Our plan was to catch this at 10.05am as per its timetable. We’d agreed to meet Edward here and do a full loop of Siracusa sights together. At €5, it was the cheapest hop on hop off bus we’d heard of.
We spotted this particular bus earlier than our planned departure, so we headed off to check out the Duomo and wait for the next one.
This church was very different to the ones seen in and around Palermo.
It was started in the 5th Century and the stunning marble floors were added in the 13th Century.
Sadly, it was to be our only sighting of any bus.
I called the company after waiting for over an hour only to be told there were lots of streets closed due to a “procession” today. So, we gave up and headed down to the markets. In fact, it was a bike race that had blocked the streets. Edward and I found the finish line later in the day.
At the markets, Mick and Edward were keen to try the “ostriches” with a free wine.
Apparently the oysters were delicious but the wine was ‘over priced’. 🤣
We bought some sardines and red tuna for our lunch from this fish market.
And enjoyed watching the fellow clean the fish for us – 20 cost €4.
While I was ordering us all a coffee, Kath was approached by a young boy with a budgie in a box. Kath gave him €1 but sadly did not get the lottery ticket he had promised.
Meanwhile, Mick and Edward found some local red wine, 14% alcohol, and at €9 for 5L they were thrilled with their bargain. We’ll know later this evening when we try it. 🍷
We enjoyed lunch on one of our accommodation’s outside patios. Mick cooked the sardines perfectly.
After lunch, we explored more of Ortigia. The sea was quite wild to the north,
but quite calm to the south east where the marina is.
While walking these streets, Edward ran into a colleague of his from Downing College. She did get a bit of a shock.
We found this restaurant and will try and have dinner here this evening.
All in all, despite the unreliable bus, we had a great day.
FOOTNOTE
Mick is right into the European way of drying his “intimate” wear.
Out the window. 🙄
Jane and Mick's Holiday Adventures 
€5 for the HOHO. …….must be only one bus operating?
Glad you are all having fun. Kath looks like she is enjoying it over there.
There’s this bloke who keeps getting in your photos Jane. Any way you can just cut him out? I don’t care how good he is at cooking sardines. (Actually I do. he might come good with some in Melbourne some time altho I doubt if they’ll taste as good.)
Ha ha – can’t cut him out. He’s the star of my blog. 🤣