| my week on the Solitaire II, studying Italian and | | | | damage and later became a prison, which it |
| sailing through the Eolian Islands, had come to an | | | | remained until 1960. |
| end. Last night our sailing group officially said | | | | The structure was extensively renovated in the |
| goodbye, and my departure date from Sicily was | | | | 1980s and 1990s. The castle sits on a rocky |
| fast approaching. Only four more days of | | | | promontory with a view towards all directions and |
| discovery were remaining. | | | | features imposing stone walls aimed at deterring |
| A week on a sailboat does many things, but one | | | | any possible invaders. The main area of the castle |
| thing is for sure – it creates a huge | | | | was closed to the public at this time of day |
| amount of laundry. The entire suitcase that I had | | | | (siesta time) and would not reopen until 3 pm, but |
| taken onto the boat was in desperate need of a | | | | we walked through some of the impressive stone |
| good cleansing, so it was time to use the washing | | | | gates and covered walkways that take you to |
| machine in the spacious five-bedroom apartment | | | | the inner courtyards of the castle. The view from |
| above the Laboratorio Linguistico language school. | | | | the castle’s south side towards the |
| Claudia, being from Germany, was in charge of | | | | Nebrodi Mountains and Mount Etna was stunning. |
| selecting the laundry settings on this European | | | | The snowy fields at the top of Mount Etna were |
| machine, and shortly after my dirty clothes and | | | | clearly visible and not a single cloud was concealing |
| those of two of my shipmates were turning | | | | Europe’s largest volcano. |
| happily in the frontloaded washer. Then we hung | | | | Close to the castle is an entertainment area that |
| up the clothes on the balcony of our bedroom | | | | features many different bars and restaurants. |
| and Lorenzo, our favourite Catholic priest, joined | | | | Although quiet now, this area becomes vibrant |
| us to sit for a bit outside. After a while he headed | | | | and alive at night time. We continued our walk |
| off to get his hair cut while Claudia and I met our | | | | further north along the peninsula and Franco took |
| other shipmates, Franco and Agnieszka, who | | | | us to a private residential complex where |
| were going to take us on a tour of Milazzo. | | | | Laboratorio Linguistico rents some villas for some |
| Milazzo is a town with a population of about | | | | of its language students. Hidden behind a big steal |
| 30,000 people on the northeastern coast of Sicily, | | | | gate is a beautiful estate with gorgeous gardens |
| located about 50 km from Messina. It has a long | | | | and subtropical flowers that features several |
| history, dating back to Greek colonization as the | | | | houses that can be rented by foreign travelers. |
| city of Mylai in 716 BC. Milazzo is located on a | | | | Franco introduced us to an older couple who was |
| narrow peninsula on the Tyrrhenian coastline that | | | | also here to study Italian, and their abode on the |
| protrudes about six or seven kilometers into the | | | | edge of the cliff with a perfect westward view |
| sea. The tip of the peninsula is called Capo Milazzo | | | | of the Sicilian coastline, featuring Milazzo Castle |
| which features a variety of restaurants perched | | | | towards the south, was breathtaking. |
| on a cliff above the sea as well as nature areas | | | | We decided to explore the western side of the |
| and an 18th century lighthouse. | | | | Milazzo peninsula and took a steep path down |
| The downtown of Milazzo is located on the | | | | towards the beach, with Milazzo Castle looming |
| eastern side of the peninsula around a bay and | | | | overhead on our left hand side. The flat pebbly |
| the south side of the bay is characterized by a | | | | beach is several kilometers long and on this |
| variety of industrial and refinery buildings. Our local | | | | Saturday afternoon was quite deserted. Only a |
| expert Franco explained that Milazzo is quite a | | | | few sun worshipers were out and enjoying their |
| popular tourist destination for Italian travelers in | | | | time on the waterfront. The water had a light |
| the summer, but is not particularly well known | | | | blue turquoise colour to it, but when we looked |
| internationally. It is a reasonably priced destination, | | | | closer we saw huge swarms of jellyfish washing |
| much more affordable than some other | | | | ashore all along the coastline. That may have |
| extremely popular destinations in Italy. | | | | explained the reason for the absence of bathers. |
| Our apartment at Laboratorio Linguistico is very | | | | After this extensive walk in the warm sun it was |
| centrally located at Via Nino Riolo, just steps | | | | time for another granita, a typical Sicilian treat |
| away from the Chiesa di San Giacomo, dating | | | | featuring crushed ice in a variety of flavours. So |
| back to the 15h century, and the Lungomare | | | | Claudia and I walked towards downtown again and |
| Garibaldi, the beautiful palm-lined waterfront | | | | found a little local bar where we sat down for a |
| promenade of Milazzo. Franco took us along the | | | | solid hour or so to relax and enjoy a cool drink |
| Via Medici towards the fish market which features | | | | Franco and Agnieszka had already proceeded |
| two rows of fish and seafood vendors, selling a | | | | back towards the apartment, while the two of us, |
| large variety of marine delicacies caught locally. | | | | real sailing buddies, were enjoying our last |
| One local fisherman in particular seemed to enjoy | | | | afternoon together since Claudia was going to fly |
| the camera and held up several different fish with | | | | back to Germany early tomorrow morning. We |
| a big smile while his coworker was watching him | | | | both realized how much we had enjoyed this |
| with an expression of suspicion. We also saw a | | | | sailing trip and what an intense experience this |
| huge swordfish, it must have been about two | | | | kind of trip can be. |
| meters long and was staring at us with its | | | | On our way back we passed by the Piazza Roma |
| silver-coloured empty eyes. Another fishmonger | | | | and the Monumento ai caduti (Monument to the |
| had just a head of a swordfish on display, the | | | | Fallen Soldiers), constructed in 1924 during |
| body had already been cut up and filleted. Fish | | | | Italy’s fascist era. Back at the apartment |
| markets are always an assault to the senses, | | | | we cooked up some pasta with fresh tomatoes |
| fascinating visually, but the smell is a different | | | | and enjoyed our home-cooked meal. |
| story. | | | | Our late afternoon lunch eliminated the need for a |
| We briefly stopped at the municipal tourist office | | | | dinner, but we still planned to take one final walk |
| in the Municipio building to get some information on | | | | through Milazzo before Claudia’s departure. |
| the bus schedules that would take us from | | | | Around 8 pm we admired the daily ritual of the |
| Milazzo to Catania for our return flights and were | | | | “passegiata”, the daily stroll where |
| rather impressed by the friendly service that the | | | | men, women, children, families and seniors come |
| gentleman behind the counter was providing to us. | | | | out, many of them dressed to the nines, to stroll |
| Now equipped with the knowledge of how we | | | | along the Lungomare. This time-honoured ritual |
| would get to the Catania airport we continued our | | | | exists in most Italian communities and is a perfect |
| walk along the Lungomare. | | | | opportunity to see and be seen. Many older men |
| The Lungomare is a waterfront promenade, | | | | sit together on benches, discussing the latest in |
| fronted on the eastern side by a long row of | | | | news and sports, while women walk together, |
| attached houses that are several hundred years | | | | probably debating issues of church and family. |
| old, with a paved walkway that is separated from | | | | A large crowd was gathered at the Chiesa di |
| a busy street by a narrow lawn and a fringe of | | | | Santa Maria Maggiore since the Madonna of |
| palm trees. On the eastern side is a sandy beach | | | | Fatima was on display in the church. The church |
| that serves as the starting point for the dozens | | | | was lit up beautifully and many pious locals were |
| of fishermen that have their boats permanently | | | | streaming into the church to pay their respect. |
| parked along the waterfront. The Chiesa di Santa | | | | We strolled around in the area close to Milazzo |
| Maria Maggiore forms the northern end of the of | | | | Castle, and many of the restaurant’s |
| the main section of the waterfront promenade, | | | | patios and terraces were full of people socializing, |
| from where things get a little quieter. | | | | talking, and having fun. |
| Franco pointed out a fascinating classical building | | | | The pleasant evening turned into a beautiful starry |
| that used to be an orphanage, but today lies in | | | | night and we stood on top of the castle hill and |
| ruins. We turned left on Erta San Domenico, a | | | | looked out over the surrounding panorama, |
| stone-paved road with an interesting pattern that | | | | captivated by the twinkling lights of the city and |
| would take us up past a series of steps towards | | | | the lights farther way in the surrounding |
| the castle, the “Castello di Milazzo”. | | | | mountains. Our bonding session, which had begun |
| Like all of Sicily, Milazzo has thousands of years of | | | | on the sailing trip, continued, and we decided that |
| history. Settled since the Neolithic Age, Milazzo has | | | | if I am ever in the Frankfurt / Mannheim area I |
| always had a strategic location along the | | | | would definitely visit Claudia, while she would |
| Tyrrhenian Sea, used by the Romans and then | | | | always be welcome here in Toronto. |
| the Arabs. The current castle was originally | | | | Around midnight we finally plopped into bed, rather |
| constructed under Norman rule around 1000 AD | | | | exhausted. Claudia was going to leave early |
| and later reinforced in the 15th century by | | | | tomorrow morning while I was planning to take |
| Alphonso of Aragon. During the 18th Century and | | | | the train to the medieval town of Cefalu. |
| the subsequent Bourbon period it suffered great | | | | |