Retracing our steps

Set off about 10 a.m. after the usual "stuffing around".

We (Kathryn and I) must be quite tired - travel and business probably catching up with us. A wine glass fell out of the drainer over the sink (stupid system!) - glass all over the kitchen floor. Then Kathryn couldn't find her security pass - it was in my bag! So she was late for work.

And I managed to semi-drain the water container all over the floor outside the Nigeria Room when I left the dispenser turned on.

Then there were no nappies so I had to go back to our AirBnB place, successfully getting lost in the bowels of the FAO building when I took a "short-cut". I ended up at an exit for staff only and frankly don't think I could have found myself at the right one if I had been turned away so I had to think of "I am lost" in Italian for the benefit of the security guard and in frustration, said "I just want to get OUT!" in English and I was promptly let out.

Sophie was grumpy again after Kathryn left for work and cried until I took her out in the stroller. Grey day, in fact a bit cool. We walked to the Terme di Caracalla - again; these baths were considered in the 5th century to be one of the seven wonders of Rome.

The parkland alongside the baths is definitely not a nice area: Largo Cavaliere di Colombo up to Piazzale Numa Pompilio (lots of homeless, and guys peeing behind trees, rubbish, unsavoury sorts too).

There is really not much about this area to redeem itself and so I walked up the busy via Druso and into the Parco de Celio (again) via a very nice door/gate - we were here on Monday but today we have come in through the opposite entrance.

The park is pretty run-down in fact, but quiet - and plenty of people use it: jogging, walking, chatting, walking dogs. 

We walked back down Monte Celio again, past the imposing Santi Giovanni e Paolo, under the arches and down past the monastery of San Gregorio into viale Aventino where I found a coffee place and bought a sandwich for Kathryn and I to share at lunchtime as she gets caught up with the demands of running the workshop and doesn't have time to get out - plus she has to feed Sophie.

On our return to Kathryn, this is when we discovered there were no nappies in the nappy bag, necessitating an urgent rush back to where we are staying. Coming back into the FAO through security - after sailing through imperiously (not really!) on all other occasions - this time (without baby) I had to produce my passport (what a pain!) - really! One would have thought that on seeing a harrassed-looking woman armed with nappies with a look of determination and intent would have propelled the guards on the turnstiles into action: open all the doors for this woman! But no; what were they thinking? 

Anyway, we survived - and in fact Sophie and I had a pretty successful morning. 

We set off again about 2 p.m. and returned to the gardens in the Riva area where we had walked after work yesterday afternoon. It is certainly very pretty here and we walked again through the two gardens (the Orange Garden and Giardino Storico di Sant'Alessio) where the views to the Vatican and the skyline of the city really are wonderful; plus - a bonus - when we got to the secret peep-hole to St Peter's, the doors were wide open although beyond was not accessible. It was a lovely view through manicured greenery along a long, long corridor to a view of St Peter's.

Sophie was only just falling asleep now and I had walked an hour already. So I continued down into Testaccio but kept a tight circle on getting back to the FAO if required. 

We walked down via Galvani (off via Marmorata) taking note of the occasional restaurant and bar to return to perhaps on another occasion - and allowed myself a brief peep into the tranquil and lovely private cimitero (cemetery) of Campo Cestio there in Viale del Campo Boario just behind Pyramide station. 

I called into Ostiense station to see if I could leave a bag there for my last day in a week's time but it doesn't look like they do. This is a very down-at-heel area, busy with sidewalk markets selling junk. One man leant on the horn of his car as he couldn't back out of his carpark because someone had parked at right angles behind him completely blocking his exit. Here, all was calm: he just leant on the horn; dare I say in Australia the guy would be going completely "off his trolley" and when the owner turned up (if he dared) he'd be "throttled". Here, it seems to be all taken "in its stride": an everyday occurence. Anyway, I left him to it. 

We walked off the busy viale Marco Polo into the back streets of the San Saba area: it is nice here, close to the ancient Aurelian Walls (a line of city walls built between 271 A.D. and 275 A.D.) and we ended up in the Piazza Remuria - again.

I got my money out to buy a drink at a bar but Sophie was waking; we'd managed to stretch through to 4:30 p.m. so we kept going back to the FAO where the meeting fortunately finished about 5 p.m. or so but Kathryn and her team had to go with a video-maker to do some interviews till about 6:30 p.m. 

I have to say I'm pretty tired but have been included in the group dinner. 

POSTSCRIPT:
Dinner was lovely - good food, good company. Nice group - people from all over the world and working all over the world. Kathryn's team of Tania, Fiona and Katusha are all very different, from a range of backgrounds and have different strengths. A good team I would think.

 

The workshop participants are a mixed bag but Sophie is an icebreaker (for some). There are a few cynics in the group from the country and regional officers across the world that are here; they are energy-draining but there is no doubting their passion - and intelligence.

Sophie and Nonna do the Colosseo

Woke early but tired. Kathryn and I took turns minding Sophie (still asleep - on Kathryn's bed) and taking showers. I think Kathryn is starting the day better today: she has had more sleep (albeit broken), washed her hair, had a shower without interruption and had some breakfast - everything a working mum needs; but she won't make the 8:30 briefing with her staff as Sophie slept in and fed late.

Sophie and I had a so-so morning: she played a little then got very stroppy then finally I decided to take her out - I have to carry the stroller up a flight of stairs, unlock the front door (it's like ‘fort knox’ at this house) and set it up, all quickly as I have to leave Sophie sitting on the floor (in this instance, screaming!), go back down, get the bag of stuff (nappies, bibs, toys, stuff, stuff, stuff) and today she was more than happy to get in the stroller (she generally doesn't like going in) and we set off walking towards Parco di Porta Capena which is behind the FAO and she is asleep in 10 minutes. 

The neighbourhood around via Rosa and Piazza Remuria has several churches and was pleasant with a fruit market and restaurants that look more local (authentic?).

I managed a coffee before she woke and then we navigated our way back through the FAO which takes at least 10 to 15 minutes to get to the 2nd floor: via security, via a tiny lift adjacent to the non-negotiable (with a stroller) stairs, through several sets of sliding doors and up an interminably slow lift to another set of corridors where I need to remember to go first to the Malaysia Room, turn right, go to the Ethiopia Room ahead, turn right, then left - and this brings me (all going well) to the Nigeria Room where the workshop is being held. Puff.

After fortifying herself with mother's milk and I had been despatched through the "rabbit warren" to locate a cafe to buy sandwiches for lunch (having to remember a different route this time, via the King Faisal Room I told myself as I found the stairs, the lift being too slow to wait for) & I couldn't find the stairs on the return trip but some hasty Italian to a passerby got me back on track - Sophie and I went to the Colosseum which I had noticed on the map was not too far away.

It was a hot afternoon and the cobblestones made a built-in stroller vibrater so she fell asleep in about 10 minutes so I had the Colosseum to myself - plus thousands of tourists. I got us a photo for posterity, then walked back via a rotten Roman road with enormous cobbles which was tough going with the stroller and then had to come all the way back because it took us to the exit out of the damn Roman Forum.

Past the tourist buses and tourists standing all over the pavement. Past the Parco del Celio area we'd seen yesterday, stroller pulled in reverse to keep the sun off Sophie. Crossing roads where even on pedestrian crossings you have to see the whites of the drivers' eyes or get run over. Down along via delle Cerchi (past Circo Massimo), over to Piazzale Ugo la Malfa which was a relief from the noise of the traffic (even though its roseti - rose gardens - were closed) and up the steep Clivio dei Publici to Santa Prisca church (4th or 5th century) in the Ripa area. There was apparently a Jewish cemetery here; this Aventine hill area has churches, lovely palazzos and gardens but Sophie was starting to wake so we made our way back to FAO.

We are starting to be known to security now and heaven knows what the staff in the offices along the corridors of floors 1 and 2 think as I make our way along with Sophie wailing. 

Anyway, it was a short wail this afternoon and afternoon tea was in progress at the workshop so good timing - sort of; boy, was she irritable today. If was an overly long session, the workshop not over until 6'ish and I was well over it.

Kathryn, Sophie and I retraced some of what I had walked earlier, heading up into the Ripa area. I got some lovely sunset views over the Monte Palatino site across from Circo Massimo and up on Monte Aventino, where Kathryn showed me the lovely Parco Savello (known to Romans as the Orange Garden) with gorgeous views out to the Vatican in the setting sun.

A further sight on Aventine Hill is the keyhole on the gate to the headquarters of the Knights of Malta designed by Piranesi in 1765; peeking through, you see a garden path that ends with bushes perfectly framing the dome of St. Peter's in the distance.


We grabbed some groceries then headed in for bath time, a late meal of pasta for mummy and Nonna, a load of washing, and bed.

Sophie and Nonna do Rome - Day 1

Day 1 9:50 a.m. and all is peaceful but I suspect not for long. We have left Kathryn at work - she is facilitating a climate change conference and now it is just Sophie and Nonna.

Sophie is asleep in stroller and I have bought panini for lunch for Kathryn and myself for later and I have enjoyed a small pastry and cappucino at a cafe opposite the FAO building. Sitting here watching the world go by (for 5 minutes) either stopping for coffee or on the move somewhere.

She is waking now so possibly a long haul until lunchtime when she works out she's got me and not mama.

We walked to the Piazza Bocca della Verità along via del Circo Massimo where we had a play for about an hour next to the pretty Temple of Hercules the Victor dating from the 2nd century B.C.

We got a photo of Nonna and Sophie in front of the adjacent Fountain of the Tritons - but then it got hot and Sophie got stroppy. 

We walked some more trying to ‘string things out‘ but by about 1/4 to 12 we were back at the FAO building where Sophie definitely wasn't happy and Nonna is thinking this is going to be a very long day - and week!








The FAO building is like a ‘rabbit warren’ plus the security to get in: I have my own card; I feel like a working woman - ha, ha not really in my 3/4 pants, scrappy t-shirts, not like the young smart Italian women in their suits and skyscraper high heels!

In the afternoon we walked up behind the FAO to the Terme di Caracalla and the Stadio delle Terme out along and then back again up a steepish hill to Monte Celio past San Gregorio Magna (a church attached to a Benedictine monastery).

And then to the Santi Giovanni e Paolo which is one of the largest churches in Rome and used after the 15th century for the funeral services of all of Venice's doges - both dramatic-looking buildings - and into the Parco del Celio gardens. Pleasant - but once Sophie woke she wasn't particularly happy so we had a crying baby by the time we returned to the FAO.

Fortunately it was afternoon tea so not too much of a distraction and Sophie stayed in and ‘chatted' to the participants. Once the formal meeting was over, Kathryn and her team stayed on working and preparing for the next day as well as debriefing. We did not get away until 7 p.m. - long day for all of us. 

Quick dinner out then bath time for Sophie, tidy up and into bed. We are all tired and Nonna has walked her legs off.

Nonna and Poppa in Rome

Yes, it's nice to be in Rome. There is a giddy sort of frisson being here (I nearly said "frizzante" but that is the bottled water)!

It's a bit cooler than Sicily - a welcome relief really. But by lunchtime I was incorrectly dressed and wished I had worn a t-shirt.

We walked to La Bucatino a restaurant in Testaccio where Kathryn used to live and is just a short distance away from where we are staying in Aventine.

We had a lovely lunch sitting outside at a table on the pavement in the shade. We started with a delicious couple of plates of carciofi alla romana ("Roman-style artichokes") which is a typical local dish and which I've had before but this was by far the nicest. 

Then Kathryn had rabbit (coniglio), I had pasta with truffles (tartufi) and My Friend had bucatini all'amatriciana.

Some kids inside the restaurant having lunch with their parents, kept Sophie amused for a time.

We passed by a largish supermarket in the Piazza di San Maria Liberatrice and got some more supplies to supplement what we had already bought at the tiny "mart" which is just around the corner from where we are staying.

My Friend needed to pack for his flight home at 9:45 p.m. and just after 5:30 p.m. we walked to Ostiense station for his train trip out to the airport and said our goodbyes.

Walking back, the sun was starting to set and Kathryn and I had a leisurely walk and a gelato each at a wonderful (and apparently excellent) place just across the Viale Aventino - almost opposite our place. Mine was lemon and ginger (zenzero) - yum.

And so, yes! There are lots of Sophie photos!

Travels by train: Syracuse to Rome

Up early to be at the train station for 7:20 a.m - bought some croissant/brioche things along the way at one of the many bars/pasticcerria peppered along the road. My Friend fortified himself with a stand-up espresso (80 cents!!).

Bought an International New York Times from the edicola (on the station (3 Euros! - it is cheaper to buy breakfast). Train is in at the station and, on time, we depart. Bill WILL be pleased - no sciopero (strike)!

Lovely coastal trip - very pretty as we came into Augusta: early morning light swirling in the water around pretty fishing boats. Very picturesque. No photo though - dirty windows!

Inland to the pretty station of Lentini with Mt Etna (or "A Muntagna" as the locals refer to it) looming ahead. At this point we are heading for Catania, Sicily's second largest city, back on the coast. The city doesn't look particularly appealing as you enter, but majestic and old - if somewhat unloved - buildings came into view as we arrived into the station.

With Mount Etna so close it is no wonder that in 1669, the city was covered in lava and then, just 24 years later in 1693, an earthquake shook the town down to its foundations. The reaction to this latter catastrophe was amazing: the entire old part of town was rebuilt in Baroque style, with large, wide open squares and avenues. The most remarkable aspect, however, was the building material used: lava! Catania is essentially a "grey" city and unique in the world for this.

We had been travelling for an hour and, as we expected, plenty of people boarded here. After a quiet journey to this point it was now noisier with chat.

The track then swung under Etna to the town of Acireale, then Giarre-Riposto. We are still heading north up the east coast of Sicily.

We pass orchards and, with Mt Etna now behind us, we approach Taormina where we were a week ago.

About 10 a.m. we arrived in Messina where we take the ferry (with the train on it) across the Straits of Messina to the mainland of Italy. We can see Calabria on the other side as we arrive. The smokers alight in two meanings of the word and we wait. I think it is the train from Palermo that has arrived in on the adjacent platform; it joins here.

I'm getting lots of Italian listening practice - the cabin is full of Italians, talking!

The train travelled into the bowels of the ferry in 2 halves and, under instructions from our fellow travellers, we followed them up several flights of stairs to the decks of the ferry where we farewelled Sicily and enjoyed the views and the sea breeze.

By 11:30 a.m. we are on the mainland at Villa San Giovanni and waiting for the train sections to be joined.

The Elderly woman who joined us at Catania very out of breath has spent the time since in demonstrative conversation with a Middle Aged Italian woman travelling with a younger man who I presume is her Son. Elderly woman intersperses this dialogue with her fellow passengers with energetic conversations on her mobile phone - I presume with family. I have got the impression that she has required help from family that is not forthcoming; this is likely given her age and she is certainly getting plenty of sympathy from the others, but I obviously don't have the full story.

There's lots of talk of mama, figlia, figlio, ragazzi, bambina, basta. The Middle Aged woman is a mother too and seems to be saying she understands, this is her esperienza also. By the time we reach the mainland, the younger man also in our cabin (NOT the Son, but another Younger Man - YM) has also been drawn in, albeit somewhat more reluctantly; I think he is asked if he has a job, what does he do, etc. I only half listen.

Finally, the Elderly Mama - EM - has slowed to draw breath but the conversation continues amongst the Middle Aged Mama - MAM - and the YM; the Son contributes a little. They are all like one big family by lunchtime having shared all the problems of the EM by now.

Despite the announcement over the intercom to speak quietly when using mobile phones, there are several prontos ("hello") when the mobile of the EM rings and her voice volume increases along with her hand gesticulations. The fact that I suspect she doesn't have many teeth doesn't assist the textural tone of the aural experience.

We pass along the coast past pretty rocky outlets and turquoise sea but then turn inland through a series of tunnels. I am not expecting much in the way of scenery from here and we still have 6 hours to go. Finally the others stop talking but EM keeps either answering the phone or making calls. I wonder if she is going all the way to Rome???

There is peace at last: the EM is eating her lunch and she knows I only speak limited Italian so I am spared, although she keeps looking at me as if tempted to engage me; the others have fallen asleep. I make sure to keep looking out the window or read the paper.

My Friend is finally making progress with the Midnight in Sicily book; he should have it finished by Naples is my estimation. Slowest I've seen him read a book but then again, there hasn't been much time for reading on this trip.

Olive trees absolutely laden with their crop and vines laden too with red grapes line the route into Lamezia. More people board; it's getting very crowded. Our cabin comes to life again and the EM's mobile phone comes out again. I hope she's not going all the way to Rome.

It's now about 1 pm and our focaccia bought at the market in Siracusa yesterday is definitely more spinach than cheese.

We are back on the coast passing nice beaches, pretty blue, little white waves breaking on the dark sand. The dark clouds are less dense and the sun is warm through the windows.

At Paola, the mobile phone is back out again. OMG. EM uses the word tranquilla; I could do with some of that.

The Intercity hurtles on. Our NY Times is split between the two of us to share and it's nice to catch up on the news, although much of it is negative of course: the over 700 deaths at the pilgrimage to Mecca; deteriorating ties between Serbia and Croatia as borders close due to the Syrian refugee crisis; VW has been caught out fiddling the figures on diesel emissions.

We cut across inland for a short time but are quickly back at the coast: islands, beaches, resorts, and looming mountains not far away.

The pattern continues inland: tunnels then gorgeous bits of coast, villas, blue-green sea, dramatic cliffs now too. Looks like it'd be nice for a holiday here!

Sapri is the next stop. I thought the announcement was Capri (!) even though I knew that didn't make sense. 

A quarter to 3: rattling on. I wish Trenitalia would wash the windows of its trains!

We had used the WCs on the ferry but My Friend has succumbed to the one on the train and reports no paper: it is by now all on the floor and he emerges with paper stuck to his shoes.

Mountains out to the west are the Massa Lubrense on which the Amalfi coast and Sorrento are situated. These jut out into the sea before we progress northwards beyond this to Naples. 

But first, Salerno - and we must be waiting awhile because the smokers have alighted. It's a whole hour before we come into Naples.

In fact I now have the "good bye" conversations with our fellow travellers. MAM and Son leave at Naples; so does YM who leaves so quickly I didn't even see him go. But the train props just short of the platform so we answer questions about where we are from, where Albury is, discuss my upcoming travel plans for Rome, discover that MAM and Son are changing trains here for Milan (they come from a town just 5 kms out of Taormina).

We still have EM who is getting out at the next station and is visiting new grandson - 15 days old. So she is in fact Elderly Nonna.

So endeth my Italian lesson.

EM gets out at Aversa and I help her with her bag but son-in-law (?) is coming along the platform anyway.

Black guys - who have been trawling the carriages since Naples selling socks, water, coffee, whatever - depart the train here and split off into all directions disappearing through the shrubbery as opposed to the regular exits.

Two more stations to go: Formia-Gaeta, Latina then Roma Termini. Another hour; we are due in at about 6:30 p.m. It is raining as we approach our final stop but then clears. We navigate through to Line B of the Metro system, buy tickets and sardine-like squash ourselves onto the train. No doubt we were very popular with our suitcases ... Not!

We meet Kathryn coming towards us with Sophie as we emerge from the Metro - at Circo Massimo station. They arrived into Italy mid-afternoon and both are very tired after a sleepless flight from Panama via Madrid.

We have a quick bite to eat and let Kathryn try to settle Sophie while we get a wash on - yay! Clean clothes! The AirBnB house is just down the road from the FAO building where Kathryn will be working this next week. It seems nice although the steps will be awkward with the stroller! 

Quick meal at Rosso, a local restaurant not far from "home".

Last day Siracusa; last day Sicily!

We had elected to spend a second day in Siracuse, after the tour, which ended yesterday.

Lazy start. Great breakfast - again. Late checkout at noon useful as nearby market was on my list so we wandered off there; it was everything the Vucciria in Palermo no longer is: a colourful daily morning street market, which sells a fantastic array of fruit, vegetables, fish and meat. There was a crowd of people buying stuff just like at the Farmers Markets at home. 

At the end of the market is a must-see for food lovers: a delicatessen of rare quality, called I Sapori dei Gusti Smarriti ("the flavours of lost tastes"), which has a great variety of cheeses, hams and cured meats of the very best quality, many of which, especially those produced in Sicily, you will find nowhere else. There is also an excellent assortment of wines, condiments, sun-dried tomatoes and other Sicilian delicacies made by the shop’s owners in their "laboratory". We bought a cheese and spinach foccacia to share on the train to Rome tomorrow, some bananas and some almond cookies to take to share with Kathryn.

We then walked to the Piazza Minerva to the caffè where we had a drink the night we arrived but this time we had a very nice coffee.

We strolled back to our hotel to collect our bags and then walked to our last hotel in Siracusa which is closer to the station in readiness for an early departure tomorrow morning. It is a lovely hotel overlooking the thin strip of land that separates the old town of Ortigia with the mainland - we have lovely views of the water.

We had a late picnic lunch on the terrazzo of our hotel, watching the world go by (on the water below that is).

Afterwards, we walked to the Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi. It was a long walk and certainly by the time we had seen all the exhibits, we were dead on our feet. It was excellent.

Certainly the museo houses one of Italy's top archaeological collections, and by far the best in Sicily. The most ancient finds date from the Palaeolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Another section is devoted to the Greek settlements and includes a vast collection of Greek vases which were found in the necropolis of Syracuse and at Megara Hyblaea. Another contained remains from Magna Graecia settlements across eastern Sicily, including decorated vases from Gela spanning the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. Also pottery, statues, sarcophagi, etc. from Sicily's Roman and Hellenistic eras of the 4th and 5th centuries A.D. 

This guy Paolo Orsi (1859-1935) must have been a very busy archaeologist; the amount of stuff on display is awesome and it has been very well catalogued. It would seem that Syracuse is just one huge archaelogical dig!

Then a long plod back - in time for the last vestiges of the sun going down over the sea with a cuppa tea on the terrace. We did some reading and then out to dinner - a not overly inspiring meal at Trattoria Archimede.

Siracusa - & Noto

Lovely breakfast - best so far! A bit overcast which is good for being outdoors, but no prediction for rain.

We had a long walk to the Archaeological Park over on the other side of town. Old Siracusa is on an island (Ortigia) joined to the mainland by a narrow strip of land and where we were headed is on the mainland.

The Parco Archeologico della Neapolis is divided into three main sections: the latomie (stone quarries) now planted with an orchard of orange and lemon trees, the Greek theatre and the Roman amphitheatre; there is also a large cavern apparently dubbed by Caravaggio the "Ear of Dionysius"—either due to its pointy shape or its remarkable acoustics (but apparently once used as a prison). It was all interesting enough, although a little underwhelming considering what raves I'd heard about it. I think we would have benefitted from having a knowledgeable guide. [P.S. Jenny K: we saw the capers growing out of the rock!]

We walked back then to the train station which is on the same side of town (with a brief underwhelming detour to the Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime which looks like a huge upside-down icecream cone). We grabbed some supplies from a supermarket near the station: can you believe it???!! 1.26 Euros for a 2-litre bottle of water, 2 apples and 500 ml can of (cold) beer!

We took the little 2-cabin train to Noto; I'm glad I could speak the lingo because the ticket seller sure couldn't speak English and there was no info up on any of the screens re departures. Anyway I waded through and even managed to understand that the platform for our train was hidden away; especially useful as the train on the main platform was off to Milan (!) and we certainly weren't headed there.

Half an hour later we arrived into Noto stazione with a 20-minute walk UP into the historic centre. I was keen to see Noto because I had read it was quite a stunning hilltop Baroque town. It had been part of our tour itinerary on the day we came into Syracuse, but got dropped due to time constraints.

So Noto is, like Ragusa and Modica, another hilltop UNESCO-protected, Baroque town affected by the earthquake of 1693; in fact it was completely destroyed and had to be re-built, 10 kms from the original site. I had heard the town has suffered from insufficient funds for all the restoration but we saw no evidence of this. It was simply stunning. Pretty as a picture! The buildings are made from local compacted limestone, a substance that seemingly absorbs the sun’s rays and transforms them into a soft, golden-honeyed glow. The effect is quite something. Wouldn't have missed it for quids.

At Caffè Sicilia, opened in 1892, fourth-generation owner Corrado Assenza is the Heston Blumenthal of Italian confectionery, creating radical cakes and gelati flavoured with black olive or basil. We enjoyed a cassatina (yum yum), wonderful coffee; and lemon and basil (different!) gelati.

No doubt we could have spent more time here but we got the general drift. We had a couple of hours and the choice was to stay another couple and take the later train back to Siracusa or go earlier and have time to relax before dinner.

We didn't regret going earlier. My Friend has struggled with his injured leg all trip and it was really playing up today. Going earlier meant we could take our time going back to our hotel from the station, stopping along the way for more (cheap!!! 0.35 €) water plus a cold can of beer which we drank next to the Tempio di Apollo back in town - in the shade.

The Temple of Apollo was built in the 7th century B.C. and was supposedly the first great Doric temple of its kind in Sicily.

After a shower back at our hotel and a sit-down for a bit, we headed off back into the Duomo area to go to the Enoteca Solaria which is a good place to try local wines where My Friend had a nice syrah and I had a great white wine, a Donnafugata grillo.





Dinner was where we had it the night before - a good place for a large group, not expensive and reasonable local food. In fact this time I avoided the house wine and we had a terrific Cusumano Nero d'Avola 2014; and My Friend avoided the snails. I had the ravioli al sugo recommended by someone else in our group and it was delicious.

A good way to end the tour - speeches made to thank Stefano, farewells, hugs, kisses, etc.