Today my cousin Rosario Sciacca, accompanied by his friends Elio and Renzo took me on an excursion to Catania. Rosario has a passion for history and architecture and so what a great way to be chaperoned by a local. 

Catania is the second largest city of Sicily and has no Sky Scrapers, unlike Australia, this is an earthquake zone . Catania is known for its seismic history, having been destroyed by a catastrophic earthquake in 1169, another in 1693 and several volcanic eruptions from the neighbouring Mount Etna Volcano, the most violent was in 1669.

Catania has had a long eventful history, having been founded in the 8th century BC. In 1434, it witnessed the opening of the first University in Sicily. Then in the 14th Century and into the Renaissance period, Catania was one of Italy's most important and flourishing cultural, artistic and political centres.

Whilst in Catania we enjoyed a Granita and Brioche for breakfast, so today I tried another flavour...Peach and Lemon, delicious. The Sicilian Cassata was also delicious with its coating of Marzipan and filling of ricotta and mixed candied peel. I also tried the Iris, which was like a brioche filled with custard, cocoa or vanilla, then rolled in fat, dipped in almond meal and then deep fried. The verdict delicious! So why is it that the most fattening foods are the most delicious?

After the sweet delights we visited the Cathedral of Santa Agata, the Patron Saint of Catania, the main square, the fish markets and Teatro Massimo Bellini .

All ancient authors agree in representing Catania as a Greek colony named Karavn. origin, but founded immediately from the neighbouring city Naxos, under the guidance leader named Euarchos. The exact date of its foundation is not recorded, but appears from Thucydides to have followed shortly after that of Leotini, which he places in the fifth year after Syracuse, or 730 BC.

After saying ciao to Elio and Renzo, Rosario and I returned to Giovanna and their children, Camillo, Vera and Paola for lunch before chilling out with them in the court yard away fro the scorching hot sun.

In the evening I had more visitors dropping in to say hello. My cousin Ketty and her husband Maurizio, joined Zia Graziella, Pina and Saro for a coffee.

That night Pina and Saro drove us to Penisi, where Zia Venera and her husband Zio Camillo (deceased) owned a country property, which had now been bought out from their son Rosario Sciacca and Giovanna . My cousin Rosario and Giovanna opened up their hospitality that evening for dinner along with some other friends, including Nicola and Monica whom Rosario and I had met in Catania this morning and had invited them to join us for dinner. A Barbecue dinner promised a fanfare of meats including liver, sausages, heart and lungs sautéd in lemon juice, parsley and garlic. I can hear you all saying yuk! Let me tell you, surprisingly it was delicious. Desert was watermelon to cleanse the pallet and finished off with a creme limoncello liquor. 

The generosity of my cousins are overwhelming and they are generous people.

Off to bed....Ciao, Ciao.