Siracusa and Ortygia
Awoke to rain. The patio and furniture were dripping, the sea obscured by mist. But wait … things suddenly looked brighter. A check of the forecast for Siracusa …. SUN — all afternoon. Yes! Threw stuff in a backpack and raced to the bus station dodging cars and scooters … side-stepping around slow pedestrians. Ten minutes to spare. Even though we used our BEST Italian to check with a student standing in the same line (she was studying Chemistry at the university and lived in Siracusa) if this was the right bus … she answered in English! I guess we just look “from away”.
Online was full of helpful hints on what one should do to blend in: wear muted colours, nothing bright and definitely nothing purple (that’s for funerals) …. no worries there, but have they seen the people walking around town in primary colours so vivid they hurt the eyes?? And yes, purple too! Next up Hats: they seem to be non existent, excepting an occasional toque or ball cap … women just DON’T … period! Hmm, not giving up our Tilley hats, I’m afraid. Shoes are on the list … EVERYONE wears spotless, brand new, pristine white runners – often with soles the thickness of pillows (and with sparkles) …even for dog walking. Or it’s leather boots with high, clunky heels that look very awkward to walk in. Men usually wear comfortable leather or suede. I guess we fail here too (see photo). We’re doomed, so best get used to it. But I’d love to know what they do with their old, scuffed and less reputable footwear.
Siracusa has a diverse selection of churches and cathedrals in wildly divergent styles — this one: Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime is often referred to as an upside down ice cream cone! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_delle_Lacrime,_Siracusa This is also the birthplace of the ‘Greek’ mathematician, philosopher and scientist – Archimedes … Sicily used to be part of the Greek empire. There’s a large brass pi sculpture in the middle of town (sadly we’d just missed Pi-Day …. 3.14) A statue of him stands on the bridge and a rather grand fountain with rearing horses in the main plaza.
The Greek Theatre (Teatro Graco) is one of the largest in the world and entirely excavated from rock. Its floor was being renovated while we were there with a new wooden structure. Apparently it still offers evening performances during the summer months … a sunset would be an amazing backdrop. There were cave-like ‘rooms’ around the rim overlooking the theatre … delicate ferns had taken root in the ceilings and one even had a waterfall. Wildflowers were in bloom all around … deep pink Mallow … miniature yellow snapdragons, tiny bells of blue campanula …. purple bindweed (morning glory) trailing over walls and shrubs.
Along a walkway cool and shady with Olives, stands of tall bamboo and glimpses through to orange groves. Statues (heads missing but usually repositioned elsewhere – often under an arm or in the crotch!) nestled in grottos or round a bend in the path. And then suddenly, The Ear of Dionysus … probably Syracusa’s most famous cave. A massive ear-shaped rent in the cliff that has astonishing acoustic properties. According to legend, Dionysus used to house his prisoners there and eavesdrop on their conversations. Oh to have someone sing an impromptu rendition of The Pearl Fishers or Con Te Partiro or in this case, a choir https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUZI5_vSS7A Caves further along had mirror-still pools with curious colourful sculptures appearing to float, while dozens of tiny finches flitted among the high ferny overhang, singing beautifully. The security guard kept a wary eye on us while having a more mundane conversation on her phone.
Ortygia is a small island connected to Siracusa by two short bridges – nice photos here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ortygia Just as we were debating whether to visit (it’s a bit of a walk) a hail from the road, and there was an ape (pronounced a-pay … Italian for “bee” … sounds like one too) …. the diminutive three-wheeled workhorse of Italy … used for trucks, mobile fruit/veg/food stands, and transport in general. In this case people (like a tuk-tuk). This was a retired guy, official tour guide, and offered to take us over to Ortygia — pointing out places of interest along the way. Great way to travel. BTW Vespa … as in motor scooters, mean ‘wasp’ in Italian. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaggio_Ape (Of course Glen wants one).
Such a pretty spot … an inner harbour filled with multi-coloured fishing boats, glorious older buildings with elaborate wrought-iron balconies jostled side-by-side with apartment buildings in the Mussolini era with curious semi-circular balconies, but still quite elegant. A fortress and monumentous winged statue guarded the seaward end. (I must find out the significance of miss-placed heads and severed hands around the ankles!) Walking back along the waterfront big, scruffy fish boats contrasted nicely with the sleek, shiny ocean cruisers. One boat in particular took our fancy … fishing floats strung up, bits of washing, tubs covered in fish scales and tattered remnants of flags fluttering in the wind.
Instead of the bus, we took the train back. Very oddly, Catania has two train stations mere minutes apart (by train) – often with trains leaving for the same locations at the same time. Europa (close to us) still has a roundhouse which is visible from our balcony. We arrived at platform 2 in the main station with 11 minutes to figure out where the connecting train would leave from. We hadn’t budged a step when zooming into the same platform was (apparently) the train to Europa via Messina (2 hours distant) Rather nervously we stepped aboard … it’s only one stop … would it actually stop, or whisk us off to the end of Sicily? It cruised at a sedately speed into the station and deposited us nicely … steps away from the apartment.
