Messina, The Island of Silicy

Messina is the capital of the province of Messina. It is the 13th largest city in Italy with only 250,000 population. We arrived via the Strait of Messina,  which is opposite Villa San Giovanni on the mainland.

The economy is made up of seaport industries, tourism, wine production, lemons, mandarin orange groves and of course olives

.
After years of watching the trilogy of the Godfather, I finally stepped on Sicilian soil. Around 11am, we entered the town of Messina. We landed on a day that was The Republic Day of Celebration with the city alive with Military bands, ceremonies and lots of locals. We made our way to The Duomo of

Santa Maria Assunta which is one of the cathedrals of the Archdiocese of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela.
The current building is the final result reconstructions that took place in the 20th century. This took place during an earthquake which happen in 1908. Later, damages took place during the English and. America victory over Mussolini. , which took place following the English and American victory over Mussolini. 

As the clock struck 12, a bronze lion roared three times representing the lion of Judah. At a height of 80 feet, the lion's was loud enough to be heard for blocks. A few seconds later, a bronze rooster, below the lion crowed three times. Then Ava Maria played in it entirety. Bronze statuettes circled around the Virgin Mary at about 60 feet on the structure and they bowed  before her. There was probably 1500 people standing in awe watching and hearing the beautiful symbolism of the Gospel.

An hour later, we hailed an 8 passenger taxi and visited Taormina, Italy, about an hour drive from Messina. The drivers name was Giovanni. He looked like Al Pacino and spoke Italian and Spanish.

So we were able to communicate fairly well. The first question was "dov'è il bagno"; yes you figured it... "Where is the bathroom?" To get to Taormino, we went through 12 tunnels to get to this classic Italian beach community nestled on a side of a hill. Hungry, we showed up in time to eat a late lunch at Belle Blu. Built with the view in mind, the Italian restaurant was served our group of 8 five different kind of pizza; olives, tuna, pears, pine nuts, pistachios, pepperoni, tomatoes, and plenty other things. The scene, the food, the Sicilian red wine, and the laid back atmosphere was perfect. 

Having four divas in the group, we shopped the cobble stoned walk way shops. 

We visited another small church that reminded me of a scene in Godfather part 2. It was 800 years old. In the door way was an unkept woman with a child seated. She was begging for money. Thinking about my good friend Dick Smith, I dropped three Euros in her cup.

Dick told me that we I won't have to answer for what she does with it; she will. I felt good about the decision and even better remembering my good friend Dick who passed a few months ago.

Tired, we made our way back do the ship with plenty of time to spare. It was a good day. The sunset over Messina was amazing!  As the "Don" said its a cosa nostra thing (translated "our thing") ... The Messinians made their thing ...our thing!