This was to be another rest day, plus an opportunity to see the Easter procession in Enna. We didn’t really want to be travelling on Easter Sunday, when pretty well everything in smaller-town Sicily is closed, plus it’s between two somewhat challenging ride days.
We had a decent breakfast at our B&B. I would have liked some granola or muesli but we haven’t seen that for quite a while. I’m not a fan of ham and cheese for breakfast so made do with sweet stuff plus yogurt and an orange. Sadly, the pastries here aren’t up to the high standard we enjoyed in Piazza Armerina.
Eventually, after the morning off dissipated, we donned our sweaters, toques, and down jackets and ventured out to do a little sightseeing. There must be fabulous views from Enna when it’s clear, but today wasn’t that day.
Calascibetta, a city across the valley to the north of Enna and similarly situated on a steep mountain.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t a day to get a light lunch either. None of the little grocery stores we had seen were open, the one open restaurant/pizzeria was serving only “menu di Pasqua”, and the open coffee shops only had sweet pastries and giant chocolate Easter eggs (no matter their usual offerings). Speaking of which, almost every second or third person we saw on the street was carrying a covered tray of pastries.
At least we weren’t trying to ride to our next stop on empty stomachs. We returned to our room and amused ourselves until it was time to go stake out a viewing spot for the Easter procession, which was scheduled to start at 6 p.m.
We found ourselves a spot on the steps of the Duomo, having been told by Dario, our host, that the spectacle would happen in front of the Duomo. We and many other bundled-up people waited and waited. Finally, around 7, the bells began to ring and apparently things were underway. I, of course, couldn’t see much. Most of the photos below were taken with my camera held above my head, with the mobile screen tilted down so I could have some idea of what I was shooting.
The two statues meet, somehow Mary gets turned around, and they proceed together to the west entrance of the Duomo. It’s a slow process because they take a few steps forward then a few back.
Once the procession had finally passed, we did not join the people heading into the church through the doors behind us to watch it enter through the other doors. We headed off to our dinner reservation at Bistro Paradisò, the restaurant operated by our host and his family, along with four B&Bs. They work hard, serving breakfast starting at 8 and still at the restaurant when we left after 10.
Once again we shared everything but I only took a photo of the antipasto. Everything else got eaten before I remembered.
The restaurant has a lovely garden but it was just too cold to even consider eating there.
