This morning we had the most satisfying breakfast at Corsino’s consisting of due macchiati and (drumroll, please) …. the champion of all cannoli. Corsino’s gets the award for cannoli supremacy, hands down. It does not get better than cannoli filled to order, ladies and gentlemen! And to top it off, we even got a choice of pistachio or almond pieces. “Pistachio,” we chimed in unison.

From the first bite to the last, it felt like an musical symphony was composing itself inside of my mouth. In other, more inappropriate words, I’d say it was definitely an orgasmic experience. *wink*

Mid-morning, we walked back to the area of Tyche on the mainland and visited the Santuario della Madonna delle Lacrime church. It is shaped like a tear drop to commemorate the statue of Mary that it houses which allegedly wept for 5 days back in 1953 and is said to have bestowed 300 miraculous cures upon the people a few months after.

What’s more interesting about this place is that it was built on top of an ancient temple dedicated to Demeter, the goddess of grain and abundance, and her daughter, Persephone. Yes, the same Persephone from the fountain in Catania. The cult of Demeter and Persephone was widespread in ancient times throughout the Mediterranean and is considered one of the most important Mystery religions.

Some foundation remains of the temple can still be seen outside of the church

Inside the church, near the pews, is a huge hunk of what used to be probably be a temple wall

As you walk up to the church entrance, to the left there is a real cool art park, I want to call it, with sculptures that inspire faith and spirituality.

The free Papyrus museum across the street was next on our list. It wasn’t a huge deal, but worth a visit. On display were tools and minerals used for color, canoes and shoes made out of papyrus and a really interesting copy of the Rosetta Stone.

As mentioned in a previous post, the plant grows in abundance in Siracusa near the River Ciane. This is the only place in Europe in which papyrus grows.

In the afternoon, we walked around the island one last time at what I like to call the Sicilian pace (walking very slow) wanting to savor every last minute of our time here. Here are some random pictures of Ortigian beauty.

An old Venetian palace turned ristorante

What I really Love about Ortigia, as well as the rest of Sicily, is that it is a total sensory experience. Let me break it down a little bit:

Smells: I love the smells here. Everyday walking along the streets, I smell fresh bread and pastries being baked, espresso being pulled, the fresh air, open green spaces and smell of the sea, along with her enchanting sound which leads me to…

Sounds: I also love the clanging sounds of the piattini (saucers), spoons and espresso cups being placed down on the bar. I love the sound of the musical language, the people laughing and joking around, the shouts of the market vendors reeling in customers, and all of the characters, who remain faceless, that pass by our door each night in Ortigia.

We are on a ground level, so we can hear everything. There is one guy who I deemed “The Bird Man” who whistles very strangely everyday and night. I believe he is talking to somebody in the way that he whistles. I wonder if it is sort of bird mating call…

Tastes: I love the taste of fresh cannoli and with a buttery-smooth macchiato (espresso with a bit of steamed milk) and the pure, rich flavors of the cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables (especially the greens). The vino is absolutely first-class and very pleasing to the pocket. And the mineral water, what can I say? It tastes so different than back home and makes you feel like you’re doing something good for your body. Did I mention limonata? It’s a new favorite drink of mine – Lemon Soda. While I don’t drink soda while I am in the States, I have also taken a liking to Coke Light, Europe’s version of Diet Coke. Even that tastes so much better than the American version.

After dinner, we did some stargazing by the sea. The moon was just about full and we saw a shooting star. Can you guess what my wish was? (If I tell you, it may not come true….)

As our time in Ortigia comes to an end, I know I will truly miss her and our little ‘hood, err, Ronco, but I know I will be back… I must go to the Paolo D’Orsi Archaeology museum, after all!

Tomorrow we’ll be taking the early morning bus to Palermo and from there we are train-ing it to Cefalù.