Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday was of course, time to get up and go to church, but instead of doing that we had a coffee in the piazza in Pozzallo and marvelled at the crowds of people who had turned out to look at each other.

Good Friday had been strange enough, when we had accidentally ended up in the middle of the festivities: first of all we had seen everyone going into the church and Ella had sneaked in for a look, and I followed. Everyone was going up to a reclining figure of Jesus (lifesize) and touching the red-painted "wound" in his side. Ella wanted to be part of it so she also touched the wound. Then we ran out. Later that same evening we'd been trying to get out of Pozzallo, but every way we turned there were crowds in the way. It was odd, it was as if they couldn't decide if it was a serious occasion (death of Christ and all that) or a huge celebration (surely that should wait until Sunday?) because there were balloon sellers everywhere. All a bit incongruous with the body of Jesus, I'd say. Anyway we were trying to find a clear road and then Ella turned the car along the main street and ended up behind the almost static procession of everyone following Jesus. Of course, an official looking woman turned us away and we tried to ignore people's stares.

Pozzallo Easter Sunday crowds

Sunday was simply (or so it seemed) an excuse for everyone to look at each other. They were dressed in their very finest, almost like if we Brits were going to a wedding or something. Despite the hot weather, everyone still wears their winter coats and scarves: seriously, it is not cold and yet they must be so used to scorching temperatures that something in the mid-twenties feels cool to them. So we get stared at constantly for not wearing a coat and we are staring at them for wrapping up like it's winter. So as we enjoyed another coffee, they all stood doing nothing in the piazza, waiting for Jesus, maybe, but mostly eyeing each other's designer outfits and ridiculous heels. (Many of them wear the highest heels imaginable).

Easter Sunday, Pozzallo

We went to another beach for the day, at Marzamemi, where we were a bit assaulted by the wind, but nevertheless it was quite peaceful and relaxing. We had a look around the village and by some weird coincidence, Ella bumped into someone she knew who happened to be there on his friend's boat, so that gave us the chance to have a quick look on board. It also turned out that over Easter weekend it was traditional for people from Catania to come there to hang out. I felt that we'd come to get away from the Catanesi but never mind.

On the Monday we had to return the car, so we spent an easy day relaxing. In the evening we watched the sunset on the beach was quite lovely.