29 April – O7 May 2019
We promise Parte Due is not as long as Parte Uno! It’s just that we saw so much around the town of Modica in southeast Sicily.
This part addresses:
- Churches
- Flowers
- Chocolate
We hit Sicily at what seems to be the height of the flower season. Lots of colors. Lots of poppies. Color is not limited to the countryside as we found many potted plants on our walks.
And because Modica is renowned for chocolate, a legacy of Spanish occupation, we managed to find a workshop tour that we took on the day we departed for Agrigento.
Enjoy!
Chiese
Most of the churches are baroque. Late, Spanish-influenced baroque. Verging on roccoco. The biggest surprise is that some of the plainest facades front the most elaborate interiors. All seem to be dedicated to a saint, including at times exquisite statues that capture the miraculous moment of their lives. Very long sets of stairs leading up to the churches especially in Modica and Noto.
A Greek temple in 5th century BC.
Built over in 7th century as a cathedral with Greek columns incorporated.
Baroque facade added along with rebuilding after earthquake in 1693.
Fiori
Chocolate
Have we mentioned that Modica is renowned for its chocolate? If you say “No”, you have not read our posts! Pics below of our tour in chocolate making.
Next blog: You want Greek temples? We got Greek Temples!
I wish I were with you…I always wait to read your reports on the sites you visited. A fantastic journey with the right balance between the beauty of art and food. But after all those nice dishes…what can I cook for you??? I need a full immersion class on cooking!!
LUCIANA: Don’t worry. I’ll give you a lesson in Italian cooking. : ) ROBERT
I liked the fiori best! We head to Nova Scotia tomorrow!!
Yay! More photos of Bonnie climbing steps! And there’s a photo from Noto with an eye inside a pyramid shape. Y’all aren’t coming back to the States as Illuminati, are you? (I’ve read my Robert Anton Wilson and I know how it starts.)
Thanks for the arm update, Bonnie. If it were me in Italy, I’d have to be a two-fisted eater. Or at least have a drink in one hand and an eating utensil in the other. Not being able to fully bend both elbows sounds daunting.
Enjoy all that chocolate! And the rest of those colorful dolci! (or is it dolce, or dolces? Moi, je ne comprend pas du tout comment appeler les mots en Italien.) I think I’ll get a Milky Way out of the vending machine on the way home. Meh.