Goditi la giornata
Since leaving Essaouria back in February, life has been a whirlwind of movement and non-complacency. I traversed two continents, six countries and eight cities. I traded the Sahara desert for the Pyrenees mountains and Austrian Alps in a matter of days. I hadn’t stayed in the same place for more than a few days for almost two months. The balance of this life is delicate and I felt the pendulum swinging back towards a more stable situation.
Luckily, I was planning for it. While still in Morocco I had decided to return to my true love … Italy. Trieste was a happy accident born from last minute planning. My next destination was the real target and I was insanely excited for it.
Oh, Sicilia, famed island of the Mediterranean, how I’ve longed to visit you.
Before I could get there, I had to get somewhere else. I had a dear friend to reunite with. So I hopped the train from Trieste to Milano, and a wonderful reunion with Catalina, whom I met in Tamraght back in December.
When looking for a place in Sicily, part of my criteria was an apartment large enough to accommodate friends. So after I had secured my apartment, I put out the call to several friends inviting them to come visit in Sicily if they were available. Cata was the first to say yes, and her timing worked best to join at the being of the month. So we decided to travel to the island together, booking flights out of Milano. She also invited me to come stay with her in Bregnano for the night before our flight.
We met up at Duomo in the heart of Milano, wandered for a bit, then found a spot for a few drinks to catch up. Eventually, we headed to her parent’s place for a wonderful dinner, and an early night. The next morning we flew out to Catania.
The apartment I had booked was in the quiet little harbor town of Augusta, located about an hour’s train south of Catania on the east coast of the island.
There isn’t much down the southeastern end of the island so the trains don’t run frequently. Our arrival was at an awkward time in the day, so the train schedule didn’t align for us to head straight to Augusta. Instead we dropped our bags at a hotel offering luggage hold and wandered into the city of Catania.
If being in Trieste made me feel at home, being in Sicily amplified that feeling tenfold. The south of Italy definitely has my heart, and I was so full of happiness and excitement to be back in this region.
Coffee, of course, was our first order of business. We stumbled upon the beautiful Piazza Vincenzo Bellini and promptly sat at one of its picturesque cafes. Along with my cappuccino, I ordered one of the best things I’ve ever had in my life … brioche stuffed with fresh ricotta cheese. I've dreamt about it daily since that day.
After fueling ourselves with coffee and pastries, we set out to enjoy the city of Catania. It’s my kind of city. Gritty yet beautiful. Beautiful architecture, sometimes covered in grime.
Even though Catalina would only be with me for a few days, we didn’t feel rushed about anything. Taking the mellow approach, our time together in Augusta was a perfect blend of exploration and relaxation.
Augusta is a charming little town and its old town sits completely on an island just off … well, the island HA! Mornings were slow and spent in cafes drinking coffee. Afternoons spent on the wonderful rooftop terrace of the apartment and evenings cooking dinner.
One day we walked about an hour out of town, to a lighthouse hoping to get in a little swim. No luck as the water was cold and a bit too rough.
Everywhere you go, its easy to orient yourself, as Mt. Etna dominates the skyline and looms over everything. Still an active volcano, you can see the smoke rising from it daily. Nothing like the chance of death staring you in the face to make you feel grateful to be alive.
The almost 3,000 year old city of Siracusa is only a 20 minute train ride away, so on Cata’s final day we went down to explore. Much like Augusta, the old town of Ortigia sits on an island … off the island.
As per usual, we casually strolled the town, stopping for coffee, lunch and cocktails along the way. Eventually, the inevitable arrived and it was time for Catalina to depart back to Bregnano.
And just like that, I was back on my own. My daily life didn’t change much from when Catalina was here. Relaxed mornings with coffee and evenings spent cooking. I took time to walk around the city every day and even got some good runs in. I picked up some project work, so most afternoons were spent working.
I was lucky enough to be in Augusta for the La Festa San Giuseppe, the Feast of St. Joseph. While its celebrated across Italy, its sacred in Sicily. Dating back to the Middle Ages, when a severe drought and famine plagued the island. Sicilians prayed to St. Joseph, and soon rains came and the drought ended. To thank him for saving them, Sicilians created a great feast for all to enjoy. And today, it continues as they set Tavola di San Giuseppe - St. Joseph's Table. There is a procession through town to the Piazza Duomo, where there is music and lots of food. It was incredible to see such a spectacle.
The relaxed lifestyle took its toll and I slumped into a bit of a lazy funk. I had intended to cross the island to the northwest to visit Palermo for a weekend, but that never transpired. It’s a constant struggle trying to decide what kind of mindset you’re in. When it’s too fast or too hectic, I want something more relaxed. As soon as it’s too relaxed, the FOMO starts to creep in. But the transition from one to the other is never immediate.
In these times, I always lean on my overarching mindset. Be Here Now. Be present, live in the moment. Don’t live in the past, dwelling on what I haven’t done. Don’t live for the future, of what I might do. That always brings me back into equilibrium. And honestly, what do I really have to be anxious about. I’m in Sicily! Enjoy it.
Towards the end of my time here, I got the wonderful gift of a surprise visit from another dear friend. Kristyn and I worked together ages ago back in Minneapolis and hadn’t seen each other in almost 10 years. She was one of my inspirations when I decided to choose this adventure, having watched her adventures for years. So it was one of the best reunions.
I met her in Catania and we did a quick explore, ending up back at the same place in Piazza Vincenzo Bellini. And another date with that ricotta brioche! I can't really call it a coincidence. The next day we headed down to Siracusa so she could see the historic city. More wandering, more cafes and a delicious lunch in a hidden little spot deep in the old town.
Unfortunately she fell ill and had to depart sooner than anticipated. But the two and a half days we did get together were amazing, and I was grateful to catch up.
My final days in Augusta were spent visiting my favorite spots and trying to soak it all in before it would be all gone. The love that I have for southern Italy made the departure difficult and emotional. I take solace in knowing that definitely I'll be back again. There's no doubt about that.
At this point my next big adventure was chosen and booked. But before that would start, I had a little return to Milano and Bregnano to see Catalina for a few days. We met up in the town of Saronno, had a wander and a couple of drinks, before having dinner with her parents. The next day her father-in-law, Romano, took me on an epic Vespa ride to Lake Como while Cata was at work. In the afternoon, Cata and I headed back to Como to explore.
And with that, my deeply fulfilling return to Italy was over. It was time to head to the airport for another long day of travel. Off on my next adventure. More dear friends to reunite with, new adventures to experience.
The pendulum of my travel pace has swung wildly over the last few months. The struggle to stay in balance is real, but it’s a welcome struggle. It provides me the opportunity to practice being mindful and grateful for this life. It grounds me and keeps me present.
I’ll need that mindfulness and grounding more than ever, as my next adventure is most definitely my most ambitious yet!