Well, we didn’t JUST sit on the beach all week. On our last day in Cefalu, we climbed the famous La Rocca that overlooks the town (really, it is more like a mountain).

The rock has a long and storied history. At various points, whole civilizations lived up there to escape pirates or conquering enemies. The earliest known site is a cistern from the 9th – 10th century BC (which is kind of mind-boggling). It is near a Temple to Diana from the 4th-5th century BC. We got our picture taken in the doorway – it is pretty well-preserved for being 2500 years old!

La Rocca was even more developed around the 11th century AD, when a race a “giant Arabs” (according to the guidebook) moved there to escape their enemy. They built a castle, look-out posts, storage buildings, and even a sophisticated water collection system so they could withstand a long siege. They ultimately were forced down the mountain by Norman conquerors in 1061.

The Climb

Today, visitors can hike up to the top and see the various ruins along the way. Frank and I brought along bottles of water and were ready to go. At first, the paths were wide and paved, if a little steep. But we stopped and rested. We did keep noticing younger people with hiking shoes and backpacks passing us by, but didn’t think much of it.

Until we hit the trail to the castello (castle). I use the work “trail” generously – it was more like a rocky incline, where, in a few places, we actually debated what was the trail and what was a path just straight up the mountain. If someone was coming the other way, you both had to plan carefully because the “trail” wasn’t big enough for two, and there was a drop-off on one side. But once we were there, we were committed. So we kept picking our way up, up, up the mountain. (We do not have any pictures of this part because we had to concentrate so hard not to fall of the mountain!)

When we got to the top, we did have an amazing view – they say 22 miles. Frank estimates we climbed the equivalent of 90 stories! We felt very proud of ourselves.

And then we had to go down. Which is MUCH harder than climbing up. It took all our concentration to pick our way down, down, down 90 stories of a narrow, rocky trail. At one point, I turned to Frank and declared that I was having not just one glass of wine at lunch, but two. He said, “OK – just pay attention.”

Lunch

We made it down the mountain and stiffly strolled through town – proud of our accomplishment. We rewarded ourselves with a nice lunch at a beautiful restaurant on the water – where I indeed had two glasses of wine.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at our apartment napping, taking Advil, and groaning each time we stood up. But we can say we conquered La Rocca.

Next Up:  The Biggest Adventure of All – Frank & I are renting a sailboat in Sicily!

This has been our week of relaxation. We are at the beach town of Cefalu, on the north coast of Sicily. I think it may be the most charming place I’ve ever been. Much of the old fishing village has been turned into restaurants and shops, with cobblestoned alleyways that are perfect for exploring.

We have a little one-bedroom apartment right on the water. In the picture above, it is the building sticking out – we are on the 2nd floor with green shutters. We have balconies on three sides and amazing views. Wow.

Our highlights for the week so far –

The Beach

We are here just before the high season so not very crowded – a great time! There are private beach clubs all along the beach where you can pay 10 Euro and have an umbrella, two chairs, and access to a bathroom and snack bar. We can leave our stuff there, and they will watch, while we stroll up to the lungomare (street along the sea) for lunch. There is also a man who walks around selling coconut for 1 Euro a slice (it hits the spot on a hot afternoon!).  This is our favorite place.

Apperitivo

Our other favorite spot is the Piazza del Duomo – the big square in front of the Duomo, where the whole town seems to gather each evening. We go there and sit outside with a Aperol Spritz watching children play and grown-ups taking their passeggiata. A very nice tradition.

Pesce (Fish)

At some point we get hungry and wander around looking at all the ristorantes. This is traditionally a French resort, so many of the restaurants have a French flair – last night we dined at Le Chat Noir (the black cat in French – in Italian it would be Gatto Nero). Every place has ridiculously fresh fish and my new favorite – pesce spada involtino – fresh swordfish rolled up (involtino) in breadcrumbs with eggplant and baked. Yum.

& Real Life

And of course, we have real life chores, too. I have set up my office on a table overlooking the water and had a slew of conference calls this week. And we have managed to do (for once) all of our laundry.

So we are having a most wonderful week just catching up and really, doing not much at all.

View from our Balcony  – We love Cefalu!

We have had a lot of fun over the last week traveling with Frank’s cousin, Enza. She does not speak very much English, and I don’t speak very much Italian – although I did improve quite a bit over the last week (Frank does much better than I do). We relied on charades, the Italian/English dictionary, and – if we were really in a bind – Google Translate. But we laughed a lot and had a great time. If something didn’t quite go as planned, I would tell Enza, “It’s an adventure” (or “avventura” in Italian).

Road Trip Home

Our biggest adventure came on the last day on our way home. While we were at our pizza dinner with cousin Evelina’s in-laws, a tiny little puppy bounded into their compound. Evelina and Claudia went through the neighborhood seeing if they could find the puppy’s home, but everyone thinks the owner probably dropped him off near the gate.

Well, Enza decided to keep him and give him as a “surprise” to her son. Which meant we added a 4th traveler, Kiko, to our entourage. They took him to the vet to make sure he was ok, and we picked him up on our way out of town. Fortunately, he is very small, so he fits inside a cute purse bag – can you find him below?

 Flowers

The first stop for our merry band of travelers was Noto, a baroque town that is famous internationally for its flower festival – the Infiorata. Groups spend all year designing and putting together works of art made of flowers. They display them in a carpet down one of the streets that ascends to a cathedral. Every item in the display has to be natural, so they get creative with not only flowers, but stems, beans, lentils, and even coffee grinds. It is amazing what they create.

Kiko liked it, too, but (smartly) stayed in the purse. There were so many people that could have gotten stepped on!

Down By the Sea

We next took a winding tour through the countryside and to the hill town of Modica, where we saw the cathedral, shops, and even wehere Enza’s father worked.

Our destingaion was along the sea at Scoglitti, which is a fishing village near Marina di Ragusa and lots of beach resorts. They are known for their seafood – and we were not disappointed.

There is no menu. They just bring what is fresh. First was crudo (raw) – including tuna carpaccio and raw shrimp (which tastes ok but is kind of wiggly). Next came piles of mussels and oysters, and even some type of big red – & alive! – clam. When I squirted lemon juice on it, it rose up and almost made me jump out of my chair. But I did eat it (and washed it down right away with white wine). Then a plate of fritte (fried) calamari – wonderful. And finally grilled fish, including freshly caught swordfish. We were stuffed. (Kiko was an angel during all this – sitting patiently in his little purse bag with only a few squeaks.)

Kastalia

After lunch, we drove around the coast and ventured to Athena Resort at Kastalia, which is where Enza’s daughter (Mirella) has a beachhouse. It is a beautiful gated resort, but since Enza is a member, we could go inside. There were huge pools, tennis courts, and a range of bungalows – all with a fabulous view of the Meditteranean. This was Kiko’s favorite, since it had big gardens to explore. We had an afternoon cafe and tea there before deciding to head for home.

Canicatti

The four of us finally made it back to Canicatti almost 12 hours after we had set out from Siracusa. Whew – were we tired.

But we weren’t finished yet. Enza called her son to come over for dinner so she could reveal her surprise. For the record, Frank and I did try to talk her into calling him BEFORE we took possession of Kiko, but she said it was a “sorprese.” When I looked worried about this plan, Enza reminded me of my own saying, “Avventura Christy!” (It’s an adventure, Christy!)

Well, Salvio was pretty surprised. But he was a good sport and by the next day, he and his girlfriend, Cettina, had fallen in love. He promised that, with their whole family in Canicatti, Kiko would have a good home. So it was a happy ending for all.

Next Stop: Frank and I are heading to the beach town of Cefalu to rest from all of these avventuras!

We have been so busy having fun that I haven’t had a chance to update the blog! Here’s what we’ve been up to:

Duomo & Santa Lucia

Our apartment is in the old section of Siracusa – Ortigia. One of Ortigia’s most famous piazzas – some say the prettiest in Italy – is the Piazza del Duomo. We agree! It is one of our favorite spots for gelato or apperitivo.

But yesterday we also toured the Duomo. It was built on the site of a Greek temple to Athena that dates back to the 5th century BC. When Saint Paul (from the Bible!) came to Siracusa, he helped convert the island of Ortigia to Christianity and build a new church. The pillars from the temple were still standing, so they built the church around them. So inside the church, you can see the frame of the Greek temple – very impressive.

The Duomo also has a chapel dedicated to Santa Lucia, the patron saint of Siracusa who was honored with a procession the other night. Her body lies in Venice (stolen by the doge, if you ask the Siracusans), but the city of Venice donated her arm back to Siracusa. So her chapel has a gold box containing her arm. It was actually very spiritual. Santa Lucia was a very independent woman and stood up for what she believed versus what culture dictated a woman’s role was at the time. So she is particularly meaningful for women. Enza and I took time to reflect and pray for all of our friends and family (especially women) back home.

& Pizza!

Another family dinner – this time with homemade pizza. Claudia and Ruggero (who made the snails the other night) invited us back for Claudia’s famous pizza. She has her very own pizza oven! Everyone here seems to have an indoor kitchen and outdoor kitchen. Claudia’s pizza oven is in her outdoor kitchen and comes with a long-handled spatula just like the real pizzeria. She made all kinds of pizzas – margherita, funghi (mushroom), riccola (rocket lettuce and cheese), potato, and spicy tomato. She even made apple strudel with pine nuts from the trees in their yard. Delicious!

Frank and I have visited duomos and basilicas all over Italy that are famous for their art, history, or architecture. Today we visited a church that was not on the “must see” list of our guidebook, but it was all the more meaningful.

Mary’s Tears

Enza selected our destination today – Sanctuario della Madonna delle Lacrime

It is well-known to the people of Sicily, but not often visited by others.

On this site in 1954, there was a house that contained a small statue of Mary. All of a sudden, the statue started weeping. It wept for 5 days, with hundreds coming to see it. Scientists collected samples and discovered the substance was human tears. Then, miracles started happening to those who came to the site – people healed or prayers answered.

In 1994, a church was built on the site, which is now considered sacred. The church is very modern and in the shape of a giant teardrop. Inside on the altar is the statute of Mary. Pilgrims come to this church to pray and ask for their own miracles. There is even a hotel across the street that caters to them – we had lunch there.

Below in the crypt are the original foundations of the little house. Also, testimony to all the miracles that have happened – braces and crutches no longer needed and many, many thank you messages. Some people have sent metal ornaments of a body part that has been healed, and there are pictures and notes about children who were born after much prayer. There even is a display of several wedding gowns – I’m not sure if their families thought it was a “miracle” the bride finally married, but they obviously were thankful.

So sometimes it pays to throw out the guidebooks and listen to a local.

More Family!

Last night, we met even more family! Evelina’s husband’s (Toto’s) sister, Claudia, invited us to their home in the nearby town of Floridia. Claudia’s husband, Ruggero, is an attorney by day and chef by evening (he practices criminal law, which he says is very interesting being in Sicily – I can imagine!).

Ruggero and Claudia had a feast waiting for us of cous cous with pesce (fish), seppie nero (squid served in its black ink), and even homemade wine and limoncello.

The highlight was escargot – from their own yard (they say they come out in droves when it rains).  We used toothpicks to pull them out of their shells.  Apparently Floridia is famous for its snails and even has a festival in honor of them. I can say they were delicious.

A good time was had by all.  I think Frank and I will have to sleep for a month (and go on a diet) after the last two weeks!

Frank and I love his cousin, Enza, so much that we kidnapped her for our roadtrip to Siracusa to visit even more relatives. The picture above is a typical gas station along the way – they all come with an espresso bar!

Ortigia

We rented an apartment in the old town of Siracusa, called Ortigia. It is an island connected by a short bridge to the mainland. It was settled over 2500 years ago and has remnants from Greeks, Romans, and Arabians. The streets are a cobblestoned maze full of restaurants and shops, all along the seawall.

The town definitely was built before cars, and you have to have a special “ZTL” pass to drive here. We do, since our apartment is here, but that does not make it any easier. Needless to say, it was a bit of a challenge finding our way and getting settled in. As Enza said, “Mamma Mia!”

But our apartment is spacious, beautiful, and in the middle of everything. We have two balconies overlooking Via Santa Teresa, right over an excellent pizzeria, and a half-block from the seawall. Our parking woes were worth it.

Enza and I have already taken a passiagetta along the sea wall, where she introduced me to a new drink I love called Crodino. It is orange and very refreshing (non-alcoholic). We walked to a cafe, ordered Crodinos and potato chips, and had a wonderful time trying to speak in “poco” Inglese / Italiano.

The Siracusa Side of the Family

We also got to visit with another of Enza’s and Frank’s first cousins on the Buccheri side – Tina. Tina’s daughter is Evelina, who came with her son Antonino to visit us in Venice. They live in town in a 4-story building with the whole family on different floors – Tina (the matriarch), her three children, and their families. They had us over for a delicious lunch of fresh spada (swordfish) and gamberi (big shrimp). (Fortunately for us, Evelina’s sons, Antonino and Diego, met us via motorcycle to lead the way, so we didn’t get lost.)

Evelina’s husband also has a sporting club a little ways out of town, where they have a huge lemon and orange grove (2,000 trees!), along with soccer fields, swimming pools, and tennis courts. They have a home there as well. It was peaceful and beautiful. They sent us back with an armload of oranges and lemons.

Santa Lucia

When we tried to drive back to our little island of Ortigia, traffic was backed up, and a policeman said we could not get in, even with our pass. It was the procession of Santa Lucia, which only happens twice a year. Santa Lucia is the patron saint of Siracusa. She was a young woman who vowed to follow her own way and help the poor, rather than marrying the husband that was arranged for her. This did not go down well, but she persisted, performing miracles and helping the poor. Eventually, she was martyred and made a saint. However, the Venetian doge took her body, which still rests in Venice. Frank and I went to see it because we knew it meant so much to the relatives in Siracusa. So it is just her tomb and statue that are here. She is very much loved – especially by women. They have a big festival in December for her, but during May, they take her out and parade her through the streets.

Well, for us, after driving around, we finally ditched a car in what we think was a real space (we hope it is still there) and made our way on foot to our apartment. We turned a corner, and lo and behold, there comes Santa Lucia. Talk about timing! There were hundreds (maybe thousands) of people lining the seawall. We joined them and soon the procession went by, accompanied by a band. Everyone fell into line to follow after it. What a wonderful sight. That night, they had fireworks, which we could watch from our balcony.

Of all the places we have been in Italy, I am starting to think Sicily is the best by far.

We spent our last day in Canicatti with Mirella and Benedetto at their beautiful home for lunch. Enza (Mirella’s mom) made grilled fish and the most amazing fried calamari I’ve ever had. It was even better than Southern Fried Chicken (and as a South Carolinian that is saying something)!

We were all a little tired from the previous night’s big banquet, so it was a laid back afternoon of talking and visiting.

On To Siracusa

And now we are on the road to see more family – to Siracusa, which is on the eastern coast. We have an apartment in the old town area and have an extra bedroom. So we are kidnapping Enza and taking her with us! Another one of the “first cousins” (Tina) lives there, so we will all catch up.

But we are not going empty-handed. The Canicatti Family is sending us off plenty of provisions. Mirella sent a huge tin of olive oil made from the olive trees in their backyard – they press the olives every year to make their own olio. She also packed homemade orange marmalade made from their orange trees. Wow. And Salvio and Cettina presented us with a giant jug of Nero D’Avolo wine made at Cettina’s family’s vineyard. We love Sicily!

Last night was the definite highlight of our week. The family, led by Mirella (Enza’s daughter), planned a final banquet to send us off. All the people we have met this week came – plus a few more – 30 in all! Each of them was related in some way to Anointetta (Frank’s mother). It was heartwarming, fun, boisterous, and very, very special. Three of Frank’s first cousins were there – see picture at the top.

We drove out to the country to a trattoria that was set up just for us. Once we settled in, the men sat at one end, the women in the middle, and the kids on the other end – all talking up a storm. We feasted on pasta, carne (meat), contorni (vegetables), fragole (strawberries), and tiramisu, all washed down with unlimited pitchers of red wine.

Frank and I both even gave a little speech thanking everyone for their hospitality – we wrote ahead of time and used Google Translate, with Mirella’s help on pronunciation.

We did not get home until 2 am! These Sicilians know how to have a good time!

I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

Wow – we have had a busy few days re-connecting with LOTS of family. This is a little long, and I am posting several pictures because the family back in America, along with those in Sicily, are using the blog to catch up with each other, too. Very cool.

Background

As a refresher (since it is confusing for a newcomer), Antoinetta Buccheri was Frank’s mother. She was born in Canicatti, Sicily and emigrated to the United States when she was 18. Her older brother was Salvatore, who was the one who traveled with her to Naples to catch the ship for America. He stayed in Sicily and had a family, including a daughter named Enza. Antoinetta had a family in New York, including a son named Frank. So Frank and Enza are first cousins.

Enza

Enza invited us to her home and then to a fabulous lunch. But first, she had a surprise. She had invited a few other relatives to join us for pre-lunch cafe (where I even had my first espresso!). We would sit down, and the doorbell would ring, and a relative would come in, and we’d take pictures and hug. Then we’d sit down, and the doorbell would ring, and . . . it really was like a movie.

My favorite part was when Enza was showing Frank some old pictures. He found a picture of his mother he had never seen before (the picture posted at the top). This was taken of his mother when she had just landed in America – she sent it back to her family.

Maria Teresa

Another first cousin of Enza and Frank was Maria Teresa. She has passed away, but her husband, Rosario, came by Enza’s house (he is the one with white hair hugging Frank, above). And then later that day, we went to Maria Teresa and Rosario’s son’s home and saw his family (this would be Frank’s cousin’s son, his nephew, once removed?). They have a stunning (and huge) apartment on a top floor with a terrace view of the city.

The House

One of the most special moments of the day was when Enza led us back to the childhood home of their parents – where Salvatore and Antoinetta grew up. It is in the oldest part of town – the original village – and now, is more of a shell of the original house. But to imagine their parents playing on these streets. Frank never got to meet his grandparents, so it was very meaningful to be able to picture where they lived.

         
More Family

And there is even more! The next day, Mirella (Enza’s daughter), hosted us for a luncheon at her beautiful home. This is where we went the first day. Mirella is a teacher, and her husband, Benedetto is a dentist. They have a gorgeous home in the country with an olive grove, gardens, and even a separate kitchen house for cooking when it is hot (there is a kitchen in the main house, too).

Mirella’s family joined us for lunch and after dolce (dessert), we heard the doorbell ring . . . and Maria Teresa’s two other children came by. (Remember we had visited their brother at his big apartment with the terrace the day before.) Out came the grappa, and rapid-fire stories and laughter were shared across the table.

Soon, the doorbell rang again – and in came Enza’s third child, Salvio (Mirella’s brother), along with his partner Cettina. More grappa, stories, and laughter.

The Vineyard

While we were talking, we learned that Cettina’s family owns a vineyard nearby. So on the way home, she and Salvio took us there so we could see some of the countryside. They make Nero D’Avola wine (with black grapes) – we have seen this in the stores.

So – a good time was had by all. We took yesterday off to just rest, work, and catch up on laundry and chores. Whew.

And tonight – the grand finale – a dinner with ALL the cousins and relatives. Pictures to come . . .

Have you ever been to Canicatti? When Frank told our sailing friend, Stephano, that his mother was from Canicatti, Stephano told us that there is an Italian rhyme about going “all the way to Canicatti” – sort of their version of “Timbuktu.” I think it is mainly because the word is catchy. But there really is a Canicatti – and we went there yesterday.

Antoinetta’s Story

Canicatti is in the southern part of Sicily, near Agrigento. It is actually quite large, with a city center surrounded on the outskirts by green countryside, small mountains, and close by, the Meditteranean. Frank’s mother, Antoinetta Buccheri, grew up here. Frank’s father, Angelo Volpe, grew up in the neighboring town of Castrofilippo. The story goes that Angelo saw Antoinetta in a window one day and knew he would marry her.

After they married, Angelo was the first to strike out for America. He then sent for Antoinetta, who, at the age of 18, boarded a ship by herself, crossed the Atlantic, and disembarked at Ellis Island in 1927. Angelo and Antoinetta settled in Brooklyn, where Frank and his brother were born.

Angelo never went back to Sicily – his story is more of a mystery. We will try to uncover some of it while here. But Antointetta kept up with her family and made several trips back. Frank has been back to meet his first cousins, but it has been several years since they connected in person.

Meeting the Family

Frank had called his cousin, Enza (Antoinetta’s niece), and through an Italian-English combination, they established that we would all meet for lunch on Tuesday. We were on our way back from Palermo after switching our rental car (see prior story) when we decided to swing by Canicatti to make sure we knew where we were going. It was about 6 pm by then.

We found Enza’s address and, lo and behold, her daughter, Mirella, was waiting out front. She spotted us and honked and waved. She jumped out the car, called her mother and daughter, and before we knew it, Enza jumped in our car and we were heading to Mirella’s house to meet the rest of the family.

Mirella’s home is beautiful, with an olive grove and big garden out back. Soon, more family came – Mirella’s husband, Benedetto, and her brother, Johnny and family.

They mainly speak Italian, with a little English. We mainly speak English, with a little Italian. But we told stories, traded family updates, and laughed and laughed. This turned into dinner and before we knew it, it was almost midnight!

We looked like one of those Super Bowl commercials for technology. We traded messages through Facebook to figure out each other’s phone numbers, showed each other family pictures on our respective iPads, and used Google Translate (a lot) to help sort out the tricky words each side didn’t know.

My favorite moment was when Frank was filling in his family tree. He had sketched out what he knew and then sat with Johnny and Johnny’s 6th-grade son trying to fill in names in other squares. Three generations of Bucherris back together again.

What a truly amazing and moving experience – like a movie. We are meeting up with Enza today to look for the house where Frank’s mother and Enza’s father grew up. Stay tuned . . .