9/21 & 9/22 Wed & Thur - WE FIND A XIII CENTURY CASTLE

Our Plan was to go into Castellammare de Golfo, a larger town east of Scopello.  We had 4 things to do: get gas, get groceries, get money from ATM and go to SoHo Lounge for breakfast and free Wi-Fi.  Well, we got gas & groceries only and not there!  I am still a bit skittish to drive these larger town streets.  We tried it then beat a hasty retreat to the outskirts where we got our groceries for our first home cooked meal to have later that evening.  Gas getting was easy as we went to one with an attendant.  John said these guys have a WAD of money as they give change right at end of service.  We will try it another day soon as we need cash!!

Thursday (9/22) we also decided not to go to the big city.  Instead we walked around the little hamlet of Scopello where we are staying about 5 miles out of town.  We sat and had gelato, me the Americano flavor (black cherry) and John had Fragola (strawberry).

This small town sits right on the coast with the Zingaro Nature Reserve .... CLICK>> TO READ MORE ABOUT ZINGARO  .... We did not walk it today but will come more equipped another.  Can't say how far we will get but do our best.

We then went back to a small market to complete our grocery needs.  Last night I cooked the big chicken in the photo above.  Next meal is to take the left over chicken and add it to noodles, butter, cream cheese, mushrooms and vegetables.  We want to eat in as often as we can, making the dining out more special.  Or, it can be said we're just cheap, LOL ....  We find that a pastry in the morning and something light at noon with perhaps some fruit and cheese mid afternoon seems to suffice us.  Who knows, I may have had to come thousands of miles to actually lose some weight!!

Yesterday, coming back from our aborted trip, I ignored the Garmin (okay, I missed the turn the voice said to take) and we were on a new adventure.  From what we could tell after, we were taken on a road on the other side of the valley from our home.  We came around the top of the mountain on our side and we came upon an old castle that is just up the road from us a bit.  Our plan was to go back on purpose which we did today in the late afternoon.

The castle was originally built in the XIII century and expanded thru the years.  From the info in the above picture, this arched door way is original to it's date of construction.  The inscription above is to honor the visit of Ferdinand 11, in 1825 King of Two Sicilies who ruled from Spain.  Naples and Sicily were merged, despite Sicilian protests, in 1816, when Ferdinand I styled himself officially king of the Two Sicilies. Revolts occurred in 1820 and 1848-49 and were mercilessly suppressed; the bombardments of Messina (1848) and Palermo (1849) earned Ferdinand II the nickname "King Bomba." In 1860, Garibaldi conquered the island, which then voted to join the kingdom of Sardinia.

 There are people living in the homes around the courtyard. A man & his wife sold me my straw hat and another woman sold me dried tomatos. I took pictures of them and thus the inside of their homes. On the one with just the woman you can see the original curve of a turret for the early castle as a wall in her home. 

More of our visit can be seen in the slideshow offered here.

9/19 & 9/20 MONDAY & TUESDAY - ARRIVED IN SCOPELLO

Monday, we had a beautiful day to drive north up the eastern coast, back to Catania.  (I think we could almost do it in our sleep).  From there we turned inland and drove to the middle of the northern coast to Palermo.  From there, west to Scopello.

The autostrada was the fastest way and I didn't have to worry if taking the scenic route it would turn into a goat path at times.  Although, using Google Earth, one can actually drive or fly over a route and see what you will see when you drive it.  Using a Garmin was beyond great.  I am used to AT&T Navigator on my iPhone (which doesn't work here, there went all those great apps I could have used).  No one should travel ANYWHERE without some type of GPS is my thought!!  Yeah, Yeah, I know, don't become dependent upon technology.  It's great when it works but you stop living when it don't !!  I do have a set of maps but even at larger print, still too small for John to read and direct the route.

In Palermo, the drivers have two lanes going opposite ways.  They manage to make three of them each way.  Speed limits go from 62 mph to 32 mph is a matter of inches, usually around pull offs and get ons.  Forget getting a feel for the flow, it is just fast so hang on to your bippy and try to stay up!  On the long stretches of the autostrada you get to go 81 mph, that I love to do.  I still have to watch my outside left mirror because others come from behind you at breathneck speeds.  They weren't there when you looked a second ago.

John could not get over how the apartments are stacked one on top of each and sidewise.  So beautiful they are though, most tan with red clay tile roofs.  Washings hanging out of what looks like seaside expensive condos.  The autostrada hugs the coast line in several places so your visual sense is overloaded with so much to see but I can't cause the car in back of me is looking to cut me off so he/she can get three inches ahead of me in this traffic!!!  John is my eyes for this part of the trip and trying to describe the best he can what is going on from his side of the seat.

Before you know it, we are in Scopello.  Our home base for the next 4 weeks.  Tony and Julia Messina gave us great descriptions and instructions how to open their home and turn everything on.  We will be forever grateful to them both for letting us their home so we could pull off a 5 week stay.

Today, Tuesday, we hung around the house and watched it rain.  It was a beautiful day to do so.  Being high up the rain came in at different times and for short durations.  I did the blog watching clouds of all sorts and sizes go past the mountain top across from us.  John sat out on the veranda and listened to the farmers in their fields.  Sound carries quite a distance here.  I attach this video of the rain.  Turn off all distractions and enjoy the quietness of the rain falling all around you.  bel suono della pioggia

9/18/11 SUNDAY - DAY OF REST

The day really was a day of rest for me.  I had wrenched my back in bed last night and couldn't move, much less drive the 6 hour planned scenic route from Siracusa area to our home base in Scopello.  From the southeast end of the island to the northwest end.  And, sadly, no carnal knowledge was used to put me in this situation.  We were fortunate to have met a lovely couple from south of London who were also staying at the agriturismo.  Malcom & Marion offered to take John into town to get food.  Best of all, Marion had some anti-inflamatory meds that along with rest would get me fit for travel soon.  We had some good laughs with them over my possibly killing two cars in 1 day and now the wrenched back.  They gave us their email to be added to the blog I told them I was going to start.  I think they want to make sure we get home in one piece and something they don't have to worry about forever not knowing for sure!!! 

We rented the room for another night and waited for meds and rest to kick in.  Having never flown outside of the USA, I really thought airport screening would find John's old Vicodin I harbor for times just like this.  I didn't want to see him flying on an old prescription and being locked away so I didn't hide any within his other meds.  Drat, it really did hurt !!!!

9/17/11 SATURDAY - ISLAND OF ORTIGIA

We were ready to go out and about again with confidence now that the car issues were no more.  Our plan was to see Ortigia which is a small island just off Syracusa.

CLICK>> TO SEE THE BEAUTY & HISTORY OF ORTIGIA

The open air market was going in full swing.  It was noisy, smelly (in a good and bad way!), flashy and nothing we had ever experienced.  Goods from all over the area to include all kinds of fish, farm products, clothing, flowers, women's accessories, tons of sunglasses *that must be a staple for EVERY flea market all over the world!!*, etc etc etc. 

The vendors were theatrical and flamboyant.  I heard this one vendor from a block away.  He was "promoting" his fish and it was working because his booth was almost empty of goods.  Just as I got there with my camera, he stopped to have a cig and a break.  I started filming and only had to say 'FACEBOOK??' and he was happy to get back on for his 21 seconds of fame. 

There were eateries with tables/chairs on the sidewalk where strollers had to walk around and did without complaint or annoyance.  Some sat without buying anything just happy to be present and taking up space.  We bought our first gelato which is
Italy’s version of ice cream, with three major differences.

 Gelato has significantly less butterfat than ice cream's typical 18 and 26 percent, having less than 10 percent butterfat.  However, less fat does not mean less taste. With the lower butterfat content, gelato is less solidly frozen than ice cream and melts in the mouth faster.Therefore, the customer will taste gelato’s full flavor immediately.


I was also interested in going because Pastor Sue Hamilton Graham had spent July & August preaching the book of Acts at our church, Depue United Church of Christ.  Both Paul and this temple would have been at the same place at the same time!! Hard to believe it still survives 2600 ++ years old!

Chronologies of Paul's life are approximate and debated by scholars. At some point around the year 59 he visited Syracuse where he preached - probably in the place where the paleo-Christian Church of Saint John was built. Whatever was said was expressed in Greek, the vernacular of Roman Sicily (where Latin was a second language). It is possible that a few Jews came to hear Paul talk, as there was a Jewish community at Syracuse. There was no subsequent "Letter of Paul to the Syracusans." However, there is no doubt that it was Paul who brought Christianity to Sicily, even though his stay in Syracuse lasted only three days before he departed for Reggio Calabria, Pozzuoli (near Naples) and then Rome.

The description of this journey is found in Acts of the Apostles, 28:11-13.

The Temple of Apollo (Tempio di Apollo) on the island of Ortygia in Siracusa, is a Greek temple dating from the 6th century BC. This is the oldest known Doric temple in Western Europe. An inscription says that the temple honors Apollo.  Regardless, the temple was turned into a Byzantine church (527- 565) and then the Muslims took over and converted it into a mosque. Later, under Norman rule, it was turned back into a church.

9/16/11 FRIDAY - ROMANTIC SICILY

After a beatiful drive back up the coast to Catania airport to pick up our automatic car, we drove back in fine order.  I laughed out loud in relief when I saw other driver's shifting as they drove.  A hearse pulled around us and I was indignant that despite white/black smoke coming out of his exhaust, "His car was still running, why weren't mine?" .... well a few yards down the road he had pulled over and he had a fire going pretty good on the undercarriage.  So with that, I put the whole thing behind me and we spent the afternoon just chilling out at the agriturismo.

 Our plan was to go into town (Cassibile\and buy some wine, cheese and bread.  Chiara and Lawrence would have none of that so put together a wonderful antapasta meal with wine for us that evening out on the veranda.  We later walked out to pool with our wine and enjoyed looking at the stars.  We realized we couldn't find the big or little dipper in USA or Sicily!!

We shared the space with the 4 farm dogs whom we had grown quite fond of.  They would greet us in the morning and when we came home, meet us at the gate our car passed thru to get onto the property.  They came to you but were not all over you, our kinda pet!!

At night they stood guard outside our window in the courtyard.  During the day they rested on the coolness of the stone floors.  Ahhh, a dogs life in Sicily.

9/15/11 THURSDAY - OUR FIRST BIG "SPEED BUMP"

After a night's rest from our arrival, we decided to venture forth and visit Noto.

CLICK>> THE BEAUTY & HISTORY OF NOTO

Sadly, we ourselves never got to see too much of the beauty and none of the history!!

WELL, we got a bit up one of the hills and then our car died.  A hill town's street is only wide enough for two cars and even then you see drivers using the small sidewalks on each side when they need extra room.  So you can imagine how happy drivers were with me to be stopped on the side and they had to take turns going around me coming up or down.  We found out quickly on our drive to Syracusa that Sicilian drivers DO NOT like to take turns!!!

Thankfully a wonderful Sicilian stopped as he drove past us from above.  He must have seen the panic on my face.  He stayed with us for almost an hour making the phone calls and translations needed to get our rental company there with a tow truck.  His mechanic came and asked if we saw white smoke which I later learned meant a burnt out clutch.  I had been driving since the day before and did not see (okay maybe when I took off from the rental place and the 1st street I must turn on is with traffic whizzing by going both directions and I have to find an opening) nor really had what I thought was big problems shifting.

So, the tow truck arrives in about an hour and a half from moment of  "auto muerto" which, for Sicily we are told, is pretty fast.  The driver speaks no English.  We jump in his cab and he drives us to Syracusa where our earlier "knight in shining armor" had made arrangements for us to pick up another car at same rental company.  Well, we are now in the 2-3:30pm period where Sicily shuts down for merchants, office workers, etc to go home and eat lunch or rest. We sit on the street of Syracusa and I watch traffic whizzing by me from a whole new perspective.  Sicilian drivers live on the edge!!

When the rental office opens, we are given another car.  I did not have that car long enough to even take a picture of it!!  About 2 miles out of town, I get spooked when after looking in the rear view mirror I see a few puffs of white smoke after just transversing several roundabouts which meant for me alot of shifting to keep up with the other drivers.  I pull off into a petrol station that does not have a mechanic.  Two Sicilians, an uncle and 20ish nephew are kind enough to try to help.  They speak no English.  But I have alot of information written down in my "travel book" from our debacle in Noto.  They call or let me use their phone.  I can hear the younger man telling the rental office we just left "auto muerto, auto muerto, auto muerto."  I think that will resonate in my brain for quite a while!!

I now insist I be given an automatic.  These are much more expensive as it is a supply and demand sort of thing in Europe.  As I later tell them back at the agriturismo, "Americans solve problems by throwing money at it" .... but of course, John adds, "yes, even if they don't have it" .... The tow truck comes and thank god, not the same one.  He can not speak English so I just keep repeating "dos auto muerto."  But I do notice that he gets into the car and puts it into gear to drive it up on a skid.  He will also put it into reverse at the car dealership that services our rental company, to get it off the skid.  So perhaps I did not really '"kill two cars in one day?"

The rental company does not have an automatic in Syracusa but assure me they do back at their office at Catania airport.  They get us a cab and will reimburse us.  We get there about 5:30pm.  An hour later they advise there are no automatics in stock and will probably have to bring one in from Rome.  "Oh great," we both think.  All I can come up with is to get back to Syracusa and get a taxi driver that speaks English.  I did not know that to do this from the airport taxi line is not that easy.  They are in a "que" where they wait in line and take the next fare as they come up.  Several drivers come out of their cabs to see what is going on since I am standing at the window of the cab that is NOT next in the que.  Me, being me, I strike up conversations with these men and one is wearing a LA shirt.  Yes, he has been in USA but visited in Kenosha WI.  We had already used our "Chee-ga-go" reference and now these men are our friends and they are talking among themselves for the best solution.  They ask another driver to come over and he speaks perfect English.  He makes a few phones calls which I learn is to get the okay from all the other drivers in the que to make it kosher with all.  I tell him "tell them it's a crazy distraught Americano and they wouldn't want me in their back seats!"  This time we pay the $140 taxi ride back and know we will pay it again the next day when they call we have an automatic to rent.  I now though have the phone number of  Giuseppe (who took us back to Catania next day) who we can call upon our return to Catania when I must get rid of the car the day before we fly out.  I also know someone who "knows someone" anywhere in Sicily if we need help again.

We get back to the agriturismo and although Chiara & Lawrence offered food, we just wanted to take a shower and eat the grapes we bought in a small store in Noto.  We reflected it was good to be happy with just the small pleasures in life after the day we had spent.  What we did learn though is that the spirit of the Sicilians to lend a hand to a stranger is strong and virbrant in their souls.  So many offered that we were humbled by their willingness to give of their time and resourcefulness to see us be safe and out of our dilemma.  I was truly proud to know that I share some of that same Sicilian blood (although watered down!!) and resiliency.

9/14/11 WEDNESDAY - WE ARRIVE IN SICILY

On a bright sunny early afternoon we arrive at Catania airport with Mt Etna greeting us from outside our plane window.  The Alitalia flight from Chicago to Rome was 9 hours and the movies were in Italian.  We picked up our Fiat auto and started off to our first stop, Syracusa where we would stay three nights at the LaCasa di Melo agriturismo.  Our plan was to visit the Island of Ortigia. 

Our first night in Sicily we had a wonderful dinner of pizza for John and pizzoli for myself.  The owners of Blume Pizzeria in Cassibili, are a young couple who both speak English.  He came out behind his brick oven work area to greet us.  Once he knew we were American, the always asked question "where" came out.  We are learning to say "Chicago" because we then have an air of familiarity with the asker because they light up and say ......... "ah, Chee-ca-go"!   Although many have never been there, they certainly know of it!!!  He was very proud to show me the picture of the boat his grandfather came to America in and landed at Ellis Island, 1913.  I in turn showed him a picture of the immigrants in America after their arrival in the early 1900s. 

We find that people are drawn into our story to find more history on those that left their country.  Some tell us families from that time period also left and their history is now lost to the ages or that they know they have an unmet cousin or two in America.  Or that the next generations from those who left do come back for visits.  Others share family who left as immigrants, did return to Sicily. 

After dinner we return to the nearby agriturismo for a long awaited sleep.  We both hit the pillows softly and slept hard !!