After visiting the Canadian war Cemetary we headed towards the southern coast. The route unfolded nicely. So nicely, we found ourselves driving by a small place, hardly marked on the map, but described extensively in our Sicily travel guide we borrowed from Mary Redekop. The ancient city of Morgantina is the site of Greek ruins estimated at about 1000 BC. Very impressive site. Very few people were there and we were lucky enough to talk with a small crew working in one of the archeological areas. Turns out the project is sponsored by Princeton University and the professor in charge was from Virginia working with an archeology grad student from Berkely. They were concentrating on an area where the baths were and described the intricate system of clay tubes they used to heat the water and maintain the baths. He said they were from about 219 BC. The oldest and most intact mosaics were found here. He was excited to be working on the project for the next 6 weeks! We felt like we received our own personal tour by an expert no less!
The ancient theatre was also impressive, and the court yard! As well as the sanctuary dedicated to Demeter and Persephone. Incredible when you let your mind imagine what it must have been like, or even trying to grasp how old the site is .... In Mary Redekop's words, "It's mind boggling!"
Then we went to the neighboring town called Piazza Armerina. We stopped at the ARD discount store (an Italian version of Food Basics, except fully stocked with wine and beer) and picked up bread, ham, cheese, olives, pistachio paste, Gatorade, more Sicilian red wine and fruit. We could buy these things along the way since in her MonoPod case, Deb cleverly wrapped a cooler bag in it to use for such occasions! We drove up to the nearest piazza where we found a bench in the shade and had our lunch!
This place also turned out to be a gem of old churches and then the Mosaic haven of Villa Romana del Casele was situated just outside of town. Except this site was truly a tourist trap; tour buses, paid use of toilets, a string of souvenir tents and a line up for tickets. We bought the book about the mosaics and carried on with our journey. I'm sure it would have been awesome, but it was 3pm, and we were in need of our afternoon cappuccino's! (Truth is, we really would have liked to see this site, but could not get our heads wrapped around the reams of tourists feel and we were too tired at this point, especially after such a peaceful visit to Morgantina.)
So we headed south for the coastline! It was so interesting how we drove through lush forested areas and then within minutes, over a hillside, we were back in intense agricultural fields as far as the eye could see! And there in the distant eastern horizon, lay Mount Etna the whole time!!
Once we reached the coastline, we set our sights on B&B's. We found a little paradise. Lucky, one room left! Not bad for a Saturday night, on the coast, at 5 pm.
A little bit of time here and I met a couple from the Midden Beemster in Holland! One village next to the village my mother is from! Yup, small world! Here I am speaking Dutch in Sicily!
We are resting nicely here. A relaxed walk along the beach, saving two jellyfish (they said there were none here) and watching the sunset. Now a glass of Sicilian red wine with cheese and pistachio paste on bread and we are content. Content, once again in the amazement of this land. Sogni d'oro for now!
The ancient theatre was also impressive, and the court yard! As well as the sanctuary dedicated to Demeter and Persephone. Incredible when you let your mind imagine what it must have been like, or even trying to grasp how old the site is .... In Mary Redekop's words, "It's mind boggling!"
Then we went to the neighboring town called Piazza Armerina. We stopped at the ARD discount store (an Italian version of Food Basics, except fully stocked with wine and beer) and picked up bread, ham, cheese, olives, pistachio paste, Gatorade, more Sicilian red wine and fruit. We could buy these things along the way since in her MonoPod case, Deb cleverly wrapped a cooler bag in it to use for such occasions! We drove up to the nearest piazza where we found a bench in the shade and had our lunch!
This place also turned out to be a gem of old churches and then the Mosaic haven of Villa Romana del Casele was situated just outside of town. Except this site was truly a tourist trap; tour buses, paid use of toilets, a string of souvenir tents and a line up for tickets. We bought the book about the mosaics and carried on with our journey. I'm sure it would have been awesome, but it was 3pm, and we were in need of our afternoon cappuccino's! (Truth is, we really would have liked to see this site, but could not get our heads wrapped around the reams of tourists feel and we were too tired at this point, especially after such a peaceful visit to Morgantina.)
So we headed south for the coastline! It was so interesting how we drove through lush forested areas and then within minutes, over a hillside, we were back in intense agricultural fields as far as the eye could see! And there in the distant eastern horizon, lay Mount Etna the whole time!!
Once we reached the coastline, we set our sights on B&B's. We found a little paradise. Lucky, one room left! Not bad for a Saturday night, on the coast, at 5 pm.
A little bit of time here and I met a couple from the Midden Beemster in Holland! One village next to the village my mother is from! Yup, small world! Here I am speaking Dutch in Sicily!
We are resting nicely here. A relaxed walk along the beach, saving two jellyfish (they said there were none here) and watching the sunset. Now a glass of Sicilian red wine with cheese and pistachio paste on bread and we are content. Content, once again in the amazement of this land. Sogni d'oro for now!
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