We are back home now from our trip to Sicily but it is still very fresh in my mind. I had no real idea what to expect when we went and it took a few days for us to find our feet in a climate and landscape which is tougher and less forgiving than central or northern Italy. It also takes some time to understand the history of Sicily as an island which has been subjected to repeated waves of colonisation over the past 2,500 years. It is no wonder that the people of this country are suspicious of central authority for government in any form as it has almost always been imposed from outside.

But it is certainly worth the trouble to immerse yourself in the country. In two weeks, of course, we scarcely scratched the surface and did not even visit Palermo which I am sure is worth an extended visit on its own. We shall certainly be back.