WINTER, 1956 GIUSEPPE TOMASI DI LAMPEDUSA,THE FAMOUS WRITER OF THE NOVEL “THE LEOPARD”, WROTE THE SHORT TALE “LIGHEA” OR “ THE MERMAID”, WHO SURFED THE SEA WAVES OF CAPO SANTA CROCE WHERE OUR GUESTROOMS ARE. INDEED IN 1916 GIUSEPPE SERVED THE ARMY IN AUGUSTA AND THE ELDEST LOCAL INHABITANTS OF AUGUSTA TELL THAT HE FELT IN LOVE WITH ONE OF THREE BEAUTIFUL ARISTOCRAT SISTERS, WHO NEVER EVENTUALLY GOT MARRIED. IN THEIR VILLA THE YOUNG STUDENT OF THE NOVEL WAS SUPPOSING TO PREPARE ITS DISSERTATION, BUT INSTEAD HE FOUND THE BEAUTIFUL MERMAID LIGHEA AND THEY MADE LOVE JUST IN THE SEA BAY OPPOSITE TO OUR BEDROOMS.
I COULD QUOTE THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PEACOCK'S COLOURS OF THE SEA, THE BENEVOLENT VIEW OF THE ETNA VOLCANO OR THE RELEVANCE OF MELILLI FOR ITS ZAGARA HONEY, BUT I WOULD RISK TO SPOIL YOUR CURIOSITY OF READING THE BOOK AND APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF SUCH NOVEL YOURSELF IN ITS NEAT SIMPLICITY.
THEREFORE I TELL YOU THE STORY OF A SILENT FRIENDSHIP, YES SILENT, BECAUSE IN SICILY SILENCE TELLS MORE THAN WORDS. THIS IS THE LAND OF “OMERTA'” AFTER ALL. THE PAINTING BELOW IS A SPECIAL GIFT FROM THE GUARDIAN OF THE LIGHT HOUSE, ANTONIO, WHO WELCOMED MY SUMMER BREAK HERE IN SICILY WITH SUCH WORDS: “I HAVE A SURPRISE AT HOME THAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU”. AND IT IS SUCH SURPRISE WHICH I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL AND MAKE IT THEREFORE IMMORTAL THROUGH THE WEB. ANTONIO LIKES, AMONG MANY VIRTUES, PAINTING. TALENTED AND AFFASCINATED BY THE ART NAIF AND THE MODIGLIANI LONG NECK PORTRAITS HE WILL SHOW HIS PERSONAL FREE EXHIBITION FILLING YOUR LIFE WITH NEW ENTHUSIASM AND SENSE OF GRATITUDE. IF YOU ARE PARTICULARLY LUCKY YOU COULD EVEN GET A LIFT TO THE TOP OF THE LIGHT HOUSE. FROM THERE YOU CAN SNEAK THE TEMPTING EYE BLINK OF THE MERMAID, SO DO NOT FORGET YOUR SPYGLASS!