Catania - Last day in Sicily

On Thursday the 24th we wake and pack our bags once again. We're leaving the Villa Angela and the stupendous view of Etna

for nearby - ap. 40 mins. - Catania, birthplace of Giovanna, Oswaldo's mother. Soon we're zipping down the highway in the sun, sparkling turqouise sea on left, almost cloudless vulcano on right, until we reach the busy city and realize that in spite of the GPS this is where you drive with your guts - there seem to be few rules.  But we reach the Grand Hotel Excelsior and manage to park right in front. We leave Victor working with Oswaldo's computer in our room, which is ready, his is not, and go explore the town. On a busy street corner we stop for Granita de Latte de Mandorla (delicious but very sweet) and orange juice.

We take a look at the lush green Villa Bellini park across the road, but continue down Via Etnea in search of Via Vasta, named after Giovanna's family. Before we get there I spot a fabulous street market that sells absolutely everything and stretches over a warren of small streets. Trailing a patient Oswaldo behind me I dash from stall to stall, but then we're out of it and find the street, we've been looking for

On we go towards the Piazza Duomo, stopping for a(nother) light lunch of Caprese Salad and Bruschetta, and then we see the famous Liotru, the elephant fountain, which is the symbol of Catania

Across the wide square lies the Cathedral (closed for lunch...) dedicated to Saint Agatha, to whom unspeakable things were done,

and, at the further end the Fontana dell'Amenano straddles  the River Amenano, which once ran overground.

Oswaldo decides to head home and let me look at the shops, but first we walk by the famous Teatro Massimo, in the Piazza Bellini, a beautiful baroque neighbourhood

It was here, in 1951, that Maria Callas sang Norma to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Bellini. It's a lovely place to be - there are no cars - and we find a quiet café to enjoy an Aperol Spritz before parting ways.

Later, re-united in the hotel again, we solve the problem of accumulated bottles of wine, by sharing one sitting cozily in our room, Victor almost done on the computer, Oswaldo stretched out on the bed, and I afire with stories of my walk alone through the city. We decide to dine in the hotel, which turns out to be a good idea - delicious food served by cheerful waiter, Antonino.

On Friday there is packing to be done, which I do in my nightie. We're checking out at one, but enjoy a leisurely breakfast in the palatial morning room of the hotel, with a massive food laden table in the middle, around which revolves hungry guests and several waiters discreetly working in cream jackets, white shirts, and black pants or skirts. Easily the most elegant breakfast of our two week trip. I take a last hour-long walk in the lovely spring weather and then it's time to leave for the airport. Returning the car to Avis after dropping me and the bags at the airport turns out to be less simple than first assumed, and I stay waiting for a long time, while Oswaldo and Victor struggle with exits and roundabouts

Eventually they return and we can deal with mundane things such as the Tax-Refund and finding an airport lunch - another Caprese salad... Once through security we realize 1) that our flight to Rome is delayed (a possible chain of disaster in view of other connections to Lisbon, SP, and Rio), and 2) they're calling us on the loudspeakers.  Oswaldo disappears for a long time and comes back triumphant with new tickets. They have re-routed us to a direct flight from Rome to Rio with Alitalia. We are thrilled, of course, and on our way to Terminal G  at the Rome airport dine at the splendid RossoIntenso counter that we remember from our arrival,

where they serve great glasses of wine with very fresh tapa like food and salads. Then we spend a cramped and uneventful night on the plane. The following morning in Rio, however, there's bad surprise, when after waiting for an hour since 5.30am it turns out our luggage didn't make it - and so this blog ends on a note of suspense: what will happen? Will the suitcases come as promised tomorrow?

I hope so. 

It was a great trip.