Catania & Cannoli

So,I have left South Africa behind - but so far,not really seeing much of Europe because new work is really overwhelming + to be honest,I have 365 days of continuous sailing behind me (without one single day off) so naturally right now at this point just show me the bed and I don't need any sunlight. The working hours are ridiculous but this is not a place to complain,just occasionally I feel sorry for myself and think of "normal life" where one works 8 hours and rest afterwards.

However I did go out in Catania,Sicily.

I know the place quite well - at least I am familiar with the centre and everything that one can walk through. Catania has a beautiful old architecture and obviously a lot of history. Unfortunately place is completely run-down and it just goes worse every year I visit,it's really a disgrace and whatever might look romantic in the night,looks really bad in the bright sunlight. All my colleagues say the same thing: the place looks post-apocaliptic and it needs to be seriously re-painted,re-built or simply saved because the way it is, it does not look pretty at all. I can imagine finances are the problem here but still,if things are done step by step maybe some kind of improvement could be done.

One saving grace for Catania are Cannoli,the most delicious sicilian dessert that looks almost obscene (like a huge cuban cigar,filled with riccota cheese cream and dipped in pistacchio)

and the best ones are to be found either in ancient cake-shop "Nona Vincenza" (the same family owns this shop for several centuries) or close to the main square, at the very beginning of famous Via Etna. In the both cases Cannoli are divine and definitely some of the best desserts I have ever tried in my life. One might search for Cannoli in other parts of Italy but nothing ever matches these beauties found in Catania - other Cannoli were always smaller,drier and lacked some special magic - these in Catania in particular are just sensational and when I'm there I gorge on them like there is no tomorrow. In fact,because of Cannoli I am (almost) ready to forgive them for not tiding up this old town just once.

Another curiosity: there is an elephant sculpture in the main square,apparently some kind of midget elephants used to live in Sicily long before the man and this little elephant is official protector of Catania. At some point,locals realized he lacks the male equipment and after much push & pull,they added testicles on the sculpture!