GOODA-TREK

This elderly couple has been travelling chasing the Sun from northern europe … It never stop to amaze me how someone over 80 yrs old change their lives tottaly and start to live an Adventure without even speak English never mind Italian.

They arrived from everywhere … This morning!
They look fit, they have bycicles, Scooters or they just walk….
They seemed to be all internet and tablet lovers.
Internet here in the Camping sites in Italy are FREE!

If you pay attention the elderly Lady is the One on the top of the motorhome getting the awning ( sorry if mispelled) ready while her Husband watches…
Thank God Mr. G is a “perfeccionista”and don’t trust me to do these horrible jobs! I can not do it! Just thinking about makes me stanko ( tired in Italian)

My grandmother Cezarina used to tell me … There is só much a woman can do!
Wise woman she was….
Alora, anyway, I admire these people very much, good for them!
Instead of staying back home watching TV complaining about the Council Tax, some of them Sell everything and brave the world with their pensions…
Now that’s is COURAGE or CRAZINESS?
It does not matter they are LIVING and MAKING the most of what they have!

Spring is here …
Primavera está aqui…
As Mimosas ou WISTERIA ( inglês ) desabrochando…
Blooming everywhere in the island
O ar fresco
The air is fresh
Looking for the Greek Ancient site of Tindari
Olhando o monte de Tindari anciente Grego
I pray for the Madonna Nera
E rezo para a Nossa Senhora Preta que está lá
More Mimosas showing Off the open gardens
As Mimosas se mostrando nos jardins abertos

Cascades of Purple blue and White
Cascadas de Roxo azul e branco
They are fascinante in colours and shapes
Fascinantes em cores e formas
And feel their perfum … Spetacular the White ones too
Sentir o perfume … Espetacular são as brancas também

Like Snow drops ( como pingos de neve)
Lindamente ….Belas
Com a Primavera vem um ciclo novo cheio de boas novas e longos dias…só escurece as 7 da noite …. Em breve chega meu povo!

We started celebrating yesterday!

Another Birthday away from my Husband and Children …last year I was in Toulouse and my friends from Camping Lê Rupé in South of France made it really special.

This morning I woke up feeling a bit low… What am I doing? Another Birthday away from all the ones I love?
Did not last long my new Danish friend Ragnhild Steppke knocked the Door … HAPPY BIRTHDAY! She had such a lovely smile! We started to chat about our famílies and our travels I had my Chá de Boldo from Chile ( its a lovely Herbal tea from Chile) and it was time to have Lunch at my friends house in Milazzo. We had feijoada ( my favourite Brazilian dish) pasta and champagne!

And then the Cake which is a Gettalo type of Ice Cream, Creme Chantilly …delicious! Rosely and Gianni got it fresh!

Then I Saw all the messages from family and friends anos talked to Martin and some of my children ( Thomas Must be Sleeping in Australia) and things got better and better

Thanks to my new friends I had a wonderful day and special thanks to my friend Rosely Califani who organized everything and made me feel life FAMILY! That is priceless…

I nearly bought this sign to stick in our motorhome to cover up the scratches when crazy drivers in crazy Vicolos left a Mark ….

I thing its official …and everyone wants to know why??
Its not that Simple to explain but from the beggining i said this trip is not just about PLACES… ITS ABOUT PEOPLE TOO.
I guess right there its the answer I was looking for… The people of Sicily!!!

They are so like the people from where I come from in Brazil…
I can’t help it but saying this … It makes me realize how much I miss the warmth of people in Brazil while I have being here. Even the English , the Germans, the French, the Danish etc become more relaxed and friendly. I think its the fresh air…
In Tindari, where we are a foreign Lady told me ” what she liked here the most was … The people!” Me too …I said they are something Unique.

I love that we are treated like welcome guests and that we feel we belong here.

They are crazy drivers … But maybe I like that too, I can be a crazy driver too. I stop anywhere I like to take a picture!
I dont think they have to hold a Driving licence here… Sorry …

Here in Sicily they Park where they want and its common to park in a side line. They reminded me of when I First arrived in England, I parked anywhere I found to my convenience until MR. Gooda said ” no more”

Here is so funny…need help finding our way? The first person we ask doesn’t just tell us how to go, but physically takes us there, and does’t expect anything in return for their trouble.

And they still sit outside their houses to watch the world pass by all dressed up in style … Ready for a good gossip ( not joking)

Sicily is all about Food, Wine, Family, Friendship, Hospitality and a good Chat
All simple things but Simplicity some times it is THE BEST!
I just wish we had our children and close friends here
I would be just WONDERFUL to have all of them here to swim in this Turquoise Waters of these Mediterranean Sea.

Our Nina & her Edward, Daniel & his Denisa, Andrew , Thomas and their friends… And our friends and family and everybody else we miss here!
Oh well, as my friend Margo would say you can’t have everything…

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Sicily with all it has to offer should keep us busy for a while.
How long ? I don't know but just take a look at the view We have everyday and CIAO …I need to go for a gelatto baccios tutti…

The Gooda Family loooove Pistacchio Nuts. So I dedicate this poste specially to them and for all Pistacchio’s lovers!
Please visit this link http://www.bronteinsieme.it/BrIns_en/2st_en/short_history.html
If you want to know more about Bronte’s Pustacchio’s history.

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A visit to the Etna Mount Hill Town of BRONTE was a MUST VISIT PLACE because It’s famous for the Plantations of Pistacchio’s with a special soil that makes them grow tastier than everywhere in this world, says the people of Sicily! I can recomend all the delicatessen and gelatti I tried so far.

We can see the Pistacchio Trees Driving through the Hills of Bronte and all the Little Piaggios carrying it to Sell on the markets and if you are lucky you may find it on its narrows roads in season I have been told

This was Brazilian Food at its best! The whole street could smell Marcelo Carvalho’s Food. He could open a Restaurant with his family recipes from Brazil.
Above is Chicken with Lady Fingers and Rice Refogado with Local Rosso wine from Etna Region bought from the wine makers below

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The pretty White cat. Is called Luna Bianca.
The desert is …
Pudim de Leite Condensado com Ameixa… Best brazilian desert! Marcelo's recipe brought back great memories of my grandma Cezarina …

The Brazilian Dolls in the picture are typical Artesã Work from the region I come from in Brazil.
A toast of SALUTE for the Host with the most… With Shirley, Rosely & Renan we had a great day in Marcelo’s company with a brief visit from his Partner Francesco. After Lunch I had a drive by the sea and spotted this Mosque from the Muslims Invasion to Sicily… Now a Catholic Church.

And the White Cat enjoyed all the good company too!

This is a HAPPY FACE … Shirley …So much fun, food and feast!

Comune di ADRANO is a Hill Town around Mount Etna

Driving through the Mountains I found the Seracena Bridge that survived all kingdoms and destructions

Começamos em Milazzo ( vejam o mapa abaixo ) e viajamos de carro por toda a Costa este. Claudia chegou em Catania e pegamos um Hotel SPA em Catania mas Todo dia fizemos passeios maravilhosos e fomos até Sitacusa a terra do Famoso Arquimedes.

Aqui estamos nos três Bebeta, Claudia e eu! Adorei esta foto e outras que tiramos.
Assim que chegamos em Siracusa o GPS levou Bebeta pra Ilha de Ortigia, a parte mais bela de Siracusa e a mais antiga … Vimos que estávamos no lugar certo porque estava cheia de turistas … Será que as lojas estão abertas? Claudia perguntou… Logo descobrimos que não … Fecharam pra o almoço e só abriram depois das 4 da tarde.
Dai resolvemos almoçar e tivemos a maior sorte… Bebeta com o italiano fluente dela perguntou um bom lugar para apreciarmos a culinária de Siracusa e um senhor italiano passeando com um cachorro pittbull nos deu uma dica …Dionisio um restaurante numa ruela tão pequena e escondida…

Nunca sonhamos que iríamos sermos tratadas como rainhas , fomos! Nunca imaginamos que o dono era louco pelo Brasil e falava portugues. Bom, nem precisa dizer mas vou … Tivemos uma experiência muito boa sem falar que degustamos um vinho local que agradaria a Gregos e Romanos e um vinho para acompanhar sobremesa e doces que foi cortesia da casa especialmente para nos 3. Eu ainda tirei uma foto das sardinhas recheadas e crocantes por fora com 3 tipos de Confit , as meninas já estavam muito ocupadas para tirar fotos.

Deliciosos e as meninas pediram pratos de dar água na boca. A sobremesa foi para fechar com chave de ouro. Bebeta pediu um mousse com ricota doce com um sabor bem siciliano. Eu um mousse de chocolate com drizzle de arancia e Claudia uma sobremesa com amêndoas fresquinhas

Alfio, o proprietário a medida que falava sobre os bons tempos que viveu no Brasil e os amigos que fez, as lágrimas caiam e Bebeta como não deixa passar nada despercebido antecipou que ele tinha vivido um grande amor no Brasil… E ele depois contou que se apaixonou mas que não foi um final feliz… Que pena! Ele foi de uma gentileza e hospitalidade que me convenceu a voltar lá … Pra levar Mr. Gooda e um casal de dinamarqueses que conhecemos aqui no Camping.
Depois do almoço as lojas abriram e fomos passear no Corso e a cidade estava cheia de famílias Italianas passeando pelas lojas , alguns sentados nos cafés que estavam lotados … Nunca vi um povo para gostar tanto de gellati ou gellato. O meu favorito e de Pistacchio fresquinho das plantações ao redor do Etna que tem o solo perfeito para Pistacchio.
No fim da tarde depois do nosso passeio voltamos para o SPA hotel ansiosas para nossa sessão de 2 horas no SPA… Já virou um vício!

As meninas deixaram tanta saudade que ainda estou rindo com nossas brincadeiras quando rimos a toa com tudo… Coisa de quem está de bem com a vida …. Lá Dolce Vita do nosso jeito aqui na Sicília!

Como vocês me pediram pra colocar mais fotos aqui vai

My cousin Bebeta has TRAVELLED The WORLD in STYLE!
Her passion for life has made her such a great company that you would not want to miss being around her! We did have dreams of travelling together since I can not remember! We used to day dream about our travellings … We made them come true so many times …we enjoy more and more as time goes by. Now that her friend Claudia arrived we are all Giggles and Glamour under the Sun of Sicily!
in gorgeous Giardini’s Turquoise Sea with Bebeta Miler and Claudia Rebello

We had so much fun in Catania, discovering new places and revisiting Taormina , Castelmola , Isola Bela and Giardini Nexus

We were out and about

waking up with the Sun to make the most of our travels and time together … We have been everywhere and Bebeta did most of the driving through out the curves and Hill Towns… She has such a good sense of direction … Thanks to her we travelled all the East Coast of Sicily … We ended up our travels going to Siracusa and had the best taste of Sicily Cuisine in a Nice and charming Restaurant with an Italian owner that loves Brazil… He treated us like Stars!!! We tasted the best wines and local dishes … We had so much fun!
I have to write about that Restaurant in another post with choices of menu so you guys know what you missed!
For now more pictures os Siracusa where we had a great Sunday walking along with the people enjoying its scenery and Making the most of it!

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Not Just another amazing experience in these hidden paradise hill towns of Sicily. If you, like me, watched the Godfather II you must have dreamed of been there too. Have you ever wished to visit the charming, little bar where Vito Corleone's daughter wedding took place?

Have you ever dreamt to discover the real, unspoilt Sicily? This is for sure one of the most exciting experience you might have while visiting this amazing island of a difference, Sicily.

Here you will visit the popular Bar Vitelli and the main Church of Savoca dedicated to S. Lucia, the location of the wedding secene between Apollonia and Michael Corleone( al Pacino).

Now what we were amazed is that when we found a beautiful spot and saw a man coming down toward us … He spoke perfect English and his name was Vittorio!

Vittorio makes this place even better. He was such a charmer and started to show us around a part of the village that he transformed in BORGOSAN ROCCO!

The hotel has 25 rooms with gorgeous views to the mountains and sea. You can experience how life is all about in this amazing hill town of Savoca. meeting
Francesco, he showed us secret places like a rock tunnel that takes you to a very elegant marble decorated hall with beautiful and elegant furnishings suitable to weddings and other family events while you also easily hide away and just relax sipping a local glass of wine ( in my case glass of Prossecco) and just loose yourself day dreaming!

Here Francesco is showing me the Godfather’s room and I can’t help but start to imagine and feel like what might be to stay in that room with a magnifique view to die for! How must be to have breakfast looking at that blue sea… Oh well, somewhere special!The picture don’t do justice how beautiful this place is. Francesco and his father wants their guests to experience the wonders of living in this tranquil and spectacular hill town of Savoca offering all the Comfort of modern living at its best! We are invited to come back to a Party where all the village dress in white and bring their own food and celebrate La Dolce Vita together… Do I need to say anymore?