March 16, 2017
Meet Samuele, a 12-year-old boy who lives simply, climbing rocks by his island’s shore and playing with his slingshot. Although he has his own burdens — homework, anxiety attacks, and a lazy eye – they pale in comparison to those nearby. Only a stone’s throw away from Samuele, we bear…
October 29, 2016
Travelling over rolling hills through northwestern Sicily, you may find yourself in the countryside of Corleone. The unassuming town is set in a dramatic valley of stunning beauty 70 km south of Sicily’s capital, Palermo. Corleone is synonymous with the gory, dark history of the Mafia. Once the stronghold of…
October 9, 2016
Trending in Sicilia: What to look for; what you can’t leave behind I’ve just finished a brilliant week on the isle of Sicilia. Stepping into an old Sicilian street, you may see caged canaries in display windows, vendors selling an assortment of colorful herbs, and fresh fish piled high in…
July 7, 2016
Although many regions of Italy boast superb cuisine, that of Sicily is uniquely steeped in history. A walk down the streets of a typical Sicilian town reveals a variety of vendors, selling not only typical Italian specialties (dried pasta, hearty bread), but also exotic fruits and vegetables, capers, tomatoes, eggplant,…
January 25, 2016
2015 marked the addition of Arab-Norman Palermo, together with the nearby cathedrals of Cefalú and Monreale, as Italy’s 51st UNESCO World Heritage Site. Italy has more UNESCO sites than any other country in the world. Located on the northern coast of Sicily, Palermo includes a series of nine secular and…
May 12, 2015
Here are some fun facts I’ve come across over the last few weeks: • The name “Italy” comes from the Greek “italos”, which means calf. It was originally given to the region of Calabria by Greek settlers in the 8th century BC, and was extended to the whole peninsula under…
March 20, 2015
Have you ever wondered what in the world the Italian guidebook is talking about when it uses these terms? For years I sort of lumped them all into the same category — “house of worship” — and moved on to more interesting topics. But the distinctions are actually worthwhile information….
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