Postcard from Siracusa, Sicily: Perambulations expose roots

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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.

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Postcard from Siracusa, Sicily: Street Sweets

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Above: Il maestro di croccante

Of course, there’s gelato. The single scoop pictured below is rich hazelnut from what many claim is the best gelateria on Ortigia, Gusto on Via Roma. But granita, an icy slush in a multitude of flavors, is found everywhere as well and is perhaps even more popular among the natives. The cupful below is caffe, sweetened black coffee; no cup of espresso needed that day.

An unusual habit in Sicily is that these are fair game as breakfast foods. It’s not at all uncommon for Sicilians to order a granita with brioche on the side or an unwieldy looking brioche split 3/4 of the way through and stuffed to overflowing with two scoops of gelato in the morning hours.

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Postcard from Siracusa, Sicily: Why everybody wants math nerd on their side

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Above: Monument commemorating a hometown hero, Archimedes

Certain things first became clear to me by a mechanical method, although they had to be demonstrated by geometry afterwards because their investigation by the said method did not furnish an actual demonstration. But it is of course easier, when we have previously acquired by the method, some knowledge of the questions, to supply the proof than it is to find it without any previous knowledge.”

Archimedes (About 287-211 BC)

Seriously? The above is an example of Archimedes-speak that is babble to me. Math is far from one of my languages – Greek to me. In fact, I would almost consider Archimedes an enemy – the Father of Mathematical Physics, the Father of Integral Calculus and the man who tortured himself long enough to figure out such seemingly unsolvable puzzles as Pi.

Except, a visit to Siracusa convinced me that in times of war, or peace, you definitely would want Archimedes with all his math and inventions on your side.

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