Some Thoughts on Palermo

 

Buon giorno

I have a Very Early flight tomorrow and an even earlier taxi ride to get to the airport. I'll finish most of my packing before I go to bed.  I have a short flight to Rome, time to find my gate, and then a loooong flight to Los Angeles.  I used to be able to sleep on planes. Those days are over. A light doze is all I can manage.

It's warm here. I brought sweaters and have not worn them. But I see Italians in fairly heavy jackets every day.  This is something I have noticed in other parts of Italy. I'm from Southern California, and if it gets below 70F I might feel chilly. I don't feel chilly at 75F, so why do they? Also although my accommodations provide blankets in the wardrobe.I just sleep under sheets.

Today I went shopping and also managed to make my step count. First I got some cash--not that I was going to spend it, but I always want to have euros on hand for my next trip as it makes my life easier. Then I walked to the pedestrianized (sort of) tourist street near the cathedral and exercised my credit card. I like to bring home gifts for my friends, some of whom cannot travel. None of us like souvenirs, but if you want refrigerator magnets or plaques labeled Sicily, you can find plenty.

When I shop for myself, which I did, I want something I can wear or eat. For example, I am wearing the hoop earrings I found in Genoa, and it's fun to think of a destination when I put on something I bought there. I found both sorts of things and am only sorry, my luggage capacity keeps me from bringing more goodies back.

Most of the shopkeepers I dealt with spoke no English. Since my Italian is limited to "Simona hai una vicina nuova di Swizzara," and such phrases we had to do a lot of pointing. It worked out. They were patient and gracious.

So--some thoughts on Palermo. First, I want to emphasize that all the interactions I had with the people here have been positive. Even the grocery clerks at Lidl were helpful, for example.  My accommodations were first rate, and I could walk everywhere except Monreale--even if I couldn't find my destination.

I loved the sights. The Norman sites in particular with their Muslim and Byzantine influences I found especially wonderful.  The palazzos I visited were fun and fascinating.

But over all I do not like Palermo and won't be returning.  I think it's mostly the traffic and the constant honking. After a few days I learned to cross streets--something I also had to learn in Rome. And like Rome, Palermo has a trash problem.  I've seen some charming neighborhoods, but I have also seen too many run down places. Southern Italy is poor, and Sicily is Mafia-ridden although tourists never experience the mob unless they are Really Stupid.

I may not be done with Sicily yet though. There are cities further east on the island that may be calling "Pil, Pil! Come and see us."

Arrivederci!

Monreale

 

Buon giorno,

I made it! And it was well worth the trip.

I spent lot of time using my research skills to find the answers I needed. One site insisted that Bus 389 had been discontinued. This was nonsense, but I came across a site where the author was very eager to help travelers get to Monreale. Apparently I'm not the only one who had difficulties with the bus stop, so she provided photos and a detailed description of how to find it. Bingo!

And I didn't have to wait long for the bus. Monreale is not far from Palermo, but the traffic makes it a longer journey (with a LOT of angry honking), and although I snagged a window seat, the passing scene was not picturesque. After a while we left flat Palermo and began to climb going around hairpin curves, and I do not know how the bus made it. But we reached the bus stop. Then we had to climb the hill into town. It seemed to go on forever and cars behind us honked and honked to get us pedestrians out of their way. At this point the sky decided to rain. No problem. I always carry an umbrella in Europe.

But then we reached the piazza where the Cathedral stands, and my heart was happy.  The main cathedral is free, but I sprang for a ticket to see the treasury, and I also got to walk in the beautiful cloisters.  

The interior is encrusted with wonderful mosaics in the Byzantine style. The walls seem to be a comprehensive retelling of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments.  It was crowded but not nearly as sardine-like as the Capella Palatina down in town. It is magnificent, as I mentioned before the use of glittering glass brings every scene to vivid life.

                                         


                                      

After feasting my eyes, I made my way back to the bus stop.  I didn't have to wait too long, but once we got into town the progress and traffic were painful. I looked at car drivers. They all looked resigned but miserable.  After leaving Bus 389, I had to transfer to Bus 109, which would take me home. I had to wait quite a while and the bus made a big loop through the city before finally dumping us off at the Central Station, which is very close to my home. Of course, now that I'm back, it's cleared up.

Ciao for now

Disappointment--But with Treats to Make Up For It

 

Buon giorno,

Have another picture of Palermo Cathedral in lieu of Monreale Cathedral I planned to visit today.

I should have taken it for an omen. This morning one of my contact lenses went bluey.

You should bring a back up lens, Pil.

This WAS my back up lens. The other one failed a couple of days ago. But I know I can get around one eyed.  I have been faithfully doing my Duolingo exercises and can frankly state they have done me no good on a practical tourist level. I have found no occasion to mention that Luca wants a new watch for his birthday.

To get to Monreale one has to take the bus. In my case two busses. I do not like busses, but I went and got a ticket that would last for two days--just in case. I'd carefully researched the busses and their numbers, but my first try was a bust. No, the bus I wanted did not stop at that stop. So I walked until I found the stop, waited a bit, and then got on the bus. I got off the bus at what I thought was the correct stop to get the 389 to Monreale. I did not see the destination listed, but it was mentioned at the ticket office so I asked. "Next stop to the left," was the reply.

Ok. I looked. I looked some more. There was a bus stop down the street, but it did not list 389. I knew the next stop had to do with the Palazzo, and I was close by, so I found it and hunted around for quite a while. Nope. I found a lot of tourist busses and il piccolo treno, but no 389.

On my way home, I passed an accident where a motorcycle and car collided. No one seemed to be badly hurt, but it was on a main drag and traffic was snarled. I'm surprised, given the traffic and all, that this is the first accident I've seen.

Taking what I learned today, I intend to try again tomorrow. But in the meantime I recognized a street and walked down it. I passed the Cathedral into Tourist Land, where to console myself I spend some money. I renewed my supply of sun screen paying an even more outrageous price for an even smaller tube. It will be a lesson for me to make sure I pack my own.

Then I spotted a store selling pistachio liquor, so I got myself a small bottle of Crema di Pistacchio and petted the cat lounging on the counter. Let's have a sip. Mmm. This is nice. It's at room temperature, but it's rather like drinking gelato. But wait, there's more

Sicily is famous for its desserts. Even in Northern Italy you can find Sicilian bakeries displaying their wares. The Muslims brought sugar to the West, so, in my opinion, that's why Sicily has so many sugary treats.  Like cassata. I have always wanted to try it. Let's have a bite. Mmm. So sweet and creamy!

What are you talking about, Pil?

Cassata is a traditional Sicilian cake, normally pink or green on top. It's a sponge cake soaked in liquor and layered with ricotta and candied fruit. It is as beautiful to eat as to look at. 

Here's hoping tomorrow will be fruitful

Ciao for now

Palazzo de Chiaramonte Steri

 

Buon giorno,

I unwrapped my bread for breakfast and was rewarded with a wonderful bready scent. The taste was lovely, too. The bread is very chewy and goes great with hummus.

When I set out it was a brilliantly sunny but quiet Sunday morning. My first errand was grocery shopping. I am surprised that the grocery store is open Sundays. Maybe this is due to the number of immigrants? There was little traffic, which was great. Palermo traffic is my bete noire--or I should say bestia nera.  You would 1) be horrified to see the nonchalant way I wade into traffic, and 2) be equally horrified by how close the cars, buses, motorcycles come to hitting me. They'll stop, but they like cutting it fine.

I carefully copied down the directions to my target destination.  I made my way hitting all my goal points until suddenly they evaporated.  I back tracked and circled around. The promised street was not there. I guessed. Sometimes this works out for me. This time it didn't. But I had a Plan B. I knew my destination was not far from where I'd been yesterday, and if I could find it, Palazzo de Chiaramonte would be just a few minutes away.

As it happened I stumbled on the Palazzo by accident having fetched up and become distracted by a flea market.  I got my ticket. A discount for being old was on offer, but the nice young woman explained apologetically it was only for those over seventy. Heh! I qualify, and I proved it with my passport after she expressed some flattering skepticism. 

The Palazzo is visited by guided tour--mostly in Italian, but information in English is also offered, but I had to wait half an hour, and there was no place to sit. I became stiff.  The Palazzo was built by a Norman Family. Chiaramonte is the Italian translation of the original family name Clermont. Chiara means light in Italian. Alas the family fell victim to a plot and a charge of treason, so the Spanish took over the palazzo.

The tour was very interesting and informative. We began with the cells used by the Spanish Inquisition once Spain had acquired rule over Southern Italy and Sicily. Meh, I thought, but it turned out to be fascinating because of the paintings the prisoners left to express and protest their plight. The figures are crude but powerful and make use of Bible stories and saints lives to express their innocence and hope for justice.

We also visited the Great Hall, but we had to be quiet because it was being used for a meeting of Important People. This is the original ceiling though. So all in all, it was a good day out.

I got some prosciutto de San Daniele for my apero. It has a protected origin and is the rarest and fanciest prosciutto one can buy according to knowledgeable connoisseurs. It's very tasty indeed and goes well with my green tea and limoncello drink--very refreshing after a day of touristing in warm weather.

I'm trying a new pasta, a variety stuffed with pumpkin (how seasonal!) called girasole or sunflower due to its shape.  I dressed it with some salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil. Let's have a bite.  Good, and slightly sweet, but not very pumpkiny.

Ciao for now

Palazzo Abatellis

 Buon giorno,

The promised rain finally arrived, and I breakfasted to the sounds of a thunderstorm and gently falling rain.  But it cleared up. I see dark clouds though, so I'm hopeful for more precipitation. But the morning was cool and the air fresh when I set out and the sun shone nicely.

Because of the rain I planned another indoor activity, and it is another art museum housed in the Palazzo Abatellis.  Unlike yesterday, I had no problems finding it. The neighborhood it's in is close to the harbor, and seems more quiet and refined than a lot of Palermo.

The palazzo dates from the late Fifteenth Century, and after the family died out was given to the Dominican Order as a monastery.  The building had to be extensively restored after the Second World War and became a museum.

The museum houses a fine collection of Late Medieval, Early Renaissance, and Mannerist art. It is all religious, by the way, but I have a taste for such things. The ground floor is largely given over to some beautiful sculptures and altarpieces. Some are marble. Some are wood polychrome.

Upstairs is the collection of paintings. When I was there the museum was quiet, and I enjoyed the works more than I did the ones at the Modern Art Museum, but I know what I'm looking at. I recognize the depictions of Bible stories and can identify saints by their iconography.

I also had a walk around the cortile garden. My timing was good though because just as I was leaving a large, noisy school party arrived.

On my way home I stopped in at a bakery and bought some bread for breakfast as I had run out.  The small loaf cost me only seventy euro cents.

Galleria de Arte Moderna

 

Buon giorno,

The promised rain has not yet arrived. It's now expected later tonight, but I hope we get a drop or two earlier.

Figuring on rain, I arranged an indoor activity. First I had to get some cash. Then I had to check out the local bakery.  I figured my target would be easy to find. I'd been in the area before, so off I went very confidently.  Everything went swimmingly. I hit every marker until I was supposed to take a "path." THERE WAS NO PATH!  And I looked. Around and around I went.

I felt less like an idiot when I ran into a fellow museum seeker in the same boat. She'd been wandering for the better part of an hour and was about to give up. I went into the fancy palace hotel and asked for directions. The nice young man at the front desk told me where to go. "It's just around the corner." Yeah. Well, I'd been up and down that street, but I tried again, and then the realization came. "The Path" was the alley behind the locked gate.  That way was closed to me, but surely one could get to the museum from the other side, and so it proved.

The Galleria de Arte Moderna is housed in a former convent, so the building is fun to walk around. I got a reduction in admission for being old, and I enjoyed my visit.  It's quite an extensive collection of Sicilian artists, who were highly skilled and very much in tune with the trends of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. So I would describe the works as very derivative. You can see Sicilian versions of  Realism, Impressionism, Pointillism, Fauvism, and they are not at all bad works, but they aren't striking either.

I liked the portraits best. The artists were able vividly to capture the personality of the sitters. I also enjoyed a lot of the landscapes.

I'm branching out a bit this evening having a rose from Abruzzo, the instep of the boot, rather than wine from Sicily to go with my pasta. Very tasty it is, too.

Ciao for now

Il Palazzo Conte Federico

 Buon giorno

I got another good nights sleep, and dreamt that after all I'd found the archeological park. It was underground and I went down several staircases until I found one incomplete. No one could figure out what to do. So even in my dream I was thwarted.

But today was better. I booked a spot for a guided tour (more or less in English) of the Palazzo Conte Federico. The palazzo, one of the oldest buildings in Palermo, is still inhabited by the original family who claim descent from the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick "Stupor Mundi" II and also Normans. In fact the tour was conducted by one of the family who calls the Palazzo home--a handsome, young aristocrat named Niccolo. Maintaining a palazzo takes a lot of effort and--well--money, so if they can charge admission, so the public can also enjoy their home, I call that a win/win.

My tour was scheduled for noon, so I took the opportunity to go to the grocery store.  It is very sultry today, but the weather is about to turn, and I don't fancy carrying a load of groceries in the rain.  After dumping off the takings, I set out again, giving myself plenty of getting lost time due to self knowledge and experience, but in fact I did not get lost. I arrived early and was glad to sit down on a bench in the shade and play with my phone

I enjoyed the visit. The palazzo doesn't look like much from the outside and is on a narrow winding street. The public parts are organized around a lovely cortile or courtyard. We were herded upstairs to the historic parts of the palazzo.  You can tell that this is a "lived in" home rather than a museum, which added to its charm. For example family photos and portraits were on display, and Count Niccolo talked about his dad the race car driver and his mom the swimming champion and operatic soprano. Also the visit was punctuated by the presence of some black and white cats--as Niccolo explained, the real owners of the Palazzo.

The floors were custom made majolica tiles. Some of the rooms had painted cross beams. The more "modern" rooms had Baroque ceiling frescos. There were no great treasures, but a lot of family heirlooms.

The building was built by the Muslims on a Phoenician foundation and originally was part of the harbor defenses. When the Normans took over a lot of the harbor was filled in. The Palazzo is irregular because the room follow the route of the walls and incorporates the Muslim/Norman tower from the Twelfth  Century.

Because of the heat and humidity, by the time the tour was over, I was done for the day. I decided to take a short cut home, but the way led me through the market. Normally I'd be delighted and fascinated, but I did not like the crowds, the smoke, the smell, but my short cut did work out. I fetched up at the train station, which is very close to my place.

Ciao for now.

At Least I Got a Good Walk In

 Buon giorno

Whee! I got a good nights sleep. I hope I can wave good bye to the jet lag. Since I'm older it takes longer to get over it.

My target for today was the archeological park down by the port partly housed in a an old castle. I love these things! I got my directions and set out full of confidence, but sometimes google maps lets me down. I was sent to look for a non existent roundabout and streets that probably do exist, but not where google said they did.

I remembered from the map that I could get to the port another way by walking past Villa Guilia and turning left. I retraced my steps and tried that. I walked along the water front with a very busy road inhaling exhaust. It was nice to see the marina. Some people were fishing, but there was no sign of my destination. I walked and walked some more. Nope. There were even tourist maps, but they did not show what I wanted. Eventually I had to give up.

On my way I was approached by a woman who asked me if I was a Palermo native. I understood enough Italian to get what she was saying and could use a bit of Italian to tell her I was a tourist who did not speak Italian.

I don't know how to make my random wanderings around Palermo interesting, but I am a sucker for narrow streets and intimate piazzas, and I did pass through some charming neighborhoods. In Southern Italy, people like to live outdoors. They bring chairs out in front of their homes or businesses and just sit watching the passing scene.  I am seeing quite a bit of the central city.

Eventually I fetched up at the main drag of Via Roma and made my way home tired and disappointed.  I took a picture of the local garlic man to have something to show for the day.

Ciao for now

Palazzo dei Normanni

 

Buon giorno,

It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the thing that Everyone who comes to Palermo wants to see, and what I wished to see the most.

Sicilian History is . . . complicated, and I'm not going to try and sort it out for you right here, but I taught ninth graders, and one thing I am really good at is barebones over simplification. So we have a lot of ambitious and energetic young men in Normandy, who knew they would get no land, so they became mercenaries and were quite good at it. Since Southern Italy was unstable due to rivalries between recently arrived Germans, Byzantines determined to reconquer the peninsula, and Muslims who ruled Sicily, Norman Warriors found a ready market for their skills.  Members of the de Hautville Family quickly realized that conquering for other people was pointless when they could conquer for themselves. Marriage alliances and frequent battles soon followed.

What with one thing and another over many years, the Normans managed to take over Southern Italy and Sicily itself. Being rough hewn northerners they were mightily impressed with the sophistication and luxury they found in Muslim Sicily and soon adjusted to their new surroundings. The Normans remained Christian, but the early members of the dynasty employed Muslims in their government and some adopted Muslim dress--very practical in Sicily's climate.  The Palazzo dei Normanni is a prime example of the syncretism of the two cultures.

I enjoyed my visit, but the place was packed, and I spent far more time waiting in line than I did seeing the actual sights. Also the royal apartments were closed, so I missed those.

The highlight of the visit is the one everyone looks forward to--the Capella Palatina or palace chapel. It is gorgeous and in the Byzantine style. It reminded me strongly of Ravenna because of the incredible mosaics. Gold glass gives the images a glitter quality that makes them come alive. But the place was packed and I began to feel a touch claustrophobic, so after enjoying the view I squirmed my way out.

One of the things I like to do in Italy is indulge in my favorite cold cuts for my apero. I never eat such things at home because I'm elderly and need to protect my health, but European products are made in traditional ways, and if one if mindful about buying the animals have been humanly raised. Mmm. Such salty, fatty, meaty goodness! Neither of these items comes from Sicily. Breseola is from Lombardy. Mortadella comes from Emilia-Romagna.

Ciao for Now

A Walk in the Park--La Villa Guilia

 Buon giorno!

Today is the 958th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings which allowed the Norman Conquest of England. What many people do not know is that even before William the Conqueror set his sights on England, some Normans were already doing some conquering in Southern Italy and Sicily.  As I am of Anglo-Norman heritage, I always celebrate the day. There happens to be a fine gelato shop just around the corner from my digs, so I am having some chocolate ripple and hazelnut gelato. It. Is. Divine.

It's Monday, and the museums are closed, so I have to wait until tomorrow for yet more celebration of my Norman Heritage, but I did do a tourist activity and got my quota of steps in.

I began with a trip to the grocery store where I was bemused by the sight of Italian shoppers loading their carts with enormous bags of sad looking potato chips. They like them for apero, but I thought they preferred the flavored kind to go with their Aperol Spritzes.

Having dropped off my groceries, I set out once more in the opposite direction of the way I usually take.  Fortunately the route was straightforward, and I was able to cross the major boulevard all right.

Villa Guilia is an estate that was donated to the city and turned into a botanical garden.  Wandering among the trees and flower made a highly refreshing change from the intensity of the streets of Palermo.

There was an event being held on the grounds by Wines Sicily that looked pretty posh. I headed away down the cool green walkways and the traffic noise faded to be replaced by bird song.

I strolled at my leisure down shady avenues lined with citrus trees heavily laden with fruit. Very tempting, but I did not pick any, and some I didn't even recognize.  Palermo is full of palm trees, and the garden was no exception. There were also many stands of various sorts of bamboo. 

This was a lovely way to spend some time. The only problem is that eventually I had to venture back into the real world of broken sidewalks and crazy traffic, and occasional whiffs of raw sewage.

I had my limoncello and green tea apero and for dinner I contrived a dish of pasta with some tuna and a little jarred sauce (It's pink and has ricotta and nuts plus a bit of tomato) that I thinned with some pasta water. It needed salt, but dang! It's good. Clearly I am a culinary genius.

Ciao for now

Layer Upon Layer of History

 

Buon Giorno,

I didn't get a lot of sleep, but I'm used to jet lag and I know I can cope. I'm getting to know my area of the city, and I did not get lost today at all. I'm close to the historic center, but not within it, so I have to walk about twenty minutes to reach the sites. This is fine with me as I do come to Europe to walk.

Palermo reminds me a lot of Naples. Both cities have a ramshackle charm. I have to walk warily as the side walks are torn up. Some buildings are grand. Others are attractive, but many are shabby, and some are complete wrecks. Welcome to Southern Italy!

I decided that a good activity for the day would be a visit to the Antonino Salinas Regional Archeological Museum, which boasts of its status as the oldest museum in Sicily. Not everyone shares my taste for antiquities, but I do find such things fascinating, and the exhibits are well displayed and explained. Moreover, the museum is housed in a former convent, so wandering around the cloisters is enjoyable on its own.

Sicily, being a highly fertile island (Thanks, Mount Etna!) has attracted human habitation from early days. The island got its name from the Sicel tribe, but the place entered into history when the Phoenicians arrived, bringing their newly devised alphabet with them. The museum features quite a bit of their pottery and votive objects as well as some inscriptions. One thing I had never seen exhibited before were the projectiles used by slingers in battle. They are lethal looking nuggets of metal, and the slingers were highly trained and could be deadly.

The Greeks were not far behind, and most of the museum is given over to their remains from various periods. In particular the Greek colonies on the island gave a special devotion to the Goddess Demeter and her daughter Kore or Persephone. There are some splendid red figure vases as well as a host of everyday objects. Here's a lion head from a tomb. 

Then we have Etruscans, who didn't settle in Sicily, but certainly traded and the Romans who eventually conquered the place and used it as their bread basket. Some of the Roman remains are truly impressive--massive (and heavily restored) statues of various gods and emperors.

On my way back I proceeded down Via Roma, one of the main drags, and ran into some kind of auto rally. Vintage cars from the mid Twentieth Century roared by apparently competing to see which engine could make the biggest racket.

Ciao for now

Palermo Cathedral

 

Buon giorno,

As promised--some tourist action, and it was worth all the detours I took to get there, but first some whining.  I was not in great shape yesterday and went to bed early. I was sweetly asleep when the phone in my room rang. It is not of a volume that can be ignored. I answered it, and some guy spoke to me in Italian. I replied I did not speak Italian, but he continued to talk. I hung up. A few minutes later another call. Same deal. Then nothing, and I thought I was done with it and went back to bed. After a while the phone rang again. Same deal. Then he called back right away. I firmly said, "Non parlo italiano. Why are you calling me?" That was the end of it. I was getting ready to doze off when some neighbors decided they needed to have a loud, ugly argument. He was furious.  She was tearful.  The above occurrences jangled my nerves, but I did eventually--after a long while--get back to sleep.

I now am a proud possessor of a Map of the City, so I need not rely so much on google maps, which did steer me wrong today. I picked Palermo Cathedral as my destination because it is a major site and within reasonable walking distance of me. It was a brilliantly sunny day, but not too hot. I set out carefully following the directions I had written down, but then I could not find one of the streets. I walked along through pleasant neighborhoods and piazzas, I consulted my phone, but it became clear that nothing I was seeing corresponded to what I should encounter.  I was lost, but since I do get lost frequently, I remain calm and confident. I'll get to where I'm going eventually, and I have learned that persistence pays.

I retraced my steps--not exactly, but I got back to Via Roma, one of the main drags and then when I got to my turn I turned left instead of right. Bingo!  I still had a bit of a walk, but clearly I was in the Tourist Zone, and I found a Tourist Information Office where I obtained my map.

It's Saturday, and the tourists and beggars are out in force, but I had a very pleasant time licking the windows of some truly fascinating shops, and I clearly need to return to this area.

The Cathedral is Magnificent. Whew it makes an impact!  Actually the interior is kind of a let down because it's your standard Baroque and I was hoping for something a bit more exotic, but I had a good look around and found it very lovely.

With the help of my map I designed a much more straightforward route home.  I feel I have earned my apero. I'd made some green tea and put it in the fridge. Green tea and limoncello make a great combination--very refreshing.

I changed my mind about dinner. I was going to mix tuna and pasta but then decided to make them separate courses.  Grocery store Italian tuna is pretty dang good, but you can find and pay more for some really fancy fish. I have linguine brought from home dressed with salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil. I like this a lot but can seldom indulge when I'm at home. Both tuna and pasta go very well with my Sicilian white wine.

Ciao for now

Learning to Make My Way Around My Neighborhood

 

Buon Giorno,

Crossing the streets is the most exciting part. The cars aren't really trying to kill you; it just seems that way. Most will respect a crosswalk even though they can come frighteningly close, and if they feel they can miss the pedestrian they will just proceed.  A few just blow through red lights. Palermo is certainly car-ridden. It kinda reminds me of home.

Yesterday's long trip was hard on me, so I promised myself an easy and short day. For one thing I was not adequately fed. For dinner, I had a bleah sandwich with some nice wine, and for breakfast I had tea and a granola bar--hardly touristing fuel.

I also discovered that after having brought a bottle of industrial strength sun screen expressly for the trip, I had forgotten to pack it. My first mission was to get sun screen. I do not go out without it and have not done for over thirty years. I went off in search of a pharmacy.  Signore Google told me that around the Central Station was a good place to try, and it's not far from me.

The station itself is a handsome building and the area is not at all sleazy. I did find a pharmacy. The shop assistant did not speak English, but she understood "sun screen." It was locked up in a cabinet. After one look at my pale Northern European skin, she picked out spf 50--the strongest they had. It is a small tube and grossly overpriced in my opinion, but the need is the need. I went home and smeared it on my exposed parts and was ready to venture out again.

After having spent so much on sun screen and having plans for a Big Trip to the grocery store, I decided to find an ATM. They are everywhere in Europe, and some are stand alone machines placed randomly. I do not like those. Google Map sometimes indicates directions like Northeast, and my phone has a compass, so I used it to point myself in the right direction. I found a small bank with a security guard--that was comforting--and went in and got my cash.

Then I turned around and walked back up the street because I was on my way to the grocery store.  Palermo is so interesting. On my stroll I passed not one, but two open air fish stands. I am not equipped in any way, shape, or form to deal with a whole, raw fish, but the offerings looked fresh, and nothing smelled bad.

Some streets are labeled. Most are not, so I had to guess. This is not efficient, but it does usually work out for me, and also the good folk of Lidl (They cosponsor a cycling team!) sign posted their store.  And it was a nice, big one--chaotically arranged, but welcome to Southern Italy, and I eventually did find everything I needed.

Like what, Pil?

Hummus! Good luck finding that in Northern or Central Italy. I also got bread, eggs, tuna. tea, sweetener, olive oil (I tasted the olive oil. I just pulled it off the shelf, but it's the good stuff--it made me cough.).tortellone, wine--and, of course, limoncello.  But then I had to carry my heavy bag back.

 Limocello? 

It's a lemon liquer made with lemons mascerated in hard alcohol, and then sweetened with sugar syrup. Italians usually take it as a digestive as I will this evening, so stay tuned for a taste test. You can find it in the United States, but not all brands are created equal.

I also had a nice apero of the Sicilian wine I got yesterday with some truffle flavored marcona almonds I got from Trader Joe's.

Dinner is some lovely tortalone with cheese and spinach, dressed with salt, pepper, garlic, and a lot of that good olive oil I got today.  The IGP (Indication Geografia Protectivo) goes perfectly with the pasta. It's not the top tier wine, and it was really cheap, but it's good!

Here goes--a limoncello tasting. I don't like drinking it straight actually, but I will for this test.  And this is very nice--a good, tart lemon flavor, and it's not too sweet. I don't care for the spirit burn, but next time I'll have it with ice green tea, and it will be perfect.

I think I'll be ready for some actual tourist action tomorrow.

Ciao for now

A Long Journey into a Rich Past

 

Buon giorno,

Well. I'm here, and the room and location are terrific. The photo is the view from my balcony. I also have a helpful new friend named Greta. I'd booked a taxi to get me here from Palermo Airport, but there was a mix up. The driver was waiting for me at an earlier flight. When I didn't show, he got mad and left. I ended up taking another taxi into town, but my new pal Greta will try to get me a refund. As annoying as that was it wasn't as bad as the plight of the young Polish woman (who doesn't speak either Italian or English). She has a reservation here, but no sign of the guy in charge of it. More work for Greta!

When I was working and people knew I had a trip plan the most frequent question I got was why I was going where I was going. Have you been before? No. Do you have family there? No. The explanation that I was after history did not seem to register.  But history is indeed why I chose to come to Palermo--layer upon layer of history! I hope you will share it with me.

I flew non-stop to Rome--a very long flight. I'd checked out reviews of the airline and was not encouraged, but the flight was fine. The seats were comfortable and the food decent although they were stingy with the excellent wine on offer.  The only problem was a big group of my fellow citizens who seemed bound and determined to fulfill every cliche about American tourists ever.  They were LOUD, and they took up a lot of space. I prayed they wouldn't be in my cabin, but there they were needing to talk at the top of their lungs.

I didn't sleep, but I sort of dozed. So far the Italian lessons I've been doing on line have done me no good at all. Oh well. Rome's airport is very bustling but easy to get around. I squirted myself with the latest Hermes perfume (which I don't care for) at duty free. There are the usual luxury labels, which hold no interest for me, but also they have foods on offer. Hmm. Maybe I'd like to bring something home.

The flight here was quick and easy. Until I got my bags and realized no one was waiting for me. I am a wreck. I found a mini market so I'm not going to starve. I got some interesting Sicilian white wine and a meh sandwich,  but I need to get some sleep and have an easy day tomorrow getting to know the city.