Catania, Sicilia, Sunny and Warm, 27

Who Doesn't Love A Fish Market?

We're sitting at the airport in Catania waiting for our flight to Malta where we are looking forward to a week of new wanderings and discovery. With a little time to pass I thought I'd take a moment to bring my journal up to date. We've been traveling fairly briskly since arriving almost three weeks ago and today we took a quieter day to slowly wander the town, with a typically light Sicilian breakfast at a local bar on the edge of the main piazza. The sun was warm and this seemed to balance the strong black tea and croissant. A lovely morning where the pigeons were cooing and gliding into the square. The tour groups were queuing up for their day of scheduled activities. All of these sights were music for the soul taking us both back to the many times we have enjoyed such moments during our travels. 

Today we had selected a visit to the local fish market. It's pretty historic in this town and the area it's been set up in has been operational in this capacity for centuries. 

After walking through the stalls and stepping over the puddles and fish guts for a while we found a perch above the market and stood there transfixed for a time watching the stories below unfold as I guess they have for years into the past. The more I watched the scene, the more it began to bring to mind the many paintings I've seen in galleries all over Europe where the painter has captured often many stories on their canvas. 

There was the story of the elderly lady accompanied by her son who arrived at the table of her favourite vendor as she has likely done for years. They selector all things a small shark. Price negotiated, the son wanders off to look around and the fisherman and the old woman gossip about whatever one gossips about while your shark is been prepared. 

First the shark fins are removed, then the guts of the matter are removed followed soon after by the tough skin. 

Then as a special touch the shark is cut up into manageable pieces.

Finally ready, the package is wrapped and delivered to the woman.

I can't help but wonder how she will prepare and serve this unusual selection. There were so many other things that she might have purchased instead.

The negotiations and banter often became quite noisy at some tables.

However, in each case with negotiations complete there was a gentle sort of handshake and sometimes a kiss on the cheeks and everyone seemed happy enough. 

Imagine. Day after day, year after year this process continues. Something I often think of when I travel or walk along ancient trails. The continuation of process.

A few more images of the market then I must go walking. We are this morning in Malta!

The artichoke vender. I've never seen artichokes prepared this way.

Our thoughts are with you L. Chin up and keep smiling. xoxo G&A