We arrived at Catania Airport in Sicily around noon on October 9, 2022. After picking up a rental car, we drove to Syracuse where we planned to spend the night before continuing on to Canicatti for a few days at Antonio’s home. Syracuse was once a great Greek city during the peak of Greek Civilization, comparable to Athens in terms of military power and intellectual achievements.
As we drove into the city and onto Ortygia Island, the heart of the ancient Greek city-state, we searched for the location of our BNB where we would be staying for the night. Despite having a map on our phone that possibly showed the street and building, there were no signs or any other indications to confirm our arrival. It is worth mentioning that for those unfamiliar with traveling in Sicily, signage and location markers are often incorrect or nonexistent. Nonetheless, Naida, George, and I got out of the car in a little plaza or parking lot (we couldn’t discern which) at the end of the street we believed to be the correct one. We set off on foot, exploring the neighborhood in hopes of finding some signs or the hotel itself. Meanwhile, Maryann drove off in the car to search the surrounding area. However, she had only gone a few dozen feet before turning into a one-way street going in the wrong direction. This caused a small commotion among frantic Sicilian motorists as Maryann disappeared from sight and didn’t return for over an hour.
Eventually, we managed to locate the hotel, and to our delight, it turned out to be quite pleasant. After settling in, we decided to explore Ortygia Island. Maryann and George went in one direction, while Naida and I headed in another. After walking a few blocks, Naida and I reached the Mediterranean shore and began strolling along it. The experience was delightful, with raised platforms offering fantastic views of the area and designated spots for swimming. Whenever we looked into the water, we often spotted ancient Greek columns and ruins just beneath the surface. Somewhere along our walk by the sea, I unfortunately lost my beloved hat. It was a hat I truly cherished.
After walking along the waterfront for some time, we made the decision to cross the island and explore the other side. As we navigated through the ancient streets, we unexpectedly encountered MaryAnn and George walking in the opposite direction. I proceeded to express my frustration about losing my hat, and we briefly discussed and shared our experiences and observations from our respective walks. They continued towards the place where we had just come from, while we continued towards where they had just been. I suppose each of us hoped to discover something the others had missed.
Eventually, Naida and I arrived at the Fountain of Arethusa, a natural freshwater spring that holds significance in Greek mythology. According to the legend, the nymph Arethusa, who represented the ancient city of Syracuse, escaped from her underwater home in Arcadia and emerged on the earth’s surface. This fountain also served as a source of inspiration for numerous writers and poets during a bygone era.
We then proceeded along the opposite side of the island, away from where I had lost my hat. We passed through a lengthy passageway, which resembled more of a plaza, running alongside the waterfront and beneath a tall wall adorned with impressive buildings. The plaza-passageway was adorned with trees and several benches where one could take a rest in the shade. Numerous stands were also selling food and drinks. Further ahead, we stumbled upon a carnival-like arcade and spent some time there. Afterwards, we climbed the stairs that led to the top of the wall and admired the buildings before winding our way through the old town’s streets back to our hotel.
As we neared the hotel, we coincidentally met Mary and George, who were now heading in the opposite direction. We agreed to have dinner together. After taking some time to rest, we concluded that we weren’t up for navigating the streets and alleys of Ortygia Island, so we decided to search for a place to eat on the nearby streets.
We walked a few steps up a quaint street and stumbled upon a promising establishment. Intrigued, we decided to enter. As it turned out, the place exceeded our expectations—it was not just good, but great. To our delight, there was even live music playing. We relished a marvelous Sicilian meal, although I now regret my inability to recall the specific dishes. After taking our time to savor dinner in true Sicilian fashion, we bid farewell and made our way back to the hotel. We needed a good night’s rest to prepare for our departure tomorrow to Canicatti.
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