Tag: Italy

 

 

#16 in this series celebrated a happy surprise; this episode documents a nasty one.

Italy has many attractive, spectacularly located, historically rich hilltop villages.

Sicily’s Motta Camastra is one such; it feels quite “remote”, but is in fact not far from Messina, and even closer to Taormina.

Taormina overlooks the Ionian Sea and is gorgeous…but hugely over-touristed/touristy, and chock with “luxe” boutiques et al. (all those aspects will be evident in future, multi-image posts)

Inland, and closer to Mt Etna, Motta Camastra is still resolutely real, rural.

It is noted for the excellence of its local produce, most especially nuts.

Our day trip coincided with its annual festa della noce, which proved good clean tasty fun.

The nut festival attracted many welcome/d visitors…plus one “toxic nut”/ conman.

Comments closed

 

As the featured image “clearly shows”, when in Palermo, ape-men enjoy exclusive use of special, clearly-signposted, simian-friendly taxis.

The photo (copyright Doug Spencer, taken in Sicily’s capital city at 12.32 pm on 23 September 2023) has not been “doctored” – it contains no “fake news”.

Comments closed

 

 

I am almost entirely sure that  – for everyone who looks at today’s featured image – your answer to the question posed in this post’s headline would be a resounding “no”.

I am equally sure that almost all of you have seen the face of this particular Sicilian villager, albeit as it was in 1971… a little more than 52 years before I photographed her, in the very same village, on the morning of 1 October, 2023.

Comments closed

 

 

This post’s subtitle reads like it had been written by Spike Milligan for The Goon Show.

Its every word, however, is literally true.

Most humans – even those who do not like to drink coffee – enjoy coffee aromas.

Most insects detest them.

As an insect repellent, coffee is most effectively deployed, as illustrated – as an “incense”, most especially when the igniting flame is applied to unused coffee grounds.

One Comment