We’ve been covering a lot of ground in the last few days. This morning we had an authentic Sicilian breakfast prepared by our host Katia Canzonieri in her beautiful “bed and everything” with fantastic views of Ragusa Duomo and it’s steep hilled houses. Her bread and other pastries were still warm. Soft boiled eggs, house-made ricotta, apricot jam made from trees not far from where we were enjoying them and Americano coffee couldn’t have hit the spot harder. I forgot the prosciutto, some other cheese, almonds and Modica chocolate bits.
On our “one and done” days we forego the unpacking/packing and keep essentials handy to ease the getting up and out drill. Wearing same outer clothes is ok when you’re only seeing each other.
We hit the back roads to Ortigia, an island of the city of Siracusa about noon and used the iPhone digital check in and unlock program; worked perfectly.
The drive over was another wandering along the Mediterranean shore and small towns along the way. We took longer to drive the 80 or so Km to spend time in each of the towns. My impressions of the drive could be compared to driving along our gulf coast with some towns touristy and some fishy but all interesting in their own ways. Some well kept and some not, all welcoming and helpful when we were in need.
Ortigia island is joined to Siracusa by two bridges and is much like the other sea villages we’ve been visiting. We had read that the market district was the heart of the town, so off we went for a light lunch. Didn’t happen, ate a sandwich called the “Experience” at De Benedictis. The sandwich was fantastic but the experience was eating on the street in the fish market, with cats chasing pigeons and dogs chasing cats. Words can’t express. 
Our afternoon was spent walking the lanes and alleyways of the island and finding a Coop Market
to buy some bread, cheese, wine and cookies for a room dine-in and get an early start for our tomorrow train ride to Taormina. Covering ground, meeting people and having a bunch of fun. Pam and Jim
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