SIX-LEGGED FIRE-SPITTING DOG

This is one of the main gas stations in Italy ... the animal is a six-legged fire-spitting dog. 

MT ETNA MERIDIAN

Mt. Etna is 15-degrees (1 hour) east of Greenwich.  Here is the meridian marker by the main visitor area on the south side of the volcano.

FLOWERS IN GANGI

One of the walking streets in the center of Gangi is lined with these flower pots all about eye-height ...

SICILIAN PUPPETS OR PUPI

Here are some of the local puppets (the Italian word for puppets is "pupi") ... these things are HUGE!  Each of these three is close to 4-foot tall and around 125 - 150 pounds.  They represent the medieval soldiers who forced the Moors out of Sicily.   Most of the puppets in this collection are about 150 years old. 

BELPASSO STREET LIGHTS

The street lights went up for Ferragusto (the assumption of the Virgin Mary) which is the major celebration in Italy during August.  August is also the European holiday month with just about everyone taking at least some time off.

CHECK OUT THE OLD FLOWS ....

It's clear enough that you can pick out some of the different flow paths ... the line of buildings mid-way up the slope are the vistor areas and bottom fo the ski lifts.

IT'S AUGUST AND THERE'S SNOW ON MT ETNA?!

Last week we had a few days with a bit of rain and cloud cover ... ended up with a touch of snow on the peak.   

INSIDE THE MANIACE CHURCH

As you can see, it's a really modern church ....

Center of the altar painting

Stain glass under the roof line

Overview of the interior

CLOSE-UP ON OTHER CHURCH DOOR

Two panels on the other door into the church ... 

The "Alpha and the Omega" (beginnng and end) and Jonah being swallowed by the whale...

MASSIVE CHURCH DOOR

Isn't this a marvelous church door?

MANIACE FESTIVAL POSTER

FLAT PEACHES

One of the cases of peaches DH and I bought at the Maniace Peach-Pear Festival.  They are a big around as regular peaches, but only about 2-inches (5-cm) thick (look at the one in the top-right corner).  Slightly different flavour than the regular ones - really good!

MORE IRONWORK ...

A gate in Maniace I saw at the peach-pear festival ....

CHEESE and SALUMI FOR SALE

Fresh (wonderful) cheese and salumi for sale at a local festival.

RAGUSA LION

DH and I took part in this year's WorldWidePhotoWalk on 24 July. 
This lion is one of two on top of a building bordering the Piazza Duomo in Ragusa.
Until I looked at the picture on my computer, I couldn't tell if the lion had a mustache or a hair-lip.   Love the crossed paws.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE YOUNG MEN GONE?...

As Peter Seeger's folk song goes....

Where have all the young men gone? 

They've gone to graveyards everyone.

 

AGIRA CEMETERY

This cemetery is on a hilltop ... a quiet place to think and reflect ...