Greek Sicily

Who has time to write when in Sicily? So photos will have to do.

And yes, the weather has suddenly turned very warm and perfect.

The Greeks left their mark here! Sicily was a Greek Colony and has the most beautiful Greek ruins. We spent yesterday in Siracusa with Eleonora as our guide. Enjoy a few photos from yesterday.

A roadside shrine to Mother Mary:

Below: Temple of Apollo. Perhaps this was one of the most significant temples in ancient Greek times. The pillars in the photo below are monolithic and it is short of a miracle that they are still standing because most of the area was leveled to the ground during the great earthquake of January 11, 1693. The earthquake was one of the biggest to ever hit Italy. It destroyed at least 45 cities and killed more than 60,000 people. Catania was hardest hit and two-thirds of the people of Catania lost their lives. Many of the towns including Siracuse and Modica had to be completely rebuilt.

The main cathedral in Ortigia is my favorite. It was a Greek Temple whose ancient pillars are perfectly preserved because they were filled in with walls for a church. In the photo below, you can see the Greek Temple pillars embedded in the exterior walls. These columns, thousands of years old, are even more beautiful from the interior. From Greek Temple to Mosque to Catholic Church, this cathedral is remarkable.