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    Sicilia crudo (raw)

    Photos from Italy

    There are [5] photos from Italy

    Organised crime: Disclaimer - I'm not in any way, implying that this man in the photo is involved in organised crime of any sort. However, what I am trying to portray is that there is a seedier, shady side to Sicily, that many people don't like to acknowledge or discuss. To me (and my sometimes over active imagination), the colour of the suit, the cigarette in the mouth and the comb over of the hair, remind of something akin to a pimp. Meanwhile, this guy is walking past a building that has several signs for 'affitasi', 'avvocato' and 'studio legale' which translate to 'for rent', 'lawyer' and 'legal studio'. I couldn't help but take a photo - it makes for an interesting story whatever way you (and your overactive imagination) look at it. Views[361] Scootering about: Scooters, scooters everywhere! When I think of Sicily, it evokes images of scooters. I didn't realise why scooters are so popular until I visited Italy and now I know why. The streets are often very narrow and traffic is chaotic. There are road rules in Sicily, however it is apparent that there are unspoken rules that the locals seem to follow. This photo was taken in a side street of Palermo, the capital of Sicily. I like the contrast of the shiny, new looking scooter and the darkness of alleyway down the side of the building and the grafitti on the walls. To me this is authentic Sicily. A land of many contrasts: beautifully dressed men and women in designer clothes walking through the high class shops in town, avoiding the dog faeces and rubbish on the street; magnificent tasting food, only consisting of two or three simple ingredients; desserts for breakfast, served with healthy fresh fruits. I would like to think, that this, my heritage explains so much of my contrasting habits and behaviours. Views[319] Papal Pigeons: Italians and especially Sicilians are renowned for their dedication to catholocism. This photo was taken while on a hop-on-hop-off tour bus and I nearly missed this shot while whizzing past. I'm not sure which Pope this is and I'm sure he well respected and honoured by many, but to the pigeons, he is merely another concrete statue to frolick on. Views[337] La Cucina: The second thing of I think of, when I remember Sicily. Food glorious food, wonderful food. Oh the food, so simple, yet so delicious and so fresh. This photo was taken at Mortizzi, another small village, up another extremely windy goat track, on the side of a hill. This is the village where my Dad was born and before my dad left Italy, the village consisted of two houses (a white house and a pink house). Since then, the owners of the land (still the same family that owned the land when Dad lived there) have built a restaurant (Villa Rica) and converted the pink and white houses into a Bed & Breakfast. The restaurant was closed when we visited, but the owner (the son of the original owner) invited us in for some food, and a vino and a chat. The guy was probably at least 80 years old and remembers my Nonno and Dad. He told stories of how my family used to cultivate the land for his father- oranges, olives, stone fruit, wheat - and in return my family would get to live in the white house for free and keep half of the produce to sell. Nonno used to also manually press the olives with the olive press to make oil. The press is now a feature in the restuarant. This photo is taken from inside the restaurant overlooking the fertile volcanic soil, that is used to grow most of the produce that is used in Villa Rica, and other restaurants around town. In the foreground you can see a table set, ready for evening visitors to the restaurant. I love how the window frames the 'bella vista' of the fertile land and the Aeolian Islands in the distant background. Views[218] La Famiglia: I think of five things when I think about my trip to Sicilia. The first being family. Sicily is my paternal homeland. Although, my father emigrated to Australia over 50 years ago, and has never returned - his sister (my aunt (Zia)) has lived her whole life in Sicily. This photo is of my husband and Zia on our first trip to Italy and was only the second time I had met Zia (she had visited Australia once when I was young). The photo was taken out the front of Zia's house, which is in a small village (Scarpiglia) on a hill, up an extremely windy goat track (that cars drive on - and at extremely fast speeds). Through my very limited Italian, I learnt that the village consists of family - everyone is related somehow. I met cousins, and cousins of cousins and the list goes on. Family is extremely important and they described family to me as a 'unit'. A unit that lives together, works together, stays together and plays together. Zia reminds me a lot of my Dad and my Nonna - always in the kitchen cooking, or cleaning or doing something - never an idle minute, even though she is well into her 70's. We were lucky to visit when Vendemmia (grape harvest festival) was on, and we were treated a traditional Sicilian feast with the entire village, at Zia's house. I don't think I saw Zia sit at all during the entire festival, only saw/heard her as she would swish through the beaded fly screen to deliver more food and emphatically repeat
     

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