INFIORATA DI NOTO 2024

 It was a great pleasure to be back, for the first time since the pandemic, at the Infiorata di Noto (Carpet of Flowers) on Saturday. (Last year, I was all set to go when a severe weather warning was issued and everybody in Modica was advised not to go out unnecessarily.)

The event was as beautiful and joyful as ever but more crowded than I have seen it before and that, of course, is good for Noto! The queue was long and the heat only just bearable but a conversation with some pleasant Americans standing near me helped. 

Then, once you were admitted to the "Carpet", you forgot all about the wait and just enjoyed the beauty before you. The theme this year was Puccini and music from the operas was playing as you walked along. I even shed a tear, as my dad loved Puccini and I thought how much he would also have loved this. I will now let the photos speak for themselves. (Some are inevitably wonky as you are walking along the sides of the display.)

I liked the little representations of instruments
adorning flower containers along the way.

And of course, a visit to the famous Caffé Sicilia is compulsory in Noto! The cake was flavoured with saffron and orange.

Well done, Noto!

INFIORATA 2018

The third weekend in May is always time for me to head to Noto and the Infiorata or "Carpet of flowers" there.  It's a beautiful, well-organised event and the atmosphere gladdens my heart because the meticulously arranged petals, the cheerful market stalls and the music coming from every corner make everybody smile.  This year's theme was Cina - Le vie della seta (China - the Silk Roads) and I thought I'd share some of the images with you:

I must say that this year it was very pleasant to be there with some old friends from Britain and that they certainly know how to serve bruschette in Noto!

I have these friends to thank for the photos, by the way - they are much better photographers than me!

MIMOSA DAY

In Italy International Women's Day is widely celebrated and its symbol is the mimosa flower, because it is plentiful at this time of year. Mimosa bouquets are sold in the street, sprigs appear with your coffee in bars and pasticcerie make mimosa-themed cakes like these:

Almost exactly five years after the loss of the woman whose idea the mimosa symbol was, I thought I should repost what I wrote on the day of her death, 12th March 2013. Teresa Mattei has always been, and remains, one of my heroines:

Born in Genova in 1921, Teresa Mattei graduated in Philosophy from the University of Florence and became an antifascist campaigner. During the Second World War she was known as Partigiana Chicchi.  In 1946 she became the youngest woman member of the Assemblea Costituente, the parliamentary chamber charged with drawing up Italy's Constitution, a document which she defended throughout her life.

It was Teresa Mattei who had the idea of making the mimosa blossom the symbol of International Women's Day [8th March] for the simple reason that the flowers are in season in early March and can be obtained at little or no cost. 

Of the potential of women in politics she said,

"Women, in contrast to men, seek knowledge, cooperation and solidarity. They are the bearers of new life. They do not see society as being divided into classes but as a multitude of men and women with the same problems. Women can bring this new spirit into politics, but we have to create the structures that can allow this to happen."

Referring to the Second Prodi Government and its six women ministers, of whom only two had portfolios, she went on to say,

"These poor women can have no influence, because a minister without portfolio is unable to do what a minister with portfolio can, that is, to use a budget to put a plan into action. This is a very serious situation."

I think that first sentence is a metaphor for women's powerlessness all over the world.

Teresa Mattei died in Lari [Province of Pisa] today (12.3.13) at the age of 92.  I'm glad she saw this 8th March and, as she is laid to rest, the mimosa blooms for her all over Italy.

You are not forgotten, Teresita!

INFIORATA 2017

The third weekend in May is the time to head for that most architecturally homogeneous of the Baroque cities of the Val di Noto, Noto itself. Completely rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1693, its honey-coloured stone buildings are a joy to behold and the town is particularly welcoming on the three days of its Infiorata - carpet of flowers.

Before we go along via Nicolaci to see the flowers, let us first remind ourselves of the beauty of Noto:

The theme of the Infiorata this year has been Sogni e Colori del Principato di Monaco - Dreams and Colours of the Principality of Monaco and celebrates the town's links with the Principality. Prince Albert of Monaco, who has done much to support the Ente Fauna Siciliana and, through this, the nature reserve at Vendicari, was made an honorary citizen of Noto in September.

When you arrive in Noto by bus on an Infiorata day, the first thing you see is a thriving market. for it would not be an Italian festa without one. What always delights me about such markets is the aroma of vanilla coming from all those sweets and biscuits they are selling - I find it very comforting, and I think it must be because it reminds me of the smell of custard cooking for Sunday dessert at home when I was a child.

But now let us make our way along via Nicolaci.  It is difficult to get really good shots because you have to walk, obviously, along the sides of the display and you also have to contend with the sun beating down on one of them! I have done my best:

I was glad that Princess Grace was there:

The card theme running through the display was, I thought, inspired:

About half way up, I ducked into a nice little restaurant for a lunch of bruschette and vegetarian couscous:

Then it was one more nod to Monaco, a look down via Nicolaci and a preview of next year's theme, China:

Well done as always, Noto and special congratulations for reaching out with these international themes.

Prince Albert of Monaco will be visiting Modica in the autumn, when he hopes to explore the story of the branch of his family, the Grimaldi, who settled here.

INFIORATA 2016

As I've mentioned before, no one really knows why, in the 18th century, some Italian towns started celebrating the Festival of Corpus Christi or Corpus Domini by creating "carpets "of flowers but one theory is that people were simply using what they had to make something beautiful for God and what they had was an abundance of flower petals.  The town of Noto's Infiorata tradition started more recently, 37 years ago, and the event is always held over the third weekend of May so I made my way there on Saturday.

The "carpet of flowers" is spread out along the town's via Nicolaci and this year's theme was "The Infiorata Welcomes the World".  I'm sure you will understand that, as you have to walk up one of the sides of the display, it is rather difficult to take well-angled photos, especially in glorious sunshine so that you can't see what you're doing! Nonetheless, I hope the photos I managed to take convey something of the beauty and the atmosphere of the occasion for you.  

I thought the cat was rather magnificent so here he is again:

 As a souvenir, I bought one of these nifty lemon squeezers that collect the juice in the little jug on top of the "tap" thing:

Half way up via Nicolaci, I spotted a great menu on offer at €12,90. As it was 1 pm I entered the establishment and to my surprise, was served one of the best, and most generous, plates of bruschette I ever had and certainly the best chicken and vegetable couscous I've tasted in Sicily!  

What better day out could there be?

You can see panoramic images of the Infiorata here.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2016

"To be a woman is really fascinating.  

It is an adventure which requires so much courage,

 a challenge of which one never tires."

- Oriana Fallaci, 1929 - 2006

The symbol of International Women's Day in Italy is mimosa blossom and you can read how this came about here.  It was nice to find mimosa blossom decorating my espresso saucer in the bar this morning!

NOT EXACTLY A HOST....

Not exactly a host and not exactly golden, either, but I was pleased to see these at last opening on my balcony this morning. It would have been nice if they had managed it for St David's Day, but you can't have everything!

And when you see clumps of borage everywhere - it is late this year, which has been exceptionally cold - you know it's spring in Sicily!

SICILIANS' FAVOURITE SMELL

If I asked you what you think Sicilians' favourite smell is, what would you say? You might think it was the scent of jasmine or orange blossom wafting through the air at this time of year or one of these in perfume form. Or, talking of perfume, perhaps the island's women finish their toilette with a generous spray of Acqua di Parma's almond fragrance or D&G's Sicily.

Then again, maybe the way to a Sicilian's olfactory nerve is through the kitchen and you might imagine that the unmistakeable scent of vanilla as numerous pasticcerie set to work in the morning or the aroma of freshly prepared foccaccia, pizza or arancini in the evening would be at the top of every Sicilian's good smell list.

All of the above would make the list but I can tell you with certainty that none of them would top it: I recently  had to visit a non-medical establishment which had been spring-cleaned with particular vigour and everyone - man or woman - who came in while I was there stopped as they crossed the threshold, sniffed the air and declared joyfully, 

"Che bel profumo di pulizia!" ["What a beautiful smell of cleaning!"]

And that, dear reader, is Sicilians' favourite smell.  What's yours? Just for fun, do please vote in the poll in the sidebar. Thank you.

Image: WP Clipart

MAYFLOWER

No apologies for reposting this lovely song on May Day!

Fabio Concato - Fiore di maggio

"Mai" flowers at Camarina

HAPPY MAY DAY, EVERYBODY! BUONA FESTA DEL LAVORO!

SICILIAN FLOWER PROVERBS - A "LET'S BLOG OFF" POST

Every two weeks, the blogosphere comes alive with something called a Blog Off. A Blog Off is an event where bloggers of every stripe weigh in on the same topic on the same day. The topic for this round of the Blog Off is "Flowers".

"Mai" flowers in Sicily

Not being a flowery, or "planty" person, I have spent most of this evening wondering how to tackle this post.  Please don't misunderstand me - I am happy to receive, look at and inhale the scent of flowers at any time but I don't want to dig holes for them, worry about them in all weathers or wait for them to grow.


For years I couldn't afford to tame, let alone do anything creative, with my garden back in Cardiff, UK - much to the chagrin of my neighbours - and when I finally did plant some specimens, I enjoyed them when they were small but got rather overwhelmed when they began to spread like triffids.

At around the same time, I went through a house plant phase but the charm wore off when one day I observed live THINGS crawling on some of them.  Yes, I know - "Cu' mancia fa muddichi" - "He who eats makes crumbs", as the Sicilian proverb goes, roughly the equivalent of "You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs" - or grow houseplants without attracting a few attendant bugs, I suppose.

This brings me - unintentionally at the outset, I assure you - to Sicilian proverbs and now we can have a Sicilian proverbs quiz in honour of this week's subject.  Are you ready?  All you have to do is match the proverbs and one saying 1 - 5 with their meanings a - e.  You'll find the answers at the end of the post.

1.  Marva ti sarva.

2.  Favi 'niciuri, acqua a vadduni.

3. 'A biddezza è comu 'n çiuri ca nasci, çiurisci e mori.

4.  Nun c'è rosa senza spini, nun c'è amuri senza peni.

5.  Eni friscu com'i rosi.

a.  Beauty is like a flower that buds, flowers and dies.

b.  Mallow saves you.

c.  There is no rose without thorns and no love without pain.

d.  He's as cool as roses [said of someone who stays calm in a difficult situation].

e.  Broad beans that are in flower need plenty of rain.

Finally, this week's topic does give me an excuse to repost this favourite song from home.  It is sung by the much missed David Alexander:

David Alexander - My Wales

Proverbs quiz answers:
Please highlight the space below to see the answers:
1b, 2e, 3a, 4c, 5d.


Below is the full list of bloggers participating in this week's theme:

PRINCELY PLANTS

Sicilian involvement in royal weddings continues this Saturday when plants from the island will decorate the streets of Monaco in celebration of the marriage of Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock.

The plants, from the Faro di Riposto nursery in the Etna area, include several varieties of citrus tree, olive trees, Aleppo pine, camphor laurel and, of course, laurus nobilis [bay].  Four lorries began transporting them to Monaco several days ago and what a treat the people of the Principality have in store!

The Faro di Riposto company supplied  plants for the award-winning Monaco Garden designed by Sarah Eberle for this year's Chelsea Flower Show.  This project was also commissioned by Prince Albert.

THE "INFIORATA" AT NOTO

No one knows quite why some Italian towns began to celebrate the festival of Corpus Christi or Corpus Domini by creating carpets of flowers in their streets during the eighteenth century but my theory is that people were simply using what was on hand and free to create beauty in honour of the Lord.

The nearby city of Noto [Province of Siracusa] has been holding its 32nd infiorata over this weekend and I am ashamed to say that in the previous five years, something had always gone wrong to prevent my going there.  This year, however, I was determined to make it and set off with friends on Saturday afternoon. When we reached Noto there was a happy, party atmosphere and people walked in a well-ordered line along either side of the 122 x 4 metre flower-petal carpet, set out under Baroque balconies in the city's via Nicolaci.

This year's theme is "The Great Masters of Twentieth Century Italy" and, with no further ado, I'll let you enjoy the photographs.  [You will appreciate that I had to take some of these from awkward angles, as it is impossible to take shots from the centre of the street.  I did my best!]

"The Language of Italian Art"

" 'Strattu in Sicily"

"The Language of Love"

"Woman in White"

"Hector and Andromache at the Gates of Troy"

"Homage to Achille Funi"

"Hector and Andromache" 

"Homage to Modigliani"

"Liberty and Communication in Italy"

"Rita Levi-Montalcini: a Life Devoted to Science"

Part of "Homage to Giorgio de Chirico"

"The Twentieth Century:  Past, Present, Future!"

"Severinando"

"The Hardness of My Heart"

"He is Crucified"

Looking down via Nicolaci

The honey-coloured Cathedral looked lovelier than ever in the evening sunlight and we went inside to admire the magnificent new frescoes by Russian artist Oleg Supereko. [The cupola had collapsed in 1996.]

No outing to Noto is complete without a visit to the Caffè Sicilia to partake of one of their superb ice creams and who were we to break with tradition?

First we ordered this amazing cake, containing layers of sponge so light I swear it was floating, pink grapefruit and candied red pepper.  Yes, that's right - candied red pepper.  You are just thinking how deliciously refreshing the grapefruit is when all of a sudden you get this after-taste of something just a little spicy and all I can say is that it was heavenly.  If you don't believe me, you'll just have to go there and try some for yourselves - everyone should, at least once!

Then we ordered cedro [citron fruit] ice cream and another flavoured with almonds and saffron. These were the most zingy ice creams I think I've tasted, even in Sicily.  And yes, that's an enormous cannolo you see in the background for, as my friend explained, you simply cannot visit the Caffè Sicilia without biting into a cannolo!

On my next visit to Noto I'm going back to try the bread and marmalade ice cream!