Beautiful Sicily!

Capo de Gallo National Reserve in Sferracavallo

Ancient is the best word that I can think of to describe Sicily. This beautiful island off the coast of Italy is steeped in history and washed in natural beauty. And it feels old. Really really old. The buildings are gracefully crumbling into the sea and simultaneously rising from the rubble. The people are gregarious, welcoming and kind yet felt somewhat distant and inaccessible. The food, well you know, it is just as you imagine- fresh from the field, simple yet elegant flavors and served with so much love. But rather than try to put words to this wonderfully mysterious and dynamic place, I think the pictures speak for themselves.

The "Orecchio di Dionisio" or "Ear of Dionysus" cave in Siracusa

Niches everywhere!

Creative and colorful rainwater harvesting in the alleys of Siracusa

Everyone's got style in Sicily.

Street art in Palermo. Does this guy look familiar? Hint: check out the gentleman in the picture above.

Creative placemaking in Palermo

The ubiquitous Arancini- rice balls stuffed with all kinds of suprises

The lovely fishing village of Marzamemi.

Budding photographer in the Marzamemi town center

Crumbling Palermo

Mt. Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe at almost 11,000 feet

Breathtaking isn't it?

Afterthoughts: This place just keeps revealing itself to me- in dreams, both waking and asleep, conversations and in images. Palermo especially. It feels kind of like an onion with lots and lots of layers to peel. The city's street art gives the by-passer a window into at least a few of the layers. Check out the Street Art Factory website with its interactive street art map.

While there, I came across this blog that I found helpful in describing some of the incongruities, idiosyncrasies and mysteries of the place and its people: The Dangerously Truthful Dairy of a Sicilian Housewife.

The one place that I desperately wanted to go to but never made it to is Favara. It is apparently the site of some serious creative placemaking called Farm Cultural Park where artivists have taken over an abandoned town and turned it into a thriving community and tourist attraction (take note dying towns across the U.S.!). If you go, tell me about it!!!

Ok, that's all I have to say for now. Arrivederci!!

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