Good morning Sicily Monday

Nice to have a sleep-in after a big night on the ship last night. Dinner at the Brazilian restaurant  and the fillet minion  was so tender. It was the sort of restaurant that they bring out various meats on skewers and you opt for what takes your fancy served with rice, the creamiest garlic potato, black bean but not like a Chinese style, not salty but full of flavour and soft texture of butter beans and banana fried in like a choux pastry.The other meats chicken, lamb cutlet with rosemary and a beef which was thin slice just with a hint of heat to cook it. The chilly sauces was the winner on flavour with green chillies and parsley with olive oil with a hint of sweetness. 

Brunch on board this morning from the top deck looking over the town of Mesinna. The city has a  population 250K and was totally rebuilt after the earth quake and 2 mins later a tasanami of 1908 with the loss of some 150K only to be again flattened by the 2nd world war. At town with lots of spirit to rebuild. In the quake and the war the main church from the Normandy Period  1066 with it's amazing marble and 25 tone of gold was spared on both occasion so this was where we start our tour. 

Then up the hill (everything is up a hill in Italy) about 1 hour south of the port city to a new church. Yes Yes another church but this one is different it was only constructed 30 years ago it was also amazing to see the marble and mosaics, in an old world style with the modern application and it was sooooo over the top and beautiful, very  important tourist attractor for this little hill village of 100 people. The money came from donations from the locals but looking at the street scape as we walked up the hill I couldn't see which of the locals could have donated that much cash!!!! perhaps make a more modest church and donate the remainder of the funds to the poor!!!!! Sorry personal opinion.