I read books. But not a lot. I like a break between each read. Give time to reflect. Mull over the story. Others, (like Mrs S) no sooner having finished a book, go straight on to the next. If I did that, I’d quickly forget what I’d just been reading.
Out on our travels, visiting so many places, one after the other, has the same effect. It becomes increasingly difficult to remember one town or city from another. Places and people become a blur as we focus on the next ‘go to’. Minds occupy a forty-eight hour impenetrable time zone.
Sicily hasn’t helped, with its high rise look-alike hilltop towns. Its mass of competing cathedrals and churches. When you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. Right?
From our beachside campsite at Baia dei Coralli, Ragusa, is today’s 32K Scoot. Like so many Italian & Sicilian towns there is something romantic about the view that draws you in. Captures your imagination. Conjures conjectures.
On exiting the Duomo, a young man holds the door for us. An English “Thanks” pricks his ears. He hasn’t had a proper conversation for weeks. Possibly months. Ian is touring Sicily and anywhere else that takes his fancy. By bike. Working and biking his way around. We agree to meet for lunch. Regretfully we didn’t agree a time. Just a place. Gardens Iblei. It’s a long and windy one in five trek. All downhill. He doesn’t show. Probably didn’t fancy the upward re-trek. Can’t say I blame him. He’s carrying 80Kilo of luggage.
Day 35 and yes, you’ve guessed it. Another pretty amazing looking town. Modica.
It has a Duomo to compare with the best. And one that gives you a work out to, one hundred and seventy-five steps to the door.
Modica is famous for its specially made chocolate. So we pop into their chocolate museum. A hand made, low temperature process that uses no added ingredients other than sugar. It’s a grainy/gritty chocolate. Different to any other. Interesting to note that the very first Aztec makers would often add chili into the make.
The Scoot back to camp takes us a different route. We pass under one of Sicily’s incredible sky-ways. Must be two hundred feet high. Let’s hope earthquakes in the area are not prevalent.