Sicily Part 1

(view of Messina as we arrive on the ferry.)

The air was thick with humidity and musky smells. Jolting left and right and finally to a slow creaking stop. I breathed a sigh of relief. “We are finally here,” I thought. The long train ride from Rome to a little town in Sicily was complete. My mind had three thoughts scurrying within, in this order. One, eat. Two, shower. Three, get me on or in the sea as soon as possible. For those of you who don’t know me, I can be a bit of a tyrant when I’m hungry. My patience is zero and I can at times be a bit “awnry” as my family would say…so don’t mess with me then;)(swordfish that was caught that morning…don’t usually wear compressions socks haha, travel.)

I’m not quite sure if Giuseppe could tell I was famished and knew he needed to get me something to eat, or if food was on the top of his mind, too. Either way, we traveled directly to an ocean-front spot right near his house and enjoyed the local delight, Granita. It is some reduction of fresh strawberries which are covered in fresh whipped cream. Yum!

(Granita)

Growing up on Lake Michigan, I have always had a huge love of the water. Sailing, fishing and swimming were some of my biggest summer interests from an early age. Any time I get around water my face turns to a perma-smile, and I can’t help but be super excited and happy!

After dropping our things off at Giuseppe’s parent’s house, which was a small but extremely quaint seaside condo, we headed to the beach. Within an hour of arrival the wind was screaming in my face as we skimmed over the top of the water in Giuseppe’s boat. I was delighted at the beauty of Sicily, the extremely warm and clear water and the relaxed and carefree lifestyle we were living. I realized then that life really doesn’t get much better than this…
This trip gave me the opportunity to truly live like a Sicilian. There were zero Americans in this town. The only languages I heard were Italian an Sicilian. I was an island unto myself. The food was outstanding. The first afternoon I got a delicious taste for what the rest of the trip would be like. Friends and family all gathered at Giusseppe’s house for meals. The first lunch we had Ocheata fish (which his sister caught the day before), some really small fish that were pan fried and eaten with the skin on, a tomato salad, fresh bread, squid pasta (which his dad caught the night before), and fresh fruit from their garden. Outstanding:)

More from Sicily coming soon:)