Since I last wrote days have flown by lapping up this little piece of paradise on the Sicilian coast. Swimming, sitting in the sun, going to fabulous towns with amazing markets and feasting to celebrate Ang’s birthday. It is so beautiful here that it will be hard to leave it behind and head into Palermo, a busy, hot city.
Winde back a few days to the 13th. Az and I went into Catania to pick up Ang and Kirst…me driving which is a bit tense! They were an hour and a half late but otherwise all went well. We got back here, caught up, swam a bit and then went out to a local village, Agnone Bagni, to a little restaurant we’d been to before, Il Triangolo, and had one of those typical fish feasts. Nothing special but a fantastic local, laid back place.
The next day, 14th, was the day before Ang’s birthday and we were on a mission to stock up on fresh food for the feast day planned in celebration. So we went in to Syracusa and the area called Ortygia where there is a large market for everything! But first we wandered around Ortygia to get a feel for it. It is a beautiful Baroque town (or suburb of Syracusa…not sure which) with lovely narrow streets and beautiful buildings and piazza’s. We went to the Duomo (of course) and then headed on to the market for a major shop of mussels, clams, calamari, cheeses, meats, wine etc and then had to stagger back to the car with it all. The need to get it home, out of the heat and refrigerated was foremost on out minds so we sacrificed having a lunch of all the street delicacies available. But when we got home Az concocted a lovely pasta lunch which more than compensated!! After lunch Ham, Ang and Ariane were going down the many steps to hop into the ocean. I took a deep breath and plucked up the courage to go with them. The entrance and exit points were a bit scary but with the boys on hand I gave it a go…no problems really and it was so lovely…so deep and clear and just wonderful.
After this relaxation it was time to go again, this time for an ultra massive supermarket shop. Again we staggered back down to the apartment with masses of shopping. This time it was Pizza for tea which the boys went out and got from the same restaurant in Agnone Bagni.
Yesterday was birthday day which means a day of feasting and lolling about in the sun, flopping into the pool whenever we felt like it. We started the first course around 12….a feast of antipasto with delicious cheeses, prosciutto, melon, etc etc. Delicious. While we sat around after this I set to work de-bearding 5kgs of mussels in preparation for course no. 2. Then it was time to head down to the ocean for another swim. My courage was well and truly in place after yesterday and I was in the water in a flash, having a lovely long swim and no trouble getting out either. It was heaven. The climb back up is pretty steep and sweaty so when I got back up I just flopped into the pool to stage my exit!! Then sitting in the sun, drinking some lovely white wines bought in Bordeaux. Then we ate mussels to our fill, beautifully prepared and totally delicious. This was followed by calamari prepared by Ang and cooked on the BBQ by Hammy. More swims, more sitting in the sun then Clam Spaghetti. Then a steak with salad and then the Tiramisu Ariane had made during the day….washed down with a Chateau de Malle sauterne. Had I died and gone to heaven? No but I could have!!
A great day of celebration for a great birthday in what must be the dream place of all time!!
More adventures today…maybe off to Taormina if everyone can raise the energy to leave Paradise!!