Sunday, July 20, 2008

[day at the seaside] bloody hot

Marina di Modica

Not complaining, mind.

Following on from this morning’s post, arrived home and we’d been invited to the beach for the day. This might sound like a wonderful thing but not:


1. if one’s chest is as white as an old man’s flanks;

2. if one needs to be within range of certain facilities, at this decrepit age;

3. with the temperature rising into the high thirties;

4. if it’s envisaged by our deeply tanned hosts that we’ll lie around like lobsters for a few hours on a rocky outcrop near the end of the beach.

Blowhole at the Marina di Modica

We went down to Marina di Modica and it wasn’t half bad. The sea breeze caressed us, the sailboats were out, the base of a large umbrella was stuck down a rock crevice and provided moderate shade and it didn’t feel as hot as it was.

Actually, it was a shortish time, during which I saw an old brick factory from a century ago with blowholes below it which had been used for pumped water way back when, the area where the turtles lay their eggs in season, heard the story of the landowner – the last of the aristocracy – who sometimes loses so badly at cards that he sells off tracts of land which then become developed into villages and other good things and so on and so on.

We also saw the open air theatre which was originally intended as a swimming pool but because certain measurements went awry, they decided to turn it to its current purpose instead.

The place is where the locals go and there are practically no tourists, for a number of reasons.

Firstly, when the area was finally opened up thirty years ago, Modican families built holiday homes down there and very soon the kilometre or so inland was filled up with them.

This in turn meant that large scale western development was not really possible, foreign capital, in recompense, allowed to develop areas left and right of Marina di Modica.

Another reason was that the authorities have specific foreshore bylaws which preclude such development. For example, any dwelling along the coast is not allowed to be altered in style in any way – in other words, no modern renovations.

A third reason is the lack of reliable public transport to the beach area, making it a cars only affair.


View from the balcony of the holiday house. The split level is the thing here which gives a striking effect - that and the peach and pink coloured concrete.

So anyway, it was back to our hosts’ seaside house for an extended lunch after Welshcakes' leaping around the rocks like a gazelle but the Higham pegged out after that and was soon fast asleep on a recliner on a balcony shaded by a canvas awning and umbrella.

Next thing I knew, we were on the scenic route back to Modica where Welshcakes mercilessly, with cocktail sticks, punctured a chicken she’d rolled and stuffed and another sumptuous repast is sitting in the pan ready to be deep ovened as I write and sip.

How was your Sunday?

I liked the light and shade here - the neighbour's staircase providing shade for us and our balcony providing shade for the people below

11 comments:

  1. Lord Bigglesworth,

    Hello from me. I started at my blog and continued to click on "next blog" until I got to yours. Aside from some strictly "family photo" blogs, yours is the second blog I found posted in English. I'm just out and about meeting my blog neighbors. Hope you are having a great day. (I'm weird -- I know!)

    Sincerely,

    Kathy R.
    Katy, Texas, USA

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  2. I love the sun but hate to sit in it, I much prefer to be pale and intersting ;-)I always cause complications because everyone else loves to sit in the sun, and I insist on a shady place for me!

    It sounds like a really interesting place to visit and I would love to spend some time on that balcony!

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  3. Wonderful day at the seaside! I do like your photos - the place looks delightful.

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  4. Sunny then? I also went down the beach.. oh yes!

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  5. What a lovely place! Have a great time all ...

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  6. We got took some rubbish to the tip, then on to the local home improvement store, and back home again to bring some washing in as it just started raining. We had a great day. I'm not jealous in the least.

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  7. I feel exactly as Cherrypie does and not much like a gazelle [though the latter could be because it's 3.30 am here!]

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  8. Oh, yes - now that is idyllic. You did not swim ? The shore looks very like that at Akrotiri... even if it was the RAF those memories are good.

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  9. Early morning blogging, dog training, gardening, cleaning, washing, child taming cooking and some house fixing. All this in the wind and rain and the relatively cool 17 degrees.

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  10. Hello, Katdish - love your moniker.

    Cherry, I'll reserve it for you.

    Dragonstar - it beat rain and drizzle.

    Mutley - heh!!

    Cassandra - hope you're also relaxing.

    Andrew - in some ways I miss that too. :)

    You went through the night? Wow! Where was I at the time?

    Aileni - nearly did.

    What a Spartan, Colin. But winter's not really winter there, is it?

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  11. Lovely desciption of a sunny day in Sicily L.J.B.
    It rained all day here so i did a 'Delia' and roasted a chicken.
    It's her 'cure all' for the blues.
    Glad to say after a couple of glasses of Chateau Neuf du Pape, ones spirits were immediately lifted.
    Today the sun shines and the Tall Ships have left the Port of Liverpool on the start of the race. First stop is Norway.

    We have had an estimated one million visitors over the weekend.

    The European Capital of Culture is certainly putting this fine City back on the World stage, despite the efforts of the awful New labour Government to side line us for Manchester!

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