Sicily 2019...Palermo

Arriving at Palermo airport after a short but really good flight we did as  instructed by our host and took a taxi to our accommodation near the Teatro Massimo in Palermo Old Town. This journey we were told would cost 7€ but to our unexpected horror it totalled 65€!!!! Wow but hey....we were in Sicily after all!!!!!!

Our host could not meet us at the apartment unfortunately as he was tramping in Amalfi but told us his son would be there with the key to greet us......mmmm....after contacting the son with our arrival time he calmly told us he had to be out at that time and he didn't know what to do!!?? Suggesting he leave the key somewhere and send us a photo of the place we almost felt his visible relief over the phone. This however all changed later when he informed us the housekeeper would meet us!!!!
The taxi dropped us off outside the apartment and both looking at each other with that WTF expression in our eyes we handed over 65€....!! Facing our next obstacle we looked at a locked door and a bank of push-call buttons to choose from and....of course....push...just one?!!? Eeny meeny money mo.....we really had no idea. 15 minutes later the main door flew open and a small granny-like Sicilian woman, spitting every which way, started hurling prolonged abuse at us in very, very loud Italian....she went on and on as we stood there mouths agape.......hello and welcome to Sicily was not what she was saying!! Having woken up most of the street and apartment complex with her shouting, and with us being totally ignorant of anything she had said, we were finally rescued by another couple leaving the complex and were able to make our entry into the building. I was very tempted to run over the old ladies toes with my pull along bag....not really sure what stopped me!!!!
Next challenge... .the lift!!! If you think lifts in Paris are small....think again!! 2 people, 2 backpacks, 2 pull along suitcases plus 4 doors to open and close and buttons to locate within a small square cage lends itself to more of a farce than reality.....but we made it to floor 3 to be met by 2 smiling faces... ..the housekeeper, who spoke no English, and our host's young daughter. All was well.....at last.
Disappointment however was soon to rear its ugly head again. This was one of 3 non smoking apartments we had rented....great....with a communal hallway......not so great!
As the very proud housekeeper unlocked the door to the hallway which led to our apartment we were assaulted by a barrier of stale and fresh cigarette smoke....the air was so thick we could have cut it...we both wanted to vomit!!!!! The next door to be unlocked was to the apartment which was actually lovely.....or would have been if it had been outfitted properly and cleaned. One wineglass!! - - the biggest fail - - 2 coffee mugs - - one put away unwashed, glass in bathroom thick at the bottom with dried toothbrush/toothpaste drippings, washing machine that didn't spin, no toiletries or washing up liquid or clothes washing liquid - all advertised but absent. We had to wedge towels at the door to stop the cigarette smoke coming in and request an air freshener. Apart from all that the apartment was newly modernised and well placed in Palermo....had an amazing pianist in residence across the hallway and we were often given  free opera singing from the Theatro.........only downside? - we just had to hold our breath as we walked through the corridor entrance to our apartment and leave the outer corridor door slightly ajar to let in fresh air........easy!!?? Until, one day, we got home only to find we couldn't get into our inner sanctum as we couldn't unlock the corridor door......the crazy lady had locked it with 3 different locks as payback for us leaving it open. When we finally got in, there was a nice little note telling us to please lock the door!!!!!! For us it was either endure the cigarette smoke or get locked out.....her terms only!!!! We toed the line....
Even though we are not really City people we enjoyed Palermo and its vibrancy and found our way around surprisingly well....mainly on foot. We discovered Via Maqueda/Walking Street, Arancina (big balls of flavoured rice, breadcrumbed and fried...chicken curry was the best), Brioche stuffed with gelato and Fina Tief white wine. We would sit outside a cafe type place, right on a small, controlled crossroad drinking our Fina wine and eating Arancini and it was hilarious. As you are all aware Italians are very verbal and passionate people and at this "controlled" crossing dissecting walking street nobody took any notice of the little red and green men saying when it was safe to walk or not....pedestrians took it as their right of way and Italian passion was activated...to the enth degree.

There were some amazing Piazzas, an overabundance of beautiful Cathedrals, churches, palaces and of course Admirals Bridge all dating back to the 11th and 12th Centuries. The Quattro Canti crossroads with its fountains and musicians each boasting the most beautiful buildings  on each corner each one the same as the other but with a different representational king in situ....the architecture was simply awe inspiring.

There was a lot to see and do in Palermo and walking was a big part of that. The Old city is laid out grid style with just one vertical main street intersected by two horizontal main streets and a surrounding main street. Between these main streets lies the real Palermo in the warren of backstreets where cheap local food could be found...mainly fish, pasta, pizza and even an Indian cafe now and then.
Via Vittorio took us down to the waterfront/marina just outside one of the gates to the Old City where we spent a few hours walking along a quite unkempt waterfront.

Unfortunately Palermo sees a lot of tagging, rubbish and half started/half finished projects which gave us the impression they do not realise what richness they have in their surroundings. For example in Via Tunisi where we were staying, new fibre optic cables were being laid but everything seemed half finished with all the necessary equipment left lying around in piles on the sides of the streets long after the workmen had left.

People are encouraged to recycle, even down to organics, but then everything gets left out on the street for days to stink in the hot sun and for dogs to use as toilets!!!! The intentions are good but the systems let them down.
Deciding to look further afield a trip to the Catacombs was in order and we decided to take the free bus which was started to help tourists get around but has subsequently and seemingly been hijacked by the "great unwashed"!!!!! It was a definite one and a half hour challenge juggling positions with druggies, alcoholics and street sleepers but we finally made it to the Catacomb area only to be told it had closed for the day. ( this 5 - 6 hour siesta really kept catching us out). We did however make it there early the following day....on foot this time....paid our 10€ to enter.....but!!!! For me it was really and truly ghoulish and I couldn't stay.....Gary stayed a little longer but.....it was horrible. To be honest it was more interesting exploring the headstones of the cemetery next door.

Knowing we had to eventually book a bus to get to Catania from the bus station we decided to make a trial trip there by using a local bus that stopped just at the end of our street where, incidentally, there was a great daily  local market where we bought all our fresh fruit and vegetables.

Trapani was our eventual destination as we had been told this was an awesome place to visit. The bus worked out really well to the station and the subsequent bus to Trapani too. However Trapani was a disappointment and after having a quick breakfast we took a ferry to the island of Favignana via the island of Levanzo.

There was an old castle ruin that Gary wanted to see in the centre of the island so that was first on our list after a quick coffee and cigarette stop (no...we have not taken up smoking but whilst drinking our coffee we became surrounded by smokers and must have breathed and ingested at least half a packet each!!!

(Have I mentioned before how much Italians smoke?)
Leaving our smokey den off we trotted up hill through the back streets of Favignana which were slightly lacking in beautifulness to the Castle. "Doesn't seem to be open Gary says quizzically "let's try round the other side". Dutifully trotting along behind on this brilliantly hot day it began to dawn on us that something wasn't right......you know just little things like double bars on the windows and razor wire on the top of the walls!!!!! Yes you are correct this was no castle this was a PRISON!!!!????

No photos of the prison but this one was of the beautiful church there.
So our day on Favignana was complete.....we sat looking over the harbour for a while and took the ferry back to Trapani and the bus back to Palermo, walked to our little place on the sidewalk, ordered a Fina Tief wine each and bought a chicken curry arancina to finish off a perfect day.

Next day Cefalu was on our mind so we decided to try the local train directly from Palermo. We had the local buses under our belts so now it was a local train to conquer and it was great! Very comfortable, very clean- apart from tagging - and it was taking us to a beautiful part of Sicily and a fabulous beach.
We arrived, exited the train with literally hundreds of other people, had a great breakfast and proceeded to descend to the beach. What caught our eye was incomprehensible!!!!

Literally hundreds of beach umbrellas and sun loungers with squidgens of pieces of beach sand in between. We strolled along the walkway above the beach, had a beer and people watched for a while and then explored the village. We found some great photo opportunities here there was something special at every twist and turn and the little town was quite gorgeous.....shame about the onslaught of people!!!!!!!!

So back to the station where a train to Palermo was ready to jump on ....just ......and home again. We had this Palermo travel off pat now!
One last item on our wish list for Palermo before bussing to Catania was Monreale Cathedral and it's Cloister which was truly amazing.  We reached this first by walking a couple of Kilometres then taking a hop on hop off bus up into the mountains. This place was worth every moment we spent there - its Norman mosaic floors and gold embossed mosaic walls, Royal tombs, central apes....just the light refraction was something we hadn't seen in any other church. This was Norman architecture to a tee.
The chapel within though was typical Scicilian Baroque built at least 5 centuries later (1686 if my memory is correct). What caught my eye was the story of Jonah and the Whale depicted in a mosaic story on the floor........straight back to my childhood!!!!!!!
We were lucky enough to "explore the roof" giving us panoramic views over Palermo. Climbing up and down narrow, winding, concrete stairs through low- roofed passageways and along ramparts was a challenge but we found ourselves close to the belfry and the cathedral towers......it was magical and one of the many highlights of Palermo.

On our arrival in Palermo we were sceptical as to whether this city would fit with us but.......when we left we realised that, regardless of it's outside visible first impressions the inside and its heart was an absolute winner!!!!!
Tomorrow another trip to the bus station this time with our baggage and a relaxing 5 hour coach ride to Catania.
Fingers crossed!!!!!!! X