the corner office

We returned recently from a holiday in Sicily. It was our first visit to the Mediterranean. Nicer than the Indian Ocean, assuming you place greater store in being able to see what's floating around you and less store in big waves.

My favourite things about Sicily: the beautiful sea, architecture and history and ice cream for breakfast. OK, not exactly ice cream, but close enough. The owners of our villa were lovely people, and came by almost every morning with granita and pastries from the local bakery. We wondered if they owned the bakery, but since the boys were too fussy to try most of the pastries, we had to eat theirs too and had no reason to ever actually visit the bakery to find out.

Also, I never thought I'd have reason to say something like this, but Sicilian McDonalds is much fresher and nicer than British McDonalds.

Less favourite things: driving on the wrong (that is to say, right) side of the road. Aloes. Antiquated plumbing. Oppressive heat and a lot of poverty and sand getting in everywhere. Also, getting back to the UK and discovering that the majority my photos were tilted slightly to the right. Wtf.

I had a great time though, doing mostly what I'd intended to do: enjoy the sea, sleep a lot, eat lots of salami and cheese on strange bread, washed down by local plonk.

The boys had a great time, too, especially on the beach. It's amusing how they, like most kids today, get sent out lathered in suntan lotion with paranoid parents making sure they're never far away our out of reach in the water. In contrast when we were young our beach holidays involved being let loose after a couple of Coppertone tablets and our parents not for second doubting that we'd emerge from the sea or return up the beach after a couple of hours, alive and intact.

Also, we didn't get dragged off to see cathedrals.