Month: October 2022

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Thursday, October 27, 2022

We spent the morning in the apartment. Deborah made chicken cutlets for lunch and then we went out. Our first stop was La Rinascente. It’s a high end department store that we first encountered in Rome a few years ago. It was the only place we knew where we could get Clinique products in the area.

Next we walked over to an office supply store. We needed to print some tickets for portions of our upcoming trips.

Friday, October 28, 2022

This morning we headed over to Palazzo Biscari. We’d tried to go when Lauren was in town but it was closed for renovations. We arrived around 10:30 am. They told us that we could explore the palace by ourselves but if we wanted to we could come back at 11:30 am for a guided tour in English. We killed the hour in a cafe drinking coffee and returned in time for the guided tour. Entry to the palace is €6.00, €10.00 for the guided tour. Credit cards are accepted.

The palace was built on top of the city’s 6th Century AD walls shortly after the earthquake of 1693. At that time the palace abutted the shoreline. Over the centuries the Princes of Biscari acquired a huge collection of ancient artifacts and art. The collection was on display in the palace until 1924 when it was donated to the city of Catania. Today, it can be seen in Castello Ursino.

The tour starts in an entryway where wooden panels on the walls show the territories that were controlled by the family. The next room has a large number of ancestral portraits. The guide told a funny story about one couple. The wife found out about her husband’s mistress. She had the mistress buried alive. As a consequence her husband decided never to speak to her again. Forevermore they communicated only by written word.

The next room was a grand ballroom. Unlike other parts of the house that were in obvious need of maintenance, the ballroom was in magnificent shape. There was bold and colorful frescos along the walls and ceilings. High above were Mirano glass chandeliers and along the dome was a balcony designed to accommodate musicians. The guide said that the room is often used for celebrations, weddings and special occasions.

The next rooms were a sitting room, a bedroom, a dining room and a bath. These rooms were surprisingly small but fitted with exquisite inlaid wooded paneling. Outside we could see the edge of a roof garden. We were only able to visit half of the palace because the family still lives in the other half.

After the tour we had lunch on our minds. We tried to visit a restaurant that was recommended on a tourist website but it didn’t open for another hour and a half. We opted instead for another restaurant that was around the corner, located in the middle of the artists’ district. I was interested in trying a local dish called Pasta alla Norma.

Pasta alla Norma, a dish that originated in Catania, is made with penne or rigatoni, tomato, fried eggplant, salted ricotta and basil. There are several stories about its origin but the one I liked best involves Bellini. It is said that he was very fond on this dish and ate it frequently when he was composing his opera Norma. The dish was named in his honor. I enjoyed it very much. Deborah had breaded chicken cutlets that had been grilled. It was an unusual treatment but it, too, was very good. The waiters constantly circulated with plates of freshly made cannoli and casata cakes. They looked really good but we just didn’t have any more room.

Back in the apartment we booked our accommodations for Malta and drank most of Lauren’s limoncello. We’re now completely booked with travel and accommodations until the end of November.

Saturday, October, 29, 2022

Today’s agenda was to see the churches on Via Crociferi. It’s a rather short street near our apartment that is famous for having six 18th Century churches on it. The first church we came to was closed. It seemed odd. This street is well known for its churches and places of worship are normally open on Saturday. In any event we passed it by and continued down the street.

Next was Chiesa di San Giuliano. (This one was open one of the first days we were in town but we found that a wedding was taking place so we couldn’t visit it then. I took a couple of pictures from the entry area and we left.) Today it was open but surprisingly we were charged to enter. This is a rarity for Catholic Churches. It sometimes happens that there is a treasury or a crypt that they will charge to see but never the church itself – unless that church is now really a museum. In any event we paid the €4.00 per person (cash only) and went inside.

We found a medium sized Romanesque style church. It was not Baroque as we expected. We were given a small pamphlet describing the church but it was little more than a map telling us where the chapels were. It didn’t describe the artwork at all. We also visited the sacristy where there were tributes to Saint Rita and Saint Benedict. Finally we climbed the stairs. We had hoped to be able to walk the balcony that went around the top of the church but it was closed to visitors. Further up we came to the roof. From there we had a panoramic view of most of the city. The Duomo and the neighboring abbey were in full view and sported the sea as a backdrop.

We continued down the street and found several more churches, monasteries and abbeys. All of them were closed. At the end of the block we came to a lovely stone gate. The accompanying sign said that this was the entrance to Villa Cerami, an 18th Century palace that had hosted the royal family during their visits to Catania. It fell into neglect and was purchased in 1957 by the city. It has been restored and is now part of the University of Catania.

On our way to the grocery store to restock our supply of cookies we ran into the Crypt of Saint Euplio. The crypt was part of a 3rd Century Roman church that was destroyed during WWII bombings. One of the original walls was still standing and there was a staircase from which you could still enter the crypt. Several very bored guides were standing around trying to entice people into a guided tour. We politely declined.

Deborah decided to take a quick look at one of the outdoor markets. She was hoping to find some new clothes. While there we noticed Basilica dell’Annunziata e Convento del Carmine, a large church that we’d never seen open before. It was built on the site of an ancient acropolis. We couldn’t resist looking around.

Leaving the church we headed back towards the main shopping district on Via Etna. We were looking for Giardino Bellini (Bellini’s Garden). It’s the oldest of the city’s four large public parks. The property once belonged to Prince Ignazio Paterno Castello – a prominent member of the family that still owns Palazzo Biscari. The city purchased the property in 1854 and named it after its favorite son. It’s a large, tiered park in the Neo-classical style with manicured gardens and, on the top level, a place to hold public concerts. Fittingly, there is a statue of Bellini in the center.

At last we decided to head to Gelateria Peligrino for lunch and dessert. When we finally arrived we found a sign saying that it was closed for vacation and wouldn’t be open again until November 6. We’ll be gone by then. Damn! Our second choice was Cafe del Duomo; we’ve eaten there many times before.

Sunday, October 30, 2022

Our last full day in Catania. We started the day by going to the Duomo. We were hoping to catch a mass in which the organ was playing. When we got there a mass was in progress but the organ bay was empty. We didn’t stick around for long.

Since it was Sunday we thought we might have a better chance of seeing some of the churches on Via Crociferi. All but the one we’d already seen were closed. We were very disappointed.

We zigged and zagged down a few streets we hadn’t been on before and saw an interesting looking church up on a hill. We went to investigate. It was Sant’Agata Al Carcere or the Prison of Saint Agatha. This was the place where the saint was imprisoned after having her breasts mutilated and where Saint Peter came and healed her. It’s a pretty little church. On one wall there is an impression of the saint’s feet. To the side is a small crypt. We found a small altar and a few nice statues there.

After leaving the church more zigzagging took us right by the crypt of Saint Euplio again. This time we decided to take a look. There is a small courtyard where the church used to stand. On the far wall, where the main altar would have been, was a display of the 12 apostles carved in marble from the 1880s. We paid €3.00 a piece to have a guided tour. Cash only.

A group of about 15 descended the stairs into the crypt. A woman described what we saw in Italian and a couple of young men standing near us translated. It seems that the saint was buried there but his body was stolen by the Romans. It was later recovered and now rests in Avalino. There wasn’t much to see. One could imagine where the altar was but the rest was just a rough hewn cave.

We continued to zig and zag around town purposely going on streets we hadn’t seen before. After about two miles of this we headed over to the supermarket to get some prepared foods for dinner. Nothing really appealed to us so we decided to have lunch at the Cafe del Duomo and get something there for dinner late. Along the way we found an appealing restaurant and had lunch there although we still stopped at Cafe del Duomo so as to have something for dinner.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Monday, October 24, 2022

In the morning we went out grocery shopping. We decide to give a new supermarket a try. It’s just down the block from the Lidl we often use. They had some nice prepared foods and some interesting cookies. We took home lasagna ragu for lunch. It was very good. The rest of the day we bing watched the Big Bang Theory on Netflix.

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

In the morning we went to the outdoor market. For lunch Deborah made tortellini with pesto sauce. In the afternoon we went to a new gelato place near the Bellini Theater. This one was recommended by one of the tour guides from our trip to Mount Etna. The gelato was good – but not as good as the stuff from the place that Lauren found.

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Taormina is a town located about an hour north of Catania situated on top of a large hill. We could have taken the train but that would have left us at the base of the hill and would have required us to get a shuttle bus to get up the hill. Instead we took the bus which left us off right near the middle of town. At the base of the hill, and right along the ocean, is the town of Giardini Naxos. The town has typical beach rentals all along the main road. To the north there are several coves with lovely beaches. There is even a small island called Isola Bella (Beautiful Island) than you can walk to during low tide.

From the bus station we walked uphill to get to the good stuff. The town was originally settled by the Greeks in the 8th Century BC. Sometime in the 3rd -2nd Century BC they built a large amphitheater, which the Romans rebuilt sometime in the 2nd Century AD. The current theater is mainly of Roman construction but still retains its Greek design. It has been partially restored and is still used for concerts.

After the fall of the Roman Empire Taormina remained under Byzantine rule until the 10th Century when it was finally conquered by Muslims from North Africa. As with much of the area it was later under Norman, Spanish and French rule. The town retains much of its Medieval character. There are gates at each end of the main avenue and the remains of city walls can still be seen. Many of the shops and restaurants on the main street also date from this period. Even higher up the hill there is a monastery and a castle. The castle was originally from the Greek period but has been modified many times over the years. It is not open to the public.

At first we visited the theater. Entry cost €10.00 per person. Credit cards are accepted. The theater was built on the edge of a hill. The countryside and the ocean can be seen through the arches on the sides of the stage area. It’s a magnificent site.

Atop the last set of seating there are panoramic views of the entire area. Inside the main entryway they had some Greek tablets on display along with a history of the theater.

After seeing the theater we walked back to the main commercial district and went in search of lunch. We found a lovely little cafe and ordered Fettuccine Bolognese and a dish particular to Taormina consisting of pasta, sun dried tomatoes, anchovies, and toasted breadcrumbs. The portions were huge and the food was delicious.

Next we walked up and down the main street. The place is a Mecca for shoppers with high end stores, hand made leather, restaurants, and cafes. Surprisingly, prices were fairly reasonable. We ducked into several churches (including the Parrocchia San Nicolo di Bari or simply The Duomo), every leather store, quite a few jewelry stores, and quite a few shops selling speciality foods. We walked away with some marzipan cookies that we took home to eat after dinner.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Friday, October 21, 2022

What you probably already know is that parts of the trilogy of Godfather movies was filmed in Sicily. What you may not know is that none of them were filmed in Corleone. There seem to be several competing reasons why: one is that the Mafia wanted to extort money for the filming rights, another is the remote location, and another is that the town no longer resembled a typical Sicilian village from the early 1900s. In any event most of the Italian scenes were filmed in the Northeast region of Sicily, in and around the towns of Savoca and Forza d’Agrò. We booked a tour to see these sights. Lauren was particularly interested in taking this tour. Ironically, she’d only seen a short part of the first Godfather film – only up to the point where the horse’s head winds up in Woltz’ bed.

We were picked up in front of our apartment, drove North on the coastal road, and up a narrow, hilly, switchbacked way to the top of a mountain. It took us about an hour to reach the town of Savoca. There really isn’t much of anything there. Most of the residents have moved away to larger cities. The town seems to survive simply to service tourists wanting to see where The Godfather films were made.

Our guide dropped us off in front of a small cafe. It was immediately familiar. It was the place where Michael and his bodyguards initially met Signor Vitelli and described the girl that Michael had seen on the road. We took bunches of pictures and then sat down at one of the tables and had coffee while we waited for another carload of tourists to join our group. We had a lot of fun with it.

Soon the main tour guide arrived with another bunch of people. They too sat and had coffee. He was one of those people who always had a story. We liked him right away. He had a deep knowledge of The Godfather movies and shared some of his insights. It was clear that he was a movie buff because he liked to refer to other movies that had used similar plot devices.

Outside, high on a hilltop, there was a church on an outcropping. When the group had finished their coffee we walked up to that church. Along the way the guide asked us all sorts of trivia questions about the movies to test our knowledge. As a group, we did fairly well. Along the way to the church we found the ruin of a synagogue. In 1492, when Spain expelled its Jewish population, this part of Italy was under Spanish control. The building had been abandoned at that time.

When we finally got to the church we realized that it was the place that Michael and Apollonia had gotten married. The guide pointed out that we never see the inside of the church. The interior of the church had been too hard to light properly for filming. He said there was only one scene in the entire trilogy that was actually filmed inside a church. I knew the answer. It was the scene where Connie’s child was baptized. Our guide said that the baby used for the scene was actually Sophia Coppola, the director’s daughter. In fact, she was the only person to appear in all three movies.

Next we drove some more narrow, winding roads to the town of Forza d’Agrò. There we saw where several more scenes had been filmed. The Cattedrale di S. Maria Annunziata e Assunta was the backdrop for a wedding scene and the arch in front of it (Arco Durazzesco) was where the puppet show took place. It is also used in the third move.

A second church, Cattedrale di S. Maria Annunziata e Assunta, was used for the scenes involving young Vito Andolini, aka Vito Corleone – especially the one where he rides off after hiding in the donkey’s basket. Nearby is the house that Michael shows to Kay as the place where his father grew up.

After seeing the sights our guide steered us to a small cafe where we had freshly made arancini and cannoli. While we ate we continued discussing The Godfather saga and movie trivia in general. We had a great time.

Back in the car we talked freely with our now familiar driver. A favorite topic was foods and restaurants. She recommended a Gelateria near The Bellini Theater and graciously offered to drop us off at our favorite restaurant were we got dinner and gelato. Our favorite waitress wasn’t there so our medium gelatos really were medium sized. Back in the apartment we stayed up late and the three of us watched Godfather I.

Saturday, October 22, 2022

Today was Lauren’s last day so we did whatever she wanted – and what she wanted was to go to the open air market. We strolled around all of the fish mongers and bought some swordfish, Parmesan cheese for her to take back home, fruits and vegetables, bread, cookies, and the like.

Later we went to the outdoor flea market. It goes on for block after block. There is a food section but it is mostly goods. We were looking for things that Lauren could bring back as gifts from her trip. The market caters mostly to locals so there aren’t a lot of touristy things but we managed to find exactly what we were looking for. As usual we wound up at our favorite restaurant for lunch and gelato.

In the evening we watched Godfather II.

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Lauren’s taxi came at 4:40 am. We took her downstairs, said goodbye, and went back to sleep. It had been a hectic week and we were planning on taking it easy today.

Lauren texted us when she got to Rome (shockingly there was no WiFi at Catania Airport). Her flight back to the States left an hour late. It’s going to be a VERY long day for her.

We spent the rest of the day resting, doing laundry, and catching up on personal items.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Mount Etna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013, is one of the world’s most active volcanos and is in a state of almost constant activity. An eruption about half a million years ago is responsible for creating the land that Catania sits on today. Its eruption of 1669 destroyed several cities in Sicily including Catania. We booked a tour to take an up close and personal view.

A driver picked us up at our apartment and headed towards the North peak. We got out of the car and listened to a talk about the history of the volcano and how it had affected the surrounding area. There was a wall of rock where it was easy to distinguish layers from several different lava flows. We got back into the car and headed over to a lava tube. Because of the low, jagged ceilings we were required to don hard hats.

We descended down some very crude steps into a tunnel. Our guide explained that at one time snow was collected and compacted into ice in these tubes. Because the lava was such a good insulator ice was available to nearby towns all year long. We walked the short length of the tube, gave back our stylish helmets and drove over to a trailhead. The website said that this was supposed to be an easy walk. Our guide said we would be out for about an hour and forty five minutes and that the trail was rather hilly in places. That turned out to be an understatement.

It was cooler high up on the mountain. The light breeze was refreshing as we walked. Eventually we came to a series of small craters all in a row. These so-called button craters had been active one after another during a recent eruption. Further down we came to a much larger crater. Besides the main craters at the top these were among the approximately 300 smaller ones. We learned that the tops of volcanos don’t grow as material is ejected. They become taller as ejected material settles back down and collects.

We continued on for a ways and enjoyed the scenery. On one side there was a long sloping hill reaching towards the top of the volcano and on the other side was a valley with a large mountain range in the background. Our guide pointed out where the Greeks had initially settled, followed by the Romans and then the Normans. Finally we went back to the car and stopped at a cafe for a quick lunch.

We got back to Catania around 6:00 pm. It had been a long day. Instead of dinner in the apartment we decided to get some light food at a cafe in Piazza del Duomo. We indulged in some Limoncello and Aperol Spitzes, too. Somehow we managed to get to our favorite gelato place. This time we ordered mediums. Lauren enjoyed the Limoncello so much that she bought a bottle on the way back to the apartment.

Thursday, October 20, 2022

We slept late this morning and didn’t leave the apartment until after 10:30 am. We intended to take a tour of Palazzo Biscari but it turned out to be closed for maintenance until October 25. We decided to hide our disappointment by visiting the outdoor market. It’s some of the best entertainment we’ve had. We bought a bunch of things and were on our way back to the apartment when we found a small shop selling leather goods. Lauren found a pocketbook that she really liked. The clerk suggested that we visit the factory a few blocks away. We dumped the food in the apartment and proceeded on our new quest.

The factory was just a five minute walk away and was located in a good sized building near the Benedictine Monastery. Downstairs there were a few people busy sewing leather goods. The showroom, consisting of several rooms, was upstairs. On the center table was a huge collection of shoes, obviously their biggest selling product. We perused the pocketbooks that were on display but found nothing better than what we’d seen in the store. Back at the store Lauren got the bag she’d seen before. Given her upcoming birthday it was our treat.

For lunch we went back to our favorite gelato shop and, for the first time, ordered food. Lauren had a salad with tuna, Deborah a Caprese crepe and I had grilled eggplant with a side of spinach. The food was very good. For dessert we ordered medium sized gelatos. The waitress, who remembered us from the night before, brought us larges. We were only charged for mediums.

Dinner in the apartment consisted of fresh salad greens, fried chicken cutlets and limoncello. We had amaretto cookies for dessert.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Saturday, October 15, 2022

In the morning we went out and did some grocery shopping. We had planned to meet my sister at the airport this afternoon and wanted to be stocked up. Her flight from JFK to Rome got in over an hour early which meant she was able to get an earlier connecting flight to Catania. We had intended to take the bus to the airport but since she was coming earlier we didn’t have the time so we just took an UBER. The driver turned out to be a great guy. His English was almost as bad as our Italian. We had fun trying to have a conversation.

We arrived at the airport around 10:00 am. The flight we were waiting on was scheduled to land at 10:30 am. We asked the driver if he wanted to stick around and drive us back. He was happy to oblige. He gave me his phone number and said to message him on WhatsApp when we were ready. By 10:35 am we were back in the car and heading back into town.

Lauren had been traveling for the better part of two days. She was tired but still wanted to see some of the city. We walked over to Piazza del Duomo and got an early lunch at a cafe we’d eaten at several times. Afterwards we visited the cathedral, walked through the main shopping district, and spend some time perusing the outdoor markets. After a tour of some of the sights she would be seeing in the next few days we went back to the apartment. For dinner we found a nice outdoor restaurant near the apartment. Lauren and Deborah had pizzas (surprisingly they were Neapolitan style) and I had spaghetti with clams. We were all a little tired and wound up getting to sleep on the early side.

Sunday, October 16, 2022

We had a leisurely breakfast in the apartment because Ursino Castle didn’t open until 10:00 am. The castle was built in the mid 13th century as a royal palace for Emperor Frederick II, King of Sicily. After the capital was moved from Catania the castle was no longer an important military site and was used as a prison. It is one of the few buildings that was not destroyed in the earthquake of 1693. Originally the castle was positioned on a cliff overlooking the sea. Because of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes the castle is now located about half a mile from the shoreline. At one time the moat was completely filled with lava. By 1934 the castle had been transformed into a museum housing mainly Sicilian art. Entry to the castle costs €10.00 per person. Credit cards are accepted. The lowest section of the castle features high ceilings supported by ribbed vaults. On display we saw artifacts from the Greek and Roman settlements dating from the first century BC to the third century AD consisting mostly of marble statues and high relief carvings.

The second floor contained a large collection of Attica Kraters and Lekythos. Other rooms contained secular Medieval era paintings. The third floor collections, mostly paintings, featured works from the 19th century.

The fourth floor, up another seven flights of stairs, had a display of modern photography intermixed with ancient artifacts. Back on the ground floor there were some more ancient Roman and Greek sculptures and tablets on display.

Across the piazza from the castle we found a restaurant with outside seating that had just opened. We sat under a canopy and enjoyed the cool breeze while sitting in the shadow of the castle. Two of us got veal cutlets with French fries for the bargain price of €7.00. For another €8.00 we got an order of calamari and for €3.00 we got some potato croquets. It was a delicious meal and at an excellent price. By the time we left the restaurant had filled up with locals coming from nearby church services. For dessert we went to a cafe back in Piazza del Duomo and had some gelato.

Now was the time to go exploring. We walked down to the seafront. There was a really interesting looking cafe on the corner. We checked out their pastries and gelato offerings before heading North along the shore. After taking pictures at a fountain depicting the Rape of Persephone we turned back and re-entered the cafe. We ordered some more gelato and even shared a pastry. The gelato was excellent. Lauren said it was the best she’d ever had.

Finally we returned to the apartment where we made some reservations for a tour of the monastery and ate a dinner consisting of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and excellent bread. A few cookies may have been consumed as well.

Monday, October 17, 2022

In the morning we went to the outdoor market. We walked the entire market before choosing a few choice items. We got some swordfish fillets, breaded chicken cutlets, vegetables, bread, and some cheeses. It was so much fun. We had the swordfish for lunch.

In the afternoon we went on a guided tour of Monastero dei Benedettini di San Nicolò l’Arena or The Benedictine Monastery of Saint Nicholas of the Arena. Initially we thought that Saint Nicholas of the Arena was a saint that was unknown to us but it turns out that the monastery and the adjoining church were so named because of an ancient Roman arena that had once been in the area. We went in the afternoon because the English language tours were only given at 1:00 pm and we purchased combination tickets that allowed us discounted entry to two other venues. Tickets cost €15.00. Credit cards are normally accepted (the machine was down when we were there so we paid cash).

The original monastery was built in 1558. In spite of their immense wealth the monks built a fairly modest structure. It was the height of the Reformation and they didn’t wish to call too much attention to themselves. When Mount Etna erupted in 1669 the resulting lava flows destroyed much of the structure. When the monks rebuilt they designed a facility that was 16 times the size of the original. In 1977 the complex was donated to the University of Catania, which proceeded with a major renovation.

We started our tour with a visit to the cloister. In the center was a large, rather eclectic structure, where coffee was served to visitors. Our guide took us through the university and down below the ground level where we saw some of the space that was used as the original kitchen. The library is now housed in that space and, where the ovens had been, we found racks full of card catalogs. The floor had been excavated to reveal a Roman house from the first century AD and another from the first century BC.

We went outside. Our guide explained that the 33 foot jagged rock wall in front of us was actually part of the lava flow from 1669. When the monks rebuilt they did so on top of the lava flow. Next we walked up several flights of stairs to get to the ground level. Across a small garden we went in and saw the Refectory. It was a large space with frescos on the ceiling where about 50 monks used to dine. Today it is a lecture hall that holds about 350 students.

Next we visited the space between the lava flow and the floor of the new construction. This was a large space supported by large stone arches. The monks had used the space for storage. Lastly we visited a secondary entrance in the form of a large neoclassical staircase. To be fashionable the monks had built it to replace the original Baroque style entry.

After the tour we walked around the outside of the school and peered into a few classrooms. Although we could have walked around the outside of the university by ourselves we would not have been permitted to see what we had seen without the tour.

Later in the afternoon we returned to our now favorite gelato place. The smalls we’d had the day before had cost only €2.00. Today we splurged for the medium size. They cost only €2.50. We might have to go for the large tomorrow.

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

This morning we went to the Museo Diocesano Catania. The entry fee was included in our combination ticket from the day before. The museum in housed in the Palazzo del Seminario dei Clerici. The museum spans four floors and contains mostly sacred works of art from Sicily primarily from the 15th through 18th Centuries. One of the most interesting pieces on display was an Eastern Style Icon of the Madonna and Child attributed to Saint Luke. At the top floor there’s an entry to the roof with a great view of the area.

A few steps from the museum we visited the Terme Achilliane. It’s an excavation of an ancient Roman bathhouse from the 4 or 5th Century AD. It was also included in our combination ticket. We walked down a flight of stairs and saw a large vaulted chamber. At the end there were pipes directing the water from the River Amenano to where several different pools and fountains had once been. Only a small portion of the entire complex has been excavated.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Wednesday, October, 12, 2022

I woke up to find a message from our phone provider Google FI. They said that we’ve been using their service outside the US for a long time. Apparently their service allows for international usage but only for short periods of time. They are going to cut off our account. When I contacted them they said there was nothing they could do. When I asked how long I had before my service was terminated they said that it already was. That’s what I call good customer service. Of course, the entire reason we got them in the first place is because they told us we could use our phones overseas on an extended trip.

After investigating a few options we decided to go with T-Mobile. We can get unlimited everything for $70.00 for the two of us with all taxes and fees included. The problem is that we couldn’t sign up for their service. We’d had SPRINT before and my account information was supposed to have been transferred when they merged but it really wasn’t and everything was messed up. They claim to have 24/7 customer support so I called. They don’t. It’s only sales support. I have to call back around 2:00 pm my time to get technical support.

To make things worse we bought the wrong pods for the coffee maker, the Internet service has been flakey (our host said to use one of the other WIFIs but we only see one), and we can’t seem to find out where to dump our trash. Our host has been no help on this one either. A very frustrating start to the day.

After breakfast we got some “real” standup coffee and went in search of a full service supermarket. We found a nice place a few blocks away but it really didn’t have the things we were looking for. Across the street we spied a Lidl. It’s a huge German based supermarket chain that you can find in most of Europe. They are also starting to appear in the US. We visited a few in the States and they were a little disappointing compared to their European counterparts. In any event, this is the first time we’ve seen one in Italy, who usually eschews large multinational chains like this. Lidl had everything we wanted. Their wines were incredibly cheap so we helped ourselves to a bottle of €1.50 Chianti. We’re not expecting much.

After lunch in the apartment I started the process of moving our phone service. In total I was on the phone for five hours. Along the way I had to unfreeze our credit reports (it’s not clear to me why a cellphone company needs to check my credit especially when I’m giving them a credit card). They wouldn’t tell me which agency they used and insisted that I unlock all three. I was only able to do two out of the three because Experian wouldn’t let me login from overseas and will not take phone calls under any circumstances. Fortunately things worked out. I also had to call Google FI because the account/pin information that was required to port our phone numbers was wrong. It seems they regenerate this information when you try to leave their service. I also had to fight so I wouldn’t have to pay a $70.00 activation fee (more graft and corruption). After being on the phone for 45 minutes where they entered all of our information a supervisor told me I could avoid the fee by entering the information myself on their website. I tried that before I called but wasn’t able to create an account. It seems you can only create an account AFTER you’ve become a customer but you can still place orders without an account. Bizarre in the extreme. Anyway, after five hours and numerous phone calls we had new service and the transfer process was started. It completed sometime during the night.

We had planned to book several legs of our upcoming trips this evening but we were too exhausted after that ordeal to even think about. We’ve made some big decisions lately. We’ve decided to squeeze in a trip to Malta. It’s just a short ferry ride from Pozallo in Sicily. From Malta we can get a cheap flight to Jerusalem. It’s starting to get real.

Thursday, October, 13, 2022

We set out to do some exploring. Our first destination was Ursino Castle. When we got to the street, out of range of our WiFi, we tried to set a course. No service. Ugh! I flipped a few switches on the phone’s configuration and everything was once again good with the world. Unlike most castles that sit at the waterfront or high on a hill this one is situated in the middle of town. The castle hosts a museum of ancient objects. More on the castle when we visit next week. My sister is coming to stay with us in Catania for a week. We’re holding off on doing a number of things until she gets here so we can do them together.

Our next destination was the old city gate called, “Porta Garibaldi”. Along the way we stumbled onto an interesting looking church and took a peek inside. Chiesa Parrocchiale di Santa Maria Aiuto dei Cristiani or The Church of Saint Mary the Helper of Christians is a lovely little church that probably dates before the 16th Century. It was originally named for Saints Peter and Paul but was renamed in 1635 when a precious icon was deposited there. The icon is housed in an elaborate marble structure on the main altar.

Within the church is a large separate chamber containing a huge block of marble with figures carved in high relief. We walked around until we found an entrance and discovered a lovely little chapel with brightly colored frescos on the walls. A sign explained that this was a replica of the House of Loreto from 1740. The story goes that in 1271, after the Muslims invaded Palestine, the house that Mary was born in and where she first saw the angel Gabriel was lifted by angels and flown from Nazareth to Tersato, Croatia and then to Recanati, Italy and finally to Loreto, Italy. Today that house is contained in the Basilica della Santa Casa in Loreto.

Porta Garibaldi was just down the street. It is a triumphal arch built in 1768. It was constructed to celebrate the marriage of the Bourbon King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilys to the Austrian princess Maria Carolina d’Asburgo-Lorena. After the unification of Italy it was renamed in honor of Garibaldi. If you look through the arch, straight down Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, you will see the Cattedrale di Sant’Agata or simply the Duomo.

Next we went in search of what looked like a very large church we’d spied on our way to the arch. It turned out to be a police station. No doubt it was once a grand building of some sort. Across the street we found the Benedictine Monastery dedicated to Saint Nicholas of the Arena. This is another place we intend to visit next week. Nearby was another grand building that was once part of the monastery and is now a college. In front of the monastery was an excavation of a house an ancient Roman. The family was obviously wealthy because they had a bath inside their own home.

Next door to the monastery we found the Church of Saint Nicholas of the Arena. Originally founded in 1558 it was completely rebuilt after it was destroyed by an eruption from Mount Etna in 1669. The church also sustained heavy damage from bombings during World War II.

It’s a huge Romanesque style church with chapels along the side aisles. Pictures on display show how elaborately the church was once decorated. Most of the chapels have marble altars topped with large paintings but the walls are bare and the ceilings are undecorated. Restoration work is ongoing but it’s unlikely it will ever be brought back to its former glory.

Our intention at this point was to go back to the main shopping district and walk that street to the end. Along the way we had some more interesting encounters. Initially we found the excavation of a large Roman theater. We could see large parts of it from outside the fence. The odeon can be visited for a fee. We intend to do that next week. Further along we came to the Piazza Saint Francis of Assisi. On one side of the piazza there was the house that Bellini was born and raised in. Across the square was the Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi all’Immacolata. It was open for the first time since we’d been in town. We ducked in just as the rain was starting to come down harder. Apparently Bellini used the organ in this very church to practice when he was a child.

Because of the rain we decided to cut our plans short and go back to our apartment. In fact our apartment was just steps from the piazza. We really are in a fantastic location.

We had tortellini stuffed with prosciutto and covered with pesto for lunch. Later in the afternoon, when the rain stopped, we went out to buy some supplies. Of course, all of the stores were closed for siesta. Instead we went to our favorite cafe and bought some pastries to have after dinner.

Friday, October, 14, 2022

In the morning we went out and strolled down the main shopping district. This time we walked to the end of the avenue. We hate to think we missed something. After all, there might have been another church to see 😇. If fact we saw several churches including one that had a memorable back story: Chiesa di San Biagio Saint Agata Alla Fornace.

The story goes that Saint Agatha, born 231 AD, was a devout Christian who dedicated herself to God and took a vow of celibacy. A Roman Prefect named Quintianus wanted to marry her but she rejected his advances. To persuade her he had her tortured in several horrible ways, including having her roll on burning coals. Finally, when nothing would persuade her, she was scheduled to be burnt at the stake. When an earthquake interrupted her execution she was sent to prison where Saint Peter appeared to her and healed her. If you pay €1.00 per person you can walk up behind the altar of Saint Agatha and see a remnant of the “furnace” that she rolled in. It is said that her veil did not burn. That holy relic is carried as part of an annual procession in her honor.

After lunch at home we rested so we’d be fresh for an 8:30 pm performance of Mozart’s Requiem.

The performance started at 8:42 pm. That’s actually early by Italian standards. The cathedral provided a beautiful setting. A screen had been installed that obscured the main altar but left the frescos in plain sight. No doubt it was to help the sound project forward. The choir was from the Bellini Theater and they were very good (a shout out to the unusually strong tenor section). The orchestra appeared to be a pickup group made up of both professionals and conservatory students. They did a fine job. The glorious refrains from the Requiem filled the entire church. Because of the strong echo some of the counterpoint wasn’t as crisp as we would have liked and the acoustics tended to swallow some of the higher pitched sounds but overall it was a great performance and a wonderful experience. At €10.00 per person it was one of the best bargains in town.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Monday, October, 10, 2022

We’ve been to Italy several times but this will be our first foray into Sicily. We’re very excited.

I had asked our host to arrange a taxi to pick us up around noon. Instead of doing what I asked she gave me the phone number for a local cab company. Experience shows that making these calls rarely works out well when you don’t speak the language. I managed to find another company that takes reservations via WhatsApp. We’ve had good luck doing that in the past. WhatsApp is widely used by all sorts of service companies across Europe.

We have tickets on the 1:34 pm train to take us from Reggio Calabria to Villa Saint Giovanni. From there we have tickets on another “train” to Catania. We assume this really means a ferry because there are no tunnels and no bridges across the straight of Messina. We had expected to take a ferry to another train, but you never know. In any event we have way too much luggage to swim for it.

The train to Villa Saint Giovanni was really slow, we had only 20 minutes to make our connection, and we were worried we’d be late. It was literally inching along at about 5 MPH for several station stops. Finally it picked up speed for the last two stations and we made our destination just three minutes late. Normally there is an elevator to take you from the tracks to the lower level and then another elevator to take you to the main station. This station only had stairs. I took the heavy bags and sent Deborah head with instructions to ask someone where we had to go. When I got there she said, “track four”. Seriously? A train? That had to be a mistake. I showed the tickets to the booth clerk and he repeated, “track four”.

We hauled our luggage down two flights and back up another two flights to get to track four. The sign on the tracks was very confusing. We asked some passengers where they were going and they said, “Palermo”. At least that was in Sicily. We ran towards the head of the train to car two. Along the way we found a conductor and asked if this train went to Cantania. He said, “Yes”. We found car two and settled into our seats. We had no idea what was going to happen.

Soon the train started moving – backwards – very slowly. Eventually we started forward and started switching tracks towards the shore. The train was being loaded onto a ferry! We’d joked about that possibility but never thought for a second that it would become a reality. The first four cars went onto the boat and then the second four cars were detached and came up along side us. Everyone was getting off the train. In for a penny…

Upstairs on the ferry there was a lovely lounge with a snack bar and comfortable seats with a view. We bought a couple of sodas and settled in for the ride. An announcement said that the crossing should take about 45 minutes. When we arrived in Messina we got back on the train and soon found ourselves waiting at the main train station. We realized that the last four cars of our train were on another track, which said, “Palermo”. Ours said, “Syracuse”. It’s a damn good thing we were in the right car because otherwise we’d never have gotten where we were supposed to be. What a crazy experience.

After waiting another 20 minutes our train finally departed to the South. We breathed a sigh of relief. Loading the train onto the boat took a good 30 minutes, the crossing 45, getting off the boat another 15, and sitting in the station waiting to leave was another 20 minutes. Now we know why a relatively short trip takes so long.

Once we arrived in Catania we took a taxi from the station to our new apartment and dragged our luggage up to the third floor. We’ve got to start booking ground floor apartments or at least buildings with elevators in the future. By the time we settled in it was about 6:30 pm. We did a little exploring and found that our apartment is just around the corner from Piazza del Duomo. A really nice location. We found a restaurant with an interesting menu in the piazza and waited for the waiter. The menu he gave us was completely different. Apparently the restaurant was closed but the cafe was open. We ordered an arancini with cheese and spinach, a puff pastry with meat and cheese, and a calzone with meat, cheese and sauce. It was all quite delicious. We ended the meal with some gelato. It, too, was excellent. The cafe had some delicious looking pastries and cookies, too. We’ll try them again on another day. In total dinner cost €16.00. The restaurant had all sorts of pasta dishes for €7.00. We’re going to love Sicily!

Tuesday, October, 11, 2022

We started the day with some standup coffee, or at least we tried. When we ordered a couple of pastries, too, we were told to have a seat and it would all be brought it us. We hate paying the service charge. We each got a cornetto to go with our coffee. It’s an Italian croissant. Mine was filled with cream and Deborah’s apricot. Unlike the ones we’ve had before these were much more like French style croissants. They were very good. When the bill came there was no service charge. €6.00 for a caffe (what we call espresso), a cappuccino, and two cornetti. Not bad.

Unlike so many of our previous apartments where the hosts had coffee, salt, pepper, napkins, garbage bags, dish towels, etc., this place had nothing. Google identified what was supposed to be a large supermarket where we could stock up on essentials. Along the way we found a huge outdoor market that stretched for blocks. We bought some fresh fish, fruits and vegetables and many staples like milk, eggs, and bread in the store fronts in the area. It was more like entertainment than shopping.

After taking our groceries to the apartment we went back to Piazza del Duomo and visited the Basilica Cattedrale di Sant’Agata. Saint Agatha is the patron saint of the city. It’s a large, Romanesque style church. The original building dates from around the 10th Century AD. It suffered significant damage from earthquakes and fires in the 12th Century. In 1693 most of the church was destroyed in an earthquake. The present structure dates from the early 18th Century. Columns were replaced with double pillars for additional strength.

Shortly after entering we saw an elaborate burial with musical notes. When we looked closer we realized that this was the final resting place of the famous opera composer Bellini, who was born in Catania in 1801. There are a couple of places where you can see the original floor and some column footings as well. They appear to be about two feet below the current floor. Overall, it’s a very pretty church with decorations that span many different periods.

Just across the street we also visited Chiesa della Badia di Sant’Agata. It’s part of an Abbey dedicated to Saint Agatha. The rather small church is round with a large dome. Altars with statues of various saints can be found along the circumference. We took notice of an advertisement for a performance of the Mozart Requiem and a concert of varied opera arias posted outside.

The Abbey lead to a long Main Street with high end shops. We decided to investigate. One of the first things we found was a pastry/gelato shop that intrigued us. When we went in we found these lovely “casata cakes”. We just had to try one. The rather rich cake was made with ricotta cheese and marzipan and it was covered in a thick white icing. It was amazing. Finally, sickingly sweet desserts.

Further down we ran into a couple of other churches, Piazza Bellini with a statue of the composer, and then the ruins of a Roman Amphitheater from the 1st Century AD. Only a small part of the structure had been uncovered because it had been built over. It had been in use until the 5th Century. In the 12th Century many of its stones had been repurposed to build the Duomo.

Just off the main road we found a restaurant for lunch. It was 12:30 pm and we were the only ones there. We were a little nervous but during the time we were there the place filled up with locals. We had the pasta carbonara and rigatoni with ricotta and eggplant. Instead of pancetta or guanciale the carbonara was made with ham. €16.00 for lunch in a nice restaurant. That’s the kind of math I like.

Deborah cooked the fish we bought for dinner. It was baccala. Normally baccala is salted and dried cod but this looked fresh so we assumed that something had been lost in the translation. After cooking it was rather tough and had an odd texture. Neither of us ate it. At least we had some salad that we purchased that morning. And we had a nice dessert. We’d gone back to last night’s restaurant and gotten some cookies. One was marzipan topped with a cherry. The other was marzipan topped with apricot jam. They made us forget all about the fish.

After dinner we bought tickets to the performance of the Mozart Requiem. The concert will be held in the Duomo. We purchased tickets online for €10.00 a piece. We’ve seen it performed over and over again and have even played it a few times. It’s one of our favorites. The last time we went to see it performed was in 2018 in Budapest. It’s been too long 😎.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Saturday, October, 8, 2022

We planned to finish up our list of things to do in town today. Our first item of business was the Museo Diocesano di Reggio Calabria. The museum is housed in a Palace built in the late 18th Century that was constructed for the archbishop. Along the way we encountered Chiesa del Carmine. When a church is open we just can’t help but take a peek inside. It’s a sickness really. We took a quick picture and left because a service was about to begin.

The museum displays artifacts from the Basilica Cattedrale di Maria Santissima Assunta in Cielo (the Duomo). Entry costs €3.00 per person. Cash only. The only cash we had was a €50.00 bill which the clerk could not break. She told us in Italian that we could see the museum and then return when we had change. We got it on the third try. She was very sweet.

Many churches have a collection that is referred to as The Treasury. That’s exactly what this was. There was a large display of monstrances, embroidered ecclesiastical clothing, reliquaries, and the like. There was also a nice collection of paintings that once hung in the church as well as architectural remnants from many antecedents of the present day building.

We left around 11:00 am. The clerk had told us that the museum closed at noon (in Italy that really meant around 11:30 am). We needed to get some change relatively quickly but we didn’t want to buy something we didn’t need. We found a nearby drug store and purchased a few items. Change in hand we went back to the museum and gave the clerk the €6.00 we owed her. She was very gracious.

Next up was the Church of Saint Paul ‘Alla Rotonda’. We were hoping this one was going to be worth it because it meant we needed to climb a pretty steep hill. We entered the church not knowing its history. It was decorated in an Eastern style from the Middle Ages but it was clear that just about everything was new. We assumed that it was old, had been destroyed and rebuilt in its original style. We eventually learned that it was built in 1932. Behind the church is also a museum, that we missed, containing a large number of icons and paintings spanning the 14th-19th Centuries. We may have to go back and check it out.

For lunch we went back to the place where we had the good arancini. We got one with fish, a small croquette with potato and cheese, and an order of the eggplant parmigiana. The eggplant, rather oddly, had layers of sliced hard boiled eggs, and ham. All three were delicious.

Afterwards we went on a search for gelato. We’d been a little disappointed in the places that had been recommended to us and so decided to try a place near our apartment. I got Nutella and Deborah pistachio. This was what we’d been looking for all along.

Sunday, October, 9, 2022

We decided to take it easy today. After breakfast in the apartment we went out for coffee and bought some sandwiches for lunch and dinner. We bought a bunch of pastries, too. They were quite delicious.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Thursday, October 6, 2022

A cab driver picked us up at our apartment and drove us over to the main train station. He had trouble lifting our bags. They weigh about 50 lbs. each. When you’re planning to travel for about two years you have to bring along a lot of stuff. I tried to help him but he wouldn’t let me. I gave him a good tip.

We intended to get coffee at the train station but nothing was open yet. We found a small cafe across the street and settled in. Our train was scheduled for 10:31 am. It arrived on time but we had a problem finding a place for our large luggage. The overhead compartments were too small and there was not enough room in the space between the seats. We piled them into the seats next to us and hoped no one would be sitting there. For most of the 3.5 hour trip to Reggio Calabria the train hugged the coast. The water was beautiful. There were few towns. We saw some small vineyards and a bunch of small olive groves.

We arrived at 2:06 pm. We hadn’t eaten lunch but weren’t really hungry so we took a taxi to the apartment. We dragged our luggage up to the second floor (really third floor), settled in, and went in search of lunch. In these smaller towns most businesses, except for coffee shops, close in the afternoon for siesta. We managed to find a restaurant that had pre-made dinners. I got a lasagna and Deborah got a gnocchi in red sauce. We tried to get arancini (Sicilian Rice Balls) but they had run out. The food was pretty good. I tried a soda made from chino. The picture looked like an orange but was actually the fruit of an myrtle-leaved orange tree. It had an unusual taste and was very bitter.

After lunch we walked over to the waterfront. It was gorgeous. We could easily see Sicily across the way. The temperature was about 70F with a cool breeze. We loved it. We walked around in shorts and t-shirts. The locals were in long pants and jackets.

Karen, a friend from college, had spent a lot of time in Calabria and now hosts tours in the region. We consulted with her about the best places to see. She also recommended two gelato places. We just had to check them out. Both were along the waterfront.

Along the way we encountered a number of old excavations. Some were Roman and some were Greek. It was easy to tell one from another by their use of building materials. All along the water’s edge there were numerous parks and restaurants. We also saw people sitting in the sand enjoying the beach. Eventually we came to one of the recommended Gelato shops called Sotto Zero. The shop was actually across the street but they had a lovely glass enclosed dining area overlooking the water. We got some ice cream and enjoyed the view. The gelato was ok but we’ve had better.

We continued walking along the waterfront for a while before heading back. On our way we kept an eye out for a grocery store. We had a lot of trouble finding a place that was open and much of the information on Google was useless. Finally we gave up and headed back to the apartment. We went into a cafe and got some sandwiches and pastries for tonight’s dinner and breakfast tomorrow. Around then corner a salumeria was actually open. We bought most of the things we needed for the next few days.

Dinner that night consisted of a mini cannoli and a chocolate mouse stuffed into a chocolate tart. It was the best cannoli we’ve had so far. We’re really looking forward to the food in Sicily.

Friday, October 7, 2022

We had a full day planned. Our first order of business was to get “stand up” coffee. Unlike our previous apartments this one had no coffee maker. Throughout Italy you can go to a cafe, sit and be served coffee or you can stand at the counter and drink it there. If you sit then you incur a service charge. There is no extra charge for standing at the counter. You’ll see a lot of tourists sitting and having coffee but for the most part locals always stand at the counter. The cafe had some very tempting looking pastries but we’d already eaten breakfast in the apartment: the sandwiches we’d purchased the night before and the last two pastries. One was a flakey and infused with almond. The other was a fried dough pocket filled with sweetened ricotta. Yum!

After coffee we found a grocery store and got the rest of the things we needed. Our next stop was the Basilica Cattedrale di Maria Santissima Assunta in Cielo or simply the Duomo. This is the major cathedral in town. Unlike Naples whose cathedrals had no stained glass windows, many of the churches in Salerno had them and almost all here in Reggio Calabria seem to have them.

The origins of the cathedral date back from the time of the Normans around 1061 AD. The building was burned during the 16th Century when the Turks raided the city. It went through several subsequent renovations before it was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1741. After the earthquake of 1783 it was completely restored. It was so heavily damaged in the earthquake of 1908 that it was once again completely rebuilt.

As it stands today the church is essentially in the traditional Gothic style with a vaulted ceiling made of wooden rafters. There are stained glass windows along the walls and a rose window over the entrance. Many of the chapels along the sides have elements from older versions of the church.

Our next destination was Castello Aragonese. Along the way we happened onto another church and poked our heads inside: Chiesa del Santo Rosario. We took a few quick pictures and left because services were just about to start.

Castello Aragonese is a Medieval castle that sits right in the middle of town. It is likely that part of the old city walls from the 8th Century BC were incorporated into the Medieval version. The first defensive fort on the site probably dates from the 6th Century AD. In 1059 the castle was passed from the Byzantines to the Normans. In 1266 it came under the control of Charles I of Anjou who established his court there and further expanded the castle. Ownership of the castle changed hands many times in subsequent centuries with each new owner making additional changes. The last battle it saw was in 1869 when Garibaldi conquered the city during his campaign for the unification of Italy. Because of neglect and earthquakes large portions of the castle have fallen into disrepair and have collapsed. Only the two main towers now remain.

Entry into the castle costs €2.00 per person. Cash only. We took the elevator up to the top floor and found ourselves with a magnificent view of the surrounding area. From our vantage point it was easy to see Mount Aetna and the town of Messina, both in Sicily. At every level we explored all of the rooms and passages but there was little to see. When we finally got back to the street level we walked around the back of the castle and were able to get some nice photographs.

We checked out another church in the area called Chiesa degli Ottimati. The church dates from the 10th Century. The church’s claim to fame is its mosaic floors. They are original to the church and quite interesting to see.

Next up was the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia. Huge parts of Southern Italy were inhabited by the Greeks more than 2,500 years ago. They established towns, traded goods, built temples, and thrived for centuries. These Greek parts of ancient Italy are all referred to as Magna Grecia or Greater Greece. This archeological museum is dedicated to that Greek civilization and all of the artifacts that have been found.

Entry costs €8.00 per person. Credit cards are accepted. The museum has a lovely collection of Greek pottery, and other household goods, but its main attraction is the Riace Bronzes. The two life-sized Greek Warriors were found by someone snorkeling off the coast of Riace (on the Eastern shore of Calabria). After nine years of restoration the pair were finally put on display in 1981. They have been dated from 460-430 BC. The two bronzes are in a room by themselves. Before being allowed to enter we had to wait in an ante-chamber for about 60 seconds while dust and other contaminants were removed from the air.

The two bronzes are magnificent. We were allowed to take our time and view them at our leisure. Produced using the lost wax method the details are amazing. The lifelike poses are characteristic of the Hellenistic period. They were worth the price of admission.

For lunch we stopped in at a small restaurant that specializes in Arancini. They had a large selection in a variety of flavors. We got one amatriciana, one pesto, and one with butter, mozzarella, and parmigiana. We enjoyed them immensely. They were so filling that the two of us couldn’t finished all three. In spite of that we couldn’t help sharing one of their cannoli for dessert. It was freshly filled to order and was absolutely delicious.

The only thing left to do was to find the other gelato place that Karen had recommended – and that’s exactly what we did! We enjoyed this gelato much more than what we had gotten the day before. It may not have been the best we’ve ever had but it was still very good.

Click here to see the full post on the web with pictures.

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

We were a little tired after two days on the boat so we decided to take a slow day.  In the morning we did some grocery shopping.  We got just enough to tide us over for the next couple of days.  The rest of the day we rested and caught up on laundry, blogging, pictures, etc.

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

This was our last day in Salerno.  We had intended to take the bus to Castello di Arechi, a Medieval castle high up on the hill, until we realized that the bus only went there every two hours.  We tried to find a taxi but there were none to be found.  We would have called an UBER but they don’t operate in this town.  We walked along the waterfront until we finally found a taxi stand near the ferry terminal.  

The ride to the castle was interesting.  We climbed higher and higher and went through a series of narrow, switchback turns.  We had been thinking we would walk back but there weren’t any sidewalks and the road seemed rather dangerous for pedestrians.  We’d deal with that later.

The castle sits about 1,000 feet above sea level.  From there the views are incredible.  We could see all of Salerno and the nearby town of Vietri su Mare.  Construction on the castle began in the 6th Century.  During 8th Century, under the rule of the Lombard Prince Arechi II, the castle was further expanded.  During excavations numerous artifacts were found spanning the 12-15th Centuries.

Tickets cost €4.00 per person. Cash only.  There is a small museum housed within the castle walls displaying artifacts found there.  There is a nice display of coins that were minted during the 12th and 14th Centuries and a few pieces of pottery.  Much of the castle is in ruins but we were afforded the opportunity to explore what remained.  There really isn’t a great deal to see and do.  The best part of the experience is simply enjoying the view.

According to Google the only way to walk back down the hill was via the road the taxi had taken.  That didn’t appeal to us.  We asked the ticket seller if there was a better option and she pointed out a path through the woods.  It turned out to be a very rustic trail made up of stairs and long, steeply sloping ramps.  It is likely that this was the original way to get to the castle in Medieval times.

Eventually we came to a road that was still high above our apartment.  We crossed and found another staircase leading further down.  This one was fairly modern and had even treads.  Finally, after walking some roads and finding more stairs, we reached the waterfront.  From there we went in search of a restaurant that we’d eaten at before.  We got there around 12:30 pm.  They didn’t open until 1:00 pm, so we walked over to the waterfront and sat on some shaded benches for a while and enjoyed the view.

Once again Deborah ordered the pasta carbonara. I ordered the pasta Grecian.  The sauce was made with pecorino Romano, black pepper and guanciale.

Back at the apartment we did some preliminary packing.  Our host arranged a taxi for 9:30 am to take us to the train station.