"The soul-affirming joy of returning"
(Peter Jon Lindberg)
The thought of arriving at Palermo’s Falcone Borsellino Airport, framed by high mountain faces and the blue Tyrrhenian Sea, late one afternoon next week has me thinking about ‘the soul-affirming joy of returning” to Sicily and the village of Polizzi Generosa; to enjoy 'ritual', returning and things new.
There are many things I look forward to when returning to Sicily:
- Rediscovering Caravaggio’s paintings in the churches of Santa Maria del Popolo, Sant' Agostino and San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome before heading down to Sicily.
- Flying over the Tyrrhenian Sea on the approach to Palermo.
- Taking either the Scilatto or Tremonzelli road up to Polizzi Generosa and spotting Polizzi sitting high on a spur in the Madonie Mountains.
- Listening to the first bell of the day ring out from the church of Sant’ Orsola at the back of the house in Polizzi.
- To walk the streets of Palermo and to duck into churches and chapels to view some of the world’s most beautiful mosaics.
- Eating seasonal lunches with a glass of Sicilian wine in the Madonie Mountains or a back street in Palermo.
- To enjoy a cannolo
- The chance to greet return guests and new guests to The Sicilian House.
- To stay overnight in an undiscovered Sicilian village or town for the first time.
- To spend an afternoon and evening in Cefalu in late spring.
- To join the evening passeggiata in Polizzi and say hello to friends and neighbours.
- And, to spend a night by one of the seas which surround Sicily.
In the coming weeks I will bring some new stories of Sicily and I will enjoy retelling some old ones.
Salve,
Suzanne
Please Note: Peter Jon Lindberg's quote is from his piece in 'The Best American Travel Writing" 2013 edited by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Last edited 29/5/1016
