the house

I adore this house:  simple, charming, personal and surrounded by gardens and the water  (our boys, Roberto and Antonio you can see down by the water at the base of our stone steps)

in search of antiquity

 

It was a gray day; perfect for a car trip into the interior to see the famous mosaics near Piazza Armerina.  What a disappointment!!!!  most of the site was closed for 'restoration'.  the areas open for viewing were all but indecipherable due to the grotesque design of the enclosures made to protect them.  Heavy shadows cross-hatching the designs and horrific heat inside because of the plexiglas enclosures.  Things improved as we arrived in Aidone the tiny town that now has the re-patriated 'Getty' Aphrodite and the 'metropolitan museum of art' silver objects from Morgantina.  The museum that displays them is quite wonderful and I was surprised at how moved I was seeing the Aphrodite again.  Then on to the site of Morgantina to wander among the ruins.   Our lunch at an old mill was perfect!

Cefalu

view of Cefalu from the house

Cefalu at the base of the Rock

our special guest, the rare, cirneco dell'Etna, a Sicilian breed originating in Egypt 

The duomo

Mosaic 

public laundry

Jacqueline, Roberto and Eleanor shopping for wine

Roberto negotiating

a walk around Ortigia

 a

The Duomo,  built in the 7th c. a.d dedicated to Santa Lucia was built on top of a greek temple to Athena built in 480 b.c., which was built over  a temple built in the 6th century b.c..   So many layers of history.

 this wall mounted madonna looks to the heavens

the mediterranean viewed from atop the seawall

best restaurant in town

to market

the eels are positively metallic!