Riding on the other side of the road – Siracusa

Today was an opportunity for me to get on the bike for the first time and go for a ride. It had been over a month since I’d had my last ride so I was definitely looking forward to it.

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I had toyed with the idea of riding the roads around Lake Como and had explored hiring bikes before we left. I very quickly dismissed that idea once I saw the narrowness of the roads, however in Siracusa the roads are wider even if there is a lot more traffic.

Our amazing Airbnb host doubles as a tour guide. He set a course for a ride around the big harbor, to the lighthouses, old World War Two lookout points, some of the beaches and the general surrounding area. We covered just over 50kms on hybrid bikes.

As it was my first ride in Siracusa, I set new personal records for each and every segment on Strava! I don’t plan to publish my time or average speed as they were at best slow. It really didn’t matter.

As we stopped at destoyed World War Two sites, I had the realization that this had been foreign soil that the Allies had to win from the people who were now our wonderful hosts..

World War Two observation post destroyed before the Allies arrived.

World War Two observation post destroyed before the Allies arrived.

We stopped for coffee at a couple of bars, the second of which was a lifesaver for me as I was exhausted. Coffee and a ricotta pastry that gave me the energy to ride the last few kms back.

It was a most enjoyable ride and I had managed to ride on the right hand side of the road the whole time!

It was windy!

It was windy!

Looking back to Siracusa

Looking back to Siracusa

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Diary of a Slow Traveller – 13 December, Santa Lucia Celebration

We arrived in Siracusa just a few days before the major religious celebration of the city – the Santa Lucia procession. I’d read so much about Santa Lucia a Christian martyr who was killed in the Fourth Century and was genuinely excited that we would be in Siracusa to witness it. As I tweeted, sitting watching the people outside the Cathederal, I did feel the excitement building.

Street vendors

Street vendors

All morning the street vendors had been setting up to sell their wares – sweets, balloons, souvenirs of the festival, toys and mobile phone covers. There were also craft markets and special food stores where we bought some locally produced mandarin marmalade and thyme flavored honey.

Late morning outside the Cathederal

Late morning outside the Cathederal

Our wonderful Airbnb hosts invited us as their guests to join them for lunch Continue reading

Day One – Sicily

So after an early start and a last trip down the stairs in our Airbnb apartment in Florence, it was time to head to Syracusa, Sicily. Our taxi arrived a minute or so after we got our luggage downstairs and it was a short trip to a very foggy Florence airport. Our plane left on time.

One last time!

One last time!

After about 40 minutes we were in Rome and then onto Catania. We had been concerned that the recent eruption of Mt Etna might have caused problems in getting to Catania but the eruption had settled down making it a spectacular fly past. Shortly after we were on the ground at Catania airport and greeted by our next Airbnb host, who also provided the transfer to our apartment in Syracuse where will be our based for the next 7 weeks!

The views from the bedrooms and kitchen were amazing as was the weather a very balmy 19C – what a difference from the low teens and below temperatures we had experienced in the previous two weeks. Even better news, it looks like the weather will be like this for another week or so at least.

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Our Airbnb hosts then took us to Ortigia and the street market which was wrapping up for the day. Evenso we were still able to stock up on some fruit and vegetables. Continue reading

Florence – A touch of nostalgia

Florence from Pzzale Michaelangelo

Florence from Pzzale Michaelangelo

As with Venice, we had previously visited Florence with our children in early 1999. My memories of our previous visit are good ones and have kept coming back as we walked around Florence going past many of the places we visited with our children.

That said, one of the first things we noticed was how much shorter the distance between the Duomo and Piazza Della Republica seemed. So to the distance to the Pitti Palace. Perhaps not having a five year old in tow had something to do with it!

Duomo - Florence

Duomo – Florence

We had stayed in Via Strozzi, adjacent to the Piazza Della Republica previously, this time we are near the Duomo. How the Piazza Della Republica has changed, where the post office was on our last visit, there was the Apple Store. Via Strozzi is now the fashion hub and definitely not the cheap seats as it seemed in 1999! We walked into the foyer where the pensione we had stayed in was located only to see that it was no longer necessary to take the luggage up,for flights of stairs as there was a lift in a completely modernized hotel.

Piazza Della Republicca

Piazza Della Republica

Our visit coincided with the first weekend of the month. In Florence this means that on the Sunday museum entrance is free. Maybe so but I’m not sure that it’s worth quuing for hours to get in if you can afford to pay the entrance fee. I’m glad we opted to visit the Pitti Palace on the Saturday albeit at 10€ each rather than queing for what looked to be a couple of hours to get in for free.

Entrance Pitti Palace -Saturday

Entrance Pitti Palace -Saturday

Pitti Palace - Sunday!

Pitti Palace – Sunday!

On our last visit we spent a day in the gardens of the Pitti Palace watching our youngest chasing the numerous cats who seemed to inhabit the quite spectacular gardens. This time we went inside.

Ornate Ceiling -Pitti Palace

Ornate Ceiling -Pitti Palace

We wondered whether it might be possible to go back to the Uffizi but one look at the crowds made the obvious!

Outside the  Uffizi  - there are cars in there somewhere!

Outside the
Uffizi!

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As a result and consistent with our decision to stay out of museums Continue reading

Venice – it’s like being in a postcard

This is a our second visit to Venice. When we visited in 1999 it was with our children and vey much our first serious overseas trip. It was an adventure particularly as we were traveling with our kids.

We visited Venice in the middle of winter and it was cold. Venice felt dark and closed in, almost sinister. It was magical but not really as I’d imagined it.

This time its quite different. The colours of Venice in late Autumn are quite extraordinary.

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Venice is an attack on your senses. There is a new perspective with every turn. Sometimes closed in as I recalled from our previous visit and then around the corner a light filled piazza, the grand canal or a view across the water.

Basilica S Maria Gloriosa Dei Frari

Basilica S Maria Gloriosa Dei Frari

There is a church on every corner. The Basilica Saint Maria Gloriosa Sei Frari was truly spectacular. Donatello’s John the Baptist was amazing, as was the Alter to the Relics and the Monks Choir Stalls. There are no pictures, as they are not allowed.

Peggy Guggenheim Collectiom

Peggy Guggenheim Collection – The Angel of the City

Another truly special place in Venice is The Peggy Guggenheim Collection. It provides a contrast from the Venetian art, Continue reading