Capo d’Orlando - May 21, 2026

​Today I am sad. I have to depart this beautiful place. I believe of all the beautiful places I have visited, Capo d’Orlando and New Mexico have my heart, spirit, and soul. 

I love it here. I have made wonderful friends walking about with Mr. Bear. And the view from my Airbnb is incredible, both night and day.

​My first day in Capo d’Orlando, Mr. Bear and I met Charley and Titti at the small grocery close by. When ordering at the deli for cheese, olives, and meats, I gave it a go, but I was lost. Pounds make sense to me, but etto? A hectogram—one etto is 100 grams, meaning a quarter-pound is approximately one etto. So, I attempted to order: “Un etto, affettato molto fine, per favore.” (A quarter-pound, sliced very thin, please.)

​Charley stepped in and commented, “English?”

​“Yes!”

​He asked what I was trying to order, and he took over. Then came the typical questions: Where are you from? How long are you here? It turns out he is originally from the USA but has lived here his whole life. He and his girlfriend, Titti, run a school teaching refugee children English and Environmental Studies. Their wonderful organization can be found at www.joyforchildren.it.

Next on my list was finding a nice bottle of wine. “Perfect, we’ll take you to our favorite," Charley said. Without a second thought, off I went with Titti and Charley to a wine shop nearby.

​We arrived at the funkiest wine and cheese shop, Enoteca Collovà. Since 1995, Enoteca Collovà has represented one of the most important hubs in the world of wine here (Enoteca Collovà).

​Before parting ways, they pointed out where to get the best granita—a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water, and fresh flavorings. It is churned just enough to achieve a unique crystalline yet creamy texture, and it is traditionally served with a warm brioche. This wonderful delight is traditionally eaten for breakfast!!

​Exhaustion was setting in by then, so I headed back to MareBlu—my incredible beachfront Airbnb—for a nap on the shore.

​

May 22

​Another Beautiful Day in Capo d’Orlando 

Mr. Bear and I headed out for our daily walk, this time toward the center of Capo d’Orlando. Mr. Bear decided he needed sunshades because the Sicilian sun is so bright it hurts his eyes—so that became priority number one. In the cute town center, we discovered the cutest children’s shop to source his BamBoom sunshades: Sanitaria Antonella Germanà.

​Our beach walk to town center, I put my foot in the water—the water here is as cold as Maine, yet there's a man going swimming!! There is a sign showing the sister cities of Capo d’Orlando: Culver City, CA and Fermentla, West Australia. An outdoor gym overlooking the beach, and restaurants just waiting to open for the upcoming summer tourists.

​Moving along, Mr. Bear and I discovered a very typical local shop where household items are sold—carrying everything from washing machines, kitchen mixer, and Yankee Candles!!

​By the time we reached the town center, lunch was in order. Oops—it was after 2:00 PM, which is exactly when shops and restaurants close for the afternoon. Wondering where to find something to eat, I asked a shop owner who was leaving his storefront where I could eat, and he kindly pointed me toward Antica Panetteria, a local bakery.

For our picnic, I picked a Pizza Classica Vegetariana topped with tomatoes, goat cheese, caramelized onions and fresh basil. OMG - Delizioso!!

​Mr. Bear and I headed back to our beach retreat to enjoy our picnic and prepare for our sad departure tomorrow.

​But wait, we’re still in Sicily... let’s see what we discover next in Messina!