May 22, 2022

We had an okay breakfast at the hotel, and then headed off to the Chocolate Museum. Besides the obligatory explanation of how chocolate is made and where it comes from that we have seen countless times before and experienced in Costa Rica and Belize, they also had many statues and dioramas and portraits made in chocolate from past chocolate festivals/contests. Modica chocolate is different, a little grainy more like Mexican chocolate. But they are famous for it so we bought many bars anyhow.

After the chocolate museum we returned to the car where we found a traffic ticket from the night before. Even though we followed the instructions and entered our license they apparently did not use the reader and just looked at our dash where the ticket was not because I had taken it with me as per the instructions. Man! It was a Sunday so everything was closed. We drove to the Donnafugata Castello near Ragusa. Now this was a castle worth seeing! It was originally built in the 14th century but mostly what’s there is a gothic reproduction castle built in the 19th century to look old. When we went there was a historical clothing exhibit with clothes from the 17th to early 1900s that was super cool. But even more cool (not outside which was not at all cool but instead was quite hot) was the story of Donna Franca Florio who lived in the castle from 1873 – 1950. According to the placard, Donna Franca Florio kept two malodorous monkeys called Fitti and Fufi who were waited on by servants. One day while trying to learn to smoke the monkeys set fire to the bedroom. Alarmed by the smoke, the monkeys carried all kinds of objects out of the bedroom window and onto the branches of a fig tree. The castle is beautiful and very well decorated, including the furniture. The grounds are extensive and have several outbuildings including this little chapel built by the Baron Corrado Arezzo. When pious guests went there to pray, they were startled by a “bearded monk” who popped out at them when they stepped on the second step. This family kind of sounds like a riot!

After Donnafugata we went to Ragusa which was a cute hillside town but really really quiet. Like nothing at all going on. We did find an open restaurant to have lunch which was fine, and toured the church there and went to the square with an overlook of the valley and the girls played on the playground, but overall I sure wouldn’t go out of my way to go there. When we got to the parking lot and tried to leave the poor little car couldn’t make it. We had parked on a downward slope so you had to back out uphill and the weight of the four of us plus the underpowered engine made it so the car instead kept rolling forward into the wood block at the front of the parking space. This concerned an Italian woman so much she came over and asked were we aware we were trashing our car? At which point we realized we were dumb, and the girls and I got out of the car and then pushed it up the hill while Mark reversed. That worked and we had no further problems. Also the girls did not realize that you could, and sometimes had to, push cars so they got a valuable life lesson.

We returned to Modica, this time parking on the outskirts of town in a lot that looked like it was legal to park there. We had a nice dinner and went to get hot chocolate at this place that had both an available bathroom and free water (with a big sign that said water is a human right). Definitely appreciated that and the chocolate was wonderful.

May 23, 2022

We asked around and found that you can challenge a ticket at this little police station office (Centrale Operativa)  that’s right in the center of town, so we didn’t have to go to the actual police station. Genevieve used her Italian and the ticket that I had kept showing that we had definitely paid for the spot and the fine was waived. Yay!

Next we boarded Il Trenino. Now if you know anything about our family you know that we cannot resist Il Trenino. It was nice getting a description of the sights we were seeing and also the cheesy music and commentary that makes Il Trenino so wonderful. Once we got to the top of the town we got off like everyone else to tour the Cathedral there. And we were unable/unwilling to wait for the next Il Trenino so we walked down the rest of the town, snapping photos the whole time. We toured the church at the bottom of the hill as well. Italy sure does have a lot of churches. We went back to the hotel and Mark and Genevieve rested but Charlotte and I got restless and walked up the back side of our hotel where the houses were that people were living in. Man they are dark and small. Super cute on the outside, but the interiors were like caves. Still cool to see. That night for dinner we wound up talking to an American guy who was by himself seated near us. There aren’t a lot of Americans in Sicily so we have to stick together! He was actually a college student on a solo trip of Sicily although now that I look back on it I bet he was there on the military base at Catania. Right age and haircut. Anyhow he stayed in one of those cliff houses and confirmed they are dark and cave like.  Geneveive caught a Mediterranean house gecko after dinner and we got our photo taken at the Sicily kiosk. And off to bed.

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