Did Bambi Call his father on Father’s Day
Noto Antica
There are days which will stand out in my life. This was one of them.
Sweet Ricotta Ravioli
Today we had a bit of a climb to get to Ragusa. If you look up Ragusa on good ol’ Wikipedia it says that the town is located on a high hill. I will tell you, from someone who got here on a bike, they weren’t kidding!
Chocolate, the Blessed, & the Mafia
Today was a simple loop ride to Modica from Scicli. Modica is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. I am thinking at this point that they should have just declared all of Sicily a World Heritage Site and be done with it. However, the architecture of Modica is not what I want to talk about today.
The Flotsam and Jetsam of Culture New & Old
Today, we left the lovely little town of Scicli moving on to Agrigento. As we pressed on to our new destination I noticed something that reminded me of the day before, trash. As we rode along to our destination I was overwhelmed by the garbage, not just litter, but garbage that was just about everywhere you looked.
Under a Sicilian Sunset
Another day cycling through Sicily. I have likened these trips to eating an excellent bag of potato chips when you are very hungry, not just hungry, but a maddening craving for something crisp and salty. You look at the bag only to realize that it isn’t that big, certainly not large enough to fill the need. With every savory bite, you realize that you are getting closer to the inevitable end. An unsatisfying completion that terminates long before your desire is sated.
“Il bar più a sud d’Europa isole escluse.”
We were barely on the road when we stopped at an abandoned farmhouse. The farm had been made into a museum. Apparently, someone who had found some Roman mosaics and were chipping away pieces destroying them and obscuring the story these treasures told. As I understand it, someone had started farming here when they discovered what was under the ground. It reminds me of something a friend once told me. According to him, there is so very much history in the ground that every construction project uncovers something from the past.
Italia, Ieri, Oggi, Domani.
Today we boarded our flight for our Italian adventure. We battled traffic on the LA freeways, passed through the gauntlet of security, and ourselves into seats that would be restrictive for hobbit. There is not much to tell about my odyssey at this point, so let’s talk about Italy.
Columbus On Trial
In my previous article, I discussed the man Christoph Columbus, details of who he was that are often overlooked by his detractors. In this article, I would like to review the chief accusation against him which was his involvement in the slave trade.
Arrival
Today, after a very long day of travel, we arrived in Syracuse, or more correctly Sircuasa. I am referring to the original in Sicily and not the one in central New York.
Siracusa
oday was our first full day in Syracuse Sicily. As I had noted yesterday, I am very excited to be here. This morning, much to the chagrin of my son, we got a bright an early start. There is just too much to see in this wonderful place in just one short day. So, after a quick Italian breakfast, we were on our way. I should note that the breakfasts here are quite different.
Columbus & The Historians
When I was a kid Columbus Day was a special holiday. OK, it wasn’t Christmas or Easter, but it was better than Arbor Day, with all due respect to that holiday. I didn’t think of it back then, but it was an acknowledgment of the contribution Italians made – and continue to make – to the United States.
Hooped Dresses & Watermills
I feel as if I am continually repeating myself when I say that we rode through some very beautiful countryside today. Such repetition not only lacks an imaginative start but calls my credibility into question.
Who is your Favorite Guitarist?
If I were to ask you to name a great guitarist, who would you name? If you are from my generation, you might say Clapton or Hendrix. If you are old school, you might go with B.B. King or Les Paul. If, however, you are really old school, and I am talking 18th century old school, you’re going with Mauro Giuliani – no known relation to that other Giuliani.
An Italian-American Christmas
Several years back, an evangelical Christian co-worker was complaining about the secularization of Christmas. “Jesus is the reason for the season,” he declared, literally raising his arm, pointing to the heavens above. “What does Christmas mean to you? Is it a holiday or an holyday?” he asked, almost daring me to answer incorrectly, or at least what he thought was incorrect.
The Feast of Seven Fishes, Why It is Important
For many Italian-Americans, the high point of Christmas is the Christmas Eve Feast of Seven Fishes. This custom, however, has a special added significance for me personally. It was my father’s last meal. On Christmas Eve 1977, after enjoying the traditional meal my mother had prepared, my father went to bed where he fell into a wakeless sleep. Since then, the Feast of the Seven Fishes was more than part of my Italian-American heritage, but a remembrance of my father.
Befana & the Epiphany
I love being Italian, well technically Italian-American. There are so many things about our cultural inheritance that enrich our lives. The food. The traditions. The music. From pasta fazool to Verdi’s La Traviata, I love it all. One of these traditions is the observance of the Epiphany and Befana. Growing up in the United States, the Epiphany passed without notice, with no mention of Befana.
Love Italian Style
It’s Valentine’s Day!! A day of chocolates, flowers, romantic dinners, and sexy lingerie. It is estimated that the average man will spend $300 to $400 on wooing his true love, or at least his current love. While I don’t want to appear as a Valentine’s Day cynic, I can’t help but feel that all this Valentine’s Day furor is more the result of effective marking than heartfelt expressions of devotion.
La Festa di San Giuseppe
Two days after Saint Patrick’s day, March 19th, after all my Amerighan friends have recovered from drinking green beer while eating corned beef and cabbage, is Saint Joseph’s day or more accurately La Festa di San Giuseppe. Throughout the world, you will find Italians celebrating La Festa di San Giuseppe to honor the patron saint of all father’s, Saint Joseph.
Italians, The First Latins!!
Several years back I was having dinner with a group of people. At one point during the meal, a woman at the table began to rant against Latins. The Latins this. The Latins that. All manner of shortcomings were ascribed to Latins. Clearing my throat, I noted that I was a Latin. “You’re not Latin! You’re Italian,” she snapped.