Catania with Mt. Etna faintly smoking in the background from the terrace of Gianni & Lucia's B&B in an 18th century building in Piazza Stesicoro
La Pescheria, the famous Catania fish market. Note smoking vendor as he slices swordfish. Multi siciliani fumano anche le giovane.
Catania-born Vincenzo Bellini, who wrote 10 world class operas before his death at 33, is Catania's most famous son. There's even an eggplant spaghetti named after him. He and St. Agatha, virgin and martyr, are ubiquitous. Agatha, the city's patroness, was offed in 252 AD by the Roman praetor for rejecting his advances. Her alleged miraculous intervention prevented the city's volcanic destruction in 1669 but fell short in subsequent eruptions. A lava elephant supported by an Egyptian obelisk honors her today in the cathedral piazza.
Retired Sicilian men wile away the day playing a card game that attracts scores of onlookers. It's a two deck game, made with small bets and much card slapping. Women are nowhere to be seen.
Location:Catania, Sicilia
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