Above: Ficus macrophylla, or Moreton Bay fig tree
Sensuous buttresses snake out from these massive trees growing close to 100 feet tall in numerous parks in Sicily. Creepily, the species is nicknamed a strangler fig because in some cases, according to the Oregon State Department of Horticulture:
…seed germination occurs in the canopy of a host tree and the resulting seedling lives as an epiphyte until its roots establish contact with the ground. These then thicken into supplementary trunks, which may strangle the host, and ultimately the tree can become freestanding.
They are impressive, and seem a good place to start to introduce you to scenes from the island of Ortigia, known as the Citta Vecchia of Siracusa.
We leisurely explored the medieval streets and quaint alleyways for three weeks just prior to the major summer tourist season. An earthquake in 1693 wiped out many of the early buildings, but the island still is crowded with 15th-and 16th-century palaces – some beautifully restored and maintained; some in the process of reclamation of their beauty; and others waiting for redemption.
The photo below on the top left is of the street we stepped onto from our rental. And, yes, believe it or not, cars do squeeze one way through there. Automobile traffic is nonexistent on the majority of the island because many streets are too narrow; parking is almost nonexistent; and resident parking stickers are needed where spaces do exist.
Everything we passed seemed posing for our cellphones, so expect a lot more of these to pop up on the blog in the coming weeks.
Postcards from Barton Springs 