SICILY - PART II
SATURDAY, 9 AUGUST 2008
This morning we set out to walk to Aci Castello, another small town nearby. Unfortunately, we are unable to walk along the waterfront as planned (so we can swim), because people have built private homes down to the water. So we return to Aci Trezza for a relaxing morning cup of coffee and pastries and watch as the locals set up for a festival and food stalls tonight.
Now we set off for Syracuse experiencing winds up to 25 kts, so we can sail. 
Amanda at the Helm
We have a stern-to tie up to the quay here amongst some of the largest and most luxurious cruises we have ever seen.
Syracusa
This is at Ortygia Island, which is the old part of town, surrounded by its elegant wide streets lined by Venetian palaces. The grand centre with its baroque style buildings has been cleaned and there have been renovations through the fascinating narrow alleys branching off from here. The town can handle its busyness.
We see several weddings and spend time looking with close attention to the details. Amanda has recently announced her engagement to be married so we have a keen interest in watching these. The dresses worn here are much fussier than are worn in Australia or U.K. but it is exciting to talk about.
We have dinner at a restaurant hidden away in one of these alleys. With its vaulted ceilings it is full of atmosphere, elegant and with friendly waiters. The wine cellar here is extensive, as is the menu. The veal dishes are particularly good. Amanda is sure her friends would enjoy this restaurant.
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 2008
Today the five of us set off in a hire car (these are hard to find and very expensive in Sicily) to tour Noto, Modica, Scicli and Ragusa.
Noto was rebuilt with its baroque-style architecture after the 1693 earthquake. The central square, Piazzo Municipio, is very impressive, including the San Nicolo Cathedral and the Town Hall which was the old palace. Many of the buildings are a soft "peachy" colour. We enjoyed an art exhibition here, and also the famous gelati.
Town Hall - Noto
The next stop is Modica built from the valley below up into the side of the hill. The buildings in their pastel colours look lovely with the sun shining over them. The C18 rococo church is built high up, and from there is a view down over the old tile-roofed town. We find a wonderful, local Sicilian lunch in a wine cellar. Then we have a tasting of the famous chocolate of the area, which none of us think is extra special.
View over Modici
The scenery we drive through is lovely. It changes from rolling hills divided up with dry stone walls, covered with grapevines, olive trees and corn crops, to steeper hills setting out the landscape like an amphitheatre, and encompassing many hill top villages with baroque-style architecture. There are many steep hairpin bends with all the ascents and descents, often with views over the sea and the limestone cliffs. In the countryside off the freeway we meander through narrow lanes.
Scicli is set high up and we have to close the rear-vision mirrors to get the car through one of the narrow alleys. We have to walk up the last part of the very steep ascent to the church at the top of the rocky cliffs above the town. From here is a spectacular view over this country town with its attractive terracotta tiled roofs and beyond the countryside to the sea.
Ragusa is another town with the baroque architecture, with its many churches and spires set into the steep hillside. We wander through the old part of the town which has been rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake.
Ragusa
We really needed our navigational skills in this s.east corner of Sicily. Amanda excelled with this and we have a great day exploring the area.
Tonight we enjoy a simple dinner on the boat. We actually have dinner by candle light in the cockpit because this quay is a popular "passeggiata" (an evening stroll) with people walking by the stern of the boats and checking them all out. We prefer not to be too obvious. The large cruises are well lit so are of more interest. One near us lights up the water under the stern of the boat so we can all appreciate the beautiful colours here.
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 2008
We have an early morning run (or walk for some) because it is the only time to exercise in this heat. We go around the old town island of Syracuse. This gives us a better perspective of the island. Later Amanda and I help Ross with the new cable wire for the steaming light. Ross has already spent a lot of time on this, so it is very rewarding when it works. He has to install it from the top of the mast. Amanda is in charge of catching the end of the cable tied to a series of small, ultra thin weights, with a magnet. This is quite an intricate maneuver as there are other wires within the mast, eg. for the radar, and the space to do this is very narrow. I operate the winch for the bosuns chair to get Ross up and down the mast.
Late morning we head off to Marzamemi. The conditions are benign but we are able to sail which is blissful. It is so quiet.
Another benefit is we don't get salt washed up over the decks. It is so concentrated here it dries on so thickly we have to brush it off whenever we get an opportunity to hose down the boat.
Marzamemi
This is a small fishing town with tuna fish farms nearby. Ross takes us outside the marina for a late afternoon swim in the clear waters. The harbour here is very small and several boats venture in but have to move on as there isn't enough room. Near us in the marina is a magnificent super yacht built of carbon fibre, an incredibly expensive material. It is very interesting to see it.
Dinner tonight is in the local yacht club with a disc jockey playing all our old favourites. It is a balmy night, and it still seems a treat to be able to eat outside reliably in the evening. This is a fun and lively atmosphere.
