Thursday 22nd September

We made a slow start to the day but eventually after coffee and the normal ablutions we got going and walked down to the market area which was very crowded. There were meat, vegetable and fruit stands and as we were late, some were already packing up at noon. We walked on to the fish market which was also just closing up and most stands had already gone. There were many types of fish which I did not recognize but of course there were sardines and anchovies aplenty as well as octopus and calamari including the black squid. We found a stand where they were selling fried fish and bought two types. We’ve found that they were quite bony and we had to fillet them with our fingers which made for a messy lunch.

The courtyard of our AirBnB

Market Day in Catania

We walked on to the Piazza del Duomo and found our way to what was touted to be the ‘best gelato in Catania’. It was, indeed good and I had a gelato and MAC a granita, both laden with pistachio which is omnipresent here. We sat in an adjacent square and consumed the ices and watched the passing crowds, many of which were tourists. We then walked on down the main shopping street,  Victor Emmanuel ll until we reached the Piazza Sestorico which is dominated by a statue of Bellini who is the most famous native of Catania and of whom they bare very proud. Indeed, a large and elaborate and breather beautiful opera house in his name is in the city and was opened to his opera ‘Norma’ . There waiting was the silly little train which took tourists around the city on a one hour trip. Despite my reservations we paid the 5 euro and boarded the train. After a wait, the train took off and the commentary in five languages gave short descriptions of them places we were passing. It was a bit of a whirlwind tour but there are ancient Roman ruins in the city as well as much statuary including to Santa Agata who was martyred as a young girl for refusing the hand of a Roman called Quintianus. From Wikipedia here are interesting facts about Saint Agata:

“Agatha of Sicily (c. 231 – 251 AD) is a Christian saint. Her feast is on 5 February. Agatha was born in Catania, part of the Roman Province of Sicily, and was martyred c. 251. She is one of several virgin martyrs who are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass.

Agatha is the patron saint of Catania, Molise, Malta, San Marino, Gallipoli in Apulia,^[b] and Zamarramala, a municipality of the Province of Segovia in Spain. She is also the patron saint of breast cancer patients, martyrs, wet nurses, bell-founders, and bakers, and is invoked against fire, earthquakes, and eruptions of Mount Etna.”

So this is no small saint but one who wields some influence,

After disembarking the ‘toy train’!! 

The 'train' driver!!

Roman ruins at Catania

We walked to the newly found Roman amphitheater ruins in the center of the city and past as church where an elaborate wedding was about to take place. Then it was back to base for a short rest. On the way back we did some shopping for essentials and also passed an interesting restaurant called Ui A Sicilian Experience. I called them, later, and made a reservation for 7.45 p.m.

After a short rest, we made the 10 minute walk past a couple of celebrating wedding parties, to the restaurant and had a very enjoyable is rather larger than we intended dinner. The antipasto came on a large wooden board which contained meats and cheeses as well as salad, honey and fig jam. We shared this but it was rather a lot of food. It was washed down with some wine from the region around Mount Etna. Our main course was a superb filet mignon for me and a tuna dish for MAC. By the time we were finished, we were seriously over fed!! Then they produced, unordered, a glass of grappa which the waiter described as the very best and gave the name ‘Marike’ which I was unable to find any reference to. But this was VERY strong and would have stopped a grown horse!! We ordered decaf espresso but the restaurant did not have decaf so we said we would not have any coffee but, in Italy, espresso is not to be denied and they brought the regular espresso, anyway!! Thus ‘fortified’ we paid and waddled home. Sleep followed very soon after.