Castello Ursino

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TO ALL!

LUIGI CHALLENGE: Third day was long and VERY cold early in the morning, only 45 to go.

LAURIE IN ROMA: 14 days and counting!

The afternoon highlight was our visit to the Castello Ursino, pictures, located in the middle of Catania. The castle was completed in 1250 A.D. by one Ricardo da Lentini for Frederick II. It has a large moat that is sans water at this time and houses the Civic Museum with several pieces of sculpture and mosaics on the bottom floor and paintings on the second level.

After the Castle, Jason and I went on a crusade to find the Savia pasticceria, the much ballyhooed home of Catania’s best cannolo. We had one of them for desert at Salvo and Titziana’s home last Saturday but just like Doubting Thomas, by the way he’s a BIG HIT in local art circles from what we’ve seen at several museums to date, we had to see the source to truly believe. The cannolo at Salvo’s home was VERY good but could a fresh cannolo at the pasticceria itself possibly be better? Our hunt took us to the lower parts of Via Etnea where we found Savia on a busy corner blending in with it’s neighbors. Once inside, we saw them in a glass case, large, long  slants on both ends with bright green pistacchio bits, ricotta glistening and a blizzard of powdered sugar on top. They cost 2 euros each, anywhere from .20 to .50 euros more than normal but it was worth every penny. The firm crust exploded in my mouth. The powdered sugar, ricotta and pistachio melted into a blend that can only be described as a delicious slice of heaven. Savia is indeed the best and I really can’t begin to even imagine that a better one exists.

As I mentioned earlier, we cancelled the evening practice for WR’s and DB’s yesterday and instead met at the Elephanti headquarters for a video session with the players. They were able to see themselves for the first time as we reviewed last Saturdays practice tapes. The meeting went well and we believe that they all benefited from seeing both the good and bad techniques that they used. Hopefully this Saturday’s scrimmage will be greatly improved!

After the meeting we went out with the usual Elefanti reprobates. Anything more that I say about our final hours of the evening/morning together could be used as evidence in a court of law. I have decided to invoke my rights against self-incrimination guaranteed to me by this week’s Italian Constitution and remain silent.