Wednesday, December 12, 2012

First Hours in Catania, Sicily

I arrived here in Catania in the middle of the night and was immediately awe-struck at what I saw.  With many street lights still on, I could see some of the ancient architecture that makes this city so amazing.   And now I've been walking around town, took a narrated bus tour (30 min.) of the city and had time to spend sitting in the Piazza Duomo just taking it all in. So far I can't really put in to words how amazing I think this city is.  I walked through what is labeled on the map as "Fish Market".  I took a few pictures of the fresh fish, fruit, meat and veggies that are for sale every day outside in the market but I know no amount of pictures could relay how amazing this place is.  Tables and tables and tables of fresh seafood.  Whole fish,  filleted fish, everything but cooked fish any way you want it.  Whole and halved skinned animals hanging (I avoided looking at these) right out there.  Not on ice...not refrigerated.  I just cannot imagine what it would be like to be a restaurant owner and be able to go to this market every day to shop for your business; much less to have this market available to shop  for personal use.
Right outside my door here is a partially dug out portion of the second largest Roman amphitheater in Italy.  Second only to the one in Rome.  And of course looking down into it, what do I see?  Cats with a litter of kittens living down there-playing in one of the rooms.  All black and white.  So much more to see.  But what I have seen so far is so amazing.

I can't believe that within the first 5 minutes of being on the street  I have not seen anyone get hit by a car or motorbike.  Complete mayhem out there on the street with traffic and pedestrians.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to go to Mt. Etna with its' snow on top.  And after, get dropped off at my next farm to start working on Friday.   It is in the town of Zefferana Etnea which is noted on my map as a small organic farming community; still part of Catania and in full view of Etna.

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