Continued from: Piazza Armerina and Villa Romana del Casale...
When the bus pulled into Catania’s airport, 1.5 hours later, the driver announced the stop and I thanked him. I bought my Interbus ticket for the second leg of my journey, Catania to Siracusa, and waited for the next bus.
The bus arrived about 20 minutes late. Upon boarding the bus, I realized that there were only a handful of empty seats.
I sat next to a woman who seemed distracted and quiet as she kept looking out the window. A few minutes into the journey, I opened my sack lunch and offered her half of my panino and some biscotti but she declined. Melina began telling me that she lived in Siracusa but her brother was hospitalized in Catania and she made the journey twice a week to visit him. I also learned that she and her husband had two adult sons and had converted their large home into a B&B that was managed by the eldest son. She asked me how many days I’d be staying in Siracusa, and before her stop, she gave me her phone number and asked me to call her (and I did a couple of days later)
I arrived to the bus stop (near the train station) at about 4:15pm and waited for the navetta (small bus) that drives to/from Siracusa to Ortigia.
When the navetta arrived, I started to board but the driver told me that I couldn’t board with my luggage. I explained that I’d just arrived and just wanted to get to my hotel in Ortigia. He told me it was okay this time. I thanked him then paid for my ticket. The navetta costs €1 and the ticket is valid for 90 minutes. One can also buy a day ticket for €3.
I asked the driver if he’d please let me know where I would get off near the Hotel Domus Mariae.
Once we arrived to Ortigia and he drove around the loop, I saw the bridge ahead and asked if I should get off at the next stop. He realized that he’d forgotten to tell me where to get off, so he stopped the navetta, and I got off. If I hadn’t asked, I probably would have ended up somewhere back in Siracusa. Fortunately I’d “walked this route” on google maps before my trip so I was able to find the hotel without much trouble.
At Hotel Domus Mariae, I was welcomed by Cinzia. She asked for my passport then showed me to my room (#206) on the second floor. My comfortable room had a small balcony with an amazing view of the turquoise blue sea.
I was tired from the long day of travel but I was grateful to finally arrive to beautiful Ortigia- Zoe’s favorite place in Sicilia.
After a short rest, I walked toward the Duomo and found the restaurant that Filippo’s daughter had recommended, “Monzu”, located on Piazza Minerva.
Giorgia had told me that her friends, Daniel and Verdiana, were the chefs and I shouldn’t miss eating there.
When I arrived to “Monzu”, I asked one of the waiters about the chefs and he asked me if I wanted to talk to them.
Within a few minutes, Verdiana and Daniel came out of their kitchen to greet me and asked me if I was eating there that evening. I said yes, of course! So my name was added to the reservation book.
When I returned at 7:30 that same evening. I sat on their outdoor patio and enjoyed a fine dinner while the swallows swooped over the piazza and soared over the Duomo.
I don’t think I’d ever seen so many swallows in my life. It was as though they were welcoming me to beautiful Ortigia.
Day 2) Sunday May 13
“Festa della Mamma” (Mother’s Day) is also celebrated in Italy on the second Sunday in May. I woke up early, admired the bright sunrise then decided to go out and take some photos before breakfast.
I walked to Piazza Archimedes to see the beautiful golden Fountain of Diana then proceeded to the ruins of the Temple of Apollo.