Those platforms



Carlos at La Grattugia

If its hot, its still summer right .. ? we thought so anyway. When the temperature is still between 25-30 degrees, it was hard to support the notion that summer was over. We were told it was as we looked for swimming gear ... floating rings and wings for the kids, rock shoes for all. No ce estate fine –  no its the end of summer. Sure, Okay

Milan's thinking "this is what I was talking about Papa"



This was part of a club, now there's just the rocks underneath it. Around the year its
a hot spot apparently for Passegiata - the practise of walking to see others & be seen.

There on the Riviera Ciclopi there are these wooden platforms that take you from land to sea, over the black volcanic rocks. They filled the coast line, while most said 'Privato', people were kind enough to let us use them. There were often these cool lounging portions on most of them.. perfect for 'taking the sun' – tanning. In Aci Trezza centre even a few night clubs functioned off them.

So when we saw them all coming down, .. we were puzzled.  Our Rugby friend was also taking the one at his restaurant down explaining because of maintenance they don't stay after summer. We'd just enjoyed a day off his and thought why not. 

Crews of 2-3 would bring down a platform in a day

Sure enough though, literally few days later the storm came – lightning show and all. Huge waves pounded the coast.  Here's a shot after the storm when one of the ladders from a platform was being washed away. Milan spotted it from inside the house, all excited I had to fight the urge to jump in and try to life save that plank of wood. Clearly, I must have been craving a challenge. Our first time - prima volta  it was littered with hurdles. We had knocked out teeth, nil language and a province with a medical system that kept giving me the finger.

The stray wooden platform

Brig (the voice of reason) was out at training at the time, Milan liked the idea of me getting in, though Carlos I'm sure wouldn't have. Over here they call it figlio di mama - a mama's boy which we still think is precious. Anyway summer maybe over, so we'll see what Autumn will bring .. xx

Amiamo Aci's

I went house hunting on the back of a motorbike – of course minus the helmet, with a cool club manager. First we viewed this place which is where we stayed for 3 night's, note the amenities. Yes up there is both the kitchen and laundry, compact european living.

She was making castle after castle as we stayed 2 mins from Castello Normano

That staircase had its work cut out for it.
Brig did Milan's plaits, doing each others hair is just one of their things x  

The space felt smaller than our car, so I made a rule with the kids that only mama went up there for safety. We heard it groan as Brig was on it a few times, as it turned out, it was helpful for independence. It seems our Italian born son was also born with the appetite of a Italian man. In this tight kitchen / laundry there was no chance of any Carlos action at my ankles!

The kids became more odd in photos as the day rolled on.
At day 4 day we were still time adjusting

We did love the location – Aci Castello, is one of the nine Aci's of the Rivera Cilopi. The Norman's built a Castle in the 11^th century (for a time it was a prison) out of the ambundant black lava stone.

According to legend, the body of the young shepherd was killed by Cyclops - Poliphemus for loving someone that had earlier caught his eye. The body was dismembered into nine parts, upon which the nine Aci-cities were built. They are Aci Bonaccorsi, Aci Castello, Aci Catena, Aci Platani, Acireale, Aci S. Filippo, Aci S. Antonio, Aci S. Lucia and Aci Trezza. This stretch of Sicily’s Eastern coastline is also known as the Cyclops’ Coast.

We regularly had these mythological stories relayed by San Gregorio rugby management and many of the rugby boys had an appreciation for myths and legends of the past. There was a great appreciation of our surroundings. Generally we've found a slower more relaxed life in Sicily, even in dress, especially compared with our last Province in the north east of Italy - Rovigo. They'd give us these terrible looks when Brig would go somewhere in say shorts. It was like we were damaging their surroundings!

Great volcanic rocks clusters stretch along this coast and appear like tall rough buildings, we heard how the blinded Cyclops threw these rocks at Odysseus as he fleed from Mt Etna where Cyclops lives in a cave. 

After Aci Castello I then viewed a seafront appartment down the coast 3mins in Aci Trezza, it was a large, one level place & our front yard was a protected Sea Reserve for diving/ snorkelling. The down side was parking... 12 dwellings with 5-6 parks. Huhh, it will make for lively encounters & more Italian learning

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There were four wooden platforms set up over the black volcanic rocks outside, leading us down to the sea. The kids were quick to spy their rock pools, and were sold on where we would stay for the next 8months.