bella sicilia!
by Frances Mannina Brown
(return to Sicily)

Virtualitalia.com reader Frances Mannina Brown expressed her joy at seeing Sicily for the first time and her account was so beautiful, we just had to share it!

For most of my adult life I have wanted to see the birthland of my grandparents who were from Corleone, Sicily. I finally got that chance in Jan./Feb. of this year and it was the most soul-stirring experience of my life thus far.

When the coastline of Palermo became visible from the plane's window, tears began to well up in my eyes. I never expected to have such an emotional reaction even though I had been looking forward to this trip for months. I did not know what a beautiful land that Island is. I have been to Colorado and was awed by the mountains there, but I wasn't prepared for the wild and rugged terrain that is Sicily. "Awesome" is a word that is bandied about a lot these days, but when it comes to Sicily the word (for me at least) is not quiet strong enough.

Our visit took us all around the island--from Trabia on the north west coast to Segesta, Erice,Monreale, Mondello, Cefalu, Agrigento, Catania and Taormina on the East coast with many other places in between. We saw cathedrals with mind-boggling art work, ancient Greek temples and theaters, a puppet show, a ceramic factory, Mt. Etna, an out-door market with every kind of meat, seafood, fruit and vegetable you can imagine and many other sights too numerous to mention here. And all the while, surrounded by breath-taking scenery of Sea and Mountains.

see also... * Palermo's Street Markets * Direct from Sicily * Fire of Mount Etna * Bella Sicilia! * Savor This! *Stranger in a Strange Land * Sicilian Cooking * Sicily Quiz * All About Sicily other Italian regions...

I seemed to feel the presence of my ancestors within me (especially my great grandfather who died 5 years before I was born) viewing their homeland again through my eyes. It made me sad to know they were forced to leave their beautiful island home and begin again in a strange and sometimes hostile environment (Italian immigrants were often treated very badly in this country).

Upon seeing Sicily, I realized that this is the land my heart has always longed for but did not know, I felt like I had at last found "home". I hope to return there next spring for an extended visit---if I can bear to wait that long.

This poem by Renzino Barbera sums it all up beautifully:

---On the sixth day,
God accomplished His work
And, pleased with all the beauty
He had created,
He took the Earth in His hands,
And kissed it.
There, where He put His lips,
That's Sicily.