Sicily - Baroque Towns and Fishing Ports

While we stayed at Camping Luminoso we did a couple of bike rides.  The first was all uphill away from the coast and took us 1/3 of the time to return compared to the outgoing trip.  While we were there we spotted a proper sized poinsettia which looked good, albeit past is best

The next day we went to Marina Di Ragusa along the coast, fairly even on ups and downs in both directions.  We followed a marked cycle touring route which kept us close to the coast

The motorhome had GB registration - only the second we have come across on our travels, but we didn’t meet up with its owner this time.

Travelling along the south coast has given us the chance to see some wonderful sunsets including this one taken while we were at the campsite

On taking up our wanderings again we went first to Scicli, another of the UNESCO baroque towns.  We are surprised to find that, unlike the Spanish, the Sicilians seem to have very few ‘promenades’ for their evening strolls, although we have seen that even at this time of the year it is still normal practice at weekends and over the Christmas break.  Those that there are seem to lack the extensive planned tree cover which would seem so important for the hot days.  Such trees as we have seen have been pruned back to within an inch of their lives, and it seems unlikely that they will recover to provide any useful summer shade – or perhaps they do??

Then on to Ragusa – together with Scicli another of the places in which the Montalbano stories are set, and in which the TV series (which we have never watched!) are filmed.  This is another ‘serious’ hill town

This photo was looking back to Ragusa Ilba, the old town.  You can just see Sally, partly hidden by a tree.                    

 This photo was taken on our  way up to Ragusa, the ‘new’ town which was built after the 1693 earthquake.  [Much of Ragusa Ibla must have been rebuilt too, not least the churches, of which are numerous].  Via Scale, which links the two parts of town, has 340 steps.  By the time we had climbed them we felt we had earned the

followed by coffee and coffee and cakes which we enjoyed in a café under the medieval arches of the Cathedral. 

Edward of course couldn’t help but notice that the vaulted roofs of the cafe now needed a bit of extra support.

 [Just like the tie rods in our conservatory, provided to stop it ‘spreading’ (collapsing!!) in the event it should ever be subjected snow loading].  These vaults have to take the weight of a Cathedral, so it’s hardly surprising they are feeling a bit tired and in need of support after 300 years!!

The cathedral altar was decorated poinsettias

From Ragusa we travelled on to Portopalo Di Capo Passero, right on the southern tip of Sicily.  It was near here that the allied troops from landed from North Africa in 1943.  It’s easy to see why – it’s the only flat part of the island we’ve seen so far, and with Mt. Etna in the North/East I doubt we’ll see any more similar.  This area is noted for the small and tasty tomatoes which are used in the best ragu – you can see the plastic ‘greenhouses’ in the picture, along with a flock of – what you have to take our word for – flamingos.

We spent the night at the actual port

where we noticed that it seemed to be more ‘waiting port’ than ‘working port’ – you would think that those waiting for the returning fishing boats would still had no way of communicating to know when they would arrive, as many people were waiting about literally for hours doing nothing (except for smoking and chatting to other ‘waiters’ – perhaps they are intent on keeping up the old traditions!

There was also a reminder of just where we are in the world in the ship’s ‘graveyard’

While there we also saw something rather special – a bit of exotic automotive history, in the shape of a

Well, they had to start somewhere!