Last Post from Marina di Ragusa 5.31.06

Today is Wednesday. It was supposed to be the day we departed Marina di Ragusa. But as we are expecting the check for the insurance to arrive today, we decided to just put it off until tomorrow. We had originally thought that once the check arrived we would deposit it in the bank, have them make a transfer to Peppe's bank (the car repair guy) and then pack up and leave. The ferry from Catania to Napoli leaves at 9pm and you should be there at least 2 hours prior and it's around a 2 hour drive to Catania so we thought it might all work out. But in talking with Elio this morning and thinking about really wanting to have a proper goodbye with our friends, we decided that it would be best not to rush it and wait until tomorrow to leave.

I got up early today, around 5am to go down to the beach and watch the sunrise. It was a cool morning with a slight breeze and the sky had purplish pinky streaks at the horizon and turned blue with white clouds as they sun came up, lighting up the Torre and all the little buildings that are Marina di Ragusa as it curves around the sea. I was alone on the beach with the exception of a single jogger along the promenade and a few dogs further down the beach playing with an old sock. Salvatore was just opening up for the morning, sweeping and setting up the chairs and tables, getting ready for his day to begin. We exchanged a "buon giorno!" as I passed, going back upstairs to see if Bob was awake yet.

Coming into the apartment, I checked my email and Bob got up. After having a cappuccino and cornetto at Salvatore's place "The Summer" we walked along the Lungomare another time. We ran into Giovanni and then, in centro, Angelo. He's not looking so good these days and we wonder what type of illness he has that has turned his usual youthful and peppy personality a bit restrained, his breathing labored. He greeted us warmly, took our hands in his and said something about the weather, the pressure, mal di testa (headache), and at his age, we worry about him.

And now, we are really at the end of this chapter. We will most likely leave tomorrow, grateful for one more day. But we wanted to let you know that this will probably be our last post from Sicily and the next time you hear from us it will be from our apartment in Verona, with tales of the journey north. We hope you will stick around and forgive me for my wordiness!

A presto!
Rosemary e Robert