Licata

It was the last weekend I'd be at Salvatore & Francesca's. Me and Mattias were discussing ideas, and it worked out perfectly that Francesca was going into work to a city that was closer to where we wanted to go. We decided on a bed & breakfast in the beautiful sea side town of Licata.

We got a ride in the morning to a nearby city and then waited for the bus. The public transportation system here is not too organized, because the time on the sign was wrong so we either had to wait a few hours or try and hitch a ride. We attempted and for the first time ever we couldn't get a ride ha. And get this, we ended up getting a ride from the owner of the bed & breakfast! That just doesn't happen, I love Sicily.

Mattias rented a scooter so we got settled in and then explored the city via the scooter. It was awesome, and I was starving so we stopped somewhere to get some arancini (rice balls), and I was in heaven. They were filled with meat, peas, and cheese. Ahhhh I want one now. After paying and realizing it was only 1 euro I had to buy another one for the road. So picture this, Mattias cruizing around with me on the back savoring this baseball sized rice ball, while at the same time yelling out random things like, "Lo sono un arcobaleno!" (I am a rainbow!) Yup, that was fun. From there we went to the ocean, enjoyed some time swimming and laying out, then headed back to the B & B.

The family that owned it offered us dinner for 15 euros and I had to say yes after hearing everything we'd be eating. As they brought out this huge, and I mean huge plate of antipasto, Mattias and I were both thinking the same thing, like dang this is romantic! Cheeses & meats from different regions of Sicily. Ricotta filled pepperoncini (the plant was a few feet behind us) and tomatoes with basil on top, and so much more.

While we were enjoying the food Mattias was telling me about the culture of Sicily (he's lived here on and off), and I swear in that moment I was Anthony Bourdain in "No Reservations." It was exactly the same. We're sitting down eating a classic Italian meal in a beautiful location with the sea in the background, and he's explaining how life is here. People work until maybe noon or 1, have a siesta/break until around 4:30, and then are finished with work by maybe 8:00. Dinner is always late, like around 9 or 10, and then people go out or simply enjoy time with friends/family until 2 or 3 in the morning. Now this obviously isn't always the case, but that's the general outline of life here, with more emphasis on living rather than doing. Next up was pasta, and on one half was cheese, the other half crispy bread crumbs. For dessert, a lemon granita and a bunch of different fruit with brioche. We had to save some for breakfast, I seriously haven't been that stuffed for a long time, but it was a one of a kind meal.

Later we cruized the city streets, and I've been told several times Italian drivers are crazy, well... that was us. Swerving in and out of traffic, squeezing through tight areas, and maneuvering around the town. That was a blast.