We arrived in to our hotel after much rigmarole via the Italian airports system we headed from the plane to collect our luggage. While following the required path we could hear regular cheering ahead of us. As it was 10:30pm and we were at an airport we could not make out what was going on. When we got to the carousels we noticed there was a clear glass wall between us and the carousels (like international arrivals) and there were well over 1000 people waiting on the other side of the glass. Our plane as well as another recently arrived had a group of around 50 high school students each whom had obviously been away on a school trip. Those waiting behind the glass turned out to be the kids parent, aunts, uncles, grandparent, sisters, brothers etc etc and whenever one of the groups saw the person they had come to greet home they cheered. It was such an amazing display of community and family spirit. We soon appreciated the glass between us while we waited the 1/2 hr for our lauggage to appear on the carousel as it would have been complete mayhem if all those people and the passengers of 2 planes were to crowd around in the small space.
Anyway we were eventually away quickly in a taxi to our hotel. We arrived and were shown to our room which was so gorgeous. It was in an old Palazzo with 20 ft ceilings and a fresco painted on the ceiling. We also had 2 small wrought iron balconies and french doors going out to them. The doors themselves were about 10 ft high. Amazing.
We decided to spend alot of the day in Catania and then head to Taormina in the afternoon. There is a significant Centro Storico (old historical centre) and one particular place to note was a very large church which is still far from finishing renovation. It was built in the early 1200's. Inside we noted a very long strip of inlaid marbles on the floor. Up close we noted they had the dates and months as well as hrs, covering the whole year. This was explained by a very lovely Italian man (all in italian with me grasping some of it and translating to Mark) that the hole in the ceiling (which Mark had noted earlier) was showing a spot of sun on the floor absolutely in line with the date for that particular day. It was a meridian calender-line made over 800 yrs ago and was still precise to the day. He went on further to say the hrs are often not precise and this is due to the lunar calendar. We found it completely fascinating.
It was all so beautiful and Mark was so in awe that when I heard my name mentioned and Mark hyperventilating 'look look look', up past old buildings along a very long street he could see in the distance Mt Etna for the first time and was so excited that it was actually smoking as well, with no clouds around it at the time. It is something he has always wanted to see and he was so excited to have it appear so unexpectedly in the middle of the city centre. We did not think we would see it until we got out of the city.
At one stage we spotted a park through an old arch. We thought it would be a great place to sit in the sun a little and people watch. Once through the arch we saw there were many groups of older men sitting around chatting (not unusual here) and many were also standing tightly in a circle. Obviously something was going on... but if we got too close one would turn an look sternly at us so we stayed far enough away not to upset them but got close enough to see theere was a table of guys playing cards and then a whole group around them watching and cheering them on. There were many groups like this in the park and under an old bridge. They were so entertaining to watch!
Finally we found the local market. Now it was street after crowded street of vendors selling anything from fruit & veg, deli items, meat, seafood or packaged goods. Wow.. again so interesting to watch them and listen to them all trying to shout out their bargains over the top of the others. One to note which Ashleigh would have steered very clear of was the vendor selling 3 different varieties of snails. There were timber bins of them. 1000's of them... sliding all over each other. Quite gross but still fascinating as we dont see that every day...!!
Anyway thats it for now... this computer wont let me upload photos and I can that Sue has just arrived. Time to go catch up over a drink and snack.
xD&M
3 comments:
I can understand Marks excitement at seeing Mt Etna..I wondered if you were going to see it..I checked it out on Google Earth...you are having such fun and seeing such a lot..keep safe and well..much love from home xx
You sure get around the world..What a wow factor to have such a grand room...I, like Mark, would be awe struck with Mt Etna suddenly in sight, and smoking. How great it would be our world if we had such communial spirit with our oldies the same as you have seen with the men playing card ........Anzac Day,was so moving with so many groups all over the states and in France as well as Gallopi..... Going to Italians at Miami with Bede and kids, Stacy in Kaula Lumpa with Paula,M-Mary Xavier, perhaps Julian family for
chris's birthday. Doubt if we will have snails . I won't allow dad to have any because he gets such heart burn when asleep and groans so much I think he is having a heart attack. Barkers should be in Paris now..... Oh, you o.s.people ! Keep enjoying and learning. Me too. Much Love
Hi guys
I have my creme brulee cooling in the fridge before taking it to Dinah's and doing the toffee crisp top there and thought I'd catch up with your latest on this cool rainy Saturday evening.
Thanks for text from T'mina.. I feel so emotional reading your travels, the views, Mark's responses to such gob-smackingly beautiful arhitecture & history. Don't you feel like a child sometimes? that kind of joy of discovery, of something so much older and bigger than the minutiae of our lives we are all so necessarily bound up in at home.
Went to Anzac dawn service in Melb with 40,000 people & it was so moving, E joined in & we hung around to see some of our fine old gentlemen parading with chests laden by medals I wouldn't have a clue about. I had tried persuading Bill to take part but he's really more of a private person.
It looks like I'm resigning on Monday YAY. Sue might have told u that one already.
So maybe the next trip is a tour sailing out of Croatia??
Love to all & missing you
Michelle
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