This morning Peter and I are dropped off at Piazza Chiesa in Santa Tecla where Aunty Mary, cousin Irma (Daughter of Nello Pulvirenti and son of Michele Pulvirenti (Deceased)), and her husband Camillo meet us. 

We first visit Zio Sebastiano, who is my Grandfather's (Guiseppe Pulvirenti, Deceased) brother . Zio Sebastiano lived in Australia until he seperated from his wife some time in the early 1990's and returned to his home land, leaving his family disunited. 

In seeing my 88 year old Uncle, I was surprised to see that he was as 'sharp as a tack' and quite frail. He was welcoming, happy and supportive of my relationship with Peter. Zio Sebastiano had heard much about our relationship and was very happy to see me content in my life. Zio still lived on the block of land where he grew up as young boy. The last time I was here was in 1989, visiting family on my Father's side. 

Leaving Zio Sebastiano we continued on to Aci Trezza, where we visit the Faraglioni dei Ciclopi. 

 The Faraglioni dei Ciclopi are of volcanic origin, and may at one time have been attached to Sicily. The lava forming the basaltic columns was consolidated under great pressure, probably at the bottom of the sea.
Homer has a curious story about the manner in which they became detached, towards the end of the ninth book of the Odyssey . When Odysseus visited Sicily it was inhabited by the Cyclopes, said to have had only one eye, on the forehead.Odysseus encounters one of their number, Polyphemus, on his journey home to Ithaca, who kills two of Odysseus's men. Stuck inside Polyphemus's cave because he and his men are unable to move the boulder that blocks the entrance, Odysseus supplies Polyphemus with a special wine until he falls asleep, and blinds him by drilling the Cyclops's own wooden walking stick into his eye. Polyphemus opens the cave boulder and the Greeks escape to their ship; Polyphemus calls to the other Cyclopes for help and Odysseus, from the distance of his ship, begins to taunt and to jeer at him. Polyphemus hurls the rocks in an attempt to strike the fleeing Ulysses, who had blinded him.
 
Driving onto Catania we take Aunty Mary and Peter to the Duomo di Catania, L'Elefante Piazza, Teatro Romano and the Roman Theatre of Catania.

The Roman Theatre was rebuilt by the Romans (2nd Century AD), replacing the Greek Theatre (Built 1st Century AD) . Built into a Roman theatre system with a connected Odeon. Since the theatre was later obscured by Baroque buildings, it is difficult to discern from the outside. The auditorium of the Theatre with its two walk ways has a diameter of 100 metres and was probably designed for approximately 7,000 spectators. The row of seats, steps and the orchestra are made from black lava rock. The small Odeon id directly connected west of the Teatro Romano. The little theatre was also built of lava rock and is slightly higher than the big Theatre.

For lunch we dropped into a Cafe for Arranccini, but unfortunately they were the worst Arranccini we had ever had. The rice was a bit gluey! 

We returned to Santo and his wife Irene's house, where we showered and dressed up for dinner in a smorgasbord restaurant in Taormina. Cousin's Marina, Nello, friends Venny and Sal joined us for dinner and Aunty Mary was generous to pay the bill at the end of the evening.

The night was still young and Camillo and Irma dropped Peter and I at the open air Disco 'Banarche". At 11.00pm we met up with cousins Fiorella, Nuncio, Nello, Federica, Vera, her boyfriend Walid and his brother Semek. Here we enjoyed a night of dancing and a few drinks before leaving in the early hours of the morning to have a Selza di limone or Selza di Manderine before bed time.