Buying figs in Belpasso

We passed this vendor on the way to work -- haven't seen him before two weeks ago.  Most local vendors set up near the top of town or on the main road coming down from the top.  Others drive through town either in the morning or evening with small (very small) trucks and loud speakers letting people know what is being offered.  This one is closer to the bottom of Belpasso.

The figs were pretty great!

Weeding the roof

Lots of ripe prickly pears (fruit of the beavertail cactus) round.... birds eat the fruit and leave some of the seeds in our rain gutters (which are filled with volcanic ash and dirt).  DH was able to remove some of the cacti ... but not all. 

Here comes the carriage!

This 18th century carriage is coming up to the procession's starting point.  

The dignitaries will be picked up in a minute

... then the procession will officially begin.

Coachman

A coachman awaiting the start of the St Agatha procession.

He is dressed in 18th century style attire.

Maltese Knight

St Agatha is the patron saint for the city of Catania

and her feast day is 5 February.

DH and I saw this Maltese Knight while waiting for the procession to start.

The Knights were one of many groups in the procession.

Ho Ho Ho in Nuremburg

Santa and Rudolph DH and I saw while visiting this year's 

Nuremburg Christmas Market.

He gave candy to the kids whether or not he was given money.

We stopped by to watch him every night we were there

Ho Ho Ho ... Merry Christmas everyone!

Street view

Looking out of my doctor's window onto the street below ...

another painting at Garibaldi

"We are the heirs of a great history ... the future of a grand country:

1861 was the unification of Italy as a single country

lobby picture at Garibaldi Hospital

One of many pictures in Garibaldi Hospital's lobby and waiting rooms  ...

all were painted by the students at a local school.

"Brothers and Sisters of Italy"

Jester at Medieval Festival

Even not understanding Italian, he's fun to watch...

three different clips.

Jester in Motta S.A.

Recently Motta Sant'Anastasia (CT) Sicily had its annual Medieval Fest

 and celebrations in honor of the town’s patron saint, Santa Anastasia.

This jester was a lead performer one night. 

He's also a juggler and ventriloquist and a bunch more all rolled in one.

He was a riot to watch!

Traffic jam?

On the way home one morning ...

Days gone by ,,,

Really hot here currently ... this was at a festival last fall

... the boy is wearing a folkloric outfit typical of 50 years ago or more.







Pony walks?

DH and I saw this while going home the other day ...
interesting way to exercise a horse.

One of my dear readers commented that this looks like an accident waiting to happen ... and, if I saw this in the States, I would agree.
However, for the most part, traffic on the smaller roads (and this is at the every edge of Belpasso) tends to be a bit slower. 
I haven't seen this way of exercising a horse before .. but both DH and I have seen horses hitched to sulkies and driven around Belpasso quite a bit.

WW2 Canadian Cemetary

Private Sabblut was one of many lost during Operation Husky.
This is in the Canadian Cementary near Triona in Catania province.

Door knocker

Saw this the other day while DH and I were out for a stroll ...

St Michael

St Michael on top the Mother Church in Piedemonte Etnea (northeast side of Etna).

Sicilian Bagpiper in Monterosso Almo



Sicilian Christmas bagpipers are known as Zampognari. The bagpipe is traditionally made of reeds and a sheepskin.
 Now the reeds may be plastic and the sheepskin imitation .. the Zampognari always are dressed traditionally.



MORE FROM THE AMPHITHEATRE IN POZZUOLI

This was both close to the ticket office ... have to wonder who was honored with a statue ... nothing left but the feet.

SAINT IN LORD NELSON'S CHAPEL

Something I didn't know until recently was that Lord Horatio Nelson's family, even though they were English,  had ties to Sicily and owned a castle near Bronte on the west side of Mt Etna.  The original buildings were built shortly after the Battle of Hastings (1066 CE).  The castle and grounds are open to visitors (the family sold it to the Italian government only about 30 years ago ... there is a letter on display inviting the last resident and family to attend  his "cousin" Queen Elizabeth II's coronation).

This painting is in the chapel and takes up a large part of the wall on the left side of the altar.  While I thought it a magnificant art piece ... it wasn't until just now  that I took a good look at the chalice.