July 9
Followed some familiar roads out of the Syracuse past the archeological area and then onto some rural roads aka highways heading towards Ragusa. One section of rather narrow highway had about 1/3 missing downhill following a landslide. Very few cars - obviously not the main route but lots of driving practise! We followed the GPS to the hotel - great but we were facing the wrong direction to get up the angled road so parked and walked back for directions as plenty of one way streets. If we had a small car we could follow this route...... After missing the right turn twice on the third pass we sought help from a lady parking her car. No you need to go down there > so as we drove up a small alleyway opened up between two buildings and down we went -just! Back at the hotel we managed to park 10 cm from the wall only to find out we had a "large car" which couldn't be left there as it would block, no now is blocking the traffic. More directions and now some tooting so up to a small area off the alley to let the tooters pass, one getting out and helping with directions saying we had to go left but it will take many minutes to make the turn in such a big car! Got it in one go and didn't scrape even a mirror! This ended in the main piazza and we found the correct road to park then negotiated the 300 steps back up to the hotel. Lugged our cases up the road and up another via to our room level so we didn't have to lug them up the exceptionally narrow spiral ancient rock staircase. Wandered through to the gardens before a sandwich and arancini for lunch. Back to the hotel for a showery bath via a hand phone arrangement. Received Pauline's call.
Walked to Piazza della Repubblica and into the Chiesa della Anime del Purgatorio - Souls of Purgatory Church for some quiet time and a blessing from the priest. Needing a drink but finding nothing too favourable we went down some stairs to find a girl setting up a restaurant for dinner
at 8pm! She spoke in perfect English that this was also a hotel and she would gladly get drinks, a light snack, organise a hotel tour and reserve a table for dinner. Which she promptly did. Jessica was delightful, asking us for correct usage of various words and phrases. She would love to travel but her parents were against the idea. We told her of Cameron's adventure and she couldn't believe that we wouldn't stop him. We enjoyed another fantastic meal, avocado salad with prawns, mussels bread and spaghetti marinara with a little hot chilli.
Dusty floor and tables due to sandstone disintegration.
July 10
Good breakfast of homemade bread, cheese, ham and fruit. Cappuccino and off to the Cathedral. Lit a candle for everyone. Wandered around town some more getting lost. Then decided to get a baguette made up for lunch at the local deli, Spar. Walked back to hotel, checked our mail in the lobby as the rooms don't have the Internet. It's so hot here from midday until 4pm everything closes and everyone disappears for a siesta, which is what we did too. More room "dust" falling as I type. On our way to dinner we called into the Chiesa della Anime del Purgatorio where we again met the Priest who gave us another blessing after some explanation. We went back to the previous nights restaurant, La locanda deli iblei for dinner and met just about the whole family this time. Good local food -involtini was great and very hospitable people.
