Siracusa

As we entered Siracusa, a short but big storm arrived as well.  We had come too soon to check into our apartment so we walked into the old historic area to find some lunch.  It started to rain as we crossed over the bridge and onto the island of Ortigia, so we quickly found a cafe and settled in to watch the storm.  The drama stopped an hour or so later and we walked back  to the apartment, passing a felled tree and many active storm drains.  Our apartment was right on the sea, and the waves crashed around the base of the building during the next few days of unsettled weather.   

At one time Siracusa (meaning the old part known as Ortigia) was one of the major cities of the world.  In the 5th century BC it rivaled Athens in size and importance and later was the capital of the Roman world for several years.  Ortigia is a World Heritage Site and has several important structures, including the Cathedral, the Piazza del Duomo, the Spanish Maniace Castle, the ruins of the Temple of Apollo and the Fountain of Diana.   In the photo below you can see the Island of Ortigia and its relationship to the city of Siracusa, which is home to the Greek Theater, the Necropolis of Pantalica, and the Museo Archeologico Regionale P. Orsi, 

Courtesy of: By Markos90 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18574004

 L'opera dei Pupi is a tradition in Sicily dating back to the early 19th century and we were lucky to see a show in Ortigia.  Three puppeteers worked the puppets and sang a lively opera featuring tales of "medieval chivalric literature."  We, of course, understood none of it except what we read in our English language program, but we still enjoyed the pageantry and spirit of the event.  

One day we made the thirty minute drive to Noto, a town renowned for its baroque buildings.  We had a good time there enjoying its lovely churches and fun cafes.   

We were surprised to come across two interesting exhibitions, one showing prints and ceramics by Picasso and the other a chronological display of photographs showing the life of artist Frieda Khalo.  They were really wonderful to see. 

Afterwards we drove south where we found an undeveloped and quiet beach. 

I put on my suit and waded around in the waves, only to be interrupted by the beautiful sight of two horses out for a ride along the sea. 

Another day we drove over an hour to the famous tourist town of Taromina, well known for its Greek theater, its dramatic site high up above the Mediterranean, and its excellent ceramic shops.  

We loved our five days in Siracusa and the surrounding area.  But even on vacation the clock keeps ticking and it was soon time to think about going home.