Arriving at 1:15pm, we just beat the Siesta traffic and found a great parking spot overlooking their 3 km long beach. We strolled past a number of local beach vendors, Christie being tempted by fake sunglasses and knock-off purses (which she deemed below standard and admirably declined), and made our way into the heart of the ‘ancient’ part of the city – the red tiles on the buildings richly contrasting the brilliant turquoise blue water of the Tyrrhenian Sea. (Geographic Note: Sicily is surrounded by 3 bodies of water… NONE of which are the ocean, but the SEA… as any good Sicilian will remind you. They are, in order of turquoise-ness, the Tyrrhenian Sea to the north, the Ionian Sea to the East, and the Mediterranean to the South).
Christie on the Patio at "The Pirate Cove."
We stopped to eat lunch at a quaint little restaurant, “Il Covo Della Pirata” (The Pirate Cove), housed in a large ocean front building. We were amazed to be led through the restaurant and onto a small, 3 table sized patio that was literally perched over the ocean! The waves were crashing underneath us as we enjoyed Spaghetti al Pesto and Penne Gorgonzola, along with the customary bread (called ‘pane’ but pronounced pawn-eh) and olive oil.
JJ, Man 'O Pasta.
After the two hour long pasta-fest concluded, we meandered up the small cobblestone streets to the huge stone cathedral, my favorite on the island. It has amazing stained glass windows, and sits above a great ‘piazza’ lined with palm trees, gelato shops, and antique stores. Unable to resist, I followed the gelato tractor-beam into Café Pasticceria La Martorana, which is home to the best gelato in Cefalu. Christie had the Peach (refreshing) while I opted for a twist of Bacio (chocolate-hazelnut) and Connolo.
Italian Twist: Much better than McDonald's!
When we had finished relaxing on the church steps (while watching a large group of nuns congregate), I coaxed Christie into a scenic ‘picture taking’ adventure – on top of the mountain (ok, more like a big rock hill but still daunting nonetheless). After climbing over 500 steps, I made it to the top and was not disappointed – capturing one of my best images of Sicily (pictured at the beginning of this post). In fact, the picture is an exact replica of the best postcard of the city. (Claudio has offered to begin selling my images on postcards… might be a good way to pay for all this gelato!)
... and Jason over the old part of the city.
To finish the afternoon (and hot after our hike), we went to the beach where we napped on the sand and watched a handful of surfer’s (yes, surfers!) ride shoulder-high waves into the soft shore. I tried desperately to find a surfboard rental shop, but could not and therefore had to settle for just a quick dip in the “colder than I expected” water.
Another beautiful sunset in Sicily. Yes, Jake, that is a Chelsea jersey.
What a day – and the offer stands for me to take any visiting North American to Cefalu for a similar experience!
~ J. Twice
1 comment:
WoW! American football in Italy; and not just that ,Sicily? I have lived in Sicily for two years now and still looking for American friends around the island to converse with due to the fact I will be staying her for a long time to come. My email is john-ruddle@excite.com if you want to send me a mail. Maybe you can come out some time when my band plays in Catania and around the Etna area. Well take care and hope to hear form you soon.z
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