Carnival redux
A couple of weeks ago I pulled a jacket out of my cupboard that I hadn’t worn in a while, because it’s too lightweight for winter. Spring’s well on its way in now, though, so it was time to break … Continue reading
Author Archives: Kate Bailward
Sounds in the city
The crazy guy from the family that lives downstairs is cackling fit to burst, while the little girl with the dog whines at him. “Noooo! Pleeeeeeeeease!” The sound of these two reverberates up and down the street every day. He … Continue reading
Castelbuono – the town of the good castle and excellent food
Castelbuono is a small town in the mountains near Palermo. Now – full disclosure time – the only reason we went there was to go to a restaurant of which I’d read great reviews. (Yes, I am totally becoming Sicilian: … Continue reading
Posted in Eating Like a Maniac, Living Like a Maniac
Tagged castelbuono, nangalarruni, sicily
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Food and laughter
“There’s something brewing, guys,” says the volunteer guide in front of us. “For sure.” He juts his chin towards Etna in the distance. “Yesterday there were rumblings; today there’s black smoke. Yep, she’s up to something.” We nod, and I … Continue reading
Posted in Eating Like a Maniac, Living Like a Maniac
Tagged castagno dei cento cavalli, milo, sant'alfio, sicily
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A day in Caltagirone
“D’you need a guide?” asks the bushy-haired middle-aged woman hanging about at the entrance to the museum. We nod and she disappears into the office. I hear a mumbled conversation, then an excited shriek: “There’s PEOPLE!” I look at Davide … Continue reading
One for sorrow: snow and superstitions
Davide points through the rain and mist to the giant bronze figure with the outstretched arms at the top of the mountain. With a wink, he says, “He must be cold …” Poor Cristo Signore della Montagna, doomed to spend … Continue reading
January things
Ah, January. You and your cold weather and bright sunshine which disappears at the drop of a (windily-removed) hat. Funny how a month which is noted for being all about new starts can be so damn disinclining towards the same. … Continue reading
Posted in Living Like a Maniac
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Cantinas and craters
Image: Feudo Vagliasindi “I’m Paolo, by the way,” says the angular man in the trendy, thick-framed glasses standing in front of me. “Like my father, and his father and – oh, pretty much all of the men in my family.” … Continue reading
Posted in Living Like a Maniac
Tagged etna, feudo vagliasindi, randazzo, sicily
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This week in pictures
I’m back in the land of the living. Yay! And here are pictures of some of the things that I’ve been up to in the past week: hiking on snowy Etna; sightseeing in Savoca; visiting the oldest tree in Europe. … Continue reading
Posted in Living Like a Maniac
Tagged castagno dei cento cavalli, etna, Savoca, sicily, The Godfather
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Snowed under
I wish this were a literal representation of why it’s been so quiet around here for the last couple of weeks, but no: despite the December chill in Catania and the liberal coating of the white fluffy stuff up at … Continue reading
Posted in Living Like a Maniac
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