La Befana In Sicily

The visit of the friendly witch La Befana is celebrated on Epiphany Eve (January 5) throughout Italy and Sicily. La Befana is recognized because of her broomstick, shawl, and sack filled with sweets and gifts for children. Legend is that she originally set out to meet the Baby Jesus, but never found her way to…

Sicily And The Cyclops

This is a cyclops. Well, sort of. It’s actually the skeleton of an elephant. A small elephant that at one time was indigenous to Sicily. Yup, that’s right. This animal, which is the size of a Vespa motor bike, once roamed the ancient landscape of Sicily. (Remember, part of Sicily is on the African tectonic…

Borgo Parrini Inspires

Yesterday, I took a side trip to Borgo Parrini, a tiny neighborhood of the town of Partinico, which you’ll find a few miles west of Palermo. Originally developed in the 16th century by the Jesuits (Parrini means priests.), the division of homes has been occupied over the centuries by various residents, mostly supporting agricultural activities…