March 9 to 17, 2009
Spent a little over a week in the seaside apartment near Sciacca. A wonderful break from suitcase living. Many hours walking beach, watching sun and moon rises. That “life at the shore mentality” doesn’t get old for me. Not sure if it’s the perpetual sound of the waves or the minimalistic horizon line………..or the combination. Probably just the Piscean in me.
We got to know the town of Sciacca from tiny vegetable vendors to the movie rental guy. Family did the Godfather series to honor our stay in Sicily. Many home cooked meals. Several day trips to explore local sites. Failed attempt to view the mummies in Burgio but excellent day spent at the Valley of Temples. Some great images of boys within the Temples and also the Museum. After days of preparation (beach clearing, mental prep and several footnotes) wrote the I Never Swam poem. An excellent Ides of March.
Tuesday. March 17, 2009
Departed Sciacca for Cefalu via the winding smaller road including a “donkey trail” when I missed a turn so GPS Jane found a shortcut back to the main road. A cappuccino stop in the town of Corleone. Although the town is not where the movie was filmed, the café still had posters and film scenes decorating the walls. Amazing mountains and valleys to the north shore of Sicily and on to the town of Cefalu. Great little beach town and as I said to Susan last night at dinner that if we didn’t have family connection business back in Scilla, I would stay here for at least a week. Classic moment: As we were taking a traditional family walk before dinner; the streets are filled with people strolling the shops between 6 and 8pm. In the town plaza in front of the Duomo they had built an olive branch fire in a large urn at the top of the church steps, were passing out “pizza frittas” and the local high school wind instrument band was playing music for the large group that had gathered in the square.
The next morning it got better. At sunrise, the day started with a parade and marching band down our little street then at sunset the day ended with another parade of at least 50 priests, a dozen of so men carrying a very large statue of St. Joseph, the marching band and at least half the town’s people in a procession past our balcony to the Duomo. When the men with the statue reached the top of the steps of the church (after exhibiting considerable effort) the towns' people cheered loudly. The procession (and I) went into the vaulted church filled with singing, incense burning and pipe organ playing. Very unique.
Departed Sciacca for Cefalu via the winding smaller road including a “donkey trail” when I missed a turn so GPS Jane found a shortcut back to the main road. A cappuccino stop in the town of Corleone. Although the town is not where the movie was filmed, the café still had posters and film scenes decorating the walls. Amazing mountains and valleys to the north shore of Sicily and on to the town of Cefalu. Great little beach town and as I said to Susan last night at dinner that if we didn’t have family connection business back in Scilla, I would stay here for at least a week. Classic moment: As we were taking a traditional family walk before dinner; the streets are filled with people strolling the shops between 6 and 8pm. In the town plaza in front of the Duomo they had built an olive branch fire in a large urn at the top of the church steps, were passing out “pizza frittas” and the local high school wind instrument band was playing music for the large group that had gathered in the square.
The next morning it got better. At sunrise, the day started with a parade and marching band down our little street then at sunset the day ended with another parade of at least 50 priests, a dozen of so men carrying a very large statue of St. Joseph, the marching band and at least half the town’s people in a procession past our balcony to the Duomo. When the men with the statue reached the top of the steps of the church (after exhibiting considerable effort) the towns' people cheered loudly. The procession (and I) went into the vaulted church filled with singing, incense burning and pipe organ playing. Very unique.
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