the real italy- SICILY

After my initial shaky start in Sicily, I spent 3 great days there with Ricardo and his family. The first morning i awoke to be informed that I would be trying the traditional sicilian breakast - Briosh and Granita. So off I go on the motor bike with Ric, holding on for dear life, and hardly believing that i was in Italy! we reached the local cafe and enjoyed the best granita ever! Granita is hard to explain. its crushed ice, sugar and either almond, lemon , pistacio etc. It is really cold to so you have it with Briosh which is sweet bread. ahhhhh so divine! you only get it in sicily to, no where else in Italy. Following this delectable meal we scooted off to the 'black rocks' for some sunbathing and swimming. Catania is at the foot of the infamous Etna volcano, still active and puffing away to this day. We could see the volcano from Ric's house. Thats why the rocks are black- from the lava, hundreds of years ago. The swimming was fantastic, it was my first dip in the med, and did not disapoint. afterwards we lay in the sun with the locals. There was mno sand there and was not a tourist area at all, so i loved it even more. We dorve home thorugh the beautiful villas and vineyards, to hearty meal of pasta. There is something about sicily - italy completely overwhelming. - the transparant blue sky, set against trhe orange tilled roofsof the villas, the smell of little bakeries, the taste of Gelati, the sparkling mediteranean and the warmth of the people. Its an overload of the senses, a visionary dream, a cuisine haven.