March 2025 – Page 2 – Sitting Sleeping Up

Traffic! Momma Mia!

13 March 2025 DanTravel

You couldn’t pay me enough to be a motor coach, or even car driver here. Traffic “flows” in a chaotic, reckless, game of “chicken.” Painted lines, when present, might as well be invisible. Every conceivable mode of transportation participating in a death defying ballet.

And parking, oi! Deep in the crowded cities, we’ve seen cars parked so close it looks like a crane had dropped them in the smallest niches. Our Tour Director, who lives in Rome, has had visiting friends say “you don’t park your cars here, you abandon them.”

Profumo di Fiori

13 March 202513 March 2025 DianeBlog

The smell of flora

With the sweet smells of magnolia and a host of other blooming flowers, I wanted to share some of the beautiful plant life we’ve seen.

**Unknown but looks like wheat prob not tho**

There’s so many types of plant life here and their origins come from all over the world. Recently, with global warming the introduction of tropical fruits like papaya, mango, and others are also growing here. It’s a beautiful place. One I’m so grateful to be visiting.

Siracusa (con’t)

13 March 2025 DianeBlog

**Sitting under and at the mouth of a cave**

Siracusa by the Sea

13 March 202513 March 2025 DianeBlog

Winston Churchill stayed at this hotel. It has that feel of elegance for the elite. It’s been a long day but we signed up for the walking tour of the area. More temple ruins and fascinating alleys that reveal restaurants and shops than all of a sudden you walk into an open piazza from the 18th century or earlier. It seems to be like this here. Italy is home to 55% of all the UNESCO sites in the world and of those 55%, Sicily has 65% of that.

This is quite a melting pot of temples, ruins, modern shops, restaurants and more. It’s an amazing place.

It’s obvious that Sicily loves their cannolis. Have one in every conceivable manner. And Gelato lots and lots of Gelato.

For the second time in Sicily we received our pizza uncut. Don’t know why but it didn’t stop us from eating this super thin and soooo delicious pizza. It as much about the crust as it is about quality ingredients.

It’s equally beautiful at night and gives a more romantic look and feel.

Lunch in the Country

12 March 202512 March 2025 DianeTravel

The Farmhouse Table

I feel like loyalty and, I feel like crying. Humbled and special. It’s beautiful here.

Use your sense of smell, imagine a fireplace, cool temperatures, and a welcoming feeling inviting you to sit and eat. You’re treated like loyalty, welcomed with such high esteem and it’s humbling.

**Cannoli, Cream Puff, Beautiful Oranges**

What a day. Back on the bus heading to Siracusa to the coast on the other side. Time to rest. We have a 2 hour and 40 mins drive out of the country mountain roads.