Experience Sicily

Tag: travel

  • Porticello and the Madonna del Lume

    The Feast of the Madonna del Lume, the Madonna of the Light, in Porticello is a special one for me not only because the people’s devotion to her is so strong – – something beautiful to witness, but also because Porticello is where my grandfather, who came from a fishing and merchant family, was born. …

  • Day 16 of 16 Days of Sicily | Stories of Unknown Superheroes that Must Be Told

    On my last tour, one of my guests who has 100% Sicilian heritage asked me a question about the mafia. I responded, “I will talk about it – – a lot – – but when we are with the whole group. I’ll tell you some stories.” Discussing organized crime and corruption and how it has…

  • Day 15 of 16 Days of Sicily | Salt Flats and Conveniences

    Day 15 of 16 Days of Sicily | Salt Flats and Conveniences | There are so many things in modern life that we take for granted. Through visiting Sicily and learning about life here – – from ancient times to the present era – – we can find a new grounding. For example, a tour…

  • Day 14 of 16 Days of Sicily | World Class Theater

    Day 14 of 16 Days of Sicily | World Class Theater | Every May through early July the INDA (National Institute of Ancient Dramatic Arts) presents ancient Greek theater in the ancient Greek theater in Siracusa. It’s a reason to travel to Sicily during this season of the year when temperatures are a bit cooler…

  • Day 13 of 16 Days of Sicily | A Mother of a Volcano

    In Sicily, she’s known as Mamma Etna. Yes, she is a *she*, if even the word for volcano in Italian, vulcano, is masculine. Etna is a great mother. She is massive, and her influence and impact on life in Sicily – – particularly the east side of the island – – is significant. Etna creates…

  • Day 12 of 16 Days of Sicily | Festivals with Fervor

    Whether it’s in recognition of an abundance of ricotta or the success of the year’s artichoke harvest or a city’s patron saint, Sicilians celebrate with fervor! For example, during these first days of February (3, 4, and 5), in Catania, “cristiani” celebrate their patroness Sant’Agata with one of the world’s most potent religious festivals. Agata…

  • Day 11 of 16 Days of Sicily | Reaction to the Rubble

    During the night of January 14 and 15, 1968 through early February 1968 western Sicily’s Belice Valley experienced a series of earthquakes. It was before the Richter Scale was employed to measure tremors in Italy, so it’s hard to say in those terms how strong they were but know this: it was many seismic events…

  • Day 10 of 16 Days of Sicily | Dancing Dolphins

    The seas of Sicily are glorious. There are three: The Ionian on the east side, the African or Mediterranean to the south, and my favorite, the Tyrrhenian on the north side of the island. They are turquois and lapis and all shades of blue; they are clear and clean; often, they are calm; and in the…

  • Day 9 of 16 Days of Sicily | Get Dirty

    When I was a child, my mother always dressed me in dresses, and I used to get into a lot of trouble because I liked to climb on everything (still do), run around in the mud (still do), dance in puddles (yup), … you get the idea. I used to get my dresses pretty dirty.…