Day Nine - Catania to Acitrezza

The funny thing about being a way is you forget what day it actually is and what you should be doing in real life.  I had to really stop and think this morning what day it was. I went up to the Tour Operator's office for 10.00am and got on the open sided mini bus that was going to take me out of Catania to Acitrezza which is about 10km north of Catania.  It is located on the Ionian Sea and apparently is a popular spot for Italian vacationers in the summer.  To be honest, I did not see many people.  I guess it is too early for holidaymakers yet but the place was incredibly quiet.

The place has a long maritime history and the Patron Saint of the town is St John the Baptist and the Festa of San Giovanni is celebrated each year during the last week of June in his honour and there was evidence of this starting to take place.  There were lights strung across the street and red and yellow ribbons everywhere.

Off the cot of Acitrezza there are also three tall prominent sea stacks of what looks like to me lava.  According to local legend, these were the great stones thrown at Odysseus in the poem The Odyssey by the monster Cyclops ...... we all know him, the one with the one eye! The islands are thus referred to us the Isle dei Ciclopi (Islands of the Cyclops) by the local.  According to legend again, Cyclops had a smithy below Mount Etna, which looms over the village to the northwest.

If you look carefully you may be able to see the huge pebbles

When you looked into the sea you could see huge stones forming the base of the ocean bed. It is amazing to think how many centuries they have been there.  There were some people sun bathing on the rocks (lava) but to be honest it looked like a lot of effort for me and not at all comfortable.  I was asked if I wanted to go on a boat trip but there was no indication where so I declined the offer.  By now it was getting so hot and there was nowhere to get a drink so I decided to get the bus back to town.

The Italians do like a clothes line (so do I).  When I went to Wales last year to visit a friend I could not get over how many clothes lines there were there.  Italy would feel very much at home in Wales.  The Italians really do have style, even their wet washing looks good!  I went to some of the shops today and you see some of the clothes and they look awful.  Yet when the Italians wear them, they transform into works of art.  You could put them in a bin bag and they would look stylish.

I do like a washing line

A boat decorated for the festival

Cyclops' stones

Quiet afternoon, my new default position and yes you guessed it, I fell asleep again and was rudely awoken by my phone ringing.  How rude lol.  Start the case packing. It is not my clothes that take up the space but the shoes and toiletries.  Such a pain.  I just finished off the evening by going for a walk around the shops and then going to the little cafe for a cuppa. Just enjoying the moment and once again watching the birds.

Back to the apartment and listened to some of the Glastonbury build up which is making me very excited for numerous reasons.  Glastonbury.  I will get there one day, mark my words.

As always, with my love.

Karen x