went to the beach on the way to Taormina, a town overlooking the sea, but high above it. We had been told how lovely it was, but we thought it ruined by tourists.

However the coastline nearby is very nice. Seaside towns where local people go to the beach are off the main road and to get to them means twisting and turning through the narrowest of streets. So easy to get lost. Driving is horrific, and Sicilian drivers are unbelievable.

We spent some time at one of these beaches, very relaxing.

Last night we had dinner with a couple from Alsace, and a couple from Bristol. Outside in the warm evening, Giovanni cooked another beautiful meal. Very entertaining.

Slopes of Mt Etna

We are staying in a B&b that seems to be in a converted winery. There is a huge old wooden press for the grapes, and a cellar underneath. You can see where the wine used to pour down to barrels below. We are having dinner here very soon, at about 8.30pm, which is normal here. Funnily enough, I am not asleep in my soup, it seems relaxed and leisurely.

The owner is a chef, very shy I think, and all guests dine at one table. Hope the others speak English!

Today was about 40 degrees, very hot to be wandering around Greek ruins of a city from the 5th century bc. This city is very complete, very planned around a large Agora (piazza), and only a fraction 

dug up. We talked with a bunch of US university students who are on a dig- digging up the communal baths. Obviously most of the funding is coming from the US.

We also talked to a local man, a wiry older gentleman, who seemed very passionate about the whole site, knows the site backwards, but we surmised has alienated himself from all other interested parties. He rides his bike in the heat up steep roads everyday to give visitors his version of what is there. The American students were working very hard in the blazing sun, without hats or protection. 

Anyway, it was very interesting to see a genuine layout of such a city, unreconstructed. 

So here we are staying on the lower slopes of Mt Etna, an active volcano, which has been erupting during the last week. There is smoke billowing out of the top, and apparently lava slowly pouring down into a valley to the South. It obviously happens often, and no one takes much notice. It is quite smoggy, as you can see in the photos of the Greek ruins. They are about 100 km from mt Etna.

Communication

For some reason we have been unable to send emails or texts at all in Sicily, though we can receive them. This blog is our only way of communicating at the moment. We would love to hear from you.

Piazza Armerino

We think this hotel belongs to the Mafia. Massively oversized, marble everywhere, ornate furniture, the Godfather is in his huge office at the end of the foyer!

We are now in a town that has a Roman villa famous for its superb mosaic floors. Beautiful home of ( probably) a Roman emperor, but it was very hot (39 degrees) so we decided a pool was needed- followed some signs through town, arrived at this slightly weird very large and sumptuous hotel that feels like it has no other guests!

Of course the pool was out of action.

Walked in the old part of town in the evening and had quite a fun time. Chatted with quite a sophisticated wine bar owner, who recommended his friend's restaurant- he had 4 tables in a tiny lane!

I hope Caleb has had a wonderful birthday, I miss him and everyone else too.

Enna central Sicily

We are sitting in a small piazza waiting for  the very old church to open its doors for a special procession to come out. Celebrating Frederico 2, whoever he might be. 

We arrived in this small hilltop town at lunchtime, knocked on a few hotel doors, no one responded, so we tried a B&b. Charming, run by a young man studying computer science. Some travel days are lucky.

On our way up the little street to the piazza we passed the local archery team,  all dressed like Robin Hood. They had just lost the competition to the next hilltop town. An important sport here. Photos follow.

Bells are ringing, procession must be about to start. So loud.

Wrong. The church service went for 11/2 hours so we went further up the road to look over the castle. It had a field in it with a well, a tower etc.

When we returned the procession was starting. The whole town was out, chaos. Lite girls in white, followed by the whole adult male population dressed as nurses, hmmm! The regional band played some familiar hymns, and of course the piece de resistance- a radiant cross held by the local bishop. Then everyone strolled about the main piazza, kids, oldies, everyone chatting and laughing. It is such a nice way of living, for everyone to come out in the evening. It is warm of course.