Sicily WordPress

“Nowhere has truth so short a life as in Sicily”

The Leopard, Giuseppe di Lampedusa

May 27 – June 5, 2008

Wayne and Margaret Reed, Penny and Graham Lloyd, and Sabrina Lo Piano (for most of the time!)

Sicily is the largest region in Italy ( 25,708 sq. km., 9.923 sq. m.) and the third most highly populated with more than 5 million inhabitants. The terrain is mostly hilly – the plains and the plateaus make up only 14% of the total land area. Palermo is the Sicilian regional capital, and with its population of almost 650,000 is the fifth largest city in Italy after Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin. Sicily’s history can be traced back more than 2,000 years, during which time it has been dominated by many different rulers, from the Greeks to the Romans, the Byzantines and Arabs, to the Normans and the Spanish. Each of these cultures has left a mark on the island, and may help to explain aspects of the modern Sicilian character. One of the poorest regions in Italy, Sicily is trying to progress from its Mafia controlled past – long-standing economic and social problems have yet to be resolved, but a new spirit of optimism is apparent. Agriculture is Sicily’s most important industry, followed by tourism.

Tuesday 27 May – Rome-Palermo

We were up early, and trundled our way through to the domestic terminal at Rome Fiumicino Airport from the very expensive Airport Hilton Hotel (A$500 per night!!) It was already quite a warm day – we checked in, and then had a look around the shops; had a cappuccino and a croissant (which I ordered in Italian, only to have the guy at the bar answer me in English – how deflating!!) and then wandered down to the gate. We were just standing there, when Wayne and Marg came along, looking remarkably fresh considering they had just flown through from Perth. It was great to see them. The flight left on time, and was just the way we like it, uneventful. The guy sitting next to me (I had thought he was Italian) was a retired American lawyer, Robin Nelson Wolfe, a very interesting person; we got chatting, and covered many topics (chiefly travel and politics) in the relatively short time it took us to reach our destination. We took a taxi from the airport to our B & B, ALLAKALA (which means, “by the harbour”) at Via Vittorio Emanuele 71. When we pulled up outside the building, we were a bit taken aback, as it looked pretty shabby. However, inside it was fine – the rooms were comfortable, with a pretty view over the harbour. The Reeds had showers, and then we went out for an orientation walk; we were all hungry, and we soon found a little place nearby for lunch. Antipasta, bruschetta, salad and a pizza – now we know we are in Sicily! We ordered some wine, and it was quite good, and then another ½ bottle from Corleone. The wind sprang up, and it was quite hot and dusty – this is the sirocco from Africa – and so we returned to the rooms and had a rest. We met at 7, and asked for a recommendation for dinner from Tiziana. She suggested a place nearby, and we set off. The city is really filthy – I remembered what Christine Caudo had told us of her initial reaction, and we all felt the same. As we passed through a square off the main drag, an old guy called out to us. He only spoke Italian/Sicilian, but I caught the words “Il Gattopardo”, and I realised that he was talking about the movie “The Leopard” – and he got across that some of the movie was actually filmed in that very square. We were surprised that he would want to tell us about this – I had thought that the “natives” would not be so friendly. This was to be a constant theme throughout our time here – we found the Sicilians to be considerate, patient (most of the time) , very helpful and happy to have a chat… we shared 2 beers on a street corner, and then went to the famous restaurant, ANTICA FOCACCERIA FRANCESCO. A wedding had just come out from the church in the square; a very glamorous crowd – this was to be the first of many weddings we would see, around 6 altogether – it was definitely wedding season in Sicily! There were policemen on duty, and we assumed that there must have been important people there, but Sabrina explained their presence to us later. This restaurant was the first in Palermo to withstand the pressure of the Mafia to pay protection money. They began a movement which gathered momentum, and is now quite powerful itself – the Mafia still exists, but its power is much diminished since the maxi trials 10 years ago. The anti Mafia crusade by Falcone and Borsalino was very well supported in Palermo, and there are streets all over Sicily named after them. This restaurant operates inside the building as a sort of serve yourself buffet, popular with the locals, and the table service section out in the adjacent square, which is more expensive, with menus and waiters. It was established in 1834, and is now run by the 5th generation of the same family, and serves many Sicilian specialities. We had a very pleasant dinner there, and enjoyed the cool of the evening after the hot and dusty afternoon. Graham and Wayne had a veal dish; Marg had a spaghetti with cauliflower, raisins, lemon and anchovies, which was mentioned on her list of “Food to eat in Sicily” (but she was unimpressed) and I had a pasta dish, which was fine. We shared some spinach, and a dessert – pineapple, custard and tiny, tiny strawberries. The waitress didn’t turn a hair when we suggested this – no problemo!! Home around 10.30 pm.
Wednesday 28 May – Palermo

We had breakfast at Allakala – juice, toast, jam, yoghurt, pastries and coffee, and then Sabrina came at 9. It was lovely to meet her after all the emails – I gave her a kiss from Joe and Christine, and we set off to see the sights in our Fiat Ulysse hire car, with her at the wheel – thank goodness! The traffic is very thick, and the drivers fairly aggressive, but she just took her time and we wound our way out of the city centre and headed for the hills. It was a warm and sunny morning, and the wind had abated. It was a short drive to MONREALE, the royal mountain, and the Norman cathedral. This beautiful building, considered to be the pinnacle of achievement of Arab-Norman art, was founded in 1172. The cloister has slender twin columns, and is one of the finest medieval monuments in all Italy. The golden mosaics which line the walls and the archways tell the story of the creation and the miracles of Jesus – spectacular. It was cooler on the heights overlooking the city – Sabrina took us to see the panoramic view and the sweep of the “golden shell”. We went into a new shop which sold cheeses, meats and other local produce, including tuna roe and capers. We bought postcards and stamps and water, and then drove back down to the city, parked the car, and started walking. First, the Four Corners, Quattro Canti, where the annual procession of Santa Rosalia is held; the Square of Shame, Plaza Pretoria, with the baroque Florentine fountain (so called because of the naked figures surrounding it) and the adjacent City Hall. We saw a man lying on one of the window sills one floor up – apparently he is protesting the fact he has no job, but he has been there for years!! Sabrina asked permission for us to go visit the City Hall – it is like a palace inside. A civil wedding ceremony was being conducted for a Swedish couple, who had a young baby with them (wedding no. 2). We also visited the CHIESA DELLA MARTORANA, a Greek Orthodox church built by George of Antioch, King Roger II’s admiral. While there, we bumped into my friend from the plane, Robin Nelson Wolfe. Sabrina stopped briefly to buy our tickets for the marionettes this afternoon – she forgot to put on the handbrake, and left the car out of gear. I was in the front seat, and when we began to roll, Wayne and Graham, who were in the back with Marg, yelled at me to put on the handbrake – but I couldn’t find it! It was not in the middle, but on the other side of the seat, next to the door. So Wayne threw himself over the driver’s seat, and put his hand on the foot brake. Poor Sabrina got such a shock when she came back – but there was no harm done, and we soon set off again. We had lunch in a square at the famous SPINNATO ANTICO CAFÉ, a very old family run business which sells gorgeous cakes, pastries and ice creams. There was a constant stream of people, mostly locals, going into the shop and coming out with beautifully packaged parcels of goodies. We all had arancini, and Sabrina had some mozzarella and prosciutto. We had a quick look at the market, but it was all packed up – although some traces of the produce lingered in the air. It was quite hot by this time, and so we were glad to arrive at the little theatre and sit in the cool for a while. Marionettes are a Sicilian tradition, and little theatres still operate in the back streets. The stories they act out are based on crusader themes from Sicily’s history, the conquest of the island’s Muslim rulers by Christian knights such as the Normans. The fight sequences are very violent – with decapitations galore and severed limbs flying into the air. This family run theatre is now in the hands of the 4th generation, and they make the marionettes together with the costumes, including the armour. After the show Sabrina took us for a drive around one of the most exclusive areas of the city – along the Via Roma and near the Piazza Castelnuovo, which reminded us of Santiago, in Chile. We finally managed to find the wedding ties for Matt and Simon (we had been to quite a few shops, but they had to be the same style in specific colours) –( E54). Home then for a little break before venturing out again at 7. Sabrina had told us about the Villa Igiea (the most exclusive hotel in Palermo); we took a taxi there, and had a pre dinner drink. Now run by the Hilton chain, it still has a very “olde worlde” charm about it, with vintage posters and photographs, wide hallways and large reception rooms with big squashy furniture. We would have sat out on the terrace, but there had just been a shower of rain. We had dinner at a funny little restaurant called IL VECCHIELLO; as our first choice was closed that night, so our taxi driver, who spoke good English, took us there instead. It was pretty basic, but fine.

Palermo is an intriguing city. It is chaotic, fascinating, frustrating, unruly, wonderful, raucous and endlessly charming. Its treasures are part of the life and blood of the city. Many of the palaces were broken up into tenements long ago; the grand facades often festooned with laundry, and the balconies decorated with dead or dying plants in pots. Boys play football in the tawdry squares. Life is lived in the streets for the common people – another life goes on behind the doors and windows of the smarter areas. Many of the buildings are very beautiful, but in such a bad state of repair; I suspect that the interiors tell a different story, and in fact we could see some spectacular chandeliers through a 1st story window. There is rubbish everywhere and the streets are paved with large stones, which are very old and slippery.

Our initial misgivings were swept away, and we leave Palermo with some regret.

Thursday 29 May – Palermo-Marsala

We had breakfast, and Sabrina picked us up at 8.45. We left Palermo and headed out to SEGESTA, a short detour off the main road near Calatafimi. Secluded on a high crag is the beautiful and remote 5th C BC Doric temple of the ancient city of the Elymians. Higher up is a 3rd BC Greek theatre, now being excavated by a team from the University of Pisa, overlooking the distant sea and with spectacular views of the valleys below. We took a shuttle bus up to the summit, and were joined by crowds of teenage students from Naples. The ferula plant, a type of funghi, grows wild there. It was a much cooler day – perfect for sight seeing. From there on to ERICE, Italy’s most spectacular hill town. We wound our way up the steep slopes– clinging to the top of Monte San Guiliano in clouds of mist 760 m up is this medieval town of churches and forts, cobbled lanes and miniature stone piazzas. It seems a fitting place for a mystery – Sabrina told us about the famous theoretical physicist Ettore Majorana, who disappeared many years ago, and now has a scientific institute named after him established in the town. He was last seen in 1938, at the age of 32, on a boat travelling from Palermo to Naples. Many theories have been put forward, one of which is that he foresaw the terrible destructive power of nuclear energy, and wished to disassociate himself from this field of study as the country was then under the control of Mussolini and the Fascists. He may have committed suicide, been kidnapped, gone into a monastery or begun a new life in another country. From the town ramparts you can gaze down over most of western Sicily. Coastal plains push inland to the mountains of the interior and of the north coast. To the south lies Trapani (where the last America’s Cup Challenge was held) and the west coast of the island stretching away towards Marsala. It is claimed that on a clear day you can see Tunisia. We visited the TORRI PEPOLI, a castle still inhabited by the heirs of Count Pepoli, a descendant of the Saxon King Alfred, and now converted into a hotel. Sabrina arranged for us to have a look at a couple of the rooms – the views from the tiny windows were like miniature paintings – beautiful! It was quite cold, so we all had our jackets on; we had a snack lunch of brioche with savoury fillings in a little café. We had a look at some of the little shops there, and then stopped for coffee at the famous marzipan shop, and met the woman who makes the delicious sweets. Back down onto the plain into a different world, once again in the sunshine, and took the road to MARSALA. Along the way we passed by the salt farms, marked by windmills, where you can take a boat ride out to the Egadi Islands. This landscape has a distinctive Arab feel – Tunisia is only 400 k away – with date palms and cactus, and that square, flatter style of housing. We arrived at the huge winery complex of DONNAFUGATA just before 4 pm – great driving, Sabrina!! And we were there until nearly 6 o’clock. Vibke, a German girl, spent a lot of time with us – she showed us over the site, and we were amazed at the scale of the operation there. They sell about 2.75m bottles each year, of which 1.7m bottles are the lower end red and white range. They have 12 different labels, some of them named after places and characters from the Lampedusa novel, “The Leopard” – funny how this seems to be a recurring theme as we travel around Sicily! “Donnafugata” means “woman in flight”, and refers to the Hapsburg Queen Maria Carolina, wife of Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, who fled the court of Naples before the arrival of Napoleon’s troops and then took refuge in Sicily. The writer, Giuseppe di Lampedusa, used the name Donnafugata to describe the country estates of the Prince of Salina, and in particular the house in Santa Margherita, which figures largely in the novel. At the end of our tour we tasted some of their wines, and we were especially impressed by the Ben Rye, a dessert wine. Vibke very kindly suggested some other Sicilian wines for us to try, and gave us a booklet each as a souvenir. Their vineyards are at Contessa Entellina and on the island of Pantelleria. It was only a short distance from there to the BAGLIO ONETO RESORT – a most attractive building in the style of the region, i.e. that of the original fortified feudal dwellings, and set amongst vineyards; very similar to that of the Hermitage at Marananga in the Barossa Valley (South Australia). The rooms were very comfortable, with French doors opening onto a small patio. We had decided to have dinner there as it was already 6.30 pm and we were all weary after our long day on the road. We met at 8 and went into the lovely dining room. Sabrina asked the maitre d’ if the chef would be willing to prepare the local specialty, spaghetti Trapanese, for us, as we had been talking about it and it was not on the menu. He agreed (it was not very busy), and we shared some antipasta – an octopus and shrimp salad, a groper carpaccio, and a smoked black pork stuffed with marscarpone – all delicious. Then in came the spaghetti, on a huge platter; very simple, as the sauce is made from cherry tomatoes, olive oil, basil and garlic. It was great – we all loved it, and were grateful that Sabrina was able to organise it for us. We had 2 local wines, both from Firriato – the white was an Alcamo (E16) and the red an Etna Rosso 2005 (E23) – both very good. For dessert, we shared a Sicilian cassata and a trifle cake. It was a memorable evening, with lots of laughter. Graham and Wayne were both in a funny frame of mind, and tried to tempt Sabrina into guessing which of them was older – they carried on with this theme for a day or two, but Sabrina would not play their game, and they eventually gave up. The maitre d’ brought the chef up so that we could thank him for the dinner – we then presented them both with kangaroo pins, and I think they appreciated the gesture. To bed about 10 pm.

Friday 30 May – Marsala-Agrigento

We left at 9 am and drove to Mazara del Vallo, a baroque town with elegant buildings, and parked across from the Lungomare Mazzini (esplanade). Once one of the great Arab ports, it still has one of the largest fishing fleets in the Mediterranean. Tunisian immigrants, who come to work on the boats, have brought a renewed Arab flavour to the old quarters of the town. It was a bit confusing trying to find our way – we stopped and asked directions from a young man returning from a visit to the local barber with his little boy, who was so cute in his very cool outfit , and obviously thrilled with his very groovy new spikey hair-do, and pointed to it so we would not miss it – too sweet!! Mazara’s greatest catch in recent years has been the Dancing Satyr, an exquisite Greek figure pulled up from the seabed in a fishing net in 1998 by the crew of the boat Capitan Ciccio. It is now on display in a converted 15th C church. The bronze is generally described as orgiastic – with his head thrown back, his lips parted, his limbs convulsed, he certainly seems to be a chap in the throes of a good time. It is a beautiful piece and one of the great classical finds. We watched a short film there about the crew members, and how the statue was restored before coming home to Mazara. Margaret and I had an “incident” here – we both went to the loo but couldn’t turn on the tap to wash our hands; Marg’s were covered with soap! We had to go and ask the attendants to help us – we said “Signora, no acqua” and the guy came into the toilet and showed us the foot pump which operated the taps – very hygienic. We all had a laugh. Sabrina had planned a seafood lunch here, but when we drove to the restaurant area near the boat harbour it was very quiet. The fishermen had gone on strike for the day, protesting the high fuel prices, as had many other workers in Europe around that time. It was another perfect day – not a lot of traffic, and the scenery was different again. Sabrina told us some stories about the terrible earthquakes which Sicily has suffered in the past – 400 people died in the 1968 earthquake, and many others were left homeless for years, as the Mafia expropriated much of the money allocated for relief and rebuilding. So we pressed on to AGRIGENTO, founded in 581 BC, and found a little café, Cristal, down at San Leone on the beach, where we had lunch with the locals. Sabrina ordered some panelle, another Sicilian speciality (chick pea fritters – similar to a potato scallop) to start; they were really delicious – and disappeared very quickly! Marg , Sabrina and I had salads, fresh and light, Graham had a mini (?) pizza, Wayne a focaccia. We found our home for the night, the beautiful HOTEL DOMUS AUREA, a villa built in 1781 in the valley below the city, overlooking the ruins of the Greek temples. It is a lovely place, with beautiful gardens, huge pots full of pink and red geraniums, and a large courtyard area with umbrellas like small tents scattered here and there. Agrigento was the birthplace of the famous playwright, novelist and poet, Pirandello (1867 – 1936), who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1934. We went off up the hill to town, and by now it was quite warm. Graham and Wayne both needed to get some cash in order to pay Sabrina – Wayne went to the ATM, and Graham went into a bank with Sabrina. He must have been in there for at least ½ hour – he had to give his fingerprints before he could even enter! And the paperwork necessary just to change some traveller’s cheques was unbelievable. So he won’t be doing that again. We strolled through the Valley of the Temples to see the 4 renowned Doric temples of Olympian Jove, Hercules, Concord and Juno, relics of the Greek colony. After a rest and shower at our villa, we met for drinks in the garden ( they served an Altavilla Della Corte 2007 from Firriato – grillo grape variety, which we had already tried down at Cristal for lunch) and Sabrina came for us at 8. The guy from Cristal had seen her and told her that he had managed to get some fresh fish for us that night. So we went back down there for dinner. The boys had a huge plate of mussels; Sabrina, Margaret and I had spaghetti with little prawns and vongole (baby clams – pipis) – it was very good. And then they brought out a whole fish – too much, we said, so they took it away and served it in smaller portions. It was OK – perhaps a little disappointing after the big build-up! We drank the same wine tonight, together with yet another Firriato, the Nero D’Avola Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. We are working our way through Vibke’s list. With a carnival in full swing over the road, and the restaurant packed to the hilt with all the local teenagers, it was a good atmosphere, and a chance for us to experience life on a Friday night in downtown Agrigento. We were all a bit tired, but Sabrina wanted us to see the temples by night – and we were so glad that we agreed, because they were so very beautiful; the lights of the city were twinkling away up on the hill, and the temples were all floodlit against a sky so black it was like velvet. An area in the garden at the villa was set up with cushions, etc., for further viewing – we did wander down there when we got back, but soon went off to bed.

Saturday 31 May – Agrigento-Siracusa

After a very pleasant al fresco breakfast in the courtyard at the villa Sabrina came for us at 9.30. Beautiful one day, perfect the next – this was the weather in Sicily. We drove inland towards Caltanisetta, near the hills where sulphur was mined for 8 decades until recently, with its terrible toll in human health and loss of life. We stopped at a little cake shop for a coffee break – we all had to go into the shop to see the cakes on display – works of art! On to the famous Roman villa – VILLA DEL CASALE, built in 3rd – 4th C AD as a summer house for a Roman governor – near PIAZZA ARMERINA. The villa was rediscovered at the end of WW II; it had been completely covered by mud in the 12th C. It was huge – outside, thermal baths (which comprised a frigidarium, calidarium – sauna – and tepidarium), and inside, an enormous dining area (together with vomitarium), a gym, and guest rooms. Its floors, in amazingly good condition, were laid down more than 2000 years ago, and consist of mosaic murals made from some 37 million coloured tiles, depicting hunting scenes, mythological stories and maidens in bikinis – one of them even had weights in her hands! Part of the villa (the owner’s quarters) was under restoration; it was quite hot, and inside under the protective plastic covers it was steamy. It was also busy, one of the most popular tourist sites we had seen so far – it must be packed at the height of the season. We were now passing through some lovely countryside – excellent roads, with little traffic. The bright Spanish broome lined many of the roads, and we also saw fields of yellow flowers dotted with scarlet poppies. Some areas looked very dry – others lush and green. There were many ruined and abandoned houses, as well as newer ones uncompleted. We passed by some light industrial areas, e.g. tile factories, water treatment plants, etc., while others were almost totally rural. Vineyards appeared in between wheat fields and olive and fruit orchards. Soon we were hungry, and so we went into town looking for a little pizzeria – however, they were all closed for lunch! Hello!!! So we were reduced to eating at the local petrol station, Agip, which was OK. A little local atmosphere was provided by the resident village idiot, who was annoying the staff to such an extent that they were screaming and yelling at him to leave the premises. A little disconcerting! We wound our way through the countryside, and could see the town of Enna, the highest town in Sicily, in the distance, as well as MT. ETNA, with snow on the slopes and the crater smoking. Sabrina told us that when the smoke was grey in colour it meant an eruption was imminent – scary!! We were now on the motorway – we passed by Catania and we could now see the sea, with many little side roads leading off to the coast. We asked Sabrina about the fact that no-one seemed to be keeping to the speed limit of 100 ks/ hour – she informed us that this was only “a suggestion”! We hooted with laughter, and wondered how that would go down at home if you were stopped by the traffic police, and told them that you thought that the speed sign was “just a suggestion” – I love it!! We stopped for a coffee break not far from our destination – it had been a long drive today. For 27 centuries the city of SIRACUSA (Syracuse) has been of great economic and cultural importance. We arrived late in the afternoon, and came to the ARCO ANTICO APARTMENTS, situated above the Esprit shop right in the centre – fabulous location. We had lots of room here – bedroom, sitting room, eating area and large bathroom. We went out for a walk with Sabrina to orient ourselves, and saw another very swish wedding at the big cathedral in the main square -wedding no. 3. Down by the sea we saw the huge fountain fed by a permanent underwater spring – it represents the story of Orpheus and Arethusa, and is full of papyrus reeds. Sabrina suggested a restaurant for us tonight, as she is going to visit friends. We made a reservation at OINOS, and returned at 8.15. It was by far the best meal we had in the whole of Sicily, and I would almost venture to say, one of the best we have EVER HAD, anywhere! Our waiter, Concetto, was excellent, and the chef was a young girl. We started with a complimentary glass of Italian sparkling wine, chilled, and an “amuse bouche” (tease the palate) of 3 different things – rabbit with vegetables, tuna caponata, and a green bean puree with a shrimp mousse – all delicious. This came with 5 tiny loaves of home made bread – a cheese, a sun-dried tomato, a wholemeal, a natural, and a spiced. Then we shared 2 hors d’oeuvres – a pudding of potatoes and cabbage with smoked scamorza (?) on a veloute of cheese; the other was a mille feuille of figs and goat cheese perfumed with pistachios and Sicilian honey. Ambrosial! Marg and I both ordered the entrée size fresh ravioli stuffed with vegetables, meat and Robiola cheese – it was pale green, and the ravioli were little round balls. Wayne and Graham both ordered the dish suggested by Concetto; the tagliata of Fassone beef with a pudding of salad of chicory hearts and a surprise of cheese – the beef was as rare as it could be, but delicious. This was served with 4 different types of salt – Welsh salt, vanilla salt, spicy salt and Himalayan (?) salt – whatever that is!! We were then each given a palate cleanser of a tiny crème brulee. We could have done without dessert, but we didn’t. Marg and Wayne shared the one that Sabrina had enthused over – a parfait (iced mousse) of eggnog of passito di Pantelleria with dried fruit and home made pistachio ice cream. Graham and I had the mille fueille of short pastry with ricotta and pear, served with coffee and cocoa home made ice cream. Then to finish – the Pantelleria Ben Rye from Donnafugata, and a very old Marsala, the Marsala Riserva 1962 Florio, which we all thought was past it. Wines – the white was a 2006 Rallo Gruali – grillo grapes, and the red a 2002 Rosso del Corte from Tasca d’Almerita. The bill was about E180 – very reasonable, and worth every cent.

Sunday 1 June – Siracusa

None of the little cafes around our apartment were open this early on a Sunday morning, so we went with Sabrina down across the square to a little café which we could see was open. It is obviously the local hangout for any guy over 55 – not a woman in sight, and they were all enjoying their morning coffee. It was not even as if they were enjoying each other’s company – they did give us some funny looks, and we worked out after a while that we should have been sitting with the other tourists at the better quality tables and chairs under the umbrellas in the square, with waiter service. However, we bravely entered this little enclave, ordered our coffee and bought some pastries for breakfast by pointing and guessing what was in what – we ended up with a calorie laden selection –low-fat in Sicily is not an option!! Huge doughnuts filled with ricotta – Danish pastries, etc. How sweet it is!! Sabrina drove us out to the Archaeological Park, where we met our local guide, Renato. His fee was E80 – it did seem a lot, and I was a bit surprised, but later I saw in our itinerary that we had been told about this, and I had just forgotten. Sorry, Sabrina!! It was only 9 am, and still reasonably cool with few people around; the area is unusually heavily wooded, with many flowers and plants. Renato spent about an hour with us, and told us a lot about the history of this place. The Latomie section (the stone quarries), which later collapsed in an earthquake, was the site of misery for thousands enslaved by the Greeks after the Pelopponesian War; the enormous caves were used as prisons for centuries. We saw the Orecchio di Dioniso, The Ear of Dionysius the tyrant – and Renato demonstrated its very effective echo. We then walked up to the eternal spring, and the site of the ancient Greek theatre, once the centre of life in Syracuse. Each year, from May-June and since 1914 (except for the war years) the Greek tragedies have been performed here. Certain parts of the theatre are modified in order to provide seating, and the stage scenery is faux marble. The plays are very popular, and many people come here every summer to see them. From there we walked down to the Roman Amphitheatre, the 3rd largest in Italy (after the Colosseum and the one in Verona) – this was almost totally overgrown with weeds, and a sad and sorry sight. Back home, and time to say goodbye to Sabrina, who had to rush back to Palermo to pick up her new group from Seattle – we have really enjoyed her company, and are very grateful to the Caudos for suggesting that we contact her as it has made our time here in Sicily so enjoyable, with no worries. We saw another wedding (number 4) coming out of the church adjacent to the 6th C BC Temple of Apollo, and close to our apartment. We then went for a long walk around the old part of the city, the Isola di Ortigia, which has always been the focal point of Syracuse. A stronghold until the end of the 19th C, it separates the city’s two harbours (connected by the dock canal), and is now linked to the mainland by the Umbertino bridge. We decided to take a boat trip outside the harbour to see the grottoes (which took about 1 hour). While we waited for the boat, we sat down at a big café on the Lungomare di Levante and watched the world go by. We had problems again finding somewhere to have lunch – it does seem weird, but many places actually close for lunch!! Eventually we had a savoury pastry thing, and then came home for a rest. Out again at 4.30 – we walked right around the other side of the island – the side we saw on the boat trip. It is very shabby – we saw many people on their boats, moored close to the shore – some were sunbathing on the rocks, even though it was not very warm. We finished up at the same café where we had been earlier – we all had tea. It was really buzzing – tables of young people, families, and couples. We saw boys and girls dressed up for their first communion, all in white and carrying single white lilies bound with white ribbon. An Italian navy boat was open for inspection, and an area was set up down on the pier for a concert – they were testing the amplification, and it seemed to be working very well!! And then it became even noisier, as some vehicles associated with the imminent election campaign came by. One was a red fire truck, with music and the message blasting – totally unconcerned by the fact that it was blocking all the traffic behind it. It went by 3 times!! Back home – a shower, and then out just up the road to a restaurant we had seen earlier. For the first time in our whole trip, the guy there was quite abrupt, and told us that not only were they booked out, but that everyone else would be too, as it was a long weekend. We were a bit taken aback, but we just walked a few steps away to another interesting looking little place, LA TAVERNETTA DA PIPPO – Cucina Tipica Siciliana – and they said OK. So there! And we had a lovely dinner. We started with antipasta from the buffet – fish, frittata, capsicum, eggplant and tomatoes. Wayne and Graham had a spaghetti marinara – with clams, scampi, mussels and squid. Marg had a schnitzel, and I had a Rigatoni Norma (eggplant). Everyone there seemed to be drinking the house wine, but we asked for their best wine, and they were so surprised! The white was a 2006 BIANCA DI LUNA PAOLO CALI, and the red a 2006 DRUS SICILIA NERO D’AVOLA. Another surprise – they took 5% off the bill! From E104.59 down to E100 – why? Perhaps because we had good wine – who knows? We left a E10 tip.

Monday 2nd June – Siracusa-Taormina

We had breakfast again at the old blokes’ café – the BAR DEL PONTE CRISTINA (pasticceria, gelataria, tavola calda) – more pastries, with juice and coffee. Thank goodness for stretchy pants. We packed up our gear, and checked out, as Sabrina’s son, Claudio, was coming to pick us up at 10 am. We loaded our luggage into the car, and set off for Taormina. It was about 2 hours drive north – a little cloudy and overcast, with a few spits of rain, which cleared later. We had an uneventful trip, but when we arrived closer to our destination, it was a little confusing, as we were not sure how to actually enter the town. Claudio asked for directions, and we climbed up the hill from Giardini, and then he dropped us (no vehicle entry past this point), and we set off dragging our bags behind us to find our hotel. The narrow streets were thronged with crowds of people – we discovered afterwards that it was a long weekend, and there were a couple of cruise ships in the harbour. We were almost pushing our way through the people – I asked for directions from a lady in a shop, and she told me that the Hotel Isabella was further along on the right. When we got there, it was with a huge sense of relief. We later found out that we should have been at the other end of the town, where the entry was much closer to the hotel – the main street is marked at each end by a large archway, and the street is full of shops, restaurants, churches, and a square or two. Very picturesque, with gorgeous views down to the coast. It is a sort of Italian style Noosa – the shops are stylish, with some well known brand names – I think we might engage in some serious retail therapy here! We checked into the hotel – it is a bit old fashioned, but with a nice feel about it. Our room was quite large, with 2 other rooms opening out onto a common large terrace. We went out to have something to eat – just a toasted sandwich and a coke – and got our bearings. We had a lovely dinner at GRANDUCA that night – a rather swish restaurant with lovely views down to the coast; all the lights were twinkling, and we had a good table close to the window. I am trying to rely on my memory as to what we ate that night – I think Wayne had swordfish, Graham had a veal dish, I had involtini, and Marg had fritto misto. Wines – to remain forever a mystery – sorry!

Tuesday 3rd June – Taormina

Graham and Wayne had decided to visit Mt. Etna (the tallest peak on the island) today, so after we all had breakfast at the hotel, we walked up to the taxi rank with them and saw them off on their adventure at about 9.45. They drove through some small villages, some of which had been almost abandoned (schools and many houses) due to fracturing, resulting from the last big eruption in 2002-3, until they reached the 1800 m level, where they saw the first craters – no cars are allowed after that, so they went higher in the cable car to about 2300 m. They then transferred to 4 wheel drive buses (like an OKA), which took about 20 people each, and went up to about 3000 m. Mt. Etna is 3343 m – they had to walk the last part. This area is all volcanically active – the mountain was belching smoke, fire and lava. They walked around with a tour guide, and saw the main crater. Everything around was volcanic ash or scree, hot to the touch. Two of the last pylons on the chair lift had been knocked out by the last eruption, and then replaced; the site is now 20 m higher than it was previously. There are about 300 craters on the mountain. The last 45 m was a bit of a struggle – they were both a bit breathless. Perhaps Graham was suffering from a slight case of grapefruit toxicity (he had grapefruit juice for breakfast, but it does not agree with his medication); with Wayne, perhaps a little too much of “la dolce vita” ?? They were away for about 5 hours – the taxi cost E160, and another E50 for the chair lift, 4WD and the bus tour. The trip home was a mystery, as they both fell asleep in the taxi! Marg and I spent the whole day wandering around the shops – we had plenty of time, and a clear idea of what we were looking for to take home, and we managed to get what we wanted. I think we must have gone into almost every clothes shop on the main drag – there were some lovely things to choose from, and it was all very pleasant. We had a snack for lunch at the same place we ate at yesterday – we had seen a sign which advertised “Lumumba milk shakes”, which sounded intriguing – we wondered what this was … Marg noticed something ready to go out on the bar which looked like an iced chocolate – and so I ordered one. It was not really what I expected – the chocolate part was watery, and then filled with ice and topped off with whipped cream. It had a strange taste, but I could not work out what it was. We shared a vegetarian focaccia, Marg had a coke, and together with my iced chocolate the bill came to E13 (about A$25). The next day, we saw the same thing on the menu in another café, and the secret of the Lumumba milk shake was out – the mystery ingredient was brandy! No wonder I couldn’t finish it!! We had an afternoon tea with the boys when they returned – we ran into them in the street just near the main square – 4 lemon teas and 2 large cannoli – E20 (about A$35). We went up to the beautiful Grant Hotel Timeo on the hill for a drink before dinner; Marg and I both had a Bellini (peach juice and prosecco) – I could easily get used to one of those every night!! Later we went to a rather low key place down a side street – MAMMA ROSA’S TRATTORIA – and we decided that at least one night in Sicily we should drink the house wine. So that night was the night. We started off with the usual antipasta – then shared 2 pizzas, one called Etna, and the other Quattro Stagioni. Wayne finished off with a cassata. The wine was, unsurprisingly, unremarkable. It was a modest meal, with a modest bill.

Wednesday 4 June – Taormina

We had breakfast at the hotel, and then walked up to the cable car, which took us down to the beach at Giardini. It was very hot and steamy down on the coast – quite a difference to up on the hill in Taormina. We walked along the narrow, dusty road and crossed over to the beach front, adjacent to the other 5 star hotel in the area, the Hotel Villa Sant’Andrea, which is an old villa facing the sea with a private beach and a good restaurant. We were very glad that we had not decided to stay there, as it is too far away from the action, and we did not like it down on the coast. The wind was strong, and the sea very choppy – not at all inviting. We walked along a little further, and came to some steps which led down to the next section of beach, which was not private – we went down, and wandered along until we came to Mazzaro Bay. There were some boats moored there – they tried to bring one in, even though it was pretty rough, but the winch was broken, and they had to take it out again. The cafes down there were all but deserted; it was all a bit tired and neglected, and we soon headed back up the hill. We walked up to the ruins of the 2nd C Greek Theatre, which is the venue for the Taormina Arte Festival each summer. There were many tourists doing what we were doing; some of them were groups from the cruise ships (an ever-present sight in the bay); they come to town for a few hours, and then move on. The views of the Ionian Sea from the top of the hill were really beautiful; on the other side we could see Mt. Etna smoking away in the distance. We bought some T shirts on the way back down the hill, and did some shopping with Graham and Wayne in the afternoon. Wayne went crazy in the Paul and Shark shop – Graham tried to keep up, but admitted defeat in the end! We saw another couple of weddings in that afternoon – I think that made 6 altogether. The people gather in the street, and the guests wait outside the church until the bride arrives; when she gets out of the car, all the guests and the bystanders applaud – quite charming!

Well, it has finally come – our last night in Sicily. Our friend on the desk in the hotel suggested we go to a little restaurant just outside the archway on the other side of the taxi square (as we call it) called DA FRANCO. We think it was the one that the Australian couple we met in Siracusa recommended – we had a drink in a little pub up a side street first, and got chatting there to a couple of English guys who were taking a break from shopping with their wives. The told us a funny story about visiting a small village not far from town, and coming across an old guy who was struggling – they ended up carrying him up the hill!! We had a really lovely dinner – even if the staff got a bit confused about what we ordered, and what order we wanted it in – part of the fun, I guess! We met a couple from Melbourne who were onlyin Taormina for a day – they had taken a boat to Lipari after coming over from the mainland on the ferry, and were returning the next day. Graham had a consommé, followed by a cotoletta; Wayne antipasta del casa, then an involtini di carne; Marg had prosciutto and melon, and then mussel soup, (she thought she had ordered fritto misto ??), and I had grilled shrimps, which were delicious. We shared some grilled vegetables; the white wine was a Donnafugata 2006 Anthilia (Ansonica and Catarnatto) and the red, a 2005 Feudo Principi di Butera, (nero d’avola grapes). We were going to order dessert, but they gave us all a small glass of a blueberry wine, which was served in beautiful little glasses with green stems; they looked like tulips. It was quite potent, and enough to finish with. We got talking to a young Italian couple who sat at the table behind us, together with their baby girl – he had worked in London, and spoke excellent English.

Thursday 5 June Taormina–Catania–Perth

Graham and I left first for Catania – it took about an hour, but when we got there we were not happy when they would not allow us to book our luggage through to Dubai. The connection was a bit tight, but we made our Emirates flight from Rome after some anxious moments, and had a reasonable trip home. Marg and Wayne left about an hour after us – their driver failed to appear, and when Marg went back to the hotel, she discovered that the receptionist had cancelled their transfer, as she had assumed that we had all left together!! They had an express trip to Catania – after sorting out the mess – and came home via Zurich and Singapore, arriving in Perth just before we did.

So goodbye to Sicily – another wonderful holiday, with many fond memories. We thank Sabrina, as without her, it would have been quite a different experience.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

“The Godfather”, by Mario Puzo.

“The Stone Boudoir”, by Theresa Maggio.

“Midnight in Sicily”, by Peter Robb.

“The Leopard”, by Giuseppe di Lampedusa.

“The Day of the Owl”, by Leonardo Sciascia.

BEST 10 SICILIAN MOVIES

1. Cinema Paradiso
2. Divorce, Italian Style
3. The Leopard
4. Il Postino
5. L’Avventura
6. L’Uomo delle Stelle (“The Starmaker”)
7. La Terra Trema (“The Earth Trembles”)
8. Salvatore Giuliano
9. Stromboli, Terra di Dio
10. The Godfather Trilogy

They say the Sicilian character, with its penchant for private loyalties and private justice, was formed by foreign domination. For a time – 2000 to 3000 years – Sicily was on everyone’s route to everywhere else. The list of invaders features all the usual suspects: Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Byzantines and Spaniards. Among them is a surprising name – the Normans. Worried that hanging around the castle might mean being shipped off to England with its bad weather and loutish locals, parties of Norman knights headed south to look for a place in the sun. When they got to Sicily, they moved in. The Norman invasion of Sicily – 1071 and all that – has a Pythonesque air; even the names seem to be self-parody. King Roger, William the Bad and William the Good, George the Admiral and Walter the Archbishop. Their first attempt at invasion ended when they bivouacked on a hill swarming with spiders whose bite caused them to fart painfully, and they were obliged to beat a noisy retreat. The vanquished Arabs taught the Normans how to live like princes.

(excerpt from The Full Sicilian, Stanley Stewart, The Weekend Australian April 28-29, 2007).

Sabrin, tourguide in Sicily