Taormina and Siracusa, Sicily

We spent a delightful few days in Taormina, swimming, snorkelling and sightseeing.  It was a treat to be in clear water with lots of fish about.  The waters around Preveza in Greece are quite turbid and green, not that inviting though we did swim a bit.

Taormina is a hilltop town overlooking the harbour and islands.  The ‘strip’ town along the seafront is Giardini Naxos.  The eight day feast of Mary, culminating in the blessing of the fleet was underway while we were there.  Military bands played in the town square and there were several displays of fireworks at night. 

We took a bus up a steep winding road full of hairpin turns to Taormina.  The views were magnificent but the main street very touristy.  Bob could hear the bongo drums starting in his traumatized brain (a left over reaction from the touristy towns we visited in China) so we went off a side street and started walking up a path which turned out to be a Stations of the Cross trail leading up to a charming church.  It was a hot climb but the views were fantastic and well worth the effort.

 

Back at the anchorage we watched the many moods of Mt Etna.

  

After three days it was time to move south down the coast to Siracusa (or Anglicised – Syracuse).  After a 10 hour motor sail we rounded the point with the ubiquitous fort on the headland.  Siracusa is a sizable city with a large harbour.  We anchored in the late afternoon and had a welcome sundowner while watching the other boats come in.

 

We spent the next week exploring this pretty old city.  In the Cathedral in the beautiful Piazzo Duomo hangs the Caravaggio painting “The Burial of Saint Lucy” – magnificent.  Another square had the impressive fountain of Diana and Arethusa.  We stopped at a café overlooking the fountain and discovered a wonderful refreshing sorbet type drink called Granitas – perfect for the hot days.   

The legend of Arethusa continues with a waterfront fresh water pool and fountain, Fonte Aretusa.  This is supposed to be the place where the nymph, Arethusa emerged from the sea after fleeing her home in Arcadia.  Here grow natural Papyrus plants, the only place in Europe where they grow.

 

Another day we trekked above the city to the Greek and Roman amphitheatres.  Nearby is the limestone cave called the Ear of Dionysius, a name coined by Caravaggio in 1608.  The cave is suppose to have excellent acoustics where even a small sound resonates throughout the cave.  Bob gave a loud ‘Cooeee’ but it didn’t make much of an effect.

 

 

On the way we passed the ultra-modern Santuario della madonna delle Lacrime (Sanctuary of our Lady of Tears), a church opened in 1996 to honour an event that happened in 1953.  A plaster statue of the Virgin Mary was seen with ‘tears’ rolling down her face.  This condensation on the statue was considered a miracle and ‘scientific analyses’ at the time determined the fluid was human tears.  Construction of the sanctuary began in 1966.  During the excavations the ruins of houses from the 6^th Century BC were found.  Twenty-eight years later the building rising 74 metres above the city was completed.

 We enjoyed our week in Siracusa, all the more so for having met up with a couple from the MedNet.  The MedNet is a SSB radio schedule that runs during the summer.  Cruising sailors from all over the Mediterranean check in to let people know where they are and that all is well.  We have been talking with this group for a few years and it was great to meet some of the members in person.  We had a lovely time socialising with Brad and Ruth from Korsar- a perfect finish for our time in Siracusa.