Messina

We have sailed south through the Straights of Messina. It is always interesting to see how unsettled the water is in that area where the Ionian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea clash together. I always think of the myths of monsters and sirens responsible for the numerous shipwrecks in this area. Now it is more the dodging of the constant ferries and ships that are the major hazards. We stayed in Messina for a couple of days. This is the first time I have stopped there. The town’s claim to fame is an enormous clock that is central to the town and central to the tourist industry. At noon, the clock comes alive. Gelded lions roar, cocks crow and angels pull the clapper of its huge bells. It takes about 20 minutes to run through this mechanical tableau to announce that noon has arrived. We strolled through the turn-of-the-century buildings on wide boulevards and climbed up the prominent hill where the duomo sits ruling over the city for a commanding panorama.