Syracuse? I thought that was a college in upstate New York? Over here it is call Syracusa.
Syracuse is a historic city in Sicily, the capital of the province of Syracuse. The city is notable for its rich Greek history, culture, amphitheatres, architecture, and as the birthplace of the preeminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes. This 2,700-year-old city played a key role in ancient times, when it was one of the major powers of the Mediterranean world. Syracuse is located in the southeast corner of the island of Sicily, next to the Gulf of Syracuse beside the Ionian Sea.
In the modern day, the city is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site along with the Necropolis of Pantalica. In the central area, the city itself has a population of around 125,000 people. The inhabitants are known as Siracusans. Syracuse is mentioned in the Bible in the Acts of the Apostlesbook at 28:12 as Paul stayed there.[8] The patron saint of the city is Saint Lucy; she was born in Syracuse and her feast day, Saint Lucy's Day, is celebrated on 13 December.
Heavy destruction was caused during World War II by both the Allied and German bombings in 1943. Operation Husky, the codename for the Allied invasion of Sicily, was launched on the night between 9–10 July 1943 with British forces attacking the west of the island. The British 5th Infantry Division, part of General Sir Bernard Montgomery's Eighth Army, captured Syracuse on the first day of the invasion almost unopposed. The port was then used as a base for the British Royal Navy. After the end of the war the northern quarters of Syracuse experienced a heavy, often chaotic, expansion, favoured by the quick process of industrialization. Bubs likes all that war time info.
Syracuse today has about 125,000 inhabitants and numerous historical sites (such as the Ear of Dionysius). A process of recovering and restoring the historical centre has been ongoing since the 1990s. Nearby places of note include Catania, Noto, Modica and Ragusa. How does all that UNESCO stuff work? What's the advantage? The payoff?
Enough of the port city-Bubs is ready for our excursion up to the the Sicilian Baroque town of Noto- about 20 or so miles outside of Syracuse.
Yup, get ready for some walking Pleep.
Wow, quite the bus Boca.
Expresso machine, wifi, sun roof....
Yummy WHITE LEATHER seats! This is gonna be great.
Not so much....they designed the seats for VERY SHORT SKINNY ITALIANS.
LEGS HANGING OUT IN THE AISLE...CAUSE WE JUMBO AMERICANS, are not fitting. Thank God it was a short trip.
Come on Seabourn-GET WITH THE PROGRAM!
Noto is a city in the Province of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy. It is about 20 mi southwest of the city of Syracuse at the foot of the Iblean Mountains. It lends its name to the surrounding area Val di Noto. Mama Mia! In 2002 Noto and its church were declared a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site. Noto is famous for its fine buildings of the early 18th century, many of which are considered to be among the finest examples of Sicilian baroque style. It is a place of many religious buildings and several palaces. Oh joy mumbled Bubs....
A city of Sicel origin, it was known as Netum in ancient times. In 263 BC the city was granted to Hiero II by the Romans. According to legend, Daedalus stayed in the city after his flight over the Ionian Sea, as did Hercules after his seventh task. During the Roman era, it opposed the magistrate Verres and on and on. Flight- must have been a lot of wine drinking going on for a flight. Hey, get out of my selfie buddy!
Keep up with the group Boca- enough with those loonie selfies.
In 866 it was conquered by the Arabs, who elevated the city to become a capital of one of the three districts of the island (the Val di Noto). In 1091, it became the last Islamic stronghold in Sicily to fall to the Christians. Later it became a rich Norman city. Bubs liked hearing that - as we all know HIS REAL NAME IS NORMAN.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the city was home to several notable intellectual figures, including Giovanni Aurispa, jurists Andrea Barbazio and Antonio Corsetto, as well as architect Matteo Carnelivari and composer Mario Capuana. Who? In 1503 king Ferdinand III granted it the title of civitas ingeniosa ("Ingenious City"). In the following centuries, the city expanded, growing beyond its medieval limits, and new buildings, churches and convents were built. These, however, were all totally destroyed by the 1693 Sicilian earthquake. It really is quite spectacular ....who pays for all of the maintenance? Bubs had a tough go of all those "cobble stone" streets- keep that bastuni rolling!
Italian ashtray?
Pleep begged Bubs to buy a few...juicer with it's own cup. Only 5 Euros Pop! What part of no is not clear Pleep? More junk for the garage. You really do have that Boca shopping gene.
Ok Boca, here's your first church of the day....
Baroque style Catholic Church.
My fellow cruiser- love that her hair matched the paint...
The current town, rebuilt after the earthquake on the left bank of River Asinaro, was planned on a grid system by Giovanni Battista Landolina. The new city occupied a position nearer to the Ionian Sea-dubbed the "Stone Garden". Many of the newer structures are built of a soft tufa stone, which assume a honey tonality under sunlight. Parts of the cathedral suddenly collapsed in 1996, a great loss to Sicilian Baroque architecture. About that maintenance? What are the UNESCO rules?
Boca loved these ceramics....Arab influence is still here. How will I get them back on the boat with out Bubs noticing....
Ok, maybe the medium size...
And look who is standing guard....lucky me.
The city, which had lost its provincial capital status in 1817. In 1844, Noto was named a Diocese, but in 1866 suffered the abolition of the religious guilds, which had been deeply linked to the city's structures and buildings. Noto was freed from the fascist dictatorship of Benito Mussolini in July 1943. The Notinesi people voted in favour of the monarchy in the referendum of 1946. And we all know there's nothing like a Queen!
Boca counted 23 churches in this hood....come on Bubs you can hump up the stairs to one more church...
Hey, there's got to be an EXPRESSOTERIA around her someplace???
Enough with the stone buildings....I need a refreshment.
And some of the best Gelato we've EVER tasted...makes our Hagen Das taste like skim milk ice cream. Thank God we don't live over here.
Pleep didn't understand why they installed that big ugly AC unit on the nice balcony? Does UNESCO know about this ? Maybe Guiseppe wanted his neighbors to know about his big brand new high tech AC?
This ancient city is such an architectural feast for the eyes...
No Bubs that's not the way to the shops...
Hail no, I am not climbing that hill either. Have at it Boca.
Ok my darling, that is enough ancient city schlepping for the day.
Thank you Christian (our Destination guide from Luxembourg- Boca's first friend from that 500,000 person country) for another great day...well, besides that goofy bus.
Yes indeed Mr. Bubba- will take note. We must make Mrs. Boca happy....mantra of the ship.
No Boca I am not going to the....
re: Seabourn Program for the day....
I don't blame you Bubs, they forgot the Q. Q is an important part of that alphabet soup. And thank you for noticing the erupting volcano over my right shoulder. Pompeii Baby!
First time to try the Colonade for dinner...a special Keller menu.
And again Thomas Keller kills it...per Bubs, that's no Waldorf Salad. Right- it's actually good without that mayo on it/in it. How do you make your Waldorf salad?
Death by meat....
Half smashed potatoes....over the top- chunks of golden yukon potatoes through out the mashed- God only knows how much butter and sour cream and whatever is in there!
Followed by another outstanding show from the Seabourn Entertainers...a tribute to duo song writers...that Mr Rice's talent really shows through the various performances he overseas (yes pun intended) from London.
Tidbits sent in by friends:
and the most gorgeous boy in Canada!!!!
