Nancy and Peter in Sicily
Nancy Bellantoni & Peter Galipault
our Third week in sicily
OH, THE BUREAUCRAZY!
Bank accounts and registration. Our bank is having trouble uploading our identification to the main branch to get Nancy on the checking account and an ATM card. We have been visiting and re-visiting the bank for a week. No luck but we are making friends with the bankers.
Then there is the registration of our notarized lease with the Comune di Pozzallo. Step by step we are making progress. We go from one office to another, but we're not exactly sure why! It is entertaining for us and for the locals too. You should see the expressions on their faces as they try to understand what we are trying to say in Italian!
GETTING LOST EVERY DAY
We went to Caltagirone, ostensibly to buy some ceramic ware but by the time we got there everything was closed. So we had lunch in a cavernous caffeteria, then climbed the famous stairway instead. When the stores started to reopen around 3pm we looked in several shops but decided we preferred the style of the artisans in San Stefano di Camastra; all the way on the opposite coast of Sicily. Another road trip!
On the way out of town, we took a wrong turn, as usual. We weren't exactly lost but we were definitely going in the wrong direction!
We have a new motto now: "If you're not getting lost every day, you're not really going anywhere."
A WALK ON THE BEACH
On Valentine's Day we went for a walk on the beach. Later we went for a romanticky lunch at RI Mari e d'Amuri overlooking the sea. There was an antipasto rustico which had all kinds of yummy items in it; miniature arrancini, stimpirata, caponata, potato croquettes, salami, cheeses, amazing.
CARNEVAL IN THE MALL
Sunday the 15th, we went to Ragusa Ibla for lunch at Cucina Sincere. This was our scond time there. They're lovely people and pretend to remember us from the previous visit. ;-) The food is authentic and delicious!
Then we went to the mall for some provisions. Where unexpectedly there were many families with children in costume celebrating Carneval.
OUR NAME IS ON THE MAIL BOX
But the TIM people still can’t seem to find us to install the fiber optic internet. Our internet is sooooo slow, it is hard to have a Zoom call. The WiFi drops our connection. All. The. Time. … ohhhh, it's so hard being us. But all will be well soon. Once the installer finds us.
Yesterday we finally figured out how to open the mailbox after two days of trying. And there was a card from our friend Rachel in it! She mailed it the day we left for Sicily, January 30.
Peter & Nancy in Sicily
