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Christmas, Italian style

January 7, 2025January 10, 2025ssolsen12Leave a comment

In every life, there are years that mark significant change. 2024 was such a year for us. We came to terms with the unexpected, abrupt end of liveaboard cruising and sold the boat, and most importantly, we celebrated the one-year mark beyond Todd’s stroke and having been given a second chance at life together. Why Italy? We sought somewhere where we could recognize Christmas and thank God for His gifts. Somewhat selfishly, we needed “our time.”

Now, since we speak very little (make that practically no) Italiano (or Latin 🤷 ), our options were to select a nearby Catholic church and feel but not understand the words or-r-r… find a church offering English-speaking services. Thanks to Gonzo and Yvonne back in Rome, we learned there are a few. Todd did a little research that led us to the Holy Cross Anglican Church, associated with The Church of England! On December 23, under cloudy skies, we drove a couple of hours northeast to Palermo to check into a hotel near the church.

Palermo was ready for Christmas, and the pretty hotel located among the cafes, restaurants, and shops was quite grand – the Grand Hotel Wagner, in fact. Not even the dreary weather could dampen our spirits once Todd haggled with a street vendor for a couple of umbrellas, making us all set to get about on foot.

Yes, shopping for gifts. Now what about that church??

In the early 1800’s, while Sicily was a British Protectorate, the colony of British merchants attended church services at the British Embassy or by relying on chaplains from visiting warships. By 1840, however, regular services of the Church of England were celebrated in Palermo in the home of the Consul for Sicily.

In 1871 two cousins announced their intention to build at their own expense a church in which Christians, whether residents or visitors to Palermo, could attend services of The Church of England. Many years later, those services included Todd and Susie Olsen and approximately 40 others on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in 2024!

In 1872 the Whitaker & Ingham families began building the ornate chapel

After church we again popped open the umbrellas in a light rain and headed out to find the restaurant the hotel had reserved for us for Christmas dinner. We dried out while enjoying a tasty meal of typical Sicilian seafood dishes, topped off by a Palermo delight originally reserved for Easter, Cassata Siciliana. There are several different versions of the sponge cake dessert in the various areas of Sicily. Ours in Palermo was made with sweetened ricotta, chocolate chips, marzipan, and a sprinkling of candied fruit… along with a whole lot of YUM!

After three grey, drizzly days in Palermo, the skies finally began to clear as we made the return drive to our rental back on the beach in Menfi.

You know what’s fun about celebrating Christmas in a country that’s predominantly Catholic? It doesn’t end on December 25! Festivities continue for the 12 days of Christmas, signifying the time between the birth of Christ and the arrival of the Magi revealing Him as the Son of God sent to earth. As such, the crowds lessen but the celebration doesn’t conclude until the Epiphany on January 6.

Susie and Santa (discussing the gifts in those bags, perhaps?)

Beyond Christmas services and shopping, Susie had her eye on getting to one of the so-called “Living Nativity Scenes” she’d read about while researching Christmas in Sicily. One nearest to us was in the mountains east of Menfi in Cammarata. Short road trip time again!

On January 5, we met our host, Salvatore, who guided us through town to find a place to park the rental car so we could join him for a ride to the apartment in the blocked off historic area.

Not only was the apartment located just a few steps from the entrance to the Living Nativity Scene, but it had a fantastic view of Mount Etna off the back balcony.

The other side of Mt. Etna (from what we’d seen while in Reggio Calabria) – wait, you don’t see it?

We joined a crowd of more than three hundred or so folks at the top of the first hill, babbled our way through questions in broken Italian and answers in broken English to locate the ticket window and then joined the seemingly disorganized line awaiting entry. Turns out it wasn’t so disorganized after all. In an attempt at crowd control, the folks running the event simply limited how many people could enter at the same time.

Young, white-robed musicians (visible going up the hill) led the magi to the manger

There was the manger scene, of course, complete with live animals. And there were many reenactments of life as it had once been lived, along with samples of freshly made treats. Our favorite part, aside from the man loudly singing while stirring the large pot of Pasta Fagioli, was seeing the local young people getting involved in the demonstrations. Several young boys happily tried to teach Todd how to roll pasta!

After the Living Nativity Scene, we returned to the apartment to don warmer clothes before heading to a late dinner. Well, 8pm is late for us, not so for the Italians. When Susie originally requested 7pm, our host who’d booked the table for us laughed and said they’d just be getting started at 10pm, to which Susie said we’d be at home asleep with full bellies by then. Ha!

At the apartment before dinner – Buon Natale!

The walk was way downhill… think a short mile down a couple hundred feet! The meal was wonderful. After meeting a family from California who recently bought a house here, Todd had a delicious burger and Susie mowed through pasta with sausage! Then, the hike back up! Burn, baby burn! 🏃‍♀️

We carried our overnight bags out of town to the rental car parked on a nearby bridge

So, on January 6, the Epiphany, a day of traditional feasting, Todd looked for and found a restaurant in the middle of…? Not sure but somewhere near Agrigento!

Todd chuckled, sweet-talked us into the not-yet-open restaurant, and selected a steak.

Good call, Olsen! Because by the time we left, the restaurant was packed, and the parking lot was full.

Now that the 12 days of Christmas are over, to our loved ones we missed, we wish you:

Welcome to Sicily!

December 22, 2024January 4, 2025ssolsen12Leave a comment

We’d intended all along to spend the final month of our Italian adventure in Sicily, and the day before our arrival we finally booked a rental in which to do so. Ha! Some people think it’s easy to plan this stuff! 😀

The morning of December 13 we packed up the car to head for the port and catch the ferry to go just “right over there!” Sicily sits a whole two miles away!

On the way we made what we thought would be a quick stop at the Archaeological National Museum of Reggio Calabria to see the Riace Bronzes.

This archaeological museum is a perfect example of “what we don’t know” or if we were taught, “what we forgot.” Walking into the first room, you see incredible things from thousands of years ago. Like a bone or something, right? Sure, they have the tools that very, very early man used. But, for example, how about a ceramic container more beautiful than one can buy today? But wait, it’s from when? 2800 years ago! And they found a factory full of stuff? Yup, a factory from 800 BC! Who’d have thought? Needless to say, it didn’t take long before we were overwhelmed and stunned by the beauty of so many things made so, so long ago.

Todd finally declared it all to be “just too much,” Susie locked up her purse in a special locker room, and we made our way past the guards and through the “man-trap” security doors to the pièce de résistance, the Riace Bronzes.

The two statues were discovered in the Ionian Sea just 656 ft from shore near Riace Marina in southern Italy in August 1972. While diving at a depth of only 26 ft, Stefano Mariottini spotted an arm sticking up from the sandy seabed. (Yikes! What a dive!) Digging down to investigate, he found the large statue and a second figure buried close by. Their loss at sea is thought to be in the 1st to 2nd century BC when the Romans looted large quantities of Greek artworks and transported them to Italy.

The fantastic Archaeological National Museum of Reggio Calabria

The incredibly detailed figures – dated to between 460 and 450 BC – are made of cast bronze, a favorite of Greek artists. Because bronze was in such demand for reuse in later periods, few complete sculptures have survived (no more than 12 per some sources). In this case, calcite was used for the eyes – three of which amazingly survived the centuries in the sea. The pupils were made from a glass paste with tear ducts of rose-colored stone. The nipples, eyelashes and lips are copper. Warrior A even has teeth made from a single strip of silver.

Show us a craftsman that can build one today!

Walking out a bit flummoxed, we purchased a gelato, returned to the car, sat there a moment, then laughed! What a world! And so much we have to learn! For now, let’s drive on up to the little town of Villa San Giovanni to catch one of the ferries over to Sicily.

Image of a ship w/vehicles inside – we’re on the right track!

After disembarking in Sicily, we made it a whole 45 minutes up the road before pulling over in Falcone to eat at Ristorante da Vincenzo’s! Cheers! We are in Sicily! We enjoyed a wonderful lunch of fresh seafood. (Sorry no pictures – photographing the presented plates in a white-tablecloth joint feels a little too Facebook or TikTok. Geez, we’re old!) Walking back to the car we passed a truck selling veggies, from which we learned about and bought… fava beans!

Oooh, fresh veggies! Yes, we’ll take some favas, please!

For our stay in Sicily, we chose a seaside village way over on the other side, in the municipality of Menfi.

“Renowned for its dunes, golden sandy beaches and crystal-clear sea, Contrada Fiori South has received the ‘Blue Flag’ award for years, making it among the most renowned seaside resorts in Sicily,” per the owner of the rental. 🙂 She continued, “Here you can breathe a relaxed and carefree atmosphere immersed in the unspoiled nature of the Sicilian coast.”

And for us, the perfect off-season timing because, save for a few locals, we have the beach to ourselves!

The entrance of Villa Bougainville faces the sea

Excited about watching the first sunset in our temporary home away from home, we grabbed drinks and chairs and headed for the beach.

When Todd unlocked the two gates to reach the beach, we made an interesting discovery.

A WWII pillbox! 😲

It is, however, a fantastic place from which to watch the sun go down over the Mediterranean!

As travelers, what do we do to make ourselves feel at home? We cook! Here we had the perfect place to start, with the popular-in-Sicily but unfamiliar-to-us fava beans. Research time.

Domestic chores also help us settle into an area. Like elsewhere in Italy, the laundry is interesting, with very small washing machines and typically no dryer. And then there’s the not-so-simple process of taking out the trash, which carries very specific regulations.

There’s a very small washing machine in the outdoor kitchen

A few days later…,

Thanks for the greeting, Sam.

You’re welcome! That’s steak, right? 🐈‍⬛

Heel, Toe

December 12, 2024January 1, 2025ssolsen12Leave a comment

No, not a line dance. It’s the bottom of Italy!

Making our way toward Sicily, the next travel step took us southwest back across Italy from Puglia in the “heel” of the boot to Reggio Calabria in the “toe” that seems perpetually poised to kick Sicily like a soccer ball. 🙂

We began the rainy day driving along the Ionian Sea on the east coast

We knew what the villa looked like from the pictures but still drove up and down the street several times with Google confidently announcing we’d “arrived” every time we passed the place we couldn’t see. Aargh. Susie maintained contact with the owner all day regarding timing, and he said he would wait for us on the street, but we’d passed only fishermen. Hmmm…? Another text, and finally, a man stepped onto the sidewalk from a small gate between two garage doors. Roberto? Yes!

That’s our little white Fiat, but you cannot see the house from the street

Sitting atop a small hill, we had a fantastic view of Sicily and the largest and most active volcano in Europe! Mt. Etna. We in the US don’t really hear about it, but heck, they had a big spew 4 months ago! … Didn’t know it, but we do now. The African tectonic plate is bashing into and sliding under Sicily, which is mostly on the Eurasian plate. We say “mostly” because that is where and why Mt. Etna is there and has been erupting for 3500 years. Well, the first eruption jotted down was in 1500 BC. It leaks something every day and is tall enough to have a snowy top from October-ish all the way to May-ish. And what a beauty!

View of the street and sea from the upstairs terrace

Having spent our recent time in Puglia sightseeing, we spent most of the few days in Calabria enjoying the view, catching up on laundry, preparing for our upcoming time in Sicily, etc.

While our host Roberto was pleased that we felt at home in the family villa, he highly recommended we at least venture out to catch a sunset from the nearby seventh century BC ghost town of Pentidattilo (a tongue twister from the Greek words penta and daktylos, or “five fingers” because it was built underneath a big hand-shaped rock).

For reasons unbeknownst to us, Google led us off the main road

Nearing the top, we again had to venture off the paved road and were hoping for a large enough area on the cobblestones to turn around and park the now seemingly massive Fiat (eight-point turn, anyone?).

Unexpectedly, a smiling man stepped from, of all things, a gift shop to point us to a tiny indent in the bushes where we could leave the car. He was engaging, friendly, knowledgeable of the ghost town up the hill, and somewhat fluent in broken English. He also had items to sell and very few visitors this time of year. Entrance is free – you to pay to get out! Ha! (Someone we know just might be receiving an item from this little shop…) 🙂

The town is undergoing a restoration of sorts, with a few people living there and selling their artistic handiwork in small shops.

There was only one other couple visiting while we were there, and only one shop was open at the top of the hill. (Because of which, one of us had to dash back down the hill to retrieve a bit of cash from the car. More Christmas gifts, perhaps…)

Todd, who is typically ahead of the team photographer (Susie) waited near the top of the hill

We returned to the car with packages in hand and plans to ignore Google on the way back down.

The promised stunning sunset over Sicily

Which is the perfect ending for a post backdated to December 12 but distributed on New Years Eve! 😉

Trullo in Puglia

December 8, 2024January 22, 2025ssolsen12Leave a comment

From that wonderful stop on the Amalfi Coast, we decided to head east across Italy, to the other side, for a short stay in the heel of the boot, Puglia (“poo lee uh”). The route took these former cruisers teasingly close to the shore, so we made a detour to see the Adriatic Sea. And just happened to step out of the car in time to catch a sailboat entering a marina, fenders at the ready! Look at the sea, how calm! Nice!

Cala Ponte Marina in Polignano a Mare, Puglia

After taking a “shortcut” or two and reroutes for lunch, a road closure, a traffic jam, getting over a mountain, etc., we turned what was supposed to be a four-hour drive into more than seven. Another Olsen M.O. We ended up so far behind that we found ourselves searching for the destination in the dark. Again.

The GPS is typically close but not always accurate, and the directions provided by the owner took us to the wrong place. As we pulled up to the festively lit (incorrect) house, a smiling woman who spoke absolutely no English stepped out to assist. Recognizing the hosts’ names in our gibberish, she held up a hand for us to stay put, went back inside and returned with two teenage boys, telling us through gestures that we’d come too far and should turn around to follow the boys – now doubled up on a motorbike – to the proper house. We got a kind-hearted Italian escort to the correct gate, where we finally found the rental owner waiting, thanks to a phone call from her friendly neighbor!

In the morning light, we saw our spot.

Trullo Sweet Trullo
A set of trullo (trulli) & the family olive tree that has been there for hundreds of years!

We went back another day to photograph some of the things we’d seen whilst zipping along in our little car in the dark. Most of all, the amazing olive trees we’d marveled at but could barely see at dusk. Bigger than any we’ve seen in this land that’s covered in them!

Imagine driving miles of this with little headlights and the hope of no oncomers!

During the tree-hugging “backtrack,” we sidetracked again. Ha! This time to check out Ostuni in the Province of Brindisi. The “White City” of Ostuni and its nearby towns, known for producing high-quality olive oil (go figure!), strangely, is the fifth in Italy by percentage of British residents and the first for sale of houses and villas.

Located on a hillside overlooking the coast, the “White City” of Ostuni can be seen from far away

Being among the main towns attracting tourists in Puglia, Ostuni has a population of about 32,000 during the winter, that swells to 200,000 in the summer. In December, we had the maze of hilly white streets in the Old Town area pretty much to ourselves. (Yeah planning… 🙂 )

After stopping by the historic cathedral in the center of town, we took a moment to clown around with the architecture and take in the view, where we met a nice young man from the United States.

Lone street musician outside the Cathedral of Ostuni

On the way back to the rental, at the suggestion of our host, we explored another charming, white-washed hilltop town to sip hot chocolate and enjoy the Christmas lights. Locorotondo, a town within the Metropolitan City of Bari, is a winner of the coveted “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy” award, and on this night, the town was wearing lots of sparkles!

Streets in the old village twinkled like a Hallmark Movie

With all that walking, we’d worked up a fair appetite, so we stopped at a Conad market for dinner supplies. By the time we’d made our purchases, however, our appetites far exceeded “fair,” so taking the recommendation of a store employee, we stowed the purchases, left the car parked and headed “just across the street” to find the Fidelio Restaurant, which was, 1) a bit further than expected, and 2) … CLOSED.

Todd thinks, hmm what’s that lit up a little farther down the street? With some help from Google, he made a call. (Reservation? Yes, please, can you take us in ten minutes? We’ll walk slowly. 🙂 )

We arrived to find the lively Restaurant Gli Ulivi (“Olive Trees”) packed with locals. The prices were more than fair, and the food was great! We met and enjoyed chatting with one of the well-spoken principals, Vito.

With full bellies and restored spirits, we cheerfully headed back to the parking lot to retrieve the car but arrived to find the grocery store closed and gates blocking both entrances to the street. Our car sat all alone, locked in!

Thank goodness the gates were manual. The Fiat Panda is too small to sleep in!

We chose the area near Alberobello for our stay in the boot specifically for the opportunity to sleep in a trullo. But just what is a trullo?

Using Google Translate, our host, Angelo, proudly provided the history of his trullo, which has been in the family for three generations.

Specific to the Itria Valley in Puglia, trulli (plural of trullo) are dry-stacked stone huts with walls exceeding three-feet thick and double layer conical stone roofs. Originally built as temporary field shelters or, as in Angelo’s case, storehouses for grain, they became simple, efficient homes that could be enlarged as the family grew or “easily” torn down when the tax inspector was in the area. The rooftop pinnacle stone represented the signature of the stonemason and that the trullo was finished and now occupied.

After we’d been introduced to the history of Angelo’s family trullo, we headed to the enchanting town of Alberobello, Puglia’s small town full of unique, stone-roofed trulli homes. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Alberobello has also been awarded as one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy.”

We made our way through the dual villages to the large church at the far end of the historic area to find it closed due to an exterior construction project. As we turned to retrace our way through Alberobello, we practically bumped into… Vito, from the restaurant the night before!

We’re going to miss all of the olive trees!

Amalfi… warm hearts

December 4, 2024December 26, 2024ssolsen12Leave a comment

Now that we had our taste of Rome, it was time to move on. We reversed the process we’d used to get into the city by hiring a car service to take us to the airport to pick up another rental car for the rest of our adventure in Italy. (And we’d thought the first driver was a bit aggressive. This one? Mamma Mia, what a gutsy guy!)

Mobile again, our next stop was Massa Lubrense, 16 miles southeast of Naples out on the Amalfi. The drive was spectacular, along the side of the mountains looking out at the sea as we skirted the city of Naples.

Ah, Naples! World famous pizza, here we come! A-n-d… oops. Our timing was such that the restaurants were between lunch and dinner service, i.e. closed. Seems like our MO.

Forget the pizza, Todd had another surprise for Susie at our next rental.

The terrace off the bedroom had a view into…
(Look closely. There, between the palms. See it?

Federo had a little competition from another of the owners’ pets, a very clever gatto (cat).

The trick to getting inside is up there. I just know it.

Our host, Donato, had warmly greeted us and showed us around the apartment upon our arrival. During the first few days of our stay, we were able to meet Donato’s wife, Alessandra, and son Vincenzo, as well as their friend Rosa.

Next thing we knew, it was Thanksgiving. Time for a special meal! At least for the two of us from the United States. 🙂

On Donato’s recommendation, we walked to Lo Stuzzichino Restaurant in the nearby village of Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi to enjoy a non-traditional feast. The owner, Mimmo, showed us to a table, then returned bearing a tray on which was laid a raw, whole fish, “fresh from the sea!” which he enthusiastically suggested for our dinner. Okay. Who are we to argue?

The cooked fish was again presented (tada!) & then expertly deboned & replated – Dinner AND a show!

A few days later, one of the shopkeepers invited us to return for a Christmas Street Festival that evening. Lights. Food. Fun.

Back to the village we went (when cars come, pedestrians tuck into available doorways)

Donato stopped by frequently during our stay to ensure all was well and surprise us with small tastes of Italy such as fruit, sparkling wine, beer, pastries, bread, a fresh ball of Mozzarella, and milk straight from the dairy. One day he suggested we fire up the barbecue for some pork, Italian style. Heck yeah! We’re in!

Donato first got things going on the small grill
(The right piece of wood has to be under here somewhere…)

One of the things we were interested in seeing while we were this close to Naples was Pompeii.

Now, Todd, we know you love your history, but you agreed to keep the intro brief this time, remember?

Okay. Here goes. When we purchased our tickets, they asked if we’d like the 3-Day Pass. What?? Three DAYS? Umm. We were thinking more like three hours. Maybe four. With single-day tickets in hand, off we went… into a really LARGE ruin of a once-thriving civilization.

Pompeii? Now we are talking OLD. Think 800 BC. Really took off in 540 BC with the Greeks! But what’s amazing is the eruption we’re familiar with was in 79 AD. There was a dude who witnessed it and wrote about it! Most of the 15,000 people left in time. Only the unlucky got buried by the 20 feet of ash. The city was untouched through a couple more eruptions and 1500 years! Since 1592, it’s slowly been rediscovered and looted, all 160 acres. But even the art that was left on the walls is stunning. (And accurate. There’s a bordello that Nana just couldn’t bring herself to photograph, this being a G-rated website and all…)

The sun was setting along the Amalfi Coast as we made our way back to the rental, talking about ancient civilizations and volcanoes. And thinking about the world-famous pizza we’d once again missed due to improper timing. Sigh.

A couple of days before our time in Massa Lubrense came to a close, we and our gracious hosts made a plan to get together for another barbecue on the last night of our stay. This time, however, we would treat them to a traditional American-style dinner from the grill. Steak! While Donato and Alessandra were busy with work and appointments, we strolled back into town for supplies.

Hard to say no to the fish monger’s smile, but…

As luck would have it, it rained that evening. And rained. And rained. But what could be done? It was our last night, and we had large steaks ready for grilling.

Men with fire, Take II
(Spoiler alert: that old chair does not survive this round)

In the past, we’ve alluded to the fact that we fudge the dates a bit when we publish the posts to try to keep our own historical record accurate. As we wrap up and publish this post dated December 4, it is actually Christmas Eve. We will soon be heading to dinner followed by a late church service, and we are thinking of family and friends with love in our hearts. We wish you all Buon Natale! (Merry Christmas!)

Wait. Does this mean no more apples?

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Author: ssolsen12