Sicily's Ancient Landscapes & Timeless Traditions Day 12

Day 12 - October 1, 2015 - Thursday - Syracuse & Archimedes; Explore Ortigia and History; Boat Ortigia Bay; Drive to Catania

Our bags were packed and outside the door by 7:30. The bus was parked on the bridge so we walked the few short blocks to meet Pepé for our drive to Syracuse and then on to Catania.

Maurizio told us that some of the other OAT trips were having problems with their itineraries because of the rain and the flooding yesterday. Because Maurizio has a special connection with the god, Apollo, we had blue skies this morning. We hope the weather holds for our boat ride later today.

During our drive, Maurizio gave us the daily briefing and then told us the highlights of the next three days. In addition, he gave us a review of the health care system.

Just after 10:00 we reached Syracuse for our tour of Archimedes’ birthplace. Our day guide, Serena met us at the entrance and we walked to the Parco Archeologico Della Neapolis, the Greek city dating back 2,700 years.

During the ancient times this was a strategic trading port of the Mediterranean Sea. We hiked to the 5th Century BCE Greek theater that held at least 10,000 people during its pinnacle.

Our next discovery was the cave and limestone quarry known as "The Ear of Dionisio". The entrance to the cave was shaped like an ear and the acoustics inside the cave were reverberating. The earthquake of 1693 destroyed much of the quarry and at one time it was used as a prison.

The last stop in the park was at the Altar of Hiero II, the largest of all Greek altars. Once used as a sacrificial platform, it boasted a two-story structure with reflecting pools, gardens, and imposing columns.

The Romans, the Moors, the Spanish, and numerous earthquakes destroyed the site so the only remnants are the lower steps and the outlines of the gardens. We left the park at 11:45 for more exploration of this UNESCO city.

Pepé picked us up for a short drive to the port and after getting off of the bus we walked across the bridge to the Island of Ortigia. Serena met us again to explain the Temple of Apollo and walked with us to the Piazza del Duomo.

We visited the famous Cathedral of Syracuse. Once the Greek Temple of Athena, then a Byzantine Church, converted to a mosque, and now a Cathedral, the interior architecture reflects all of those periods of evolution.

Our last stop before lunch was to visit the Basilica of Santa Lucia and the Caravaggio painting of the "Burying of St. Lucia", the patron saint of Syracuse. We walked to the waterfront past the Fountain of Arethusa, a fresh water spring.

Maurizio pointed out several places to eat lunch on our own. We shared a table with Mike and Nancy from California at the sidewalk Mokrito Café and enjoyed a Sicilian pizza. We met our group by the Fountain at 2:30 and Maurizio bought us our daily gelato - this is becoming an addictive habit!

At 2:30 we walked to the dock and boarded our small boat for a marine tour around the Island of Ortiga. We went out into the bay where Archimedes was said to have trapped the Athenians and then through the magic of science, focused huge magnifying lens on the ships and burned them in the harbor.

The weather held for us and the god Apollo heard Maurizio’s prayers. We had a delightful boat ride for about an hour in the bay and the Ionian Sea and learned even more about the Island of Ortigia. At 3:45 we thanked our boat captain, Giuseppe and found our way back to the bus.

On to Catania, we arrived about 4:45 and organized our room for the next three nights. We met the group at 6:30 for an orientation walk around the city. Some of the group went to eat but we decided to find a grocery store and get a few slices of meat and cheese, bread, and a soda for our evening meal.

The journal was finished and the photos were chosen. It rained hard on our way back to the hotel and we heard loud thunder as we were getting ready for a good night’s sleep.

Accommodations: Katane Palace Hotel - - - Meal: B