Ortigia, Siracusa...Sicily

We arrived late yesterday afternoon (Friday) amidst torrential rain.  Apparently it hasn't rained since April in Siracusa and a local woman said to us, "You can hear the land sighing, 'ahhhh'."  The driver who took us from Catania airport to Siracusa said not to worry about the rain, "Solo oggi" - it's only today!  And he was right...today (Saturday) has been gloriously sunny and I'm making most of the terrace to catch some rays.

The apartment, at 15 Via Serafino Privitera, is in a great spot, on the third and top floor with a terrace overlooking the sea.  Giovanni met us on arrival, explained how everything worked and marked some handy spots on a map.  Perfect! 

Ortigia is the old town of Siracusa, an island connected by bridges to the main township of Siracusa.  We spent today getting a feel for the town, wandering the island, visiting the daily market, finding a supermarket, getting the washing done.  The narrow streets are lined with gorgeous hole-in-the-wall gelaterias, cafés, restaurants, bars, and a range of cute shops - fabulous!  We've already found the spot for breakfast - a tiny bar with a handful of tables and umbrellas set up across the street - caffè latte, doppio, scrumptious custard brioche and pistachio creme croissant.  This is going to be fun!