Siracusa

Siracusa is large and noisy and busy and full of life. Conquered every few hundred years over the ages, with extensive ruins dating back to 600 BC. The original inhabitants were the Sciculi, from the Black Sea (think Romanians) who became slaves for the Greeks. They gave way to the Romans, the Byzantines, the Ottomans, Vikings, Spanish, French, and on it goes.

We started at the archeological site with the Ear of Dionysius and the Greek Theatre. Dating back to 500 BC this ancient culture was producing plays for 15,000, had parking for horses during the shows, and built huge temples. It’s sort of amazing.

Now the Romans used the same theatre several hundred years later to murder people for sport. Then the Spanish, another several hundred years later, deconstructed much of what the Greeks did to make forts (stone was already cut).

The Italians have preserved what is left (after taking it from the Noble families) and every year spend one month covering the stone seats of the theatre with wood (to preserve it) and hold Greek plays in May and June. That is a bucket list trip if ever there was one!

And then the Archeo Cats….. cats that live in the archeology park.

Speaking of history, I connected with friends that I met in Siracusa almost 30 years ago. Giuseppe and Sabrina are cousins that I connected with on Compuserve (how many of you remember that name?) and then met in Siracusa. Giuseppe treated us to traditional Sicilian lunch in the mercato.

And now for the mercato! Siracusa has a daily market in its center. The fruit and vegetables and fish and meat and nuts and spices are a bit of heaven for me. How about we rent an apartment with a great kitchen next May and go the the market in the morning, cook in the afternoon and go to the Greek theatre at night? Who’s with me???

And no trip to a Sicilian city is complete without a church trip. The Cattedrale in Siracusa is other worldly. An Ancient Greek temple with Doric columns have been cemented together to make a Catholic Church. This structure has been here since 500 years before Christ and has always been used for worship.

I am now back in my palazzo wearing a fluffy robe with a cashmere throw at my feet while eating an orange that I bought in the market, deciding where I will go out to eat another Sicilian meal in this ancient town that feels comfortable to me. Life could be worse.