Sicily: Siracusa (Nov 2007)

When I left the farm in Noto, I travelled to Siracusa just for one day. I didn't expect the train to take so long getting out of Noto, so unfortunately I didn't have much time to explore Siracusa. But from what I saw it was a beautiful city! I arrived at the train station then bumbled around looking for my hotel, which I eventually found. There I met the sweetest Romanian woman, who worked and lived at the hotel and treated me just like a daughter, bringing me Romanian treats and coffee in the morning.

I took a walk all around the city the day I got there, and visited the Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime, the Roman amphitheater, and the main cathedral on the island of Ortygia. When I visited the amphitheater, it was about to close, but the little old man selling tickets let me in for free and even gave me a behind-the-scenes tour. We climbed over the tourist barrier and walked down into the amphitheater and he showed me where the gladiators would wait their turn to enter the arena, and the little holes they peeked through to watch the show. He started to get a little creepy, so I wrapped up the tour and thanked him...what an experience!

The evening I was there it rained cats and dogs, but I spent the whole time wandering around Ortygia island, which was so beautiful with winding, twisting alleys and grand churches. I walked into one church where there was an art exhibit going on. I began chatting in Italian to the guy selling tickets, asking about the exhibit. I mean, I like art, but I wanted to make sure it was worth spending a bit of my precious money that needed to last until I got back to Seattle. He said because I was an American and I spoke to him in Italian, I could see the exhibit for free!

The short time I had in Siracusa was very enjoyable, and like most places I visited on this trip I wish I had more time! Here are a few shots from that day:


"He who picks the roses and flowers and damages the plants doesn't love the Madonna and is an uncivil person!" Whoa.