We are on the move to Southern Sicily, where Frank’s family lives. And it was quite a journey!

We didn’t quite realize how much of a cocoon we were in at Taormina – living in the walled city, music floating out of restaurants, flower-filled balconies, our grand apartment. Our driver picked us up, and we were all happy and relaxed and ready for a new adventure.

And then he dropped us at what felt like the side of the road – the rental car place. With about 200 people just standing around waiting for cars, too.  It felt like half of Europe has come to Sicily for summer holiday.

We put Enza with the luggage (a LOT because we have acquired the jugs of wine and 2 basil plants, plus groceries). And I waited in line, with Frank ferrying back between us.  The Europcar representative made me sign a paper that promised we would under no circumstances stop in the province of Catania (where the rental car place is) unless the car was locked and guarded.  They said insurance would not cover losses in Catania and even if there is an accident (apparently a common ruse), you do not leave car unattended.  That kind of shook all 3 of us up, so we were happy to high-tail it out of Catania.  Apparently the rest of Sicily is safe – or at least covered by insurance.

Then our GPS put us on the “provincial” roads, rather than the autostrada. The roads got narrower and narrower, until we were on one lane, partly dirt, and the only car around driving up and over mountains and across the country side.  Enza, in the backseat, kept saying, “Maria, Maria.”  (I think this was a prayer to the Virgin Mary.)

The house we rented last year was off the market, and there are not a lot of options in this area. So I had booked a beach hotel about 40 minutes from Frank’s family’s town.  It was not in any guidebooks, but had gotten good reviews online.  As we wound around these little roads in the middle of nowhere, I thought, “Oh no – this may not go so well.”

But we went through the gates at Faloncara Charming House to find a beautiful resort – with an amazing view of a catello (castle) that dates from the 1300s.

It has a private beach, and each room has its own umbrella and chairs. There is a spa, nice restaurant, and even a pizzeria across the street.

Enza will stay with us for a couple of days here, and then we make the trek to Canicatti. The adventure begins!

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Orlando.  We saw the news online and have access to BBC on TV.  Our Sicilian family also told us.  Everyone is horrified and sad.

On BBC, we saw that there were large vigils in Berlin and London, where the crowds waved rainbow flags.  The Sydney Harbor Bridge and Paris Eiffel Tower both changed their lights to rainbow colors.   One thing I have learned from our travels – we are all in this world together, and everyone is more similar than you might think.  No one should feel afraid to be who they are.

Our prayers are with the victims and their families.

Well, Enza and I did not win the lottery. So we are getting ready to move on to meet up with the family in Southern Sicily.  But before we go, we decided to get our hair done.

Since we will be away so long, I knew I would have to get my hair cut and colored at some point in this trip, so I have been scoping out places near our apartment. I was very proud of myself for walking in and making my appointment, all in Italian (they did not speak English).

When I arrived, I had to pantomime what I needed (although I’m pretty sure the stylist could tell due to my gray roots and wild unruly hair!). He didn’t say a word and just started working on me.  I thought this could go either way – but at least my hair grows fast.  Enza had a few touch-ups, too.

Afterwards, we looked beautiful.

Unfortunately for me, I am not able to replicate this level of straightness myself, and my hair is now pretty short. Combined with the warm and humid temperatures – and the general craziness of life in Sicily – I look like a curly-headed mop-top.  You will see in future pictures.

Life in Sicily!

We love our apartment in Taormina. It is a pretty good deal for such a glamorous spot.  We discovered it last year via the Home Away / VRBO website and came back this year.  And – we found out that it is for SALE!  I told Enza (in broken Italian and charades) that if I won the lottery, I would buy this place and we could live here together.  She said, “OK.”

We laughed about it, but the next morning at breakfast, she showed me her numbers – she said she had stayed up and figured out her best 5 numbers for the Lotteria.

So our quest began to find a place to buy a lottery ticket in Taormina.  And not just any Lotto – Enza said we had to try for the Numero Ora because it paid the most (we figured we’d need as much as we could win to buy this apartment).

It turns out most Tabacchi (Tobacco Stores – kind of like convenience stores) sell regular Lotto tickets, but not Numero Ora. We went from Tabacchi to Tabacchi, all over Taormina.  Frank thought we were patzo (crazy).

Then, on our last day, we gave up and just decided to go to lunch up in the high hills in Castemola. Well, the day started out as a disaster.  We bought Hop On tickets but missed the bus.  Then it started raining.  Finally, a taxi driver said he’d take us up the mountain.  Defeated, we agreed.

Well – it turned out to be the perfect outing. The taxi driver gave us a little tour, regaled us with local stories, and dropped us right in the main square of Castemola.  Where Enza spied a Tabacchi – that sold il Numero Ora!!

So we both played our numbers – 10 Euro each. Fingers crossed – the drawing is stasera (tonight)!

As Enza says, “Non si vince se non si gioca!” (You don’t win if you don’t play!)

When you rent an apartment in Europe, they usually have a “greeter” to meet you and show you around. They become your main contact person in your new city.  Our greeter in Taormina is Ann, a British woman who married a Sicilian she met on a visit 30-something years ago – and she has been here ever since.  She has become a friend while we are here, so Frank invited Ann and her husband over for a glass of wine before we leave.

Well – I don’t think Frank realized what he was getting into. Two Southern women – one Southern Italian and one South Carolinian – putting on a soiree.

Enza and I had a fabulous day planning the menu, going to the market, and executing our ideas. Amazing since we don’t really speak each other’s languages.  Some things are just universal.

Enza became my professor cucina (cooking professor) and taught me all kinds of Italian appetizers and tricks.

And I’d say we turned out quite a feast.

Frank was our bartender and in charge of Aperol Spritzes – our favorite cocktail in Italy.

And a good time was had by all!

Some of our creations:

Bruschetta

Stuffed Pomodoro (tomatoes)

with seeds carved out, stuffed with a sliver of garlic, basil breadcrumbs, spices, and olive oil, then cooked on low heat for an hour (my favorite)

Prosciutto wrapped around grissini (breadsticks) with a hint of basilico

We love Taormina and have some favorite places we go back to again and again. We thought we’d share with you.

Bam Bar

Sicily is famous for its almond (mandorla) and pistachio (pistaccio) trees. Lots of dishes are made with almonds or pistachios.  In particular, Sicily is known for granite mandorla (pronounced gran-ee-tah man-door-lah), a delicious concoction of ice, milk, sugar and freshly crushed almonds – kind of like ice cream but better.  And the most famous place for granite mandorla is Bam Bar.  (They have other flavors, too, but mandorla is the best.)

The traditional way to have granite is with brioche. At first, this seemed a little over the top to me.  But once you have had it, it is amazing.  They even have this for breakfast!

So – for lunch today we took a passeggiata down to Bam Bar and had granite mandorla. Buonissimo!

Da Roberto

Speaking of almonds, the absolute best place for marzipan (made with fresh almond paste) is Da Roberto. We found Roberto last year, and I went back over and over for marzipan, one of my favorite sweets.

When we came back this year, he remembered us. And today, he made fresh marzipan just for me.  He has a huge array of choices – like a bakery for marzipan.

Roberto is famous in Taormina and world-wide. Even Bill Clinton has been there and sent Roberto a letter on White House stationery – it is hanging up.

Wunderbar

And at the end of the day, we love to spend the evening at Wunderbar. It is on the main piazza overlooking the sea and lovely to sit out on a summer night with an espresso – or maybe a limoncello or granite.

But the real reason we come is the sassofonista (saxophonist). He is amazing – he is actually playing in the picture below and didn’t blink an eye as people posed with him.

Every day, Wunderbar puts up a sign announcing the night’s entertainment. We walk down with high hopes and love it when it’s the sassofonista.  He plays everything from Sinatra to show tunes to Sicilian folk songs, always with a flair.  He is part of a trio that includes a pianist and percussionist, and they entertain the whole piazza.  Huge crowds gather when they play, couples dance in the square, and little kids spin around to the music, weaving in and out of the musicians.

It is truly magical.

We have extra bedrooms in our apartment, so we invited some of the Sicily family to join us. It is the end of the school year, so a busy time for those with kids, but Frank’s cousin, Enza (whom you may remember from last year’s avventuras (adventures)) packed her bags and was ready.  Her son, Salvio, and his compagna (girlfriend), Cettina, said they would drive her up and stay the day with us.

In true Italian fashion, they set out, not having any idea where we actually lived. I asked Frank if they knew our address, and he said, no, but they would call when they got close.  They called us from the next town over, not dreaming we were actually within the city walls of Taormina.  So Frank explained that we were next to the duomo (cathedral).

They drove on up and were shocked when they were stopped at the city gate (a huge stone arch built into the walled city). No outside cars allowed.  Thankfully, Frank suspected this might happen and was there to look for them.  He helped Enza out of the car and hailed a taxi that was allowed to go inside the gates, while Salvio and Cettina parked the car.

A Jug of Vino and a Basil Plant

We actually don’t live far from Porta Catania gate, but Enza had brought not only her suitcase, but a huge jug of wine (from Cettina’s family’s vineyard), a basil plant, and casserole dishes full of melanzane (eggplant) and involtini (a delicious dish with either fish or meat rolled up with breadcrumbs and cheese inside eggplant), plus her own pasta and tomato sauce and even marmalade made from the family orange grove. You have to love houseguests like this!!

We had the most jolly afternoon – starting with Aperol Spritzes all around while we caught up on news (thank goodness for Google Translate!).

Then we moved to pranzo (lunch) on the terrace – with the lunch that Enza had brought with her. All washed down by the jug wine – which is actually a higher quality than what you can buy in the stores since from their private vineyard – they keep the good stuff for themselves.

Then siesta. Around 7 pm, everyone woke up and headed out for passeggiata (where you walk up and down the main street with all the other locals) and then a pizza dinner.

Buona Compleanna Papa

In what was probably my favorite moment of the day, we all Facetimed my dad to wish him a happy birthday. We sang in English and Italian and were a very merry group (this was after the Aperol Spritz, jug wine, and a limoncello).  Sherman is not a familiar name here – so we sang to “Share-Man”).

And my mother and Enza got to see each other – they have friended each other on Facebook (without any help from us) and post on each other’s pages all the time, even though I’m pretty sure neither knows what the other is saying.

P.S. My other favorite moment of the day was at the pizzeria.  The family started singing Italian songs and then asked me to sign a song from my home.  I started with, “Oh when the saints . . .” – and they all picked it up and sang it with gusto.  I’m surprised we weren’t kicked out!

Today we struck out into the “hinterlands” – what they call the country here. And on the public bus!  We felt very proud to have graduated from the Hop-On bus.  Our aim was to find a little town somewhere off the beaten path and have lunch – avventura!  (Adventure!)

Our options were limited by the bus schedule, so we settled on Forza D’Agro, which we really knew nothing about except it was in the mountains. I looked it up on TripAdvisor for some restaurant recommendations, and off we went.

We drove along the sea and then turned inward, corkscrewing up switchback after switchback to the tippity-top. What a view!

The bus dropped us in a little square with about a half-dozen tourists lingering – definitely off the beaten path. It was beautiful with a fountain, cafe, and cathedral looking down it.

Then – imagine our surprise when we took a closer look at the shop and discovered that this is where “The Godfather” was filmed. There was a picture of Al Pacino at that very fountain.  A wedding scene took place at the church.  Cool!

We set off to explore the flower-filled streets– very peaceful. At noon, instead of bells, a loudspeaker played Ave Maria.  Frank and I just stopped – all alone in a narrow alleyway and held hands – it was like God was singing to us.  Truly a moment in time.

An Epic Lunch at Il Padrino

We were hungry by this time, so headed to the place I had found on TripAdvisor – Il Padrino (The Godfather).

It had a stunning view over the sea. We could see the Straits of Messina across to Calabria in Southern Italy.

And it was full of local families – we were the only non-Italians there. They had pictures lining the wall of the “Godfather cast eating there – Diane Keaton, Al Pacino – even Francis Ford Coppola.

The staff spoke “un poco” English, and we spoke “un poco” Italiano, so we learned that they only had fish and had a fixed menu – all inclusive. They set a jug of wine down on our table and said they would bring out fish dishes until we said stop.

We had at least a dozen appetizers before declaring “basta” (finished), opted out of the pasta course, and requested a half-portion of the main course of pesce mista alla griglia (mixed grilled fish). All of this with unlimited wine.  Finally, we said no more, and they brought out dolci (desserts) and three bottles filled with limoncello, amaro, and grappa and left on the table to help ourselves to as much as we wanted.  Then espresso.  All for 25 Euro each.  Amazing.

One of our best meals in Italy ever.

And – we made it back to the bus and back home – very full, weary, and with a wee headache. Life in Sicilia.

One of the views from our apartment is of the very well-preserved Teatro Greco (Greek Theatre), dating back to the 3^rd century BC.  (You can see it at the top of the hill in the picture above.)  It is one of the highlights of Taormina.  It was perfectly carved into the hillside to have the best view of the sea and of Mount Etna.  You can just imagine the Greeks – and later Romans – taking in a show overlooking this spectacular view.

The theatre is still hosting performances today. On many nights, it comes alive with theatrical productions and musical shows.  Frank and I attended the Taormina Film Festival there last year (pictures are from that).  This Sunday, the U.S. rock band Duran Duran is playing there.  So the theatre still is in active use and much loved in Taormina.

We mentioned our trip to a friend, who had his own story of Teatro Greco. It was so good that I asked him if I could share on the blog.

Frank Florentine is a fellow sailor in Annapolis – and was the lighting designer for all those years that Carolina Girl was in the Parade of Lights.  He is the former lighting director at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum and very well-known in the industry.  (He and his wife, Susan, also sailed with us along the Amalfi Coast a couple of years ago – Susan and I dubbed our husbands “Franco Uno and Franco Due”).  The two Franks get together each week for lunch with a few other sailors in a group they called “the ROMEOs” – which stands for Retired Old Men Eating Out.  So my Frank had forwarded one of our blog entries about Taormina – and Franco Due responded:

Frank:  WOW!! This brings back memories for me!!  In the early 1980’s, I took a show to Taormina with Rudolf Nureyev.  We performed in an amphitheater high atop a mountain, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.  Our scenery had to be carted on three-wheel golf carts from the trucks to the theatre. 

Well, somehow, 10,000 folks showed up that night.  At the end of the show, the producer came on stage and lighted a candle.  About 5,000 candles suddenly came to light in the audience.  And Mr. Nureyev looked over at me and mouthed, “Thank you!”

What a story! Taormina truly is a very special place.

One of the iconic sights of Taormina is Isola Bella, a little island that sits right off the beach. It is probably the most photographed scene here and seems very mysterious.

In the late 1800s, it was purchased by an English woman, who built beautiful gardens and a villa hidden into the rock with stone and non-native trees brought in- it must have been quite a feat.

This lady was pretty interesting herself. I wrote about her last year, so you may remember.  Her name was Florence Trevelyan.  As the story goes, she was orphaned at a young age and taken in by Queen Victoria to live at Balmoral, the Royal Family’s castle in Scotland (I have read that they were distantly related).  She was reportedly beautiful and (so the rumor goes) had an affair with Victoria’s son, Edward, who was heir apparent to be king.  Apparently it got out of hand, and the Queen gave Florence 48 hours to leave the country, along with a sizeable travel allowance.  So she embarked on a round-the-world tour – and fell in love with Taormina.  She never returned to England.  She ended up marrying the Mayor of Taormina and purchasing Isola Bella on which to build a sea villa.  And after Queen Victoria died, it is well-established that old King Edward made a number of visits.

The little island was (and still is) only accessible by boat, unless it is low tide and not too rough, when you can wade across. We were lucky that the seas were calm and waded over.

They only let 15 people on the island at a time to preserve it, so you can really get a sense of the peacefulness there.

We got to explore secret gardens and pathways winding around the pool, various levels of open-air verandas, and finally to the villa itself, which was three stories built into the rock.  We could just imagine what it must have been like back in the day.

Florence is one of my favorite characters of Taormina. She is buried in one of her other favorite spots (and ours), high in the mountains overlooking Taormina and Isola Bella – Castemola (from our post yesterday).