Chianalea — cats, pirates and fishing.

We leave Scilla in the morning, probably before you will read this. Brother Bill is safely back to his routine in Cleveland, Robert and Elizabeth are probably in Venice, and the remaining four of us soldier onward south.

This small fishing village connects through to the larger Scilla (pronounced Sheila). Lew just took this photo, which shows our view from the door, from which we hear the ongoing crashing of waves against rocks.

Wedding photos are taken a few feet away, and I think we photo bombed one today, if the drone they used was looking at us, as we thought. It’s comparatively hard to know which way a drone is looking, since they have no necks.

The bride, groom, and their team of photographers were one set of five that used this space. Apparently, weddings in Italy are still going on, although we don’t know if they are local, or just a picturesque Italian location for someone from elsewhere. If you are looking for your next wedding, I recommend this for atmosphere.

From our doorway we can see Sicily across the water. Lights sweep the straits of Messina as well, with other far-off towns glowing. Their well-lighted yellow warmth is hospitable, and pierces the dark of a moonless night. The area is rocky, and inhospitable for an unknowledgeable navigator, I am sure. But, it does make me think of pirates, hidden in the coves.

Cats. They must love it here, as smallish cats of all types and colors roam everywhere through town, although they have no sense of being feral. They are always on the periphery, observing, without being intrusive, nor do they appear scared. Elaine is making a cat-a-day photo collection, and would take them all home if she could find a way.

Tomorrow morning we leave for the ferry to Sicily, which could feel a bit like going to darkest Africa for how foreign it seems. I expect it will be much less exotic, and more laid back, or as Lew’s private survey concludes – no toilet cover or seats for men.

But for now, we have to leave this most scenic place, feeling like accidental tourists who walked unknowing into an unexpected and quite amazing fantasy place. The town’s castle defended against Barbarossa; the town has always been a fishing port, and their boats are uniquely suited to the fishing of swordfish.

Old style, but still used today – looks like a Venitian gondolier, of sorts, only one guy (surely not a woman, no) stands in the middle of the boat as a spotter and drives from a tall seat, looking much like a mast surrounded by others who do the fish harpooning.

Old, interesting, authentic, atmospheric, in a village quite unknown to us until we turned off the car here on the side of a locked church, and settled into our BnB.

Today, we are off – Sicilia!