A TEAR IN SIRACUSA

Yesterday in Siracusa I found myself near the Santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime [Shrine of Our Lady of Tears] and took the opportunity to revisit it. The Shrine is built on the site where a statue of the Madonna is believed to have shed real tears in 1953, hence its teardrop shape. I remember that, when I first visited the Shrine, shortly after its completion in 1994, I wasn't sure if I liked it. Now I rather think I do.

A copy of the Turin Shroud is displayed in the Shrine.

AN AFTERNOON IN CEFALÙ

Although I've loved Sicily for over twenty years now and have lived here for eight, I had, until last Sunday, never managed to get to Cefalù. You can see Cefalù as you come down from Gibilmanna and I hadn't realised how close its main buildings are to the sea or what a compact and prettily coloured town it is.

The name Cefalù comes from a Greek word meaning "head" and refers to the massive rock beneath which the town stands. The town dates back to at least Greek times but it was the Normans who rebuilt it nearer the sea and legend has it that King Ruggero 11, having run into a dangerous storm whilst sailing to Palermo in 1131, swore that if he and his ship were spared, he would have a cathedral built where he landed. San Giorgio appeared and guided the ship to safety at Cefalù. Well, I'm going to believe it, anyway!

The narrow, winding streets reminded me of Ligurian towns like Alassio, as did the pleasant, relaxed atmosphere:

The Duomo, begun in 1131 as Ruggero had promised, was restored in 1559:

The Cristo Pantocratore above the altar reminded me of the mosaics in Monreale Cathedral, with which the building is twinned:

We'd had a very early start so decided that we now deserved lunch in the main square. A plate of antipasti  with panelle [chickpea flour fritters] at the back and fried caciotta cheese with orange on the right was just what we needed!

Polpette of beef with pinenuts and sultanas for me

and an entrecôte with more of that orange-flavoured caciotta for my friend:

Time for a wander down to the harbour:

Another view of the bay in the late afternoon light:

Finally, there had to be a stop for a slice of chocolate and coffee semifreddo and I'm happy to be able to tell you that they don't stint on helpings in Cefalù!

20 [NON-MAFIA RELATED] REASONS TO VISIT SICILY

I was sad and disappointed to learn, over the Christmas holidays, of tour operators who are again setting up "Mafia tours" of  Sicily.  I am not going to pretend that the Mafia is dead and I have expressed my thoughts about its continued existence in this post.  However, there is so much that is lovely to see here, such a varied and fascinating culture to explore and there are so many fantastic taste sensations to be enjoyed that I cannot understand why anyone would want to persist in promoting the stereotypes.  Sicily and the Sicilian people deserve better so here is a very personal and eclectic list of good reasons to visit my island in the sun:

1.  Marvel at the Greek sites of Agrigento, Segesta and Selinunte.

Tempio della Concordia, Agrigento

2.  In the summer, attend a performance of a Greek play at the Greek Amphitheatre in Siracusa.

Performance of Medea at Siracusa in 2009

3.  Visit the Infiorata [carpet of flowers] in Noto in May.

4.  See the breathtaking beauty of the Val di Noto towns, which collectively form a World Heritage Site.

Duomo di San Giorgio, Modica

5.  See the Venere di Aidone, over two thousand years old and home after so many years of enforced wandering.

6.  Relax on clean, unpolluted beaches.

7.  See the settings of the Montalbano films.

8.  And, talking of that gourmet detective, try the local arancini!

9.  Breathe in the heady scent of orange blossom and buy some zagara cologne.

10.  Eat a Sicilian vanilla orange!

11.  Take a bus ride along the edge of the Stretto at Messina.  It is stunningly beautiful.  While you're there, gaze over at the Calabrian coast - you could even take the ferry across if you have time - and remember all who passed along this route as they emigrated to Northern Italy and far, far beyond.  Like migrating peoples today, they wanted only a better life. 

12.  Go to a street market, such as the ones in Modica and Catania.  You'll be amazed by what you find there!

13.  Visit Bellini's house in Catania.

Image of Vincenzo Bellini: Wikipedia

14.  Admire Norman and Arabic architecture in Palermo and visit the seat of one of the world's oldest parliaments.

15.  See Modican chocolate being made to the Aztec method at Bonajuto in the town's Corso Umberto.

16. Don't miss out on the best gelato in the world!

17.  Take a trip up grumpy old Etna.

18.  Eat plentiful prickly pears in autumn and sip prickly pear liqueur.

19.  See traditionally painted Sicilian carts at Donnafugata in Ragusa or at the Mostra Permanente del Carretto Siciliano housed in the Museum at Terrasini [Palermo Province].

20.  Go to a Sagra, such as the Strawberry Festival at Casssibile in spring, the Prickly Pear Festival at Militello in Val di Catania or any number of chestnut festivals in the Etna area in autumn.  Relearn the art of living in tune with the seasons.

Finally, if you are genuinely interested in Mafia history but not in sensationalising tragedy, please pay homage to those brave Sicilians who lost their lives campaigning against the criminal organisation:  Giuseppe Impastato, Paolo Borsellino, Giovanni Falcone and others like them deserve wider world recognition, as do the thousands of Sicilians who work daily to preserve their best traditions and make their region a better place.

For all of them, please come and see the Sicily I love.

AN OLDER NATIVITY SCENE

Writing about the crib inside the Church of Santa Maria di Betlem yesterday, I was reminded that you can see another nativity scene along one of the exterior walls of the church.  This is the lunetta del Berlon, so called because it was originally part of the Church of Santa Maria di Berlon, one of four churches which the larger Santa Maria di Betlem replaced. The lunette dates from the fifteenth or sixteenth century and was sculpted by unknown local craftsmen.

NOW IT'S "BRAND SELINUNTE"

Temple of Hera, Selinunte

Where Agrigento wishes to go, Selinunte is leading, it has been revealed:  the architectural site in the Province of Trapani has been "married" to Italian cashmere king Brunello Cucinelli, who will be paying a fee to the Province in return for the right to use the Selinunte "brand" on his products.  Mr Cucinelli, it is only fair to say, is a businessman with an ethical conscience:  he has been largely responsible for revitalising his wife's home town of Solomeo  [Umbria] by setting up his headquarters there and you can read more about him over at Alex's blog.

Sicilian Regional Cultural Councillor Sebastiano Misseneo sees initiatives like the Selinunte one as the way forward for Sicily and believes that other world-famous Italian companies such as Dolce & Gabbana, Ferrari, Geox and Ferragamo may also be interested in promoting the island in this way.

There were originally five Greek temples at Selinunte but only the Temple of Hera, known as Tempio E, has been reconstructed.  Foodies may like to know that the site has another claim to fame, for it is from the word Selinunte that Italian derives the word sedano and from this that English derives the word "celery".

Sicilian celery

BEAUTY AND THE MAYOR

Franciscan Cloister of Santa Maria del Gesù, Modica

On Saturday evening the Mayor of Modica, in a very nice gesture, held a reception for "Modicani  d'elezione", meaning those who have chosen to live, but were not born, in his town.  The event was held in the stunningly beautiful setting of the recently restored Church and adjoining Franciscan Cloister of Santa Maria del Gesù in Modica Alta.

The Church, extant from 1343, was reconstructed in 1481 for the wedding of Anna Cabrera, Countess of Modica and Federico Henriquez, first cousin of King Ferdinand 11 of Aragon [Fernando il Cattolico].   Having been built high up and away from the then most populous areas of the city, both buildings survived and neither was badly damaged in the terrible earthquake of 1693. 

The columns in the Cloister were constructed in a variety of styles, among them Arabic, Arab-Norman, Gothic, Romanesque and herringbone.  Each one is different.

I took so many pictures of the Church and Cloister, which were even lovelier in the evening light,  that, for ease of viewing, I have compiled them into a slideshow.  I hope you enjoy them:

It was a pleasant evening which included an interlude of traditional Sicilian songs.  And naturally, it wouldn't have been a Modican reception without some enormous trays of delicious,  handmade pastries from the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto: 

I am enormously grateful to the person who uploaded this lovely video onto youtube:

MIDNIGHT IN MANTOVA

The time has come to reveal my whereabouts at the end of last week and those of you who guessed Verona were the nearest.  I was, in fact, spending a few days with a friend who lives within the Province of Mantova and about ten minutes from Mantova itself by car.  Verona is also nearby.

I very much enjoyed a drive to see the panorama of Mantova by night and by day, watching people strolling along by the three artificial lakes which surround the city, I was reminded of the tranquillity of Roath Park in Cardiff!  Mantova was named Italy's most liveable city for quality of life by Legambiente in 2005.

My clue about violins and tea on Sunday was a bit of a cheat as Mantova's Palazzo Te has nothing to do with tea but was named for the island, called Teieto in medieval times, on which it was built.  The Palazzo was built as a summer residence for Duke Federico 11 Gonzaga by Giulio Romano between 1525 and 1535.

The original frescoes can still be admired in the Palazzo and it also houses collections of Mesopotamian and Egyptian art as well as mementoes of the Gonzaga family.  Our visit happened to coincide with an exhibition about Maria Callas so we were able to see some of the singer's gowns and jewellery as well as learning more about her life.  We also enjoyed watching the arrival of guests for a 1930s -themed wedding reception which was about to take place in the elegant Palazzo!

No photos can be taken inside the Palazzo Te but here are some views of the exterior:

How cool the Gonzaga must have been in summer!

I was last in Verona some thirty years ago and I just had to go and see that most famous of balconies again:

The city traffic was heavy so I only managed a wave at the Arena but things were calmer down by the river:

These Roman remains were discovered in the city centre in recent years:

I gasped at the beauty of the city from one of its hills:

Tripoli is a hamlet within the Province of Mantova so no, I didn't see any retreating colonels!

Letters to Juliet