PALERMO 30 May to 1 June 2000
Took 7:10 bus to return firstly to Cefalu again, with a bus full of schoolchildren, strangely following our direction again, they had perhaps been home for the weekend.
We transferred to the 8:13 train from Cefalu to Palermo where I left Joan with our luggage at the station (our normal system). Checking out the hotel list given by the Tourist Office. The first on Via Lincoln was a good standard aimed at business men for 140,00, then Sicilia on Via Divisi offered a huge well lit room for 90,000.
We went to the Teatro Massimo and bought tickets for the evening performance by the number one cast for £30 each in the available box seat on the lowest of the six levels. Then to the Information Office for a great deal of help (all in Italian at my request), including onward buses to Trapani where to catch those to Monreale, recommendations for other churches and ferries for the island of Ustica. An excellent lunch snack chosen from a fine list of pizzas and panini I had a large beef bap and Joan a pizza, at a small restaurant next to MacDonalds.
That afternoon we went to the beautiful capella at Palazzo Real, staggering beauty in this mosaic decorations, Byzantine in the dome, decorative at lower levels plus two levels depicting major events in the old and new testaments. I was delighted to find I could understand a guide talking to an informed party of Italians.
La Boheme was excellent thankfully the friendly elderly arthritic couple sharing the box soon let Joan overcome nervousness of being dressed in sandals, she had chosen not to wear her black trousers and shoes. Also sat in our box was a middle aged woman who seemed snooty but the all three wished us buena sera on leaving at the end. I wasn't the only one without a suit and tie. The theatre had been restored then reopened in 1977 after a period of disuse. It was done beautifully and said to be similar to the Berlin Opera House, large stalls surrounded by vertical sides with six levels each having 24 boxes.
I had a second row seat and had to lean over a great deal to see to the right of the stage, but Joan had a good view. It was a huge stage with impressive scenery especially for the Paris street scene in Act 2. The performance was excellent with strong Mimi and Rudolfo. There was an interval of 20 minutes after each scene giving us plenty of opportunity to look around the theatre including upper some rooms still to be renovated. It was wonderful to mingle with the crowds especially on exit down the imposing steps.
We took a 103 bus to the restaurant recommended by our hotel with the advice to eat fish. Anti Pasta buffet, Charcoal grilled prawns for Joan, fish of the day selected from the table at 6,000 per kg, ananas, white Corro wine, lemoncello and Amero all excellent value for 86,000.
31 May
Catch bus 385 to Monreale Duomo astounded by the view over Palermo from the heights. The church itself seemed rather like a bigger version of the capella seen the day before.
All the walls were covered in mosaic pictures of Christ, Madonna, plus old and new testament stories and at the lowest level of the outer level were Arabic patterns. We had to pay to visit the cloisters with ornate capitals to the pillars but without the atmosphere expected.
A wedding party arrived - surprisingly in a Rolls Royce car!
In the evening we ate at the Primervera, just off Victor Emmanuel, on beef and veal steaks but noted our bill almost was overcharging 10,000 for the wine. On drawing the attention of our original waiter he immediately got the bill changed from 91,00 to 60,000 a much greater reduction than I had expected.
1st June
We got up early and took a return ferry trip by boat rather than hydrofoil to the island of Ustica.
A very pleasant trip over the ocean taking 2.5 hours each way. Ustica itself is quite delightful and almost without cars. Buses run from the port to the central square and around the whole island entirely without charge. Every where seemed in good state of repair but in certain areas access to the sea was prohibited for it is a marine reserve also an outstanding location for scuba diving for fish , corals and turtles.
We ate excellent fish for lunch at the Hotel Ariston which had a very friendly owner. Later took a bus around the island getting off at a natural piscina recommended for swimming. I swam enthusiastically, watching for rocks but in clear warm water. Joan who was having increasing problems with her right knee didn't swim.
The rocks were black - volcanic, but the sea was bright blue and the nearby lighthouse a brilliant white. A ledge which looked natural had in fact been created to give a side to the swimming pool. We walked around the coastal road admiring the scenery through Zone A which was protected and swimming was prohibited. We saw ladies picking capers, the tightly rolled buds have to be picked in full sun for me this was a new discovery - which neither of us has forgotten.
It completed a memorable day. My final remark is 'a very pleasant island, ideal for a relaxing break' - ie one much longer than a day.
2 June Trapani
Up early fully laden with heavy rucksacks on an over crowded bus bound for the main bus station at Politico in rush hour. Tragedy struck when I changed my mind to get off early to take a photo of the Piazza Verdi and the Opera house. I found it unexpectedly difficult to get off the bus and was nervous of struggling too hard for fear of dragging others with me and my wide rucksack. But thought nothing more of the incident whilst I took the photo and walked to Politico to rejoin Joan. It was not until I went to get out my wallet to pay for tickets at the bus station that I realised that my wallet had been stolen. Thinking back I deduced I had been held back by a smart casual dressed six foot 75kg man 35-40 years old whilst an accomplice crowded around me to do the deed. A lot of people got off but surprisingly he didn't.
I was able to buy a telephone card at a bookstall to call Card Protection CPP with the details held in Joan's wallet within 25 minutes of the theft. We had just about enough Travellers Cheques £400 & $100 to serve for the remaining 9 days of our holiday. CPP told me to report the incident to the police and get written confirmation.
I returned to the hotel in the unlikely case I had left my wallet there but there was no trace, the man on the desk was none too pleased with talk of theft but he did indicate on my map the police office to attend. It was very difficult to find between the streets of Genoa and Roma but eventually inquired of the old man seated in the foyer of a big building who directed me to police on the second floor. The police were quick and very helpful and gave me a form in English and Italian to complete. I could not help noticing that everyone there was filling in similar forms.
Two hours later than intended we got the 10:10 bus through fertile land to Trapani. After a rest at our Hotel Maccotta we took a round trip by bus to Erice, a beautiful medieval town, with warning of high charges and a history associated with the mafia.
It was in a wonderful state of restoration looking hardly touched in centuries. On the hill top were staggering views inland over the fertile plains and over Trapani bay and the headland. Erice is truly a sight not to be missed!
At night we found only a single busy restaurant the Taverna Paradiso which had featured in a Victor Stallone film. Clearly this was the place for the well-off to be on a Friday night. The middle aged woman on the next table was wearing a huge gold bracelet on her left wrist. The place was alive with conversation and laughter. One particularly smartly dressed balding man of middle age and his wife plus the cut of their gold bracelets dominated the main table. I mused he might be they might be the god father of the mafia and she his moll. It was that kind of setting for he would stand up and have an earnest word with new male arrivals. Their main table was full of good humour and joking
After that their ordering started, unfortunately we arrived at 9:30, a little too soon to learn what the majority was ordering, but maybe we were fortunate to get the only free table, following a 10 minute wait whilst it was cleared. In retrospect clearly we should have started with pasta with lovely looking sauce followed by either Crayfish ( beautiful white flesh in a big body) or huge grilled prawns - I had just two with my mixed fish grill. At 100,000 we were charged slightly under the menu price with no addition for service - clearly one for the future.
TRAPANI
A lovely town full of beautiful old building on a small peninsular with sea on three sides.
Pity we were now in a hurry for I concluded it deserves a much higher tourist rating.
3 June
We got up late and visited in Trapani the best fish market we were ever to likely see .
Fish of all shapes, sizes and colours from the dark red flanks of whale/shark/dolphin which looked like meat.
Through to pale tuna and multi coloured fish.
Followed by breakfasting on panini in the local panificio with lovely fist full of breck?? soaked in olive oil and with parmigiano and anchovies to add flavour. By far the best as well as the cheapest panini yet!
Took 7:10 bus to return firstly to Cefalu again, with a bus full of schoolchildren, strangely following our direction again, they had perhaps been home for the weekend.
We transferred to the 8:13 train from Cefalu to Palermo where I left Joan with our luggage at the station (our normal system). Checking out the hotel list given by the Tourist Office. The first on Via Lincoln was a good standard aimed at business men for 140,00, then Sicilia on Via Divisi offered a huge well lit room for 90,000.
We went to the Teatro Massimo and bought tickets for the evening performance by the number one cast for £30 each in the available box seat on the lowest of the six levels. Then to the Information Office for a great deal of help (all in Italian at my request), including onward buses to Trapani where to catch those to Monreale, recommendations for other churches and ferries for the island of Ustica. An excellent lunch snack chosen from a fine list of pizzas and panini I had a large beef bap and Joan a pizza, at a small restaurant next to MacDonalds.
That afternoon we went to the beautiful capella at Palazzo Real, staggering beauty in this mosaic decorations, Byzantine in the dome, decorative at lower levels plus two levels depicting major events in the old and new testaments. I was delighted to find I could understand a guide talking to an informed party of Italians.
La Boheme was excellent thankfully the friendly elderly arthritic couple sharing the box soon let Joan overcome nervousness of being dressed in sandals, she had chosen not to wear her black trousers and shoes. Also sat in our box was a middle aged woman who seemed snooty but the all three wished us buena sera on leaving at the end. I wasn't the only one without a suit and tie. The theatre had been restored then reopened in 1977 after a period of disuse. It was done beautifully and said to be similar to the Berlin Opera House, large stalls surrounded by vertical sides with six levels each having 24 boxes.
I had a second row seat and had to lean over a great deal to see to the right of the stage, but Joan had a good view. It was a huge stage with impressive scenery especially for the Paris street scene in Act 2. The performance was excellent with strong Mimi and Rudolfo. There was an interval of 20 minutes after each scene giving us plenty of opportunity to look around the theatre including upper some rooms still to be renovated. It was wonderful to mingle with the crowds especially on exit down the imposing steps.
We took a 103 bus to the restaurant recommended by our hotel with the advice to eat fish. Anti Pasta buffet, Charcoal grilled prawns for Joan, fish of the day selected from the table at 6,000 per kg, ananas, white Corro wine, lemoncello and Amero all excellent value for 86,000.
31 May
Catch bus 385 to Monreale Duomo astounded by the view over Palermo from the heights. The church itself seemed rather like a bigger version of the capella seen the day before.
All the walls were covered in mosaic pictures of Christ, Madonna, plus old and new testament stories and at the lowest level of the outer level were Arabic patterns. We had to pay to visit the cloisters with ornate capitals to the pillars but without the atmosphere expected.
A wedding party arrived - surprisingly in a Rolls Royce car!
In the evening we ate at the Primervera, just off Victor Emmanuel, on beef and veal steaks but noted our bill almost was overcharging 10,000 for the wine. On drawing the attention of our original waiter he immediately got the bill changed from 91,00 to 60,000 a much greater reduction than I had expected.
1st June
We got up early and took a return ferry trip by boat rather than hydrofoil to the island of Ustica.
 |
| MAIN STREET USTICA |
We ate excellent fish for lunch at the Hotel Ariston which had a very friendly owner. Later took a bus around the island getting off at a natural piscina recommended for swimming. I swam enthusiastically, watching for rocks but in clear warm water. Joan who was having increasing problems with her right knee didn't swim.
 |
| ROCKY COAST IN USTICA |
 |
| A LADY HARVESTING CAPERS |
2 June Trapani
Up early fully laden with heavy rucksacks on an over crowded bus bound for the main bus station at Politico in rush hour. Tragedy struck when I changed my mind to get off early to take a photo of the Piazza Verdi and the Opera house. I found it unexpectedly difficult to get off the bus and was nervous of struggling too hard for fear of dragging others with me and my wide rucksack. But thought nothing more of the incident whilst I took the photo and walked to Politico to rejoin Joan. It was not until I went to get out my wallet to pay for tickets at the bus station that I realised that my wallet had been stolen. Thinking back I deduced I had been held back by a smart casual dressed six foot 75kg man 35-40 years old whilst an accomplice crowded around me to do the deed. A lot of people got off but surprisingly he didn't.
I was able to buy a telephone card at a bookstall to call Card Protection CPP with the details held in Joan's wallet within 25 minutes of the theft. We had just about enough Travellers Cheques £400 & $100 to serve for the remaining 9 days of our holiday. CPP told me to report the incident to the police and get written confirmation.
I returned to the hotel in the unlikely case I had left my wallet there but there was no trace, the man on the desk was none too pleased with talk of theft but he did indicate on my map the police office to attend. It was very difficult to find between the streets of Genoa and Roma but eventually inquired of the old man seated in the foyer of a big building who directed me to police on the second floor. The police were quick and very helpful and gave me a form in English and Italian to complete. I could not help noticing that everyone there was filling in similar forms.
Two hours later than intended we got the 10:10 bus through fertile land to Trapani. After a rest at our Hotel Maccotta we took a round trip by bus to Erice, a beautiful medieval town, with warning of high charges and a history associated with the mafia.
It was in a wonderful state of restoration looking hardly touched in centuries. On the hill top were staggering views inland over the fertile plains and over Trapani bay and the headland. Erice is truly a sight not to be missed!
At night we found only a single busy restaurant the Taverna Paradiso which had featured in a Victor Stallone film. Clearly this was the place for the well-off to be on a Friday night. The middle aged woman on the next table was wearing a huge gold bracelet on her left wrist. The place was alive with conversation and laughter. One particularly smartly dressed balding man of middle age and his wife plus the cut of their gold bracelets dominated the main table. I mused he might be they might be the god father of the mafia and she his moll. It was that kind of setting for he would stand up and have an earnest word with new male arrivals. Their main table was full of good humour and joking
After that their ordering started, unfortunately we arrived at 9:30, a little too soon to learn what the majority was ordering, but maybe we were fortunate to get the only free table, following a 10 minute wait whilst it was cleared. In retrospect clearly we should have started with pasta with lovely looking sauce followed by either Crayfish ( beautiful white flesh in a big body) or huge grilled prawns - I had just two with my mixed fish grill. At 100,000 we were charged slightly under the menu price with no addition for service - clearly one for the future.
TRAPANI
A lovely town full of beautiful old building on a small peninsular with sea on three sides.
3 June
We got up late and visited in Trapani the best fish market we were ever to likely see .
Fish of all shapes, sizes and colours from the dark red flanks of whale/shark/dolphin which looked like meat.
Through to pale tuna and multi coloured fish.
Followed by breakfasting on panini in the local panificio with lovely fist full of breck?? soaked in olive oil and with parmigiano and anchovies to add flavour. By far the best as well as the cheapest panini yet!
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