Italy
Mineo

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    • Day 4

      Hiking - Day 2 - hilly and remote

      March 25, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

      Yesterday evening we started to get a little bit into trouble. Already hiked a lot and the Refugio, which is down in the map doesn't exist. And this on top of the hills, where all the wind wheels are around. About 850m high. Chilly wind. Lupo needed a real break. So we did... But too short. Before darkness we still wanted to walk further down. Lower it gets much warmer and less windy. Finally, just before darkness, we have found a small hut which we occupied. But we have been 10km more tired. 20 o'clock we've slept already. Until 4:30.
      Lupo recovered not too bad and we walked further. Beautiful morning. After 12km we've reached a small village. Shops still closed. But the bakery has already opened and we've enjoyed it a lot! One Croissant with pistachio and one like a cheesecake. So yummy! Also the Baguette tasted different. Less salty and sweeter. A little bit like corn added. And.... Fresh! Wow! Delicious!
      The owner saw Lupo and gave him 2 older pieces I guess. Looked like "hot dog" with a sausage inside. Took him just a second and it was gone.
      So we hiked further. Downhill. Rugged 4 wheel roads and paths. There is no steady fast hiking on these trails. About km 18-20 Lupo started to show down a lot. Needed a break. We did, but short. We wanted to get before 1 o'clock to the supermarket in the next town. Just having 5km left, I have realized Lupo needs the break. It was too much the day before. We need to slow down and walk in the morning hours. Probably at night again. So I will slow down the next day and keep an eye on him. ... So far... Still only 14:00 now.
      30500 steps done... About 23km.... But we will not do much today anymore.

      19:00 .... we've left the picnic spot about 15:30. Suddenly 500m further from a house far away the dogs spotted us and ran 200m over a field to us into the forest. 5 dogs...2 huge ones and done medium ones. 3 attract Lupo immediately. But him in the neck and back. Me... shouting and trying to find how to help. The biggest dog wanted to fight, all the other stayed away 3m. Me shouting again and again. From far away the owner shouted a little bit .. The dogs did not care. So the owner too. We've catches the right moment and went further inclusive shouting. The followed us for about half a km. Then left finally. Wow ...

      We've reached the town, drank a cafe lungo, charged the phone and headlamp, got some food at the supermarket, and left town again. Lots of barking dogs everywhere. Unfortunately some stay dogs too. Sometimes why, sometimes aggressive. But shooting helped a little bit a little bit outside the town, just before the next town starts again, we sleep on a field. It is dark already and everywhere dogs a barking far away. Some houses have garden lights switched on all the time. Lupo feel asleep immediately.

      43700 steps - 32.4km
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    • Day 3

      Caltagirone und Villa Romana del casale

      November 10, 2019 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

      Der heutige Ausflug geht zunächst nach Caltagirone und danach nach Piazza Armerina zur Villa Roman del casale, einer ausgegrabenen römischen Villa.

      Kurzer Überblick zum Ausflug:
      https://traverous.com/travelogues/BlnjWmr4Sl?ut…
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    • Day 3

      Caltagirone

      November 10, 2019 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

      Caltagirone ist Siziliens 'Haupstadt der Keramik'; wo man auch hinblickt, neben dem allgegenwärtigen Barock, findet sich Keramik. Seien es die Verkaufs-und Arbeitsräume der Handwerker oder die vollständig verkleidete Freitreppe. Caltagirone wurde beim Erdbeben von 1693 fast vollständig zerstört, danach jedoch wieder barock aufgebaut.Read more

    • Day 16

      Testa di Moro

      January 28 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

      Nor a nice name, nor a nice story.

      Once more I thought about buying two of them but this time I'm here by plane and I think I won't manage to transport them. Maybe next time, when I'm here by car...

      Those who have been reading my travel diary for a long time already know the story, but I don't want to withhold it from others either:

      Who does not know them, the peculiar ceramic heads, which, as hand-painted vases on sicilian balconies, fix the passing tourists with rigid expressions. Whether with light or dark skin color, together with a woman's head or alone, a crown on the head is the same for everyone.

      The eerily beautiful legend says that a beautiful girl lived in Palermo in the Kalsa district during the arab-muslim rule around the year 1000 AD. Her rose skin was like blooming peach blossoms and her eyes reflected the sea of the Gulf of Palermo.

      The young woman was almost always at home, spending her days tending the plants on her balcony. Some day a young african passed under her balcony who, as soon as he saw her, fell madly in love with her and immediately swore to her everlasting love. Affected by so much passion, she returned his love, but her happiness was short-lived.

      As soon as she learned that her lover would soon be leaving to return to his home country and to his wife and two children, she made up her mind. She waited for night to fall and as soon as he fell asleep, she killed him and cut off his head.

      She made a vase out of his head to plant basil in and placed it on her balcony for all to see. That way he would stay with her forever. The basil grew into a stately plant and all the neighbors envied the girl for it.

      In order not to be inferior to the young woman in any way, all residents of the district had extra terracotta vases made with the shape of the head. To this day, these colorful ceramic vases can be admired from sicilian balconies as a nice warning to all husbands.

      Incidentally, the basil is the king's plant and was deliberately planted in the head of her lover by the girl from the legend. Thus, with the help of the noble plant, the young woman could continue to care for her lover in her madness.
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    • Day 16

      Caltagirone

      January 28 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

      Caltagirone (Sicilian: Cartaggirun) is an inland city about 70 kilometres southwest of Catania.

      It is the fifth most populous municipality of the Metropolitan City, behind Catania, Acireale, Misterbianco and Paternò. Alongside Catania, it is the only town that has a tribunal seat in the former province. Since 1987, the comune has obtained the City title, through a presidential act. After Caltanissetta, it is the second-most populous comune in Central Sicily. Caltagirone has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

      The town is a production center of pottery, particularly maiolica and terra-cotta wares. Contemporary production is more and more oriented to artistic production of ceramics and terra-cotta sculptures. Other activities are mainly related to agriculture (production of grapes, olives, peaches), third-sector activities, light industry and tourism.

      Today I went there just to have a look and I liked it. I think I will come back for a second time 😊.
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    • Day 184

      Ragusa und Caltagirone

      October 22, 2020 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

      Mit Ragusa machten wir die Barockstadttriologie im Südosten der Insel komplett. Auch hier prächtige Bauwerke in toller Lage. Hinzu kommen im "neueren" Stadtteil coole Streetart und natürlich wieder Stufen ohne Ende. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt war uns jedoch noch nicht bewusst dass wir in Caltagirone eine viel größere und imposantere Treppe hinaufsteigen werden. In der Stadt der Keramik ist die "La Scala" mit Keramik Kacheln verschönert.
      Die lange Treppe führt 142 Stufen zur Kirche Santa Maria del Monte. Von Oben wird man mit bezauberndem Blick über das sizilianische Inland belohnt.
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    • Day 16

      Chiesa del Santissimo Salvatore

      January 28 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

      At first glance, the church is a completely normal church, only a sign at the entrance draws your attention to the word "terra-cotta".

      When you enter you will find a pretty but not unusual church. However, if you enter the room on the right and pay two euros, you end up in a terra-cotta miniature wonderland. But see for yourself.

      As a side note regarding terra-cotta: The Ceramica di Caltagirone is a type of ceramics made in Caltagirone, in Sicily. This pottery is one of the most documented and stylistically varied, as well as one of the best known in the world.
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    • Day 16

      Scalinata di Santa María del Monte

      January 28 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

      Scalinata di Santa Maria del Monte is a set of world-famous steps in Caltagirone. It was built in 1606 in order to connect the ancient part of Caltagirone to the new city built in the upper part. The staircase, over 130 meters long, is flanked by balcony buildings and is today one of the identifying monuments of the city.

      In the middle of the XV century, the city of Caltagirone expanded through the slopes of the mountain. The expansion of the city, on different levels, made communication between the areas of the city difficult.

      In order to facilitate access to the old town, located at the top, the city authorities ordered the construction, in 1606, of a staircase along the southern slope of the hill. The work required 10 years of work and was carried out under the direction of Giuseppe Giacalone. The original staircase had rest areas and a total of 150 steps.

      In 1844, the staircase underwent modifications, among which the elimination of rest areas stands out, which results in a lower inclination.

      Since 1954, the steps leading to the church of Santa Maria del Monte have been entirely decorated with polychrome ceramic tiles, following the ancient local artisan tradition.

      The figurative themes of the ceramics are floral or geometric, and represent the Arab, Norman, Angevin-Aragonese, Spanish, Renaissance, Baroque, eighteenth-century, nineteenth-century and contemporary styles. The designs on the tiles reflect ceramic style progressively from the 9th century to the 19th century, with the oldest style at the bottom of the stairway and the latest at the top.

      The 103rd step is inscribed with “Ave Maria”, referencing the 103rd Psalm and its themes of benediction, forgiveness, and compassion.
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    • Day 39

      Once more Caltagirone

      February 20 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

      Today we went to Caltagirone again, this time with four people.

      Luigi, that's what I called the car that I borrowed from Martinello, was quite busy with 4 people.

      This time we left so early that we were able to return at 1:00 p.m. In my opinion, siesta makes no sense in winter. Everything is closed from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. or even 4:00 p.m. and only opens again when it's almost dark again.

      Today we were definitely early enough to stick our noses in everywhere before the siesta.

      A really nice town.
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    • Day 5

      Caltagirone

      June 21, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

      Hinauf zur Santa Maria del Monte über die berühmten 142 Stufen aus handgemalter Keramik. Das Städtchen ist berühmt für seine Keramikart. Aber vorher noch eine kleine Stärkung: Brioche und Granita al Mandorla😍Read more

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