Today’s adventures took us into the city of Catania and another lesson in Italian driving. I don’t think I’d ever get used to it or want to attempt it. And the parking! Don’t get me started! When the streets are full, any curb or sidewalk will do, and believe me, they use them all.
Down the street from the fish market was the meat market with meats of every type hanging in view for purchase.
Once we were beyond these two areas, umbrellas hung everywhere from the sky. The way they are hung lets in light and air. We think this might have started to protect the fruits and vegetables and keep the sun from beating in.
Then aisle after aisle were stalls or booths with a large variety of fruits and vegetables. This one caught all our senses with the aroma of roasted onions wafting through the market. I particularly loved the old man (possibly the dad) sitting in the back greeting customers and barking orders to the younger man (possibly the son).
Even though the days are pleasant temps, the sun is very intense so we stopped for a drink. Too late in the morning for coffee and too early in the morning for wine, we chose these Italian sodas that were very flavorful and intense with whatever fruit flavor you chose.
Walking to our next destination in town we ran into another cute vespa.
Roman ruins are being uncovered every day in Sicily. A few blocks away from the markets was a forum that was used for aquatic shows, plays, and musical entertainment. As it is being discovered people just built on top of it so you see a mixture of the old and then modern-ish dwellings all on the same wall.
There is construction everywhere in the city (as it seems to be in most cities in the U.S. too) so sitting outside for lunch would have given us the smell of freshly paved streets and the noise of jackhammers so we ducked inside this restaurant and sad to say the people who ran it lacked the least bit of hospitality with scowls on their faces and the feeling like we were bothering them to have to take our orders and serve us food. I did enjoy my grilled squid tho.
The piazzas are filled with interesting art from ancient and modern times. Check out the colorful elephant and the statue with an elephant on top. A great meeting place – just tell your fellow travelers to meet you in elephant square.
Back at the villa, we gathered on the terrace for drinks before dinner. Oddly enough Mt. Edna, who had been covered in the clouds today, decided to spew out a bit more smoke and rumor has it there were rumblings. We just watched the magnificent sunset and enjoyed our wine.
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