Ortigia

The forecast was for rain in the afternoon, so I would have to do any sightseeing before then.

I was provided with a good start to the day by a sumptuous breakfast, some of it homemade by the wife. If you look closely you can see a post-it note by the owner with his list of best Italian films. In between bites, the three of us had an interesting conversations about Italian films. I like them for the way in which they briskly propel the story; their scriptwriters and dramaturges have had a lot of practice. And their humour, usually dramatised with a lot of gestures.

On the way to the western shore of the island I passed the ruins of an ancient city gate, Porta Urbica.

I walked along the foreshore path of the marina. This side of the island seemed better protected from the sea than the eastern side, hence the marina.

Luxury craft moored here.

This is the Fonte Arethusa, a natural spring, with papyrus plants and ducks in it.

About 10 minutes later I reached the southern top of the island where Castello Maniace is. This is the eastern side of the entry bridge.

The citadel is separated from the body of the island by a ditch, formerly a moat.

Entry to the citadel is by ticket but I declined to go inside.

This is Ikaria by Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj.

A panorama of the citadel.

I had been recommended to try to catch a Sicilian puppet show but there weren't any suitable sessions. I came across the Chiesa di San Filippo Apostolo nearby and took a picture of it as it looked attractive.

I decided to spend the afternoon doing my laundry at a nearby laundromat, even if I had to get a little wet getting to and from there. To get back to my lodgings, I used the second bridge across the channel, Ponte Santa Lucia. The main one is Ponte Umbertino.

In the evening I had to brave the rain to get dinner and I wanted a good one to make up for the soggy weather. I passed the Duomo di Siracusa, and it was impressive enough for a photo.

From where I am now, dry and warm, this photo of an upmarket restaurant sure looks attractive, but I remember wanting to take the photo and get out of the damp and cold.

I found a restaurant serving a plate of mixed seafood. It was a delicious splurge though I suspect the over-the-top coperto (cover charge) of 5€ was a sneaky way of compensating for the rise in costs of everything.

The brightly lit narrow lane on the way back sure looked attractive even in bad weather.