I’m reading The Florios of Sicily. It’s hard to put down! I recommend it. Pictured here is the site of “the accident.” I’ll say no more so as not to give anything away. Only that I went swimming here at Le Calette dell’Arenella in July, so it was pretty neat to know exactly the scene…
Tag: italia
Walking Alongside The Black Madonna Of Tindari
Last evening, in anticipation for today’s Feast of the Madonna, I made a pilgrimage to Tindari to see the procession of the Madonna Nera, the Black Madonna of Tindari. I’ve been devoted to this Madonna for many years, so to finally be able to attend the feast with other devotees was special for me. Tindari…
September 8 Marks A Rebirth
September 8 is considered the birthday of the Blessed Mother by the Catholic Church. As a result, throughout Sicily this week, there are festivals to celebrate the Madonna. It’s not clear why this date was officially chosen as such; however, let’s consider the cycle for cultivating grain — an essential crop for sustaining life in…
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny Was Filmed In Sicily
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” was filmed in Sicily in fall 2021. The day they shot this scene at the Ear of Dionysius, my tour group was scheduled to be at the Neapolis Archaeological Park in Siracusa too. Well, you can guess how that went! We explored the early Christian Catacombs instead, which…
A New Film Version Of The Leopard
Back at the end of May, when I was in Palermo, I was fortunate to witness the filming of a new version of Il Gattopardo (or The Leopard), the novel by Giuseppe Tomaso di Lampedusa for Netflix. The Visconti original from 1963 with Burt Lancaster as the nobile Prince Don Fabrizio, will be hard to…
Ten Years Of Experience Sicily
Post 3000 of Experience Sicily! Today, I celebrate 10 years of posting about Sicily on Instagram, Facebook, and WordPress! Yes, I started this adventure ten years ago. For me, it starts here: Bagheria and Porticello, my ancestral towns – – now, my second home (But I now often wonder of it is actually my first…
Lentini, Sicily’s Feast for Sant’Alfio
Attending the Feast of Sant’Alfio in Lentini last week during Photography in Sicily was very moving. The annual ritual they practice is called “I Nudi,” the nudes. Devotees are barefoot and only dressed in shorts (women wear shirts) carrying flowers in one hand and holding their other hand at their backs. In this posture, they…
Eat What Is In Season In Sicily
Artichokes are in season in Sicily right now. They are everywhere. And so, what do you order? Artichokes! (And fennel too!). For an “insider” place to eat in Palermo: Trattoria Club Rosanero.
Stupendous Mountain Walk On The Sea Near Palermo
Riserva Naturale Orientata Capo Gallo is another magnificent corner of Sicily. It is an accessible hike along the coast, west of Palermo. Go there to take in outstanding visits of mountains meeting the sea with the islands of Ustica and Isola delle Femmine in the distance. Thank you to my guide Salvo for having shared…
Almond Blossoms In Sicily
The almond blossoms are starting to bloom in Agrigento province. This one I photographed two days ago in the Sicani Mountains north of Agrigento. Soon the hillsides of southern Sicily will be painted white! It’s a beautiful season to be here.