go to catania (Catania)

Member Name: helenates

Product:	Catania
Date:	30/06/02 (61 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: food, people, area

Disadvantages: too hot

CATANIA,italy- Travelers are not supposed to admit this but here goes: I was hoping Mount Edna, the king of European volcanoes, would put on a show when i went to Sicily. It may sound like thrill- seeking voyeurism. But i was intrigued. This is an active volcano. Boy, is it active.

I figured the mountain and the residents of nearby Catania had things worked out by now. After all, they've been sharing same geography for thousands of years, during which Edna has been the object of veneration, fear and amazement.

I first saw the volcano at night, from a cab heading for the city. The driver, wanting to impress the newcomer, nods ahead and say, "ecco lava,"or "here comes the lava. "Blazing like a meteor is a red tail of fire. If it weren't for the impossible height in the night sky, it could have been a stream of tail lights ahead of us.
"Doesn't that make you nervous?"i ask.

"Not at all," says Francesco Raimodo. He's happy when "my friend Etna" glows at night. "It,s beautiful. It't when we don't see the lava that we start to worry. "There is a flare. The lava has ignited something in its path.

Edna is clearly more than just a scenic backdrop to this seaside city. The culture, religion and passions of the 600,000 people who live in its shadow are shaped by this perilous co-existence. Catania is a brooding baroque place, rebuilt in the late 17th century following the violent eruption of 1669 and a devastating earthquake in 1693.

Buildings have risen in the paths of lava flows, hewn from the same fiery black stone that wrought destruction. Chalky limestone from nearby Syracuse was added to lighten the pallet. Against this stratifed stage set are the lavish swirls and overwrought embellishments that decorate churches, palaces and pavements. Overall, the effect is theatrical and worthy of an opera by native son Vincenzo Bellini.

Taken
for what it is, a repeatedly conquered city kicked around by marauders from the time of the ancient Greeks on-Romans, Ostrogoths, Arabs, Normans and others- it's little wonder Catania celebrates its own survival with a healthy belief in miracles. From this springs a deeply rooted sense of ritual that fuels it,s citizens to this day.
Indeed, it is miraculous that Catania exists at all. The city's emblem is elephant, a symbol of longevity. Carved from lava, it stands in the cathedral square.

Saint Agatha, the city,s patron, was martyred in a particularly brutal fashion. She refused the amorous advances of a 3rd century Roman leader and had her breasts cut off in retribution. In ecclesiastical paintings, she is depicted with a hollow chest or presenting her life-giving orbs on a tray before her. The Catanese celebrate her sanctity with elaborate processions. Cassatella, a pastry shaped like breasts, recalls her martyrdom. This is not considered morbid. In fact, Agatha has come to represent a form of gynecocracy, or a rule by woman.





Catania is a place to go to if you want fun.

Summary: