Island Hopping 2024: Giarratana, Agrigento

 Monday April 22: This morning we headed back to the unforgettable Greek Archaeological site at Agrigento.  This was a top priority on Glenn’s sites to see while in Sicily and justifiably so.  Sandy and I, having already visited the Valley of the Temples, spent our time going through the very impressive Pietro Griffo Archaeological Museum.

The colossi were 26 feet tall, and would be on platforms at least that high above the ground level of the temple.  Imagine walking up to the temple and looking up and seeing 38 of these guys holding up the roof the equivalent of a five story building overhead.

This museum which predominantly holds many of the artifacts that were uncovered in the excavation of the Temples was not crowded and was extremely interesting.  It held artifacts dating from the pre-history period of the indigenous peoples of Sicily through the Greek period, and even a few Roman artifacts.  Conspicuously absent, anything Carthaginian.  Those Romans were pretty thorough in erasing Carthage from the historical records.  In fairness to Rome, Carthage did not hold Agrigentum (modern day Agrigento) long.  The city was conquered by the Carthaginians in 406 BC during the Sicilian Wars and remained under Carthaginian control until it was captured by the Romans in 210 BC during the Second Punic War. So, Carthage held Agrigentum for roughly 196 years.  Hardly enough time to grab a cup of coffee in the long continuum of history.

Giving perspective to one of the colossi

Several colossi heads were excavated and on display in the museum 

This one has a pleasant smile, all the heads were to be different

This is a model of how the completed temple would have looked.  The Greeks of Agrigentum began building this temple to thank Zeus for their great victory over the Carthaginians.  Its construction was halted because before it was complete, they had another war with Carthage which they lost.  It seems that Agrigento could have spent their resources better by strengthening their defenses and army, than by doing a happy dance with the building of this temple

Amongst the artifacts were one of the earliest depictions of the Trinacria (the three legged symbol of Sicily), many remarkably preserved vases and funerary urns, several ancient bathtubs, and sarcophagi.  But, to me, the star of the show was the giant colossus, reconstructed from the actual stones excavated from the temple of Olympian Zeus.  This giant along with 37 of its brothers were intended to be incorporated into the temple.  The Temple was never completed, and only a few of these giants were installed, much the pity.  

Pre-Greek indigenous vessels

Grecian Pottery excavated from the Valley of the Temples

Greek metal work

The helmeted Athena, a signature symbol of Agentium

A life sized marble sculpture found at the archaeological site

The temple of Concordia as seen from the Oratory

One of the earliest depictions of the Trinacria, first an astronomical symbol representing the rotating sun, (pre-Greek).  Later, adapted as the symbol of Sicily with the three legs representing the three capes of the island 

After viewing the artifacts in the museum Sandy and I visited the oratory just outside of it.  The oratory is like a small theatre where the political decisions were made.

The ancient center of the Agrgentium City-State government, the Oratory

We came home just in time to head out to the Eventi Divini for another noteworthy dinner.  

Dinner at Eventi Divini

An antipasto to die for (actually we got into it a little before we remembered to take the picture)

Island Hopping 2024: Giarratana, New Guests arrive

Sunday April 21: Today was dedicated to picking up our guests, our son Glenn and his wife Susan, at the Catania Airport.  Sandy and I again started the day at the local café followed by a pleasant walk around town.  Giarratana truly is a pleasant village in which to simply soak in the locals going about their Sunday morning rituals.

We bought a tray full of crumpets to have at the house

This is a no parking zone next to the café

In the afternoon we headed to the airport (our fourth trip there).  We are getting to know the little nuances of getting around Catania and its “international” airport.  At the airport Glenn signed on as a second driver for the car and he drove back to the AirBnB in very fine fashion.

We finished the night at a pizzeria, enjoying the food and the conversation. 

Glenn and Sue addressing a Sicilian Pizza

My son and his jug of wine

Sandy and I shared a devil's pizza

Island Hopping 2024: Giarratana, The Snows of Mt. Etna, Pistachios

Saturday April 20:  Back to beautiful blue skies and chilly temperatures, we started out in the morning hoping to visit the self proclaimed pistachio capital of Sicily.  Along the way we were hoping to catch more glimpses of Mount Etna covered by new fallen snow.  And, we were successful on both counts.  But, the true discovery of the day was reaching a full understanding of the Sicily’s culinary contribution to frozen deserts, granita.

Granita

Granita is the original slushy.  First developed by the Arabs who invaded Sicily in 827, this frozen concoction is truly a Sicilian culinary contribution.  Even more specifically it is a Mt. Etna creation.  Originally the snow was harvested from the volcano at high altitudes.  It was then brought down the mountain and mixed with the flavors that Mt. Etna’s rich soil provided, oranges, lemons, mandarines, almonds and of course pistachios.  This tradition was refined and improved upon well after the Arabs left Sicily.  Today we can get “Italian Ice” just about anywhere in the world, but it is right here, with the snows of Mount Etna that it all began. 

Take out the electric wire and this could be a Monet painting

They also have some vineyards up here

The pistachio trees are amongst the last to start growing leaves.  On this tree, green buds are beginning to grow at the tip of each branch

A winding street in Bronté

Steps to change levels within the town

Pistachio Purchase

At the Life Café in Bronté, arancino, pistachio pasticcini, and pistachio gelato  

The pistachios of Bronté are prized for their deep green color

Greek legend is that one of the cyclops live in the volcano

Western slope of Mt. Etna

The deeper snows at higher altitudes and northern exposure.  Thousands of bowls of Granita 

Sometimes Mount Etna just seems to be floating on air

Island Hopping 2024: Giarratana, another Rain-Out

Friday April 19: Weather remains unseasonably cold which we can easily handle and pouring rain which we would prefer to avoid.  

So, today’s events were breakfast at the Café which is equally as enjoyable for our morning coffee as it is for hanging out with the friends we have made.  We have reached the status of regulars now and the people that we continue to run into have taken an interest in us and where we come from.  Much of the time we don’t know what each other is saying, but we carry on conversations nonetheless.

These pasticcini keep drawing us back

Somebody must have said something funny

After doing household chores and preparing for guests who are soon to join us, we spent the rest of the day relaxing in our AirBnB.  Later in the evening we ate again at the Eventi Devini, where here, too, we are becoming regulars. We know we are regulars because when we walk in they start making the Negronis for us without us saying a word.  Tonight Sandy and I had Pinse (sort of a pizza).  The crust of  a pinse differs from our pizzas back in the U.S. (and here) in the that it is light as a cloud.  Sandy had a Caprese pinse with mozzarella cheese, basil, and tomatoes.  I had a cavelo pinse, horse meat.  I have had horse meat before in France and did not overly enjoy it.  Here, on the pinse with cheese and onions it was delizioso.

This is our combination waiter and Negroni maker.  We are talking as usual through Google Translate

Sandy with her Pinse Caprese

The crust is so light that they have to put the toppings on to keep it from floating away

Pinse Cavallo

Island Hopping 2024: Giarratana, Finding Grotta dei Santi, Cows in the Road, Bees in the Prison

Thursday April 18:  Today we were determined to find the Grotta dei Santi.  It turns out what we thought was the grotto several days ago (we even took pictures from far away), may have been “a” grotto, but it was not “the” grotto.  

So now with new vigor we began our quest for the Grotta dei Santi.

With no directions in hand and google maps being useless we were pretty much on our own.  But we did have a sense of wanderlust in our hearts, so we set off in search of the elusive grotto. The path was not clearly marked from the road, and our journey quickly turned into a series of hiking and climbing to the wrong caves.  We walked down two long, steep paths, only to find them each leading us to the wrong destination. The air was cool but the sun was strong and beating down on us.  Exhaustion threatened to take hold, barbed wire blocked our way, and doubts crept into our minds. Were we ever going get on the right track?

I think I can see it over there.  Nope, that wasn't it

Maybe down this road

Ok, up there I did find more caves, but no grotto

The damn fences and barbed wire keep getting in the way

But just when we were about to give up hope, a stroke of luck, and Sandy’s good observation, led us to the correct path. It was hidden away, almost as if the grotto itself wanted to remain a secret. Now, undeterred by the obstacles we had faced, we pressed on, our curiosity, and stubbornness driving us forward.

As we made our way through the rugged landscape, we encountered several pasture fences with makeshift gates, each one a potential barrier to our progress. With every gate we passed through, we couldn't help but wonder if we were trespassing on private property and we began to imagine what Sicilian prison life would be like.  But the allure of the grotto was too strong to ignore, and we forged ahead, hoping that our efforts would be rewarded.

The path to the grotto

The path has disappeared, but it still feels right

After several hours of searching and hiking, we finally arrived at our destination: the Grotta dei Santi. Nestled amidst the rolling hills of Sicily, and tucked under an overhanging ledge, the grotto appeared before us like a hidden treasure waiting to be uncovered. Its ancient tombs and weathered stone walls spoke of centuries past.  To our unimaginable delight there is a remarkable fresco adorning one of its interior walls.  This is amazing to us. Here in this remote part of Sicily, Sandy and I stood by ourselves, (I doubt if there was another human being within ten miles) gazing upon this work of ancient art.  This remarkable fresco is not protected in any way. It is there on the wall just like it was for those early Christians, 1,700 years ago as they worshipped here, hidden away from their persecutors.  

Fresco of the suffering Christ on the wall of the grotto.  It was put on the wall 1,700 years ago and nothing to protect it except the environment of the cave.  Note the two figures on the side adoring Christ, most likely depicting Mary and a messenger of the word of Christ

Not often, but sometimes you just have to do this

A closer look

Symbols of the early Christians

Stepping inside the cave, the air was thick with the scent of damp earth and an embrace of ancient history.  Later we both felt we were more moved by the fresco in this hidden cave than we had been by the Sistine Chapel.

In that moment, surrounded by the ancient walls of the grotto, we felt a profound connection to the past. Despite the trials and tribulations of our journey, we knew that it had all been worth it. For in the depths of the Grotta dei Santi, we had discovered something truly extraordinary – a glimpse into the soul of Sicily itself.  You can’t buy that at a souvenir shop.

Sandy stepping into the grotto

The grotto caves

Looking out of the grotto, across the hills

These are burial chambers

One of the larger rooms of the grotto

Hiking back to our car which we had left pulled over to a wide spot in the road we decided to drive over to Vizzini, another hilltop town a little bigger than our Giarratana but much smaller than Ragusa.  To enhance our day of adventure, at one point during the drive, we found ourselves entirely surrounded by a small herd of cattle just walking up the road.  Ah Sicily! 

Cattle headed towards Vizzini

Bulls and cows taking their time

There is always time for a little snack 

Once in Vizzini we found a place to park and then walked the main road towards the city center palazzo.  We were there between 12:30 and 4:00PM which meant that all the shops were now closed.  We walked up stairs and cobblestoned paths to a Norman fort.  As forts go this was not too exciting.  The fort was more a prison than a military outpost in the Norman times.  The fort is now some sort of an education center whose main source of income is keeping bees, which make the honey that Vizzini is known for.  But, the true joy of the fort was the interaction we had with the docent.  Google translate was the intermediary in our conversation and it worked perfectly.

What we see as we are entering Vizzini

Decorations on the walls

Stair steps go to and from different levels of the town

Note the grape vine covers much of the yellow building, then crosses the street

More stairs

Communicating via Google Translator

 

The bees of Vizzini