The food in Italy has been wonderful, fresh seafood, fresh homemade pasta, fresh tomato based sauces everywhere, but something about the thought of Sicilian dishes made my heart happy.
Our quick flight got us in at 9 am and we were settled in Julia and Cicco's home by 11.
The sun was shining and had been now quite intensely for about a week. Our tan had begun, but Julia didn't waste anytime inside, she packed up the van and we all headed to the beach near their friend Jenky's 'villa'.
We spent a good part of 3 hours soaking up the sun before everyone arrived home from work to begin the festivities of cooking.
It was around 9 pm when everyone finally arrived and dinner was served around 11, again, something completely different than what we are used to, but well worth the wait.
This was also the night We experienced our first SICILIAN CANNOLI.
DEAR LORD.........
THANK YOU FOR CANNOLI
AMEN~
Shortly after dinner was demolished we headed home to bed, prepping ourselves for another long day at the beach.
Today was the day we celebrated Julia's 28th birthday, once again at Jenky's as his 'villa' is the place to be....and it is:)
We spent again a good 3-5 hours relaxing in the sun at the most beautiful hidden beach in Siracusa, before heading back to Jenky's to meet the gang.
Julia and I did yoga on the waters edge while the sun began to settle and the boys were kind enough to bring us wine down as we finished..... Is that wrong?????
The thing I love about Italy and her people... OK one of the many things I love, is that everything surrounding food is a team effort, and so as people began to arrive for the party, everyone began preparing the food together.
We had bruschetta being prepared by Eva, Cicco built the CousCous and the tuna and vegetable tajine, Kevin, Julia and I made the tomato and mozzarella salad, Jenky created another Moroccan infused tajine while multiple other dishes were being brought and displayed for us to devour.
We had families with babies, and young children burning around on bikes, we had dogs everywhere, and love was in every inch of this home.
The craziness faded around 11, and we were in bed by midnight, as we had yet ANOTHER beach day ahead of us.
The next morning, the house was as clean as the day before, no sign of a party, and so we packed up and found our beach for the day.
Today the scenery was more beautiful than any day previous........Are you questioning me??????
We arrived home to Cicco and Julia's around 6 pm and Kevin snuck in for a nap while Julia and I walked around the old and stunningly beautiful town she lives in Ortigia, stopping for a glass of wine to watch the sun set.
This moment is something I wished I had a camera for, but this was the ONE time I left it home.
Our 4th day in Sicily was a lazy one which at this point was well needed. Julia and I started the morning with a workout and then it was a day of slow strolling, dropping off and picking up laundry, coffee and laying around.
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| strolling through Ortigia |
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| Fresh market in Ortigia |
In the later afternoon Kevin and I walked up to the Greek history archaeological park and took in some OLLLLLLLLLLLLD history
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| THE oldest recorded road, ever |
We woke up this morning slightly earlier than the other mornings, 8:30am.
I headed straight outside for my workout, and by the time I came back inside Kevin was coming down from our loft bedroom and we were ready to indulge in our MAGNUM Quattro and Greens shake and our fresh strawberry, kiwi and banana salad, it's not 9:45 am.
After breakfast we waiting for Julia to end her last online English class that she teaches and we headed out to a nearby kayak spot.
Julia had been there 4 years previous, so things had changed slightly. The area of course was beautiful, but the woman in charge seemed to forget to inform us that the river had been almost buried in some spots with fallen trees, branches and algae.
We pushed and paddled our way through each obstacle until we reached a bridge that 4 years ago was something that Julia paddled underneath, but today the water sat too low and we were blocked by a cement landing that took up the width of the river.
We laughed, turned around and paddled the 45 minutes back to the start line, pulled our soaking wet selves out of the kayaks and headed home for lunch.
After lunch Kevin and I walked into Ortigia, which continues to impress me with the beautiful aging buildings, sea wall and narrow streets. We wandered around, filmed another workout in yet ANOTHER breathtaking location, grabbed a nibble to eat and slowly made our way home to meet Julia and Cicco to begin prepping dinner.
We woke up just before 9 and immediately headed out for a run around the exact route we walked yesterday. It was early enough that no body was up yet and the streets were quiet.
There were a few restaurant owners shaking out table clothes and prepping their patios for the morning rush of coffee drinkers and the morning market crew opening up their crates of fresh fruit and vegetables rustled in the side streets.
After our run and a bit of breakfast Julia, Kevin and I loaded up the van for a mini road trip to the nearby town of Noto where we had a beach basically to ourselves for 3.5 hours.
Along the way we stopped to pick fresh lemons, oranges and another cute little fruit that we can not remember the name of....
Have you ever picked fresh lemons or oranges off the tree and just ate them???
It was beautiful and they tastes to amazing, juicy and organic.
We finished our sun bathing in the actual town which is known famously for their baroque architecture, and granita which is a slushy type desert.
We each had the almond, which is literally ice, sugar and almond milk turned into a slushy treat... WOW
I also tried the cafe flavour and it was just fresh espresso, sugar and ice.... also WOW:)
We ended the night with Cicco out for dinner at a friend of theirs family restaurant on the water. You know the friends who want to spoil you and your out of town guests with all the best and most interesting items on the menu?
That happened last night........
Needless to say we all sent ourselves to bed OVERFULL of food and wine, tummies sore from laughter....another perfect holiday night.......
The last few days spent in the land that resembles Heaven on Earth were spent with friends, food and beaches before making our way back up north to Venice for our last 2 nights.
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