Milazzo and Messina

And here we were boarding the ferry to leave Italy for the short trip over to Sicily. Memories of the last two weeks were in our minds, and we were filled with anticipation of what adventures would meet us. Although his family was scattered all over the mainland of Italy, his family's roots began in Sicily.

Our Airbnb was about 30 kilometers west of his family's hometown of Messina. Milazzo appeared to be a buslting little city, but when we went up the hill we drove onto cobblestone streets and the medieval part of town. It was as if we had been transported back in time, and the area was serene and peaceful. We stayed in one of the very old homes which was simple yet comfortable, and the big surprise was the amazing view of the harbor from our terrace. 

We went into Messina for the afternoon as he wanted to try and find the few remaining family members that might be there. We were able to find the house that used to belong to his Aunt, but of course it had been sold many years ago, and she had long since passed away. Although we did find a cousin's residence, she was not home which was disappointing. 

The next day we went back into Messina as he wanted me to see Duomo di Messina which is an old church with beautiful architecture, statues and an impressive altar. At noon there is a show in the clocktower where the lion roars, the rooster crows 3 times (perhaps symbolic of Peter's denial of knowing Christ) and a lot of other movement, with Ava Maria playing through the entire show. If you ever make it to Sicily this is a must see.

After lunch we went in search of his grandparent's graves in Cimitero Messina. I have never seen such a massive cemetery; with row after row, and level after level filled with headstones. Some of them are so old that it's difficult to discern the inhabitants; many ornate with pictures on them. We went up and down stone steps, going row by row to try and find them. After an hour of searching in the hot sun, he was ready to give up. We were headed out when I looked up and to our left; at the very top, many levels above us, was one last section we had not looked in. We had come this far so I told him we had to take one last shot. After a few minutes of going up and down rows he found them; the joy and relief he felt went straight to my heart. He found a container for the flowers he had brought with him, and we took pictures. As we went to leave, we went between 2 buildings and there was the roadway down to the exit! If he had gone left instead of right when we entered the cemetery we would have found it much sooner. I told him that I will never forget where their graves are after our extensive search!

On our last day in Milazzo we walked up the cobblestone street to Castello di Milazzo which includes a church, school, monastery and fortress. At different times over the years this city was Norman, Swabian, Aragonese and Spanish. It's hard to imagine how all of this has withstood so many years, and the history that has taken place within its walls. The architecture is beautiful, and the views from its location are amazing.

One more night enjoying the peace, solitude and moonlit views from our terrace. Tomorrow it's on to Taormina, Catania and then home.