28. Sicily - Syracuse - Island of Ortigia

The new accommodation is good. Plenty of room and a view of the sea from the bedroom and lounge room windows.

Water pressure is generally low on the island and power consumption has to be kept to a minimum otherwise you find yourself resetting the overload switches. Apparently, each household here is limited to 3kw at any one time. So an oven, electric jug and heater are guaranteed to trip it every time!

The buildings are so old, you can see that they performed patch-ups on the cracks as they developed. Better this than demolishing and rebuilding. The character would be sure to be lost if they went down that path. 

Taken from one of the backstreets in Ortigia at about 8pm. It was like I went back in time...


There is very little garden space on the island. Gardens are mainly limited 
to growing succulents on balconies.


A local performer in one of the Piazzas. (Public Square)


Renault - The old and the new


 


This 2500-passenger cruise ship pulled into port today. 
Basically doubled the population of the island!


Looking across to the island of Ortigia


Must be good food or the workers have a good trade union!


The Sicilian pinecone is a symbol of fertility, wellness, and good fortune. We saw many of them on balconies.



\

There are several temple ruins around the island



The head refers to Greek mythology, it is said to be Medusa, a gorgon with a head of snakes, a beautiful woman seducing men who, upon looking at her, were turned into stone. In the past, it was customary to place a Trinacria (pictured below) behind the home’s door as a symbol of protection for the house - the Medusa would have turned to stone whoever wanted to hurt the family living inside.

The hair on the head of the gorgon is a snake intertwined with stalks of wheat, to which three legs bent at the knee are attached. The arrangement of the three legs refers to Eastern religious symbolism. The three legs represent the three capes of the island of Sicily.


Fish delivery to a cafe on Ortigia


Doors in churches and larger buildings are massive. Most had a smaller door cut in for easier access.


Looking ahead to the next leg of the adventure


It was a relaxing and enjoyable time in Sicily. Ortigia is small enough to feel like a small old-time Italian village. It only takes 40 minutes to walk around the island so it did not take long to be familiar with all the coastal features. The back streets are another thing. There were so many narrow streets which we hadn't time to explore. We still have Taormina on our list to visit. The fares are cheap so we will do that another time. 

We will now be heading back to London to see our lad. The weather in the UK will determine what we do next...

We are flying with Easyjet. They're a cheap and quality airline that services the UK and Europe. These guys aren't the prettiest cabin crew I've seen but were very friendly and sociable. Raj is the one on the right. We were told that this was his first day on the job. So when he finished his maiden safety routine, everybody clapped!
Sicilians also clap when the plane lands at its destination.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 10, 2023 at 8:38 AM

    Another brilliant blog! Well done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Max and Paul's Excellent AdventureMarch 14, 2023 at 6:47 PM

      Thanks. Your name has come up as anonymous. You can change this when writing the message. So....who is this? :)

      Delete
  2. Max and Paul's Excellent AdventureMarch 10, 2023 at 8:41 AM

    Thanks. Who are you? It's come up as anonymous. You can change that to your name if you want by selecting it from the pull down menu.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mary Lawrence March 10, 2023 at 8:56 AM

    Are my comments visible, Paul? I was previously under the name of Desert Dweller but I'm hoping I've rectified that.
    Loving following your journey!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Max and Paul's Excellent AdventureMarch 10, 2023 at 8:58 AM

      Your comments are coming up with your name. Glad you're enjoying the journey!

      Delete
  4. AnonymousMarch 10, 2023 at 11:40 PM

    Paul,how delightful.your photos and descriptions capture the timeless essence. Vibrant colours everywhere. The clapping on landing had me chuckling. Blessed relief or thankfulness..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PaulMarch 14, 2023 at 6:48 PM

      Thanks. Your name has come up as anonymous. You can change this when writing the message. So....who is this? :)

      Delete
  5. AnonymousMarch 12, 2023 at 3:22 AM

    great blog'in Paul + Max , some awesome pix there. -

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paul NunnsMarch 14, 2023 at 6:47 PM

      Thanks. Your name has come up as anonymous. You can change this when writing the message. So....who is this? :)

      Delete
  6. Anne Marie NunnsMarch 16, 2023 at 8:36 PM

    Great account of your trip, the island is fascinating, so old. Your blog is very well written!

    ReplyDelete

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