Ragusa

9/11 On the Road Again - Ragusa

Another lazy start (Jeff had a sore head - last of the bloody Etna Wine!) with all the usual simplicities, cuppa tea on the beach with the ocean becalmed, the water crystal clear, the fish van, (skipped the bread man today & instead picked up some gorgeous pinky golden little fat fish) packing up, saying long goodbyes to the bonfire crew.  Bill chased us out with €10 each to “waste on something NOT sensible.” Unprompted, they both handed over the cash to Jeff for their iPod nano/mini savings accounts, before we took off for Ragusa via the supermarket.

Ragusa is another spectacular sandstone Baroque town straddling an enormous limestone chasm; the old town on one hilltop and the new one perched on an adjacent one, built after a devastating flood in late 1600s. 

Our destinations when there were simple - wander the quiet narrow maze of curved arched streets, stand at the Duomo’s view and make for the cherry on top - a gelateria.

Research took us to probably our best European ice-cream yet. The flavours were unbelievably rich and exotic, especially the strong licorice and the torrone was stupendously packed with crushed nuts & pistachio.  

A cold wind had us racing back to Ed’s warm belly where we settled in for a comfy drive to Villa Di Romani Casale at Piazza Armerina.  

Rural Sicily 

It was time to be had as we pulled into the carpark too late in the day to see the ruin. A chap whizzed up, smoke in mouth and ushered us into the open park asking €5 to sleep the night.  We handed it over….finding out a few moments later that the park was free.  Hope he enjoyed his beer & pizza whilst we smacked our lips on our ravioli left overs!

A game of Sleeping Queens and a bit of Indiana Jones took us up to lights out.