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In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

The Colorful and Historic Streets of Catania, Sicily

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

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When we first arrived in Catania, I was a bit put off.

I tend towards upscale or at least charming towns and small cities emphasizing cleanliness, lack of graffiti, and restored historical buildings.

No, no, Catania wasn't like this at all. The population of the center of town is over 400,000 and it had grit.

It's definitely not for sissies.

That being said, once I refocused my eyes the variety of the city and liveliness of the people, I began to fall for Catania's quirky allure.

Via Plebiscito

Via Plebiscito is the street where our apartment was located. 

A variety of stores, markets, restaurants, butchers, cafes, and residences are all found on this street.  

Some buildings are showing their wear from the 17th century Baroque period and could use a good power wash scrubbing. But others were attractive and were recently painted.

Porta Garibaldi

Easily walkable from our apartment, we came upon this unique monument celebrating the marriage between King Ferdinand IV of Naples and Princess Maria Carolina of Austria.

It was built in 1768 from two types of stone - black stone from Mount Etna and white stone from Syracuse.  

Billy and Akaisha in front of Porta Garibaldi

If you were to look behind us and through the gate, you can see in the distance at the other end of Via Garibaldi, the beautiful Cathedral of Sant’Agata. 

You will see at the top of the gate entrance is a clock. There used to be a medallion here engraved with the portraits of Ferdinand I and his wife.

This monument is more unusual than some of the other styles in Catania, and stands out due to its unique striped appearance.

Residential building off main streets

This style of residential housing is very commonplace: tall, doorway-sized windows with iron balconies.

Streets on the side are usually fairly narrow, like you see on either side of this central building. Before they became paved streets, these were simply pedestrian walkways.

The paved area is made from local lava stone which is abundant on the island, due to the eruptions of Mt. Etna.

Vibrant colors at a fruit stand

Fruits and vegetables all over Sicily were vigorous in color and delicious in taste.

Shops such as these took pride in having each fruit at its maximum capacity for flavor.

You could almost never lose if you picked something out.

As with these fruits above, the lemons were sweet, the oranges were juicy, grapes just exploded in your mouth and the pomegranates were the best you might ever have had.

Lively painted chairs at an outdoor restaurant

Sicilians are not shy with their colors and display of eye-catching flowers and decorations.

Demure or reticent are two words that might seem out of place in a description of this part of the country.

Unique store fronts - a couple of friends passing the time away

Walking around Catania we would often see playful displays on storefronts, especially in tourist sections.

On the top shelf of this store you'll see 2 porcelain Moorish heads - which refer to a legend in Sicily of an ill-fated couple in love during the reign of the Moors on this island. You'll literally find these heads or similar ones everywhere in Sicily.

This store, Dicoriack, is named after a favorite traditional Sicilian pastry dish - savory, not sweet - and deep fried until golden brown. 

Notice the brightly painted metal rolling storefront protectors. When a store is closed, there is still something engaging to enjoy.

The piazza at the University of Catania

This is the very large and often used piazza of the University of Catania.

The buildings were built in the Baroque style after the 17th century eruption of Mt Etna and the earthquake that followed some years later. This is one of the oldest universities of Europe, and the first where the Pope allowed degrees to be issued for certain achievements in study.

The dark gray flooring and the buildings in the center are all made from Local lava rock.

We had watched a ceremony for the troop inspection and the raising of the flag of Italy here just days previous.

Decorative umbrellas over side market street

We have seen brightly colored umbrellas as a whimsical ceiling over side streets in Mexico and Central America as well.

Walking under this vivid canopy will often give the spirit a lift, and it's certainly eye-catching to bring customers to see what's going on.

Notice the awning on the right with Macelleria Cavallo printed on it. These are meat stores where skilled and licensed horse butchers sell this popular protein.

Cases of cheese and other products

More black lava stone make up these streets for pedestrian traffic.

Clean cases show meats and cheeses ready to purchase.

As in many places in Europe, residential areas are above the stores.

Famous Catania Fish Market

This market is a must-see. 

People have been buying and selling fresh seafood, herbs, fruits and vegetables on a daily basis in this location for centuries.

It's an open air market where viewers can lean over a railing and take a gander at the action below.

The Fishmongers are famous for their vendor calls named vanniate

Examples of these vanniate are:

"Ma'am, this octopus is still alive!"

or "This fish is so fresh, it jumped into the net by itself!"

or perhaps "Last piece of tuna! Don't miss out!"

Benches and sitting area at the University of Catania

Once again this is a view of the piazza at the University of Catania.

As you can see, there are mini-gardens and some benches where the locals may sit down, and people watch.

The tiles are made from local black lava stone.

Restaurant menu offering horsemeat

Horsemeat is very popular in all of Europe and Russia and is considered to be a specialty in Sicily.

On the menu board here you can see a horsemeat sandwich and horsemeat meatballs listed.

Leotta in his salumeria

Near our apartment in Catania, there is a neighborhood salumeria owned by a man named Leotta.

He's 76 years old and has been running his shop for decades.

Once, after purchasing a few items, Billy was loading them into my daypack when Leotta would have none of that.

He gave Billy a stern but playful look motioning that it's the MAN who should carry this weight, not the woman.

Blushing a bit, but taking the directive from Leotta, Billy quickly took the daypack from me and we walked out of the store - smiling - together.

Pistachio liqueur in the front bottles

In our neighborhood, there is this little wine and liqueur shop.

I tried to pour some table wine from the barrel into our plastic bottle but made a mess of it!

In the backroom there are some delicious syrups, canned sauces, chocolates, specialty teas, wines and double-distilled items to purchase.

A real favorite is anything made with pistachios which are grown in the volcanic soil on the island of Sicily. 

The owner gave us a quick sample of the pistachio liqueur, and we bought a small bottle for the novelty of it.

Billy, Akaisha and a Friend at a coffee shop

Here we are at a cafe having a morning cup of cappuccino and some filled croissants.

These are called "cornettos" in Italy and they have a variety of fillings like vanilla cream, apricot preserves, chocolate cream or pistachio cream.

Of course, they are delicious.

Basilica della Collegiata

This beautiful example of Sicilian Baroque architecture was finished in 1794.

You'll see six stone columns in the front, and large statues of St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Agatha and St. Apollonia.

This church was originally built on the site of an ancient pagan temple dedicated to Proserpina who was whisked away by the god of the underworld to become his queen.

In the Byzantine era a small church dedicated to the Virgin Mary was built on the site, and the current church was rebuilt in the 18th century, after the devastating earthquake of 1693 that destroyed much of Catania.  

The basilica is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with other historic and cultural landmarks in Catania

Pan musician

This musician was mesmerizing as he played the pans. Tourists walked by and sometimes tossed a coin into his pan cover.  

The large piazza of the University of Catania is in the background, restaurants with outdoor seating are on the right hand side out of the photo.

Ursino Castle

Ursino Castle used to have a sea view, but with the many eruptions of Mt. Etna, it is now landlocked.

It is a beautiful castle and tours are available.

Mt Etna

This view of Mt. Etna gives you the sense of how this volcano towers over the whole city of Catania.  

This was the view from our apartment window.

Upscale shopping and restaurant area

The side streets leading off from the piazza of the University of Catania are all nicely decorated with awnings, lights, and outdoor garden seating areas.

On weekends, these streets are filled with tourists who want a good meal or to go shopping in this upscale area.

This is the historic section of town, with the buildings reconstructed in Baroque style after the earthquake.

The iconic Amenano Fountain

The Amenano is an underground river that flows through the city of Catania.

While the river itself is largely hidden from view, its presence is marked by the Amenano Fountain, a beautiful marble sculpture in the spacious Piazza Duomo, a stone's throw from the Cathedral of St. Agatha.

It is this river that flows through the fountain itself.

Carved in the 19th century from white marble, you can appreciate the intricate figures.

Over the centuries, Catania has faced numerous threats, most notably from Mt. Etna's volcanic eruptions. But the Amenano, despite being buried underground, consistently reappeared. And now it is viewed as a River of Resilience.

Portrait of St. Agatha

Saint Agatha was a young Christian virgin from Catania.

She refused the advances of a Roman governor, and as punishment, she was tortured and martyred in the 3rd century AD. As the patron saint of Catania she is revered for her courage and faith.

St. Agatha is also the patron saint of breast cancer patients and rape victims.

Side street in the city of Catania

The side streets of the city hold some of the more interesting details of the daily life of residents.

Our apartment location was here as the arrows show. There was a popular horsemeat grill set up below.  

While the streets themselves are narrow, the locals have adapted them for the use of their motorized vehicles.

Since the black lava stone is readily available, and is both sturdy and good for insulation, it is seen everywhere.

Horsemeat for sale below our apartment, both cooked and raw.

Having grown up  in the United States, seeing horsemeat readily available was a shock to us at first.

But upon doing some research, we found out that much of Europe and Russia eat horsemeat and consider it a delicacy of tradition.

There were good reasons to eat the meat of a horse, as it is lean, high in iron and nutritious. Doctors would often prescribe it to help the infirm gain back their strength.

Two things changed the course of utilizing horse for edible protein.

When the Arab invasions of Europe began, the Arabs dominated because they rode horses. Europeans had to adapt in order to cope or survive these assaults and chose to ride the horses (to put them on equal footing) instead of eating them.

The second thing was during the Papal rule of various states in Italy, the Pope decided to separate "his flock" from the barbarians who ate horsemeat.

 Voila!

Eating horsemeat went out of Christian fashion for many, especially those who lived in what we call the United Kingdom today.

While you will still see horsemeat offered on menus in Europe (Mexico, Central and South America) you will not find that protein choice in England, Scotland or Wales.

Interesting, isn't it?

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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