Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

Situated at the marina overlooking the sea, this wonderful structure is without equal in Castellammare.

This old  Sicilian farm structure overlooking the deep blue sea, used to be shelter for farmers or herders. Not in use anymore, it contrasts nicely with the land, sea and sky.

Castellamare del Golfo is a true gem but at the present time the situation in Italy is at best chaotic. Truckers' strikes, demonstrations and road blockages by angry demonstrators who are attempting to influence a government made up of technocrats. These were not elected by anyone but were approved by the legislature who in Italy is actually elected by the parties. I call this democracy light. It's really too bad as the country is uniquely beautiful and full of artistic and natural treasures, not to mention cultural ones. It's language is the most beautiful of all albeit very difficult to use properly. What can you do, the more you change it the more it remains the same. Yet I love this place especially this beautiful town.

I took a ride in the country here and it is so lush and springlike that if you did not have a calendar you would think it's spring tome. It's not hot but always above freezing so plants enjoy the winter rain to flourish.

Maybe it's the fact that this has been sort of a socialist country since the end of fascism that makes many vegetables that are usually white red. I bought these scallions at a local store. They were the last as the truckers' strike has impacted vegetable delivery. My son who is visiting from Turin wanted beef soup so I had to scramble for the ingredients. But these scallions were so pretty that I had to photograph them.

This from our friends at Digital Photography review: "Kyodo News International, a Japanese news service, is reporting that Olympus will introduce a 16MP camera based on its classic OM series. The news would tie-in with a recent Olympus press advert in the UK that highlighted the letters 'O' and 'M' in the text. The report suggests such a camera would sell for over ¥100,000 (around $1300) and feature 'high-speed autofocus and image stabilization functionality.' Meanwhile, Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei is reporting that Sony is considering investing in Olympus and forming a business alliance. Fujifilm which, like Olympus, has extensive medical interests is also rumored to be interested." If this were a full frame camera it would allow all the old superb Zuiko lenses to be used. It could be great news if it's real

In Italy 90 percent of all merchandize travels by trucks. Presently, the nation is totally paralyzed by s trucker's strike that started in Sicily but spread throughout the mainland putting any slim chance of economic recover in peril. All of this while the nation's rail system is almost in total disuse. Here we see the rail road station of Castellammare that looks almost like a cemetery. Freight trains rarely pass by and the passenger trains that do stop are almost empty. Very sad and misguided. But in Italy planning is really a foreign concept that has never been welcomed. The proverbial shit is about to hit the fan,

As Castellammare is East of a large mountain chain, there are no real sunsets as the sun sets west of the mountain. Yet the place get a very nice glow and is very colorful on a nice day.

Unless it rains, every day is wash day. Clothes are hung outside without the worry of freezing.