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| Pure peace. The stunning, sweeping view of the deep blue sea from my balcony in Capo d'Orlando. |
Today I am sad. I have to depart this beautiful place. I believe of all
the gorgeous destinations I have visited, Capo d’Orlando and New Mexico now
hold my heart, spirit, and soul. I love it here. I have made wonderful friends
just walking about with Mr. Bear, and the view from my Airbnb is incredible,
both night and day.
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| Our new friends, Charley and Titti, at their favorite wine shop, Enoteca Collovà—they loved meeting Mr Bear and showing us their favorite Sicilian bottles! |
On my first day in Capo d’Orlando, Mr. Bear and I met Charley and Titti at the small grocery store close by. When ordering at the deli counter for cheese, olives, and meats, I gave it a brave go, but I was completely lost. Pounds make perfect sense to me, but an etto? I learned a hectogram—one etto—is 100 grams, meaning a quarter-pound is approximately one etto. Armed with my new knowledge, I attempted to order: “Un etto, affettato molto fine, per favore.” (A quarter-pound, sliced very thin, please.)
Charley stepped in with a smile and asked, “English?”
“Yes!” I replied.
He kindly asked what I was trying to buy and completely took over the ordering
for me. Then came the typical, friendly travel questions: Where are you from?
How long are you here? It turns out he has deep roots in the USA but has lived
here his whole life. He and his partner, Titti, run an incredible school
teaching refugee children English and Environmental Studies. Their wonderful
organization can be found at
Joy for Children. 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 local world of wine.
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Mr Bear sitting with a brioche bun and local pistachio granita
at Tentazioni in Capo d Orlando Sicily |
Before parting ways, they made sure to point out
Tentazionia, for best granita
- semi-frozen Sicilian dessert made from sugar, water, and fresh
flavorings. It is churned just enough to achieve a unique crystalline yet
creamy texture, top with real whipped cream, and it is traditionally served
with a warm, fluffy brioche. This wonderful delight is traditionally eaten
for breakfast here!
Exhaustion was finally setting in by then, so I headed back to MareBlu—my
incredible beachfront Airbnb—for a peaceful nap right on the shore.
May 22: Another Beautiful Day in Capo d’Orlando
The next morning, Mr. Bear and I headed out for our daily walk, this time
toward the center of Capo d’Orlando.
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Peg Perego holding Mr Bear in front of the Sanitaria Germana store in Capo d'Orlando, Sicily! |
During our walk, Mr. Bear decided he desperately 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 sweetest children’s shop to source his tiny BamBoom sunshades: Sanitaria Antonella Germanà.
During our beach walk back from the town center, I dipped my foot in the
water. The sea here is as cold as Maine, yet there was a brave local man going
for a full swim! Along the way, I spotted a sign showing the sister cities of
Capo d’Orlando: Culver City, CA, and Fremantle, West Australia. We passed an
outdoor gym overlooking the beach and rows of quiet 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 massive washing machines and kitchen mixers to
Yankee Candles!
By the time we reached the heart of the town center, lunch was definitely in
order. Oops—it was already after 2:00 PM, which is exactly when shops and
restaurants close up tight for the afternoon Sicilian
riposo. Wondering where on earth to find a bite to eat, I asked a shop owner who
was locking up his storefront. He kindly pointed me toward
Antica Panetteria, a
wonderful local bakery.
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The amazing, warmhearted local bakers (mom, daughter, and son)
who kept Mr Bear and me fully fueled with fresh Sicilian treats! |
For our afternoon picnic, I picked out a Pizza Classica Vegetariana topped with rich tomatoes, goat cheese, caramelized onions, and fresh basil. OMG—delizioso!
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The ultimate beachside lunch!
Mr Bear, wearing his new BamBoom sunglasses, soaking up the sun
next to a slice of ultra-fresh local pizza.
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Mr. Bear and I headed back to our beach retreat to enjoy our delicious picnic
on the sand and prepare for our sad departure tomorrow. But my feet continue
to be so happy with my last minute packing decision
Taos Star Sneakers (#ad). was an absolute lifesaver for our long daily strolls.
But wait, we’re still in Sicily... let’s see what we discover next in Messina!
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