Today I head to Fumicino airport to get my connecting flight to Catania 'Fontanarosa', Sicily. I am excited at the prospect of seeing the apartment completed and ready for my first sleep there.
I arrive to find not only the taxi driver 'Elisabetta' waiting for me, but also my great friend Lucia.
We all chat away in a mix of English and Italian as we pass fields full of oranges and lemons, with Mt. Etna smoking in the distance.
There is a sense of coming home as we pass over the bridge onto the Island of Ortiga. We pass the familiar bars, restaurants, piazze and old buildings and arrive in our street where washing flaps from the balconies and the old lady down the street sits on her chair in the road crocheting her children's clothing she sells.
Gemma and Laura are waiting inside as Lucia and I enter. I am instantly amazed at the fantastic job they have done inside. The paintings are hanging and the furniture looks great, I am really happy with the way it has turned out. I wish Michael was here to share the moment, but Lucia is as excited as me as we inspect every cupboard plate and glass.
The girls leave after about an hour and Lucia says she will be back to take me to dinner. I get settled in and make my first cup of tea and sit in my comfy chair overlooking the Ionian sea, knowing that beyond this horizon is Greece.
Today is surprisingly cool and people are wearing boots and coats in the streets.
I get ready and Lucia picks me up. We walk to Piazza Archimedes and down to 'Dionisio Restaurant'. This is a charming place run by a father and son who serve delicious authentic Sicilian dishes. We laugh a lot enjoying the food and company. Afterwards, we 'fare un passiaggata' around the main streets and she drops me at home for my first sleep in the apartment.
It is a little cool so I try out the split heating system which works well, and the room warms quickly.
The jet lag is still taking its toll so I decide to have an early night. I sleep like a log in my new bed.
Monday. I take a shower and there is a problem as the bathrooms overflow with water from the showers and the toilets are gurgling. I immediately ring Gemma and she arrives with our building manager Salvo, to assess the problem.
Over the next 10 days they pump out the drains and toilets and flush the street drains. Old buildings!
I take a walk and sample the delicious 'Ricotta Cornetto' and coffee at bar 'Apollo'. Afterwards, Lucia meets me and we go to the fresh food market where we must 'Aussagio' (taste), a panino full of delicious procuitto, cacio cavallo cheese,dried tomatoes,olives lemon and oil. Unbelievable.Then we can purchase some of the great ingredients at the fabulous Deli of Andrea and Gaetano. The Sicilian food is the best, even other Italians keep telling me this, and I agree.
In the afternoon Lucia takes me to new Siracusa near where she lives to stock up on supermarket items such as Bottled water, cereal and milk as Steve and Kim arrive tomorrow. We have fun together and manage to laugh a lot at simple things, I think we are quiet similar and she is a good friend.
I walk around the Labyrinth of streets find my way and discover new bars shops and restaurants, there seems to be new discoveries down every little street. A bit of shopping in Corso Matteotti late afternoon is fun. After an aperitivo of Prosecco in 'Bar Centrale' I head home. A quiet night in with a light meal of market produce and a glass of Sicilian wine. Bellisimo!
Tuesday. I am looking forward to Kim and Steve arriving today. I busy myself in the morning buying flowers and more supplies and Steve and Kim arrive with Elisabetta, in time for a late lunch. We have our delicious food from the market and head out for a walk around town. Steve and Kim instantly fall in love with this tiny island with its mixture of old splendor mixed with dilapidated and sometimes grotty streets. But it is always charming and hard not to love. We have an aperitivo and snack as we had a late lunch. Then head back for an early night.
Wednesday. We are up early for a walk around the Island which is about 3 kms.
I introduce them to Ricotta and Crema
Cornetti and coffee and then walk to the market where of course Gaetano treats us to his panino and we buy more cheese ( the best fresh ricotta), and prosciutto. We have our lunch at home and decide to take a boat trip to the 'Blue Grotto'. This was a great trip with perfect weather and beautiful views looking back to Ortiga.
In the evening Lucia meets us after she finishes her tour in Ortiga. We go to Piazza Duomo for drinks and Pizza. The Pizzas are enormous and only Steve manages to finish his and the girls manage half. We have a lovely walk around the piazza. It is full of people and activity, then we head for home.
Thursday. We take our early morning walk and shop at the market as Trish arrives today from Perugia. She arrives in time for our usual lovely market produce lunch. We take her for a walk around Ortiga have the ubiquitous aperitivo, then head to Dionisio restaurant for dinner. It feels like old times all together again, which has not happened for many years.
Afterwards, we have the usual passeggiata and buy some rustic ceramics from the local artisan.
We head to bed to prepare ourselves for a big trip tomorrow to the 'Vale of the Temples', in Agrigento. ( Greek temples from 5 th century BCE).
Friday. It is a 3 hour drive and the day is hot. We head off with Lucia and our Driver Thomasso, in a minibus.
The temples are mind blowing. Arranged on a hill above the sea, the ancient temples stand lined up in a row. Everyone loves it. We have our best meal yet at a beautiful restaurant in Agrigento 'Expanificio'. We then stroll around the streets and visit the nuns convent to buy the pastries they make, to take home.
We plan to go to the Roman Villa at Piazza Amerina to see the amazing mosaics. Our driver gets lost and we are cross as he arrives 5 minuets after the Villa is closed. We cheer ourselves up by visiting the designer outlet on the way home. I find a great Armani jacket and Paolini shoes and have only spent a few hundred Euros. The others also find some bargains so we arrive very tired but happy back to Ortiga.
As it is so late we decide to eat at home and relax. Salad and prosciutto and cheese are plenty after our big lunch.
Saturday we spend a quiet day in Ortiga walking around. Steve finds the Archimedes museum which as a maths teacher, he loves. We watch a 3D show there on the history of Sicily, very informative although a bit hard to hear.
We have lunch at home then decide to visit the Archeological park, with the Ancient Greek Theatre.
The Greek theatre dates from 5 th century BC and the same Greek Tragedy's are still performed here as they were in antiquity, some 2,500 years ago. The theatre is open air and looks over the ancient harbor of Ortiga
where both the Athenians and the Carthaginians have fought the Siracusans, in antiquity. There is so much history here.
Back at home we book the 'Osteria' for dinner, nearby the apartment. We have delicious typical Sicilian dishes and return home.
Sunday. We are picked up by Lucia at 10 am. Firstly we visit the town of Noto, a beautiful Baroque town with many old churches and buildings. Noto has its own green pottery style so we puchase a few things before we leave.Then, we head to the winery 'Planeta' as today in Italy is 'Cantina Aperta' where wineries open to visitors and there is food music and wine tasting.
We start with a tour of the winery, then head up the hill to where a band is playing under an olive tree.
Large trays of delicious bruschetta are continuously flowing along with the wine. A gelato van arrives looking like something from the 1950's, with a little old cash register fixed to the side. We are the only foreigners here and it is a great day, we all have a ball.
We finish the day at 'Marzamemi' a beautiful old Tuna fishing port. All the old fishermans houses have been turned into shops cafes and restaurants placed around a beautiful piazza, decorated with flowers. We have coffee and cakes and watch the world go by.
On the way home we stop to see a small Roman Villa with mosaics which partially makes up for missing Piazza Amerina. These are interesting because although only a few they are important as they show the moment in the Iliad when Hectors body is returned to King Priam.
Back at home we are full and tired so we have a small snack and head to bed.
Trish leaves tomorrow. It has been great to spend a few days together, we have all had a lot of fun.
Monday. Trish leaves and Steve Kim and I go for a walk. We visit the market to replenish our supplies and have a ricotta cornetto and coffee.
It is Steve and Kim's last day so we take it easy looking at the shops and walking around Ortiga.
They both kindly offer to take me for dinner. We had seen another Osteria near Palazzo Bellomo, but we can't find it again when we look for it.
We happily end up at 'Don Camillo', probably the best restaurant in Ortiga.
We share a bottle of 'Santa Cecilia' the higher end Planeta red wine we remember from yesterday at the winery.
The food is great (a twist on the traditional sicilian dishes), we really enjoy it. Tomorrow Kim and Steve leave for Australia and I look forward to a few days alone now, until Mick and Pip arrive on Sunday.
After Kim and Steve leave I spend the day cleaning washing towels and sheets, enjoying pottering around. Gemma is here with Salvo, fixing bits and pieces in the house. Lucia comes and we head to the beauty parlor (Comfort and Beauty), for a pedicure.
The following day I walk and potter around until Lucia arrives and we spend a fun afternoon at the hairdressers. Fabio, his wife and son Guiliano are lovely and although they do not speak English we manage and have a great time. At 9 pm pizza arrives for everyone as they stay open till midnight. We are there for ages and arrive home at 10.30pm.
Friday and Saturday are quiet getting ready for Micks arrival. I stock the fridge we pack away the French wine that has arrived and spend hours walking and exploring.
I call Baron Peter who invites me to dinner Friday night. I meet him at the palazzo and he has decided to take me out as it is a beautiful warm evening and the light is a soft pink. We go to a restaurant on the opposite side of the harbour for a wine and watch Ortiga at sunset. We then drive to a nearby farmhouse which is a bed and breakfast a friend of his owns. We meet up with some people from Milan and some locals who are friends of Pietros. We all sit down at one long big table and are served delicious typical dishes with fresh bread and wine. A beautiful night. When Pietro drops me off he double parks and pops in to look at the apartment. He is impressed and likes it very much. We decide we will contact when Michael arrives and catch up for a meal again with Rosanna when she is back from the mainland.
I sleep in and walk again and prepare for Micks arrival. I am really looking forward to seeing him Sunday!
JB