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Exploring Our Connection to People and Place
Category: Italy
Palermo, Capital of Sicily
I only spent one evening in Palermo, the capital of Sicily, despite spending eleven weeks in Covid19 isolation, only thirty minutes away. Palermo has a population of 673,000 – which to some folks may feel small. Certainly small compared to Rome or Florence or… Continue Reading “Palermo, Capital of Sicily”
Finding Home: Imprints and Italy
Why does one place feel like home and another place, while beautiful or lovely in many ways, does not? To put it simply (very simply), places become imprinted on us when our experiences there are significant and good. Typically, these imprints happen when we… Continue Reading “Finding Home: Imprints and Italy”
Sicilian Roads
Sicilian roads are harrowing yet offer the most incredibly views. Ultimately, they have a lot to say about my own life and journey.
A Home-cooked Meal
So much of who I am and what I love was shaped by my time on Grama Baird’s farm. Technically no longer hers, by then it was owned and operated by her grandson, Mick, who lived with his family across the field. And technically… Continue Reading “A Home-cooked Meal”
Valley of the Temples, Agrigento, Sicily
Valley of the Temples is a must-visit UNESCO site in southern Sicily. And walking it during Covid19, when few people were around, was truly incredible.
Scala dei Turchi
The Turkish Steps are white rocky cliffs on the coast of Realmonte, Sicily. This gorgeous natural site, blindingly white when the sun is shining, accentuates the colors of the sea. My photos do not do it justice. Normally a favorite tourist spot, and a… Continue Reading “Scala dei Turchi”
Cefalù and Castelbuono
Cefalù is considered one of the most beautiful towns in all of Italy and is certainly the most visited city in Sicily. And for those reasons alone, and since I was told the city literally overflows with tourists in the summer (and I better… Continue Reading “Cefalù and Castelbuono”
Monreale Cathedral
The town of Monreale (meaning “royal mountain”) sits 300 meters above sea level, overlooking Palermo. The Monreale Cathedral, built between 1170 and 1189 AD, is considered the most beautiful church in all of Sicily. A unique blend of Norman-Romanesque architecture and Byzantine craftsmanship, with… Continue Reading “Monreale Cathedral”
Le Luminarie, My Quarantine Home
Le Luminarie Residenza Creativa in Balestrate, Sicilia, has been my home for the last 11 weeks, through the most significant time in modern history. A refuge and a sanctuary. A respite and inspiration. My time here will forever be seared in my memory and… Continue Reading “Le Luminarie, My Quarantine Home”
A Daring Adventure
I am not a fan of driving in Italy. That could change. Or not. Most of my life is magical thinking so, sure, it could happen. I might end up loving the way Italians drive. (But probably not.) “Live is either a daring adventure… Continue Reading “A Daring Adventure”
Flowers
The flowers of Balestrate, in doorways and windows and front porches, lifted my spirits during Covid19 quarantine.
The Tyrrhenian Sea, Sicily
Enjoying the beach in Balestrate, Sicily, while quarantined for 8 weeks due to the Covid19 pandemic.
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