1/29/2020
(Above: The ruins of an ancient amphitheater bordering a bright blue sky. )
Active Summary: Today I woke up, performed the morningly regimen of writing and exercises, and then scheduled train tickets for a round trip to Agrigento and back (departing tomorrow at 9:00 AM, returning at 12:30 PM on the 7th of February). My brother and I next ventured outside to fetch a breakfast arancini. We walked for about 15 minutes, procured the delectable morsel, ate it, and then continued our adventure.
The ensuing walk brought us first to the ancient roman Amphitheater unearthed in the early 1900s (and built sometime around 300 BC*). We proceeded to walked uphill for quite some time, found another very good view of Etna, and then journeyed to the Elephant Fountain square where there was an incredible amount of centuries-old architecture.
On the way back to the room, we picked a couple street oranges and procured some impressive cannolis. Now, after a delectable snack, I’m compiling pictures for this entry.
(8:49 PM Update:) My brother and I have just returned from an outing to the restaurant from our first night, Pizzeria a Casa D’Amici di Giuffrida, it was once again excellent and this time was so filling that we didn’t even get dessert (we had cannolis back at the room, after all). I learned from this restaurant that pizzas can be made by simply cooking the crust, basting on sauce (usually olive oil based) near the end, and then topping it with cool ingredients such as cured meat, arugula, and shaved Parmesan. The combination of the hot crust/sauce with the cool and room-temperature ingredients makes for a unique and delicious experience.
‘La Cumparsita’, an appetizer plate from the restaurant’s homemade bar. I acquired a menagerie of roasted vegetables, a small piece of mushroom/eggplant lasagna, olives/pepper mixture, and a salad comprised of calamari and sweet peppers. According to the bill, this plate cost 2.5 euros. I told my brother that if there was a next time, I would simply eat from that bar. 
A pizza bearing marinated tomato, anchovies, buffalo mozzarella, and topped with homemade breadcrumbs. Very delicious and thankfully filling.
TIL: This afternoon I ate an orange plucked from the streets of Catania. It tasted good except for its exceeding sourness. What I mean is that it was just barely delectable enough to finish. After wondering why the fruit was so sour, I decided to look up what sort of trees they were (it was an easy-peeling orange, reminiscent of a clementine in appearance). It was soon discovered that I had eaten what the locals call a ‘bitter orange’. No ill effects came of it, and if anything, it made the cannoli my brother and I afterward taste even sweeter than it would have already.
In regard to how the oranges’ purpose, they are primarily ornamental but can be and often are used in marmalades, marinades, drinks, and desserts.
Commentary: Walking in the ancient ruins of a Roman Amphitheatre was quite the experience today. It was a hushed place with hardly any other visitors aside from a couple photographers. One must think on that fact for a moment. We walked where, once, thousands of people sat and watched men fight each other, fight wild beasts, and die. There was moss and flowers growing between the stones where crowds used to excitedly bustle their way forth to watch the most recent trends in entertainment such as ‘feeding hapless Christians to the lions’ or ‘staged naval battles*’. Indeed, we were standing within a ruin that had once been a central hub of entertainment of Roman-Sicilian life… and it was completely devoid of life aside from the weeds, my brother, and myself.
A sight of Mount Etna greeted us shortly after leaving the apartment this morning. 
Arancini and Diet Coke acquired for breakfast. 
Inside the arancini. This one was warmer and fresher than yesterday’s. Glorious. 
A building of unknown purpose; today it was being utilized as a breakfast location by the three individuals on the front steps. 
Entrance to the ancient Roman amphitheater to be found in the center of Catania. 
We walked less than 100 meters from this yesterday, but we did not know it was there because it is all below the level of the street. 
The first sight to be found after descending into the ruins. 
Massive basalt bricks were utilized in the amphitheater’s construction. (Brother for scale.) 
A bricked-off tunnel that passes under the street above. 
A corridor found along a hall adjacent to the prior cubby. 
The ruins were cool and shaded – refreshing after a walk in the sun. 
The building up above, though hundreds of years old, is a ‘baby’ compared to the ruin at its feet. 
Sunlight penetrating the ruins. 
The entrance to the arena. 
Brother for scale. As can be seen, the amphitheater has filled in slightly since its excavation in the early 1900s. 
Basalt and marble – foundation and decoration. 
Sun just beginning to shine on the arena’s highest seats. 
Marble covering used to hide the unsightly-yet-sturdy amalgamation of cement and basalt. 
The exposed arena. 
The 6 and the surrounding highlighted area is all that is exposed of the ancient amphitheater. 
Original height of the arena with a man for scale. 
A frieze of a horse rump (was originally much larger). 
Brother illuminating the way into darkness with his phone’s flashlight. 
Same hall lit by camera flash. 
A tunnel leading to ‘who knows where’ blocked by bars. It was completely dark in there. 
Need a hand? 
Here you go. 
Ancient ruins, weeds, and moss juxtaposed by a sunlit clock tower. 
A darkened tunnel leading to a sunlit stair. 
A basalt pillar still showing its ornamental ridges. 
The hole where I took the featured image for this post. 
A street descending toward the sea. 
A very impressive view of Etna. 
The first of many churches we found during this morning’s walk. 
A lane bordered by centuries-old architecture. 
A better view of the lane without a sun in the lens. 
An arch on the way to Piazza del Duomo. (Brother for scale.) 
Another one; there are so many so many massive cathedrals here that they begin to look the same. 
A statue to be found just beside the prior cathedral. 
The Piazza del Duomo – Catania’s central meeting place. 
Saint Agatha’s Cathedral. The woman this place is named after was quite the individual. She withstood torment beyond belief because she would not renounce her faith. 
An actual fountain tucked away at the corner of Elephant Fountain Square. 
The Elephant Fountain. Supposedly, this statue and the magic with which it is imbued is why Catania has not been razed by lava in a few hundred years. 
Yet another catholic church in Catania. 
Street oranges. They are quite bitter, and from what I’ve found, quite helpful in ‘moving along’ the digestive process. 
An obelisk fountain found in a park near the port where the cruise ships arrive. 
A statue atop an obelisk found near the sea. It is likely either the Virgin Mary or the Saint Agatha of Sicily. 
I wonder what is inside… 
Cannolis acquired at the end of our morning walk: two ‘green-cream’ and two ‘white-cream’. 
A look inside the ‘green-cream’ cannoli. The color comes from the plentiful pistachios utilized in the confectionery’s creation. As can also be seen, the inside was also coated with chocolate.
Final Note: Tomorrow my brother and I leave for our week’s stay at Agrigento where we hope to see Ancient Greek and Roman ruins, visit the sea, and eat even more excellent Sicilian food.
* It was built with lava rock bound by cement, then covered with marble. For a time it functioned as a typical Roman Amphitheatre, but it eventually became a social forum where people went to share varying ideas about philosophy and science. Source.
**I had heard of this event taking place in the Coliseum in Rome, but I thought that was a one-of-a-kind thing that happened in that arena alone. According to the signs I saw today, though, that was not the case. The practice took place in multiple coliseums.
Much enjoyed your post, just wandering about a place like that is incredible… food looked tremendous, don’t think I’d try the oranges though.