A Sicilian Postscript
Apr 21st, 2023, 04:54 AM
#41
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Thank you!
[QUOTE=mila0229;17457051]
Thank you. I have seen your itinerary and know it will be full of great memories!
Great pictures! Thank you! I will make sure that we will stop by at least one of the places you mentioned on our way back from Mt. Etna. Pictures from Taormina look scary though. That's how Rome looked around Fontana di Trevi last September.
Great pictures! Thank you! I will make sure that we will stop by at least one of the places you mentioned on our way back from Mt. Etna. Pictures from Taormina look scary though. That's how Rome looked around Fontana di Trevi last September.
Thanks! Nice to see you again.
Thank you! Most of their sandwiches are made for 2 or 3 people.
Apr 21st, 2023, 05:04 AM
#42
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Mojo Alcantara
Harvest week-end coincided with a nearby religious festival/market/carnival in the next town, Mojo Alcantara. You can walk between Mojo and Malvagna they are so close, separated by an extinct volcano, whose cone still sits, quite detached from the hills of Mt. Etna hovering to the south. Yet this little cone, some several thousand years ago, provided one of the islands biggest eruptions, creating the Alcantara Gorge from here to the sea. Anyone who has ever been to the beaches of Giardini Naxos, below Taormina, may have seen the black lava rock from this eruption all along the shores. Not from Etna, but from a little hilltop right outside Malvagna.
The week-end event included fireworks, religious processions (including one in the early morning dark from Malvagna to Mojo), a visit by one of Sicily’s two Catholic cardinals, a marching band, and a market and bazaar scattered throughout the town. This festival focuses on the Crucifix, and although the carnival atmosphere undoubtedly draws just as many visitors, we were surprised to see so many people when half an hour away the more famous annual pistachio festival in Bronte was competing for visitors. But Sicilians like their festivals.
Just today, our cousins asked us to go to nearby Randazzo as an annual formal religious event will bring the bones and relic of an area Saint to the church in Malvagana, where it will be on display in a bust-like encapsulation through the summer.
The week-end event included fireworks, religious processions (including one in the early morning dark from Malvagna to Mojo), a visit by one of Sicily’s two Catholic cardinals, a marching band, and a market and bazaar scattered throughout the town. This festival focuses on the Crucifix, and although the carnival atmosphere undoubtedly draws just as many visitors, we were surprised to see so many people when half an hour away the more famous annual pistachio festival in Bronte was competing for visitors. But Sicilians like their festivals.
Just today, our cousins asked us to go to nearby Randazzo as an annual formal religious event will bring the bones and relic of an area Saint to the church in Malvagana, where it will be on display in a bust-like encapsulation through the summer.
Apr 21st, 2023, 06:08 AM
#43
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Harvest week-end coincided with a nearby religious festival/market/carnival in the next town, Mojo Alcantara. You can walk between Mojo and Malvagna they are so close, separated by an extinct volcano, whose cone still sits, quite detached from the hills of Mt. Etna hovering to the south. Yet this little cone, some several thousand years ago, provided one of the islands biggest eruptions, creating the Alcantara Gorge from here to the sea. Anyone who has ever been to the beaches of Giardini Naxos, below Taormina, may have seen the black lava rock from this eruption all along the shores. Not from Etna, but from a little hilltop right outside Malvagna.
The week-end event included fireworks, religious processions (including one in the early morning dark from Malvagna to Mojo), a visit by one of Sicily’s two Catholic cardinals, a marching band, and a market and bazaar scattered throughout the town. This festival focuses on the Crucifix, and although the carnival atmosphere undoubtedly draws just as many visitors, we were surprised to see so many people when half an hour away the more famous annual pistachio festival in Bronte was competing for visitors. But Sicilians like their festivals.
Just today, our cousins asked us to go to nearby Randazzo as an annual formal religious event will bring the bones and relic of an area Saint to the church in Malvagana, where it will be on display in a bust-like encapsulation through the summer.
The week-end event included fireworks, religious processions (including one in the early morning dark from Malvagna to Mojo), a visit by one of Sicily’s two Catholic cardinals, a marching band, and a market and bazaar scattered throughout the town. This festival focuses on the Crucifix, and although the carnival atmosphere undoubtedly draws just as many visitors, we were surprised to see so many people when half an hour away the more famous annual pistachio festival in Bronte was competing for visitors. But Sicilians like their festivals.
Just today, our cousins asked us to go to nearby Randazzo as an annual formal religious event will bring the bones and relic of an area Saint to the church in Malvagana, where it will be on display in a bust-like encapsulation through the summer.
KarenWoo: I bet you were in Sevilla in very high season. I have noticed big crowds along the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz/Jewish ghetto area, and around the Cathedral. So I don't like to stay in that area. I will be in Taormina next month and fear what we will encounter. (I'm going on the way back from Salina, cause if the ferry from the island has a problem, I need a buffer before my home-bound flights, and I landed on Taormina. Even on my last trip, more than 15 years ago, it was pretty awful to walk along the Corso, and restaurants seemed to really cater to foreigners.
t
Apr 21st, 2023, 06:24 AM
#44
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We were in Seville the very end of September and very early October in 2017. We stayed in the Barrio Santa Cruz, and that is the area that was especially crowded. Packed with large tour groups. At first we would wait for them to pass us before we continued on but then the wait was too long so we had no choice but to walk right through them. And the area around the cathedral, as you say, and the Alcazar were extremely crowded. Triana wasn’t as crowded, and we had a respite from the crowds when we visited Casa di Pilatos, a hidden gem. Despite the crowds, we loved Seville!
Apr 21st, 2023, 07:39 PM
#45
Thank you whitehall, your Ultimate Month in Sicily TR was great inspiration for our holiday last fall. On that trip, we crossed over to the mainland after Sicilý and worked our way up the calabrian coast - Scilla, Tropea and Maratea were absolute gems. Thank you for reviving such wonderful memories.
Apr 21st, 2023, 10:54 PM
#46
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Whitehall: Just stellar! I nominate this report for "best in show," in the category of Fodor's trip reports
KarenWoo: I bet you were in Sevilla in very high season. I have noticed big crowds along the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz/Jewish ghetto area, and around the Cathedral. So I don't like to stay in that area. I will be in Taormina next month and fear what we will encounter. (I'm going on the way back from Salina, cause if the ferry from the island has a problem, I need a buffer before my home-bound flights, and I landed on Taormina. Even on my last trip, more than 15 years ago, it was pretty awful to walk along the Corso, and restaurants seemed to really cater to foreigners.
t
KarenWoo: I bet you were in Sevilla in very high season. I have noticed big crowds along the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz/Jewish ghetto area, and around the Cathedral. So I don't like to stay in that area. I will be in Taormina next month and fear what we will encounter. (I'm going on the way back from Salina, cause if the ferry from the island has a problem, I need a buffer before my home-bound flights, and I landed on Taormina. Even on my last trip, more than 15 years ago, it was pretty awful to walk along the Corso, and restaurants seemed to really cater to foreigners.
t
We were in Seville the very end of September and very early October in 2017. We stayed in the Barrio Santa Cruz, and that is the area that was especially crowded. Packed with large tour groups. At first we would wait for them to pass us before we continued on but then the wait was too long so we had no choice but to walk right through them. And the area around the cathedral, as you say, and the Alcazar were extremely crowded. Triana wasn’t as crowded, and we had a respite from the crowds when we visited Casa di Pilatos, a hidden gem. Despite the crowds, we loved Seville!
Thank you whitehall, your Ultimate Month in Sicily TR was great inspiration for our holiday last fall. On that trip, we crossed over to the mainland after Sicilý and worked our way up the calabrian coast - Scilla, Tropea and Maratea were absolute gems. Thank you for reviving such wonderful memories.
Apr 22nd, 2023, 01:53 AM
#47
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San Cremete
We all know people we think are saints, but few of us have had officially designated saints from our own locality. In Italy, for obvious reasons, there have been plenty. So, Italian churches are full of relics of saints most of us have never heard of.
As I indicated in a post above, Saint Cremete was a local favorite, almost a thousand years ago (he died in 1116). He was a hermit priest at a monastery on top of a small mountain near Malvagna. And, for some reason, he was very popular in the Byzantine Orthodox Church (which has ruins of an old church below Malvagna).
We are told St. Cremete had his enemies, and once they tossed him off of his mountain to his sure death. But, local lore says he got up, re-climbed the mountain and surprised these enemies. Not sure if they ran off in fear or were instantly converted.
We started last evening at the gorgeous and massive 1200’s St. Maria Assunta church in Randazzo, mostly made of Etna lava rock (there are many signs near town of the most recent eruption of 1981). The church is spectacular inside, and that is where part of the skull of St. Cremete spends most of the year, but, as I indicated, this relic is being moved to Malvagna for the summer. A simple ceremony of a few parishioners from Malvagna sent him off with the local priest, safety seat-belted for his arrival.
I don’t know how they keep up these churches in so many small Italian towns, but the small Malvagna church, greeted St. Cremete last night with an altar full of gorgeous fresh flowers.
As I indicated in a post above, Saint Cremete was a local favorite, almost a thousand years ago (he died in 1116). He was a hermit priest at a monastery on top of a small mountain near Malvagna. And, for some reason, he was very popular in the Byzantine Orthodox Church (which has ruins of an old church below Malvagna).
We are told St. Cremete had his enemies, and once they tossed him off of his mountain to his sure death. But, local lore says he got up, re-climbed the mountain and surprised these enemies. Not sure if they ran off in fear or were instantly converted.
We started last evening at the gorgeous and massive 1200’s St. Maria Assunta church in Randazzo, mostly made of Etna lava rock (there are many signs near town of the most recent eruption of 1981). The church is spectacular inside, and that is where part of the skull of St. Cremete spends most of the year, but, as I indicated, this relic is being moved to Malvagna for the summer. A simple ceremony of a few parishioners from Malvagna sent him off with the local priest, safety seat-belted for his arrival.
I don’t know how they keep up these churches in so many small Italian towns, but the small Malvagna church, greeted St. Cremete last night with an altar full of gorgeous fresh flowers.
Apr 22nd, 2023, 02:04 AM
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Milan/Switzerland/Sicily
Now, flashing back to January of this year. In the first week of the year, we were celebrating a significant wedding anniversary. We are warm weather people, but many, many years ago, we dreamed of a wedding on a mountain top in Switzerland. We settled for an elopement with views of Vermont mountains, a short drive from home. So, now it was time for an anniversary in Switzerland. We chose a small Alpine village and a moderately priced grand old hotel within a cross country ski of super expensive St. Moritz.
We came into Europe via Milan, which had never been one of our Italian favorites. But it’s one of those places, at least for us, that has begun to grow on us. Not to sidetrack, but global warming offered us a warmer than usual week in Switzerland. But sadly, snow was largely confined to the really high elevations. Not good for ski areas, but we even got a little sunburn from the warm sunshine.
Once back to Milan from Switzerland, we shared pizza with some cousins from Malvagna. And, then we did something we never did. We took advantage of a cheap flight on Wizzair, or maybe it was Easy Jet, and flew to Sicily for just one day. Literally out in the morning with a return to Milan in the evening. We followed, in our rental car, a rainbow we saw out of the airplane windows upon landing in Catania. It took us directly to Malvagna. We took that as an omen.
We made one stop in Taormina later and saw some real Sicily there as well. Zero tourists. The hotel made famous in the White Lotus series that was being watched all over America then was shuttered. The streets, including Corso Umberto, the main drag, were empty; and beautiful flowers provided a gorgeous winter color and tropical feel.
We told everyone that we were going to Malvagna just to taste the wine that we helped make in October, since it was already ready to drink (with a great lunch). And, we did do that. But that would have been really rich. We had one ulterior motive that we will discuss in our next and last post of this trip report.
Taormina in January
Malvagna in January
We came into Europe via Milan, which had never been one of our Italian favorites. But it’s one of those places, at least for us, that has begun to grow on us. Not to sidetrack, but global warming offered us a warmer than usual week in Switzerland. But sadly, snow was largely confined to the really high elevations. Not good for ski areas, but we even got a little sunburn from the warm sunshine.
Once back to Milan from Switzerland, we shared pizza with some cousins from Malvagna. And, then we did something we never did. We took advantage of a cheap flight on Wizzair, or maybe it was Easy Jet, and flew to Sicily for just one day. Literally out in the morning with a return to Milan in the evening. We followed, in our rental car, a rainbow we saw out of the airplane windows upon landing in Catania. It took us directly to Malvagna. We took that as an omen.
We made one stop in Taormina later and saw some real Sicily there as well. Zero tourists. The hotel made famous in the White Lotus series that was being watched all over America then was shuttered. The streets, including Corso Umberto, the main drag, were empty; and beautiful flowers provided a gorgeous winter color and tropical feel.
We told everyone that we were going to Malvagna just to taste the wine that we helped make in October, since it was already ready to drink (with a great lunch). And, we did do that. But that would have been really rich. We had one ulterior motive that we will discuss in our next and last post of this trip report.
Taormina in January
Malvagna in January
Apr 22nd, 2023, 10:36 PM
#49
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Now, flashing back to January of this year. In the first week of the year, we were celebrating a significant wedding anniversary. We are warm weather people, but many, many years ago, we dreamed of a wedding on a mountain top in Switzerland. We settled for an elopement with views of Vermont mountains, a short drive from home. So, now it was time for an anniversary in Switzerland. We chose a small Alpine village and a moderately priced grand old hotel within a cross country ski of super expensive St. Moritz.
We came into Europe via Milan, which had never been one of our Italian favorites. But it’s one of those places, at least for us, that has begun to grow on us. Not to sidetrack, but global warming offered us a warmer than usual week in Switzerland. But sadly, snow was largely confined to the really high elevations. Not good for ski areas, but we even got a little sunburn from the warm sunshine.
Once back to Milan from Switzerland, we shared pizza with some cousins from Malvagna. And, then we did something we never did. We took advantage of a cheap flight on Wizzair, or maybe it was Easy Jet, and flew to Sicily for just one day. Literally out in the morning with a return to Milan in the evening. We followed, in our rental car, a rainbow we saw out of the airplane windows upon landing in Catania. It took us directly to Malvagna. We took that as an omen.
We made one stop in Taormina later and saw some real Sicily there as well. Zero tourists. The hotel made famous in the White Lotus series that was being watched all over America then was shuttered. The streets, including Corso Umberto, the main drag, were empty; and beautiful flowers provided a gorgeous winter color and tropical feel.
We told everyone that we were going to Malvagna just to taste the wine that we helped make in October, since it was already ready to drink (with a great lunch). And, we did do that. But that would have been really rich. We had one ulterior motive that we will discuss in our next and last post of this trip report.
Taormina in January
Malvagna in January
We came into Europe via Milan, which had never been one of our Italian favorites. But it’s one of those places, at least for us, that has begun to grow on us. Not to sidetrack, but global warming offered us a warmer than usual week in Switzerland. But sadly, snow was largely confined to the really high elevations. Not good for ski areas, but we even got a little sunburn from the warm sunshine.
Once back to Milan from Switzerland, we shared pizza with some cousins from Malvagna. And, then we did something we never did. We took advantage of a cheap flight on Wizzair, or maybe it was Easy Jet, and flew to Sicily for just one day. Literally out in the morning with a return to Milan in the evening. We followed, in our rental car, a rainbow we saw out of the airplane windows upon landing in Catania. It took us directly to Malvagna. We took that as an omen.
We made one stop in Taormina later and saw some real Sicily there as well. Zero tourists. The hotel made famous in the White Lotus series that was being watched all over America then was shuttered. The streets, including Corso Umberto, the main drag, were empty; and beautiful flowers provided a gorgeous winter color and tropical feel.
We told everyone that we were going to Malvagna just to taste the wine that we helped make in October, since it was already ready to drink (with a great lunch). And, we did do that. But that would have been really rich. We had one ulterior motive that we will discuss in our next and last post of this trip report.
Taormina in January
Malvagna in January
Happy Anniversary!
Apr 23rd, 2023, 04:49 AM
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Apr 23rd, 2023, 04:57 AM
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Conclusion: The Rest of the Story
My grandfather left Malvagna at age 15 with his older brother in 1905. His brother, after a few years, returned to Malvagna and created the cousins I have today.
Our ulterior motive in our January trip to Sicily was to look at a house, possible to buy there; and to return some of my grandfather’s blood to Malvagna, even if only for a few months of the year.
We also met a relative of a relative in Milan, who owned the house of her deceased parents. The house came with everything as they left it 10 years ago.
We closed on the house last Wednesday evening. The purchasing process in Italy, and for us in particular, can warrant a blog of its own, but this is a travel forum so I will keep it brief.
The Notary in Italy is almost like a judge, who proclaims and officially certifies ownership of a property. Our Notary on Wednesday night summoned us into an ornate conference room of an old palazzo in Giarre south of Taormina. There he read, with various intonations and hand movements our “contract”, almost like he was a musical conductor. Part formal and serious, and part with a smile and a wink.
On Thursday morning, we opened the door, as owners, for the first time, flush with anxiety. And, we had the usual initial scares, like the water feed pipe going into one of the bidets springing a leak big enough to give us a small flood (it would have been a disaster if we hadn’t been there). But, within an hour, we had a local handyman fix that and four other little things.
We have been welcomed with “auguri, auguri, auguri” (congratulations) from so many local people happy to see new faces in town. Family is important here, and the gifts keep coming. Today’s lunch will be pasta with fresh peas from our cousin's garden.
Unfortunately, there are few business services left in town, so we will need to become familiar with nearby towns of Mojo, Francavilla and Randazzo. We made our first Amazon order yesterday, and it will be here, surprisingly to us, part on Tuesday and the rest on Wednesday. And, we will have to go to Catania to get familiar with the Ikea store there. But, we want to shop local and are meeting later today (Sunday) with a relative of a relative who works at a furniture store in the next town (house call on a Sunday!).
We have a townhouse-style home on the town's main square, with the best seat in town for the tiny town’s many festivals (if only we could be here for all of them). The views to Mt. Etna from the upper terrace are simply awesome. And, we look from there at the home of my grandfather I was never able to know.
We will be in Sicily until early June, with the next planned return in the fall for two months. Even as homeowners, we have the same restriction all of us non EU tourists have. We are only allowed to be here 90 out of every 180 days. We are hopeful that in 2 or 3 years, we might get more flexibility if we can regain that Italian passport my grandfather gave up 103 years ago.
I will try to conclude this postscript, since our time in Sicily now will be more as homeowners than travelers.
Thanks to all who joined in the conversation and/or followed along.
Malvagna on our return
Our yellow house on Piazza Roma
Our ulterior motive in our January trip to Sicily was to look at a house, possible to buy there; and to return some of my grandfather’s blood to Malvagna, even if only for a few months of the year.
We also met a relative of a relative in Milan, who owned the house of her deceased parents. The house came with everything as they left it 10 years ago.
We closed on the house last Wednesday evening. The purchasing process in Italy, and for us in particular, can warrant a blog of its own, but this is a travel forum so I will keep it brief.
The Notary in Italy is almost like a judge, who proclaims and officially certifies ownership of a property. Our Notary on Wednesday night summoned us into an ornate conference room of an old palazzo in Giarre south of Taormina. There he read, with various intonations and hand movements our “contract”, almost like he was a musical conductor. Part formal and serious, and part with a smile and a wink.
On Thursday morning, we opened the door, as owners, for the first time, flush with anxiety. And, we had the usual initial scares, like the water feed pipe going into one of the bidets springing a leak big enough to give us a small flood (it would have been a disaster if we hadn’t been there). But, within an hour, we had a local handyman fix that and four other little things.
We have been welcomed with “auguri, auguri, auguri” (congratulations) from so many local people happy to see new faces in town. Family is important here, and the gifts keep coming. Today’s lunch will be pasta with fresh peas from our cousin's garden.
Unfortunately, there are few business services left in town, so we will need to become familiar with nearby towns of Mojo, Francavilla and Randazzo. We made our first Amazon order yesterday, and it will be here, surprisingly to us, part on Tuesday and the rest on Wednesday. And, we will have to go to Catania to get familiar with the Ikea store there. But, we want to shop local and are meeting later today (Sunday) with a relative of a relative who works at a furniture store in the next town (house call on a Sunday!).
We have a townhouse-style home on the town's main square, with the best seat in town for the tiny town’s many festivals (if only we could be here for all of them). The views to Mt. Etna from the upper terrace are simply awesome. And, we look from there at the home of my grandfather I was never able to know.
We will be in Sicily until early June, with the next planned return in the fall for two months. Even as homeowners, we have the same restriction all of us non EU tourists have. We are only allowed to be here 90 out of every 180 days. We are hopeful that in 2 or 3 years, we might get more flexibility if we can regain that Italian passport my grandfather gave up 103 years ago.
I will try to conclude this postscript, since our time in Sicily now will be more as homeowners than travelers.
Thanks to all who joined in the conversation and/or followed along.
Malvagna on our return
Our yellow house on Piazza Roma
Apr 23rd, 2023, 06:56 AM
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Congratulations on your new home whitehall, wish you good health and cheer… what a joy to go back to your roots, your grandfather must be smiling up there! Thanks for taking us along, we look forward to your further travels and adventures…
Apr 23rd, 2023, 05:42 PM
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WH,
I so respect those folks who actually follow through with relocation plans. Too many of us think of every excuse to NOT do so. Congrats on your special yellow purchase.
I am done. the leap of faith
I so respect those folks who actually follow through with relocation plans. Too many of us think of every excuse to NOT do so. Congrats on your special yellow purchase.
I am done. the leap of faith
Apr 23rd, 2023, 11:14 PM
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Thank you. The anxiety has subsided. This is the most exciting thing we have done since we moved to an island off the Maine coast in the late 1970's, with little money, gave up a really good job, bought a giant mansion for a song that also had not been lived in for many years, and turned it into one of the first so-called bed and breakfasts in New England (there were plenty of inns and guest houses then but practically no b and b's)
BTW, our first national holiday, Liberation Day (1946) is tomorrow. Not sure if we will get our first Amazon order.
View from our terrace on Sunday
