Staying Well in Sicily
Let’s just start off by saying that I didn’t. Sicily is beautiful, it’s also very tough to stay well in when you can’t eat pasta or (much) pizza. It’s also difficult when you don’t speak the language.
I gave up trying to find matcha and almond milk. My husband was able to find great coffee though as you’d expect which was good as he was our driver and needed to be on his toes to keep up with the chaotic roads. Our airbnb was right on the ocean in a small village. It was lovely to hear the water lapping up on the shore. It was a welcome respite that soothed our frazzled nerves. If I ever went back — which we might as my husband is 50% Sicilian — next time I’d hire a driver. The roads are so chaotic that it required all of our attention. Though we got the smallest car from Hertz, it was still too big for the tiny roadways. One day I’ll tell the story of how we got stuck on a bridge with concrete on both sides and just a couple of inches on either side of the car. I had to climb out a window to direct my husband from the back. It took 20 minutes to extricate the car. That day was one for the travel books.
Finding the fantastic NaturaSì, an organic grocery store helped stave off a full blown flare. We had to drive into a city which was harrowing but it was worth it because we found kombucha and piles of food to cook at the airbnb we stayed in. Fresh veggies, nuts and seeds allowed me to find some semblance of balance as most of our meals out were difficult for except when there were mussels on the menu. While the first night was delicious (those mussels!), the next night the menu wasn’t in english, the food was heavy and my husband ended up having an allergic reaction. It was a rough night wondering if I’d have to take him to the ER, if I could even figure out where one was. Making things worse, I had a tooth that needed a root canal so I had to be careful what I ate — the doughy crust of pizza was tough. We later learned that the pizza he had with ancient Sicilian grains is stored in bags made of hemp which gives him a severe allergic reaction.
By the time our plane landed in Zurich, we were ready for food that’s closer to our typical fare.
