Story Aunt Gus and Crew's Adventure Book 5 [COMPLETE]
- Thread starter Kathy in FL
- Start date
sssarawolf
We're just plugging along.
Very nice to find this morning, thank you.
It is pretty cool. But weird and freaky at the same time. All of the plant stakes with the names on them have a skull and crossbones. Or they did. It's been almost ten years now so who knows what those name plates look like these days. LOL
Oct 28 - Day 46: Seaside Kinsale & Cork
I think I’m getting tired of relaxing. I thought … well, I’m not sure what I thought. I’ve grown used to doing a lot of walking every day. I thought it would be the same here in Ireland. Instead, it is hop in the bus, hop out of the bus, get back on the bus, off the bus, on the bus … etc etc. I don’t mean to complain. The other members of our groups seem to be having a wonderful time. And it isn’t that I’m not having a good time though I need to remember that this is a job; I’m support staff for Lev and guardian for Benny and Sadie. Oh, stop your whining Gus.
This morning we headed out from the manor house to coastal Kinsale. Kinsale is a peninsula located around an hour drive from where we were. It is surrounded by beautiful coastline and beaches with clear waters. I wouldn’t have minded spending more time there. I mean if you are going to “relax” it should be in the kind of environment that inspires you, Right?
What I did find out is that you'll hardly ever find Kinsale in the tourist brochures. I don’t know why not. The cliffs at Kinsale are original and different than those at Moher or Howth. They are very sharp, rough, and look as if they were built from Lego blocks. The kids got a kick out of that part and the story of the mini-Lego kits that I have had to be told. And tonight, for whatever reason, Lev mentioned the mini block thing to Tommi who squealed and said it could be a “thing”. Now she’s looking for sets to go without our destinations and going to get sponsors to pony up. How do I get myself into these things?!
From there we visited Charles Fort, what we were told is one of the finest examples of a 17th-century fortification in Ireland. We learned about the Williamite Wars and the Irish version of a civil war that took place in the 1920s. I mean it wasn’t bad. Actually the castle/fort kinda reminded me of St. Augustine a bit, but some of the other people in the group were in ecstasies. Yeah, it was cool, but I couldn’t go ooo and aaaah more than a couple of times. I was just glad to be moving as we spent some time exploring and having lunch on our own in the harbor-side village. Now the harbor was my version of cool. There were a bunch of sailboats anchored there making me nearly ache to be out on the water.
We returned to Cork for the afternoon, and did more exploring the city. Sort of exploring anyway as it was from the mini bus because of the rain that started falling. I mean that is what rain jackets are for, right? Dinner was on our own at one of the manor house’s restaurants.
Lev did need time to work on putting the next packet to send off and the kids did need some down time, so this has been a good day and night for them. I don’t know why I’ve got the fidgets. We are supposed to move on to our next stop tomorrow. I hope it turns out to be more active.
Oct 29 - Day 47: So Much for Activity
Our group was supposed to drive to this place called Ballyknocken for a stop at the Ballyknocken Cookery School. Didn’t happen. Bus broke down in the middle of nowhere. Wasn’t even any cell signal. I wound up using the satellite phone left over from the safari to contact someone, but it still took time for them to come, then decide it couldn’t be fixed on the roadside, then bring a new bus. I itched to do something. Anything. When the new bus came it was more like a van and we all barely fit inside. The luggage had to be tied down on the top of the van which Lev and I helped with. Everyone also had to carry something in their laps. It was a little claustrophobic but necessary.
We finally made it to our hotel in Dublin and almost weren’t able to check in. They at least took the luggage and we got to have tea. Except they didn’t have any gluten-free options, so for our crew it was only tea and not the other stuff that normally came with it. Good thing I make a habit of keeping gluten-free options in my backpack.
Another vehicle showed up not long after that, another mini bus, and we were taken on a panoramic tour of the city (in other words we stayed on the bus while it drove around) before heading to the activity that was originally planned for this evening; a traditional Irish dinner. Wasn’t bad and we were able to have everything in the meal except for the Irish soda bread. What I hadn’t realized because the description was … er … lacking shall we say, is that the dinner was really a dinner show. It was in what they called a historic venue … read another old building.
Dinner was Irish beef stew, colcannon potatoes, and for dessert a slice of Irish Bailey cheesecake. Talk about cross your eyes rich. I wound up giving half of mine to Lev. Wow. However, while the food was good, the show surprised me being even better. It was a “hysterical history” lesson type thing that covered nearly 2000 years of history with live music and really good actors in what Lev said was a “cabaret format.” Whatever. It was pretty funny and even I got the jokes when that stuff sometimes flies over my head.
Then it was back to the hotel where we really took notice of our surroundings for the first time. The place is called The Shelbourne and is part of the Dublin Autograph Collection. Built in 1824, it has been a hotel ever since. The place was so famous that in 1922 it was the location of the signing of the first Irish Constitution. It is one of those “understated” places that still seems to shriek class. Sadie wrote up a review for her grandfather and shared the news that one of his former employees was now one of the night managers of the place and had taken extra pains to make sure that she (and us) were welcomed to the hotel warmly. I mean the staff could have been stuffy and snobby but they weren’t, not at all. Kinda one of those “they were so nice that it made me a little intimidated” though you could tell that’s not what they meant.
Again, whatever. And I don’t mean to be snide or snarky. I actually feel better after getting in some stretching. The rooms we are in definitely have a sitting area roomy enough. Tomorrow is supposed to be a better day though I don’t know if our other group members will think so. We are supposed to have a walking tour of Dublin. It is an all-day activity so I hope to get some of the wiggles out because I’ve had a serious case of them the last couple of days without a lot of scope for getting them out. I can tell Benny needs more action-oriented activity as well. Even Sadie mentioned that a good walk sounded nice. We’ll see.
Oct 30 - Day 48: A Day of Dublin Delights
Hey, I know it is a corny title but that’s what the day was called in the itinerary. Found out during breakfast that we were going to have a “treat” to replace the snafu from yesterday. Another bus. It took nearly all I had to not have an attitude and frankly I’m glad I kept it in check because the day has gone better than just okay.
It was a hop on hop off kind of thing but that didn’t mean that we didn’t do a fair amount of walking as well. We started out being taken to Trinity College and dropped off to wait for the first hop on bus of the day. Since we were over an hour early, we got a quick walking tour by a student docent. One of the main sights was the bell tower. It stood over a hundred feet tall and is a popular photo spot. Lev was clicking away right along with everyone else.
We also learned about the Book of Kells and the Long Room which is called one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. I picked up another scarf at Lev’s encouragement and Sadie purchased a Book of Kells coloring book as well as a book of Celtic designs for her and Benny to use for their story. We also got a sneak peek at the Irish Whiskey Museum where we learned about Ireland’s long history with whiskey. I told Lev he didn’t have to abstain just because I did.
“Babe, we just finished breakfast. I wanna be able to hold the camera straight. But if you really don’t mind, maybe tonight at dinner.” He looked over my head and hitched up his camera bag … the busses were arriving.
We made it onto the first bus of the day but didn’t go far before hopping off at Dublin Castle. It was constructed in the early 13th century on the site of a Viking settlement. For centuries it served as the headquarters of English administration in Ireland. It now belongs to the Irish government and is an important tourist attraction. Inside the castle is a crazy-important art collection … that I thankfully didn’t have to fake polite enthusiasm over. We didn’t go inside but Lev got some good film of us walking on a set of steps that led down to the original moat. The moat was definitely more interesting than “art” would have been.
Our next hop on and hop off let us off at Christchurch Cathedral. The Cathedral is Dublin’s oldest building still in use. The church was built by the Viking King Setric. It is a beautiful building. The baptismal font is made up of every type of marble found in Ireland. And while a little gross, we were told that the heart of the patron saint of Dublin, St. Laurence O’Tool, is kept there. We also went to a Viking Museum that was also the Dublin Visitor Center. I was starting to warm up to the bus thing, especially after we walked where Vikings walked and even climbed an original medieval tower.
Another hop on and hop off and we were at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The building is one of the only remaining medieval structures left in Dublin. It is one of Dublin’s most popular tourist attractions due to its history and unique architectural features.
We skipped the next couple of “hop off’s” because they were to distilleries and the Guiness Storehouse. I offered to find something to do with the kids if Lev wanted to go but he was more interested in sticking to the plan of family type activities. Fine by me but I made sure that he knew I was fine just in case. We also skipped the modern art museum in favor of spending extra time at the stop after that.
We got off at Phoenix Park, a large slice of land that was home to things like the zoological gardens, the residence of the president of Ireland, a couple of Victorian flowers gardens, and the Dublin Zoo. The park is one of the largest public parks in any capital city in Europe. It was originally a royal hunting park in the 1660s before it was opened to the public in 1747.
After skipping a few more “hop off’s” we got off at the Temple Bar. That area is located on the south side of the Liffey River. The guide of our particular group took us to the Temple Bar Pub for some decent, if pricey eats[1]. Despite the prices, I liked that all their sandwiches could be served on gluten-free bread. After that, he also took us to the Irish Rock n’ Roll Museum[2]. Even though we went through it quickly it was still interesting.
Lunch break was over so it was back to the bus and to the Natural History Museum[3], otherwise known as the “Dead Zoo”. The name drew chuckles from our group but we also learned it wis one of the oldest museums in Ireland. We were told the décor hasn’t changed much since the Victorian era. The museum contains two million scientific species and is divided into subgroups: the zoological, botanical, and geological collections. The kids had a blast there and took nearly as many pictures as Lev did.
One of the last stops we hopped off at was St. Ann’s Church. It was founded in 1707 with a Georgian interior and a Baroque exterior. Stained glass windows were added later to memorialize the world wars.
Rather than go back to the Trinity area, we hopped off at St. Stephen’s Green which is across from the hotel to be met by another minivan that took us to the Sean O’Casey Footbridge where we took a tour called “Dublin by Water”.
It was a 45-minute boat ride that spanned from the Footbridge, to the Grattan Street bridge in the city center, to the Thomas Clarke bridge on the outskirts of Dublin Port towards the east side of town. We passed under O’Connell Bridge, saw the old Georgian Quaysides, saw the area called the Docklands, and then continued past the Samuel Beckett Bridge where the river expands, before returning to our starting point.
The rest of our party joined a “ghosts of Dublin” tour in this ginormous purple, double decker bus but we took a rain check. It wasn’t recommended for children under fourteen and when I asked why, it was explained it got kinda rowdy and raucous. Nope. Didn’t sound like our kind of activity. At all. So we walked back to the hotel and made it an early night after grabbing some pub food along the way.
The kids are vegging out a bit after working on their art and school stuff. Lev is editing another packet to send. Me? I washed my hair and took care of some basic housekeeping kind of stuff. Now I’m just getting organized and finishing up this log entry. Lots to think about.
[1] https://ec2ggi9x8i8.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Temple-Bar-Menu-2024.pdf
[2] Irish Rock 'n' Roll Museum | Explore the Home of Irish Rock 'n' Roll
[3] Natural History | National Museum of Ireland
Oct 31 - Day 49 A Look at 10th-Century Glendalough
Wouldn’t you know it, Dublin does Halloween. I’m not kidding, they really do Halloween. Ugh.
Last night at the Shelbourne. Today we went outside of Dublin (to get away from some of the Halloween that Dublin does) to go to this place called Glendalough that had been founded in the 6th century. Most of the ruins and sites date from the 10th century and are well preserved; our guide showed us some of the most significant ones on a guided tour. We then returned to Dublin for a special pub dinner (that was Halloween themed) and then back to the hotel to get organized and packed while a bunch of the rest of the group decided to go do more Halloween. I have no idea if they are all going to make it back. You’d think the older ones would know better but I guess for them it is their last day in Ireland and they intend on doing things up royally. We on the other hand are about to move along to a brand new area.
I need to make a couple of explanations.
Forgot to explain what Lev said about our change in itinerary, so I’ll just include it here:
I’d just found out that Northern Ireland had once again been cancelled and that we were about to cover things that should have been in my bucket list if I’d ever made one. “Say that again?”
“Sicily, then Venice, Florence, and Rome, then Spain and Portugal.”
“You’re kidding me,” I said in stunned disbelief. “And how did they pull this off so fast?”
“Tommi.”
“Tommi?”
“Bob took the job higher up the food chain. It means he can get his family out of LA. The studio is moving its documentary division to Idaho to some big compound there. Tommi still has some entanglements in LA and will remain there for at least a few more months to wind up a few projects.”
“But …?”
“But she is good at her job and knows more about current events than the crazy hair and persona would indicate. She saw the stuff building in Northern Ireland and developed a couple of back up plans. This is the one that fit best.”
“We’re going to … Italy. You’re serious.”
Slowly Lev started to grin. “I take it you likey?”
“Oh I likey all right.” I stopped and tried to clear my head. “Listen to me. I sound like some frickin’ princess type. This is a job. I need to stop acting like …”
“Uh uh. Gus, there is nothing wrong with liking your job and the perks it can bring. That’s called motivation. Had you joined the Navy, would you have enjoyed your ports of call?”
“Is it the same thing though? What I do doesn’t feel like work. You work, I just enjoy the perks you bring.”
“I can tell you that you are my muse, my motivation, but until you are willing to hear it you won’t. But I’ll say it again. You make my job less work. You and the kids both. I get to have my cake and eat it too.”
“Do you?”
“Something bothering you?”
“No … and yes. I guess … I just want to make sure that I’m carrying my share of the load. You keep surprising me with all these places I never thought I would see. I want you to know I appreciate it, not just take it for granted.”
“Tell me you still feel like that when I tell you where they want us to tackle after the Spain and Portugal leg.”
“Er …”
“Antarctica … by ship.”
“’Scuse me?” I asked. I couldn’t have really heard him say Antarctica.
But I had. Details are still being worked out. Benny being 10 definitely made things more accessible but Tommi was getting the last of the clearances needed.
“Lev?”
“Hmm?” he said, not really wanting to be distracted from what he was doing against my neck.
“You’re amazing.”
He stopped briefly before muttering, “I can live with that.”
Nov 1 - Day 50: Travel Dublin, Ireland >> Catania >> Island of Ortigia, Sicily
We’re in Sicily. It hasn’t been easy getting here but … we’re in freakin’ Sicily!
We got up and got to the airport in Dublin, Ireland where we took a plane to Fontanarossa Airport in Catania, Sicily. It took three hours and forty minutes. Then we took an hour-long train ride to Syracuse where we had get off the train and walk twenty minutes across a bridge with our luggage to the Island of Ortigia, Sicily. Thank goodness that Tommi knows how to give good directions. We are overnighting at the Grand Hotel Ortigia, a century-old building located in the historic district. Yes, my head was and still is spinning but reality is what it is. And there is only an hour difference so the head spinning isn’t because of jet lag. We had time to check in, wash up, get our heads on straight (relatively speaking), and then at 6:00 pm we attended a welcome reception and dinner at the hotel with the new group we would be touring with on this stretch.
Holy smokes, talk about dancing like I’m a Siamese twin arachnid. And this after I was complaining of being a little bored. I need to appreciate the here and now and try and prep for tours that are immediately coming up. Do research to make sure that we’ve got everything covered for this next geographic move from the British Isles to here in Sicily, then on to Italy, Spain, and Portugal. That means that at some point Benny and I will likely be playing translators until Lev and Sadie’s Spanish vocab can catch up. They both “know” Spanish, they just aren’t conversationally fluent. Of course Portugal is different but I know some Portuguese because … well … a lot of sailors come to know the language because even cursing in Portuguese is adventurous. And then there are the jumps beyond that, primarily Antarctica. And wow, I am so not over that surprise. Plus, Lev just found out I understand Italian even if I can’t speak it.
“Babe? Er … wanna explain that one?”
It was a little embarrassing. “Pei didn’t want to be the only one taking this extracurricular class that her mom was all dragon about. I never could speak it, but I still remember a lot of the words.:
He took me in a hug and said, “When is the last time I told you that you are full of surprises?”
I snorted. “Listen you, it is no big deal.” And it isn’t. But it has helped the hamster not to be so wiggy and that isn’t a bad thing.
Sadie is trying not to show her disappointment that her grandfather and brothers haven’t sent a single text, not even a kiss-my-foot since their last communication. I’m not happy with the abandonment. I certainly had a “conversation” with Mr. Dutton over Sadie during a phone call to let him know we were in a new country.
“I realize they are moving on with their lives, want the best for her, and all the other yada yada that goes along with it. That said, can you maybe … er … suggest that on occasion they treat her less like a regifted, kenneled puppy and more like a young woman that is in part going to compare every male of her acquaintance with the ones that raised her?”
“Uh … hm … I will do my … oh dear … this is … complicated.”
Feeling sorry for the man I ratcheted back my ‘tude. “Mr. Dutton, trust me when I say I understand you are in an awkward position. I’ve appreciated your help every step of the way, especially your confidentiality when it comes to dealing with my other responsibilities. I … also understand that I may be misreading some of Sadie’s family’s actions simply due to a difference in … let’s call it upbringing and culture. That said, Mr. Wight entrusted Sadie to Lev and I in no small part because I’m female and they’re not.”
I heard Mr. Dutton give a small cough which I’ve learned was his way of covering a chuckle or laugh. “Just … er … so.”
“And in that vein, I want to provide Sadie with the kind of … um … balance some of the women in her life haven’t appeared to have. Of course, this is not the fault of Mr. Wight and doesn’t reflect on him. However … speaking from experience … she is going to compare other males to the ones that were in her life during her formative years. I would just like to think that her grandfather and brothers are willing to … er … stretch themselves on occasion so that they are the best examples of what a male in her life should be.” When the other end of the line remained silent I sighed. “Was that too much girl-speak?”
Another surprised cough could be heard and then Mr. Dutton said, “No. I believe you provided the correct motivation without excess emotion.”
“Well good. Drama wouldn’t be healthy for any of them; however, I would like to hope for a familial interaction when Sadie enters the adult world and comes in contact with them again, even if that winds up only being through third parties.”
There were a few other bits of information exchanged but not much. Mr. Dutton really is in a difficult position. He’s the personal secretary to a powerful man, and perhaps a little something more as he is obviously fond of the family. But he is also my only real human point of contact. I don’t want to alienate him, but I hope that he can encourage the occasional interaction rather than the casual indifference they’ve been exhibiting.
Oh forget it. I’ve done just about as much mature “adult speak” as I’m up to doing. If the Wight’s want to act like the smear that is left behind when a frog bumps its butt then fine, that’s on them, but I’m hoping not. Sadie deserves better than that.
I’ve gone over the itinerary with the kids and tried to fill in some blanks for Lev. The primary issue I’m seeing is as “relaxed” as we were in Ireland, we’re going to be moving at light speed, at least here in Sicily. I put off going through our hygiene supplies which may become a problem though I hope that the hotels have some stuff in the bathrooms. Teach me to procrastinate. My hair is going to turn into a deadly weapon if I can’t get my hands on some good hair conditioner or possibly some spraycrete. I don’t even bother thinking about straightening it these days. It is nothing but steel springs or cork screws. I waste more time on taming the mane. At the Grand Hotel Ortigia[1] we have a suite with a queen size bed for Lev and I and then two narrow twin beds for Sadie and Benny. Not the privacy we’d come to enjoy but we made it work in Africa.
And now I suppose I need to hit the hay since everyone else has. We take off like rockets tomorrow.
[1] Grand Hotel Ortigia – Hotel di Lusso nel cuore di Ortigia – Sito ufficiale
I've been to the top of Mt. Etna as well. The craters are amazing. I bought some "lemon honey" as well as a Last Supper made out of volcanic rock. One of the best memories is that's where I learned about Arancini. Yum. LOL
Thanks Kathy!
sssarawolf
We're just plugging along.
Big, huge thank you.
Nov 2 - Day 51: Mythical Siracuse (Part 1)
I’m trying to come up with more imaginative titles for the blog entries. I’ll try them out here in the log first and if I reread them and absolutely can’t stand it, I’ll go back to just basic titles or dates or something. This self-improvement effort can take it out of you, I’m telling you.
And there’s one woman on this tour that may not live to the end of it. She moves at her own pace, sometimes holding the rest of us up and sometimes trying to push things along whether others, including the tour guide, are ready or not. Older woman, a widow with a “companion” or whatever you want to call her. Obviously well off … or she looks and lives that way. Her only saving grace is that she treats that lady with her pretty good from what I can see. On the other hand, her manners are awful.
“Did she really just say what I think she said?” I asked Lev quietly.
“Gus …”
“I admit my Italian isn’t great. I mostly learned it because Pei didn’t want to take the class by herself. I told you how her mother can be. But … did she really say children should neither be seen nor heard?”
“Gus. Babe. Ignore her. You ignore her, and the kids will.”
I took a deep breath and muttered, “We need this job. We need this job. I get it. We’re representing American tourists and all the other bull hockey we were told pre-safari. Just … keep me away from her.”
“Ha. If Cruella irritates the Queen one more time, you might not have to worry about covering up a missing person.”
I wound up laughing. The woman really does remind you of Cruella Deville from the old Disney cartoon. Tall, thin, and all angles, with this weird big hair that is mostly white except for these black wings of hair around her face. I can’t tell if it is a dye job or not. And “the Queen” was another just like her only she’s a dumpling of a woman with steel gray hair that reminded me of a picture of Queen Victoria. Just as sour looking too. They look nothing alike but are probably interchangeable in a dark room. Brrrrr. It was like being in a freezer when you accidentally walked too close to either one.
Didn’t even have to have a car or bus most of today as the walking tour started right outside the hotel. The Fountain of Diana, is located in the Piazza Archimede in Ortigia, and is a masterpiece. It is crazy detailed, but it only took ten months in 1906 to build. I’ll try and describe it, but I doubt I’ll do it justice. The fountain pays homage to one of Syracuse's most renowned myths, that of the Fonte Aretusa. The centerpiece of the fountain is a huge tub, adorned with masks and coats of arms on its four sides. Standing on a pedestal Diana, or Artemis in Greek mythology, takes her place with a bow, quiver, and her dog. At Diana's feet, the nymph Arethusa is portrayed at the very moment when the goddess Artemis is about to transform her into a spring. I know kinda weird, but that’s mythology for you. This transformation is to protect Arethusa from the advances of Alpheus, a not so cool river god who didn’t know how to take no for an answer. There are also sculptures within the basin of the fountain. A Triton, a mythological sea god, along with his partner, protectively hold a baby in their arms as they ride a sea monster, and two teenage Tritons, astride two seahorses.
“Sorry,” I muttered to Lev. Don’t know why I find the stupid thing so fascinating.” I had been the last one to leave and follow the group to the next stop.
Lev gave me a kind smile. “It reminds you of the sea. You’re attracted to it. Part of you probably always will be.”
“Sorry,” I repeated.
“Why? You accept me. I love you the way you are Gus. Being a water baby is just part of who you are.”
Whatever else would have come from the conversation, we had to catch up.
Our guide told us that the Beneventano del Bosco Palace was a grand urban palace in the heart of Syracusa. Located on the Piazza Duomo, just across from the modern city hall and at a diagonal from the historic Cathedral of Syracuse, it is an example of Sicilian Baroque design. The history of the palace dates back to the Middle Ages. However, the devastating 1693 Sicily earthquake caused a lot of damage to the building. The next family to own it embarked on an ambitious project to reconstruct it. The reconstruction work primarily took place between 1779 and 1788. We got a glimpse inside and it was as detailed and fancy as the exterior … columns, cherubs, sculptures, frescoes, and crystal chandeliers just scratch the surface.
From there we went to the Cathedral of Syracuse. Crazy thing is the cathedral was designed from part of the original ancient Temple of Athena. The cathedral's history is intertwined with the ancient temple, as it was built around these Doric columns in the seventh century. These columns remained visible for a long time, leading to the cathedral's naming as "Santa Maria delle Colonne." The cathedral is part of a larger complex of buildings in the square, many of which date from the 17th to the 18th centuries. It underwent a significant renovation over the centuries to adapt the ancient temple into a Christian place of worship. The columns were bricked up, and eight arcades were created in each of the cella walls turning it into a central nave. The entrance was shifted to the west side, between two of the original columns, which are the only bits still visible today. After the earthquake of 1693, something that affected most structures from that time period, the exterior was renovated into a Baroque façade, only for the restoration of 1927 to remove many of the Baroque additions. Other features our guide pointed out were the 1517 wooden ceiling, a 12th-century Norman font supported by seven small bronze lions, the 1659 high altar, and the sacramental chapel built in 1653.
Other buildings of a similar time period in the area include the Palazzo Municipale, also known as Palazzo Senatoriale, the residence of Syracuse's city council constructed in 1629. The Palazzo Arcivescovile, a 17th-century palace that houses the Biblioteca Alagoniana and a valuable collection of rare 13th-century manuscripts. And our next stop, the Chiesa di Santa Lucia alla Badia, a church of historical and artistic significance.
From the cathedral square it was on to Santa Lucia alla Badia, a Roman Catholic church. Its origins can be traced back to the mid-15th century when a church and monastery were established, linked to a female Benedictine monastery. Legend has it that Queen Isabelle of Spain (1451 – 1504) may have supported the construction of the church, which was purportedly built on the site where Saint Lucy, the patron saint of Syracuse, was once coerced into prostitution. Not a nice story for kids so I’m not going to include it in the blog. While historical records are somewhat scarce, it is believed that the church and monastery were either built or substantially refurbished during Queen Isabelle's reign. The earthquake of 1693 and WW2 caused a lot of damage to the building and it took until the 1970s to get most of the damage repaired.
Next was another fountain, or that’s what they called it. The Fountain of Arethusa – that goes with the story of the first fountain we stopped at – is actually a natural spring which forms the historical center of Syracuse. Our guide told us that according to ancient Greek mythology, the fountain is where the nymph Arethusa, the revered patron figure of ancient Syracuse, emerged to the earth's surface after fleeing from her undersea home in Arcadia. Throughout historical literature, the Fountain of Arethusa has made numerous appearances, leaving its mark on the works of celebrated writers. I didn’t want to show my ignorance, especially not after Sadie seemed to know who they were; John Milton and Alexander Pope were two of them. At least I knew who William Wordsworth was even if I didn’t recognize the poem about it. In ancient history there was Virgil and Theocritus. Count me clueless but I also recognized the name Herman Melville, the author of "Moby Dick.”Another quick bit of trivia is the Fountain of Arethusa, along with the River Ciane south of Syracuse and the River Fiume Freddo in the province of Catania, holds the unique distinction of being one of the only places in Europe where papyrus plants grow naturally. Today, the Fountain of Arethusa stands as one of Syracuse's most visited and cherished sites.
The spring was kinda cool, but we needed to move along. We passed by the Bellomo Palace Regional Gallery which is a museum housed in the historic Bellomo Palace, but I was glad it was only a “pass by” instead of a stop. Looking at the itinerary I was going to be inundated with enough artsy stuff I am going to need patience for. And I will find the patience because Sadie is interested, and Benny is turning into someone who appreciates that stuff as well. Must come from Mom’s or Penny’s side because as a Barrymore, most of it flies over my head. I mean I know what I like but all the mumbo-jumbo of ecstasies that people go into just kinda leaves me confused. Architecture is a little better but give me nature over that stuff any day.
Next up was the Holy Spirit Church that dates to the 4th century. Not the entire building because the building has gone through multiple earthquakes including a collapse during the 1693 earthquake. It took until 1727 for the church to be rebuilt after that one. Lots of other history associated with the building; too much for me to keep up with. One of the interesting things I remember is the church has been subjected to a lot of theft of its treasures including of an 18th century silver chalice. We couldn’t go in because it has been closed off due to dwindling membership and because the interior is badly in need of restoration to the point that it is a bit dangerous as things could fall from the ceiling at any moment. What we did get to do is go up an external staircase and access to the roof. From up there we enjoyed a panoramic view of the skyline and the Ionian Sea. Lev got some great shots from up there and tonight I caught Sadie and Benny “practicing geometry” as they tried to draw the view using what she said was called “perspective.” Uh huh. Go for It kids. I’ll stick with maps than you velly much.
Got a little bit of military history when we went to Maniace Castle, a citadel and castle. Situated at the easternmost point of the Ortygia Island promontory, it is an imposing fortress that has played a pivotal role in the city's past and is now a tourist attraction. How’s that for sounding like I actually took some history in college? The castle owes its name to George Maniakes, a Byzantine general who laid siege to and captured Syracuse in 1038 from the Arabs which is when the first fortification began construction. The castle part was constructed under the reign of Emperor Frederick II between 1232 and 1240. Originally, the only way to enter the castle was across a bridge that spanned a moat, although the moat no longer exists. And the reason why it is a castle and not just a fortress is because in 1288 King Peter III of Aragon and his family lived there and also because for several hundred years the castle was home to the Queens of Sicily. Then in the 15th Century the castle became a prison. Later in the 16th century it became part of the city’s overall fortifications. The castle did not escape what our guide called the ravages of time. In 1704, a massive explosion caused a lot of structural damage. But the destruction was used as an opportunity to update the castle; it was meticulously restored and adapted to accommodate the use of firearms. Talk about a history lesson.
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Nov 2 - Day 51: Mythical Siracuse (Part 2)
It was at this point I glanced around and realized everyone looked like they were about to run off to grab something to eat whether the guide had it scheduled or not. Well, the guide did have it scheduled and gave us forty-five minutes to grab a bite. I wanted to laugh at the looks of panic he got. Obviously not everyone had read the day’s itinerary that stated we were on our own for lunch. Sadie and I had already scouted possible options, and I called in our order for pick up … four chicken salads. They were good sized and weren’t jut Caesars – though I wouldn’t have been surprised – but had plenty of other goodies in there. Sadie and I gave the anchovies to Lev, but Benny ate his after Lev dared him.
“It’ll give you big arms and a hairy chest.” Sadie and I looked at each other and did dueling nuclear strength eye rolls. I mean that is the last thing I want to have to deal with given his age. His foot size already makes me wonder if we have Sasquatch as part of the Barrymore gene pool.
We were the first ones back to our meet-up point while everyone else had to hoof It quickly. Cruella and her companion almost got left behind and the Queen arrived at about the same time in a taxi, both looking a little rushed carrying doggie bags. Bwahahaha. I’m sorry, but I’m liking this tour group; they stick to a schedule and keep everyone moving. As the first ones back the guide … and the guy’s name really Is Guido (Bwahahaha) … we already knew we were going to hop in a minibus and go to the mainland to go to the Neapolis Archaeological Park.
The kids and Lev were really jazzed to go. I was happy to go along and play mule for some of Lev’s equipment. Then we arrive at the archeological park. And … wow. There was so much to see. All I’m going to be able to do is describe a few of the highlights. It was a challenge to maintain situational awareness, help Lev, keep an eye on the kids, all while still enjoying myself all while taking notes for this log entry. My neck was like a swizzle stick.
The Augustan Arch of Syracuse is a Roman architectural structure dating back to the Roman Emperor Augustus. The dimensions of the arch are impressively large even though it is basically just a ruin.
The Church of San Nicolò ai Cordari is a historic place of worship. It is one of the earliest to be constructed in Syracuse and dates back to the Norman era, built shortly after the Arab rule. The site of the present church once housed an early Christian-era basilica-style religious building. Below the church we had the opportunity to explore the so-called Roman Pool, which consists of large water tanks carved from local stone. These ancient water conduits were originally used by the people of Syracuse during the Roman period to fill the Roman amphitheater, where nautical games and water fights took place. In 1093, the church gained further prominence when it hosted the funeral of Count Giordano d'Altavilla, the son of Count Roger I of Sicily. The Normans dedicated the church to Saint Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint invoked to help expel the Arabs from Syracuse.
Over the centuries, as the population of Syracuse dwindled during various historical periods, the church was eventually deconsecrated and abandoned. The city's inhabitants concentrated within the fortified island of Ortigia, leading to the neglect of structures outside its walls. In 1577, the church was granted to the Cordari, artisans who crafted ropes. It was during this time that the church became known as the Church of San Nicolò dei Cordari, as it served the families of rope makers in Syracuse. The church subsequently had various uses, including as a grain warehouse, and during a plague outbreak around 1600, its cellars served as a mass grave. Today, the church holds a small museum exhibiting photographs of various monuments located within the Neapolis Park.
The Altar of Hiero II, one of the ruins in the park, and today mainly the base remains. The original upper block structure, once a significant part of this grand monument, was nearly entirely removed during the 16th century to be repurposed in the construction of the Spanish fortifications in the city. In front of this altar, a rite was celebrated following the expulsion of the last tyrant of the Dinomenids in 466 BC and is said to have included athletic competitions and the sacrifice of 450 bulls. Of the surviving portions of the altar including its immense rocky base, has the northern half resting on a large underground cavity, which may have been of natural origin or used for rock extraction before the altar's construction.
One of the best highlights of the archaeological park was the Greek Theatre. It was constructed in the year 470 BC. Over the centuries it has hosted legendary playwrights such as Aischylos and Sophocles. No, I don’t recognize either one, but it was easy to fake it until the guide explained who they were. What sets the Greek Theatre apart from many others of that time period is its remarkable state of preservation. Much of the original semi-circular seating remains intact. However, to protect and maintain the seating's quality, it is sometimes covered with wooden planks. We also got to explore sections of the stage and the scenery buildings that were an important part of the performances that took place there. It is one of the best-preserved theaters in Sicily. It was very cool and even I could imagine what it was like when it was first built.
Another site (in ruins), the Mills of Galerme were a complex of water mills situated above the Greek Theater, but weren’t as old, only dating back to the late medieval period. Yeah, I guess you are dealing with ancient Greek and Roman history, the Middle Ages is “young”. Anyway, the mills got their name from the nearby Galermi aqueduct. While the original complex has mostly disappeared, what remains visible today is the so-called millers' house. Beneath the house, what our guide called an intriguing discovery was made in the form of a small funerary cave with an oven-like structure.
Another place in the park that is on the top of the “gotta see” list is the Ear of Dionysius. It’s a limestone cave that resembles a human ear … or an elf ear … depending on how you look at it. It also has acoustic properties that were created when, during Greek and Roman times, the cave was built to serve as a water storage facility for the city of Syracuse. The cave wound up being unusable for water storage due to damage caused by an earthquake … the water leaked out. The cave got its present name from Dionysius I of Syracuse, a tyrant who is believed to have used this cave as a prison. Legend has it that Dionysius utilized the cave's acoustics to eavesdrop on the conversations of his imprisoned political dissidents. Another legend suggests that the tyrant purposefully shaped the cave to amplify the agonizing cries of prisoners subjected to torture within its confines. Little demented but sounds like something a tyrant would do. Visitors can still appreciate its remarkable echo effect when inside the cave. This acoustic wonder has contributed to the cave's fame and has even inspired the term "Ear of Dionysius" to refer to a specific type of ear trumpet with a flexible tube. Furthermore, the phrase has also come to symbolize surveillance, particularly for political advantage. The Ear of Dionysius also played a role in the 2023 film "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," where it was depicted as the location of the tomb of Archimedes.
Another cave located within the park is the Nymphaeum Cave. It is also an artificial cavity. This cave is perched near the peak of the hill overlooking the Greek theater. The name "Nymphaeum" comes from the Greek cult of nymphs, so-called divine entities associated with nature. This cave served as a monumental fountain and is believed to have been the ancient seat of the Mouseion, the sanctuary of the Muses, and the gathering place for the theater’s actors. Here, they would convene before descending to the theater to perform their plays. The Nymphaeum cave features a vaulted ceiling and contains a rectangular basin where water cascades from a cavity at the bottom of the rocky surface, forming a gathering pool. The water that flows into the cave comes from two different aqueducts.
Then there was the Street of the Tombs, an ancient pathway surrounded by towering rock walls on both sides. On the walls there are numerous votive aedicules, or small shrines, carved into the rock. In ancient times, heroes were individuals considered "demigods" – beings more powerful than mere mortals, nearly akin to deities themselves. Over time, the definition of a "hero" shifted to refer to an exceptional individual who, during their lifetime, had distinguished themselves significantly. These exceptional figures were posthumously "heroicized," meaning they were honored in much the same way as the mythical heroes of Greek tradition.
By the time we finished with the archaeological park I think even I had all my wiggles walked off. I’m glad we had the evening to ourselves, which won’t always be the case with this group. As we have in the past, we ordered some deli food to-go and ate in our hotel room. Tomorrow we change hotels so the kids enjoyed down time … sketching out the Greek Theater as another math/art combo lesson … Lev started editing the day’s photos and packaged up some of the earlier work to upload to the digital drop box. I did a little laundry and packing and then did some stretching as a way to relax. I felt pushed and pulled through out the day and not in a good way. Those two women are going to activate my Barrymore if they don’t cool it.
Siskiyoumom
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sssarawolf
We're just plugging along.
Thank you 
, this helped my moar feelings.
, this helped my moar feelings.
I'm writing the next piece ... or should I say editing it. I hope to post in the next day or two. I need to finish this and a couple of other ones. Its not that I'm not motivated. Just getting myself psych'd up to do the necessary with so much else going on.
Nov 3 - Day 52: Baroque Gems of Noto and Ragusa Ibla
Snitched today’s title from a brochure description of today’s tour. Meh. It’s better, but certainly doesn’t sound like me.Headed south from Syracuse after packing our bags on the bus, on a drive to this place called Noto. It is a UNESCO world heritage site. Waiting at the bus to get our luggage onboard, it is apparent that some of the people on this tour (*cough* Cruella and the Queen *cough*) over packed. I heard something I wasn’t supposed to when the guide and driver had some less than complementary things to say about both women. Due to this morning’s cluster, they may be loading everyone’s “two bags” and then only if there is room or time left over will they load the remaining bags. The guide suggested that he may try and encourage them to send their excess baggage ahead to the last hotel. And here I was worried that we were accumulating too much stuff. We may need to send a box home at the next leg of the assignment to keep things manageable. I’ll review the logistics as we go along, for now I need to record the day.
Our introduction to Noto included finding out about the Statue of San Corrado. It is a bronze sculpture portraying Saint Conrad of Piacenza, the patron saint of Noto. Saint Conrad was born in the year 1290. The story goes that he passed away while deep in prayer, kneeling before a crucifix, on February 19, 1351, in Netum, which is what present-day Noto was called way back then. In 1625, Saint Conrad was canonized, meaning that’s the year the he was granted the title of “Saint”. To honor this patron saint, a bronze statue was erected in 1955. The statue portrays Saint Conrad blessing the faithful and stands approximately six and a half feet tall. The terrace where the statue stands overlooks the Cozzo Marotta Hill and there’s a panoramic view that Lev took advantage of. Atop the hill's ridge, we could also see rock tombs and the remnants of the ancient Necropolis of ancient Noto. Sadie was very interested in the history, and because Sadie was interested of course Benny was interested.
I was more interested in the crowd all around us, not all of them from our tour group. Reason? Pick pockets. I spotted a couple and they quietly disappeared when they realized they’d been made by someone that might not ignore them. Mmph. Made me wonder what else I have missed. In Africa I was very situationally aware out of necessity. That shouldn’t have changed just because we were in Europe. Lesson learned.
Next stop was Vittorio Emanuele III Street, one of the main thoroughfares in Noto. Our guide said it is renowned for its Baroque architecture and is considered one of the most beautiful streets in Sicily. I agree it was pretty, but I’ll have to take his word as far as the architecture is concerned. It is lined with palaces, churches, and historic buildings. Many of the buildings were meticulously rebuilt following the devastating earthquake of 1693 that destroyed much of the original town. There were also cafes and retail shops. Most of our group disappeared into a souvenir shop but thankfully Sadie and Benny weren’t hankering to spend any euros. They were more interested in the water I procured from a vendor a few doors down.
Then came the Royal Gate, one of the main entry points to the town that is located at the eastern end of Corso Vittorio Emanuele III. The gate is a pretty example of such things. I prefer the Roman and Medieval gates I’ve seen on this assignment but this one was definitely impressive. Built in the 18th century during the reconstruction of Noto following the 1693 earthquake. The gate's façade features ornate motifs, including floral decorations, sculpted cherubs, and the royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Sicily. Above the gate, a Latin inscription commemorates King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, who played a significant role in the town's reconstruction. Listen to me, I sound like a tour guide. Maybe I’m getting educated right along with the kids and the audience for Lev’s work.
The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi to the Immaculate proved to be a keeper in my own photo collection. It is located at the top of a picturesque three-flight staircase. I mean they called it three flights but to me it was one long flight of outdoor steps that just had a couple of places people could stop to catch their breath. This church was built between 1704 and 1750. I’ll have to use our guide’s description for the rest of this. To me the church was the same color as the rest of the buildings in Noto and looked very similar too. So … “The façade of the church is structured into two orders of pilasters adorned with Corinthian capitals and is elegantly crowned by a tympanum. At the center of this imposing façade, an exquisite portal adorned with baroque columns, intricately sculpted with foliate motifs, takes center stage.” So yeah, all of that is true but so is my description. I was telling Lev as much tonight and his view is that he was glad the sky was so blue or all of his photos would have looked a uniform cream or beige.
Inside the church is about what you would figure such an old and distinguished church would be as well. It had a Latin cross layout, lots of eighteenth-century paintings, and funerary monuments. There was a gilded wooden statue of the Immaculate Virgin dating back to 1504. There are two side chapels within the church, devoted to Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Anthony of Padua. I know who St. Francis of Assisi is, still not sure if I know who St. Anthony is. I’ll look it up at some point. I’m a little on overload tonight and need to get this log finished so I can do some stretching.
Another church we visited is known as The Church of Santa Maria Assunta, was designed in the year 1730 and completed in 1758. It used to be a convent of the Benedictine nuns, but is now the civic museum of Noto. The façade on the church used to belong to a different church. I kinda lost interest when the guide started to go all architectural ecstasy and stuff. I mean, yes, it is interesting to look at when I’m actually there and looking at it in person. I’m just not getting the highly emotional oh-my-goodness-look-at-this- oolala the guide had going on. Not even all the decorations, cherubs, and stuccos inside of the church and the signs point out it is one of Sicily's most significant examples of Baroque architectural style could light my fire the way some of the other people in the group acted. I guess I’m closer to the “uneducated heathen” Ol’ Cruella mentioned than I want to be. I hope no one else realized just how bored I was getting because next on the list … another church. Again.
At least the Basilica Santissimo Salvatore is still consecrated and used as a church with the adjacent former monastery used as a modern seminary. It really bothers me when I see a church no longer used as a church but as something completely different … like a flea market or night club. Not this place. I especially liked the inside that had been restored not too many years back. It has this huge vault fresco painting showing the descent of the Holy Spirit. That stirred even my soul. The outside of the church was kinda cool as well. It was completed in 1791 and the upper stories have balconies with grillwork. The guide explained the balconies were designed to allow cloistered nuns to attend Mass separately from the lay public while also providing them with a view of the busy piazza in front of the church.
From the basilica we hit up a cathedral. Noto Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral of San Nicolò, is a pretty big deal in Siciliy. Its construction began in the late 17th century, following the 1693 earthquake. The place is as elaborate as all of the other buildings built during the reconstruction. The cathedral also added a magnificent rose window over the entrance. The interior is just as fancy. There’s ornate stucco work, frescoes, and lots of detail work typical of the reconstruction period. The there’s the dome. It’s hard to imagine how they were able to build that in the 1600’s without cranes and other heavy equipment.
We stuck with more “architectural wonders” … palaces, churches, streets … for the rest of the walking tour. When we finished I was ready. I enjoyed all the walking but I’d had enough of the architectural digest talk. It was the reverse for most of the other people on the tour; they were tired of walking but still wanted to hear about the architecture. Sorry. My ears were a lot more tired than my feet.
I think people were expecting to immediately go eat but not so fast, bwahahaha. We took a tour of a local herb farm to introduce us to the freshly picked aromatic spices that make up the regional food dishes. After that tour is where we had a family-style tasting lunch. I’m not sure what some of the folks we had made of the “family-style” set up. Didn’t bother me though I did make sure that Lev and the kids got a share before a couple of people could take it all. I got enough but I also got an “eye” from Lev when he thought I was “sacrificing”. Nah. I just didn’t feel like taking a carb-nap on the bus.
After the meal we drove to Ragusa Ibla, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A local guide introduced us to the town on a relatively short guided walking tour. We got a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of Arezzo, aka the "noble" family of Ragusa Ibla. We went in the century-old Circolo del Conversazione, the original "Gentlemen's Club" of the day; also into Il Piccolo, a private, small family theatre of the Arezzo family who have lived in their 19th-century palazzo for more than 200 years.
We finished the tour at Eremo Delia Giubiliana, our accommodations for the next two nights. The place was pretty over the top. They say it is in an old farmhouse but I’m having a hard time believing it. Definitely looks Old World, like maybe something Christopher Columbus would have recognized, but at the same time it has an on-site airstrip, pool, and world class restaurant that’s won a bunch of awards. Dinner was at the hotel in that restaurant. Something we definitely had to “dress” for. Very five-star. Thankfully our clothes are the type that don’t wrinkle much at all, especially since we didn’t have much time before it was our seating appointment
It was like eating in a cellar. Whoa. Dark tables, white linens, crystal glasses … the kind of table setting that makes you worry whether you are using the correct fork for what’s on your plate. This is the translation of what was on the menu: The cuisine of the Eremo is based on the refined recipes of the Aristocracy of the Hyblean Highlands and on the products of the properties managed by the Eremo landowner that with the ancient crop rotation techniques has recovered the ancient grain with stone ground flour, wild vegetables, garden products, the breeding of Black Sicilian Pigs and Sicilian hens with white eggs that you can taste thanks to our Eggs Menu. Our thematic menus divided according to the cultural production of the territory in Masseria di Mare, Masseria di Terra and Antique Gourmet allows our guest to experience an enogastronomic journey discovering the real Mediterranean cuisine and the very ancient recipes that take its origins from thousands cultural influences of this extraordinary island.
I didn’t recognize what I was eating beyond it had thin strips of pork in it. The tour had already ordered our food based on our restricted diets, if we had any. Most everyone was fine with that except of course our two overly refined members. <snort> Grandma Barry would have called them “hoity toity”. I’m pretty sure even my ears would have burned off at what Grandfather Barry would have called them.
As a family we took a short walk after the meal, but we couldn’t really go far. The hotel is set up away from the town. Lev did manage to get some nice evening shots of the town’s lights. And now we are in our rooms for the evening. The kids are winding down. Lev is editing. And I’m closing the day and preparing for tomorrow. And stretching. Definitely stretching. The hamster is starting to get cranky.
Nov 4 - Day 53: Mosaic magic at a Roman villa
Today’s title sounds like a Nancy Drew mystery. I just couldn’t think of anything else. This morning we got up and had a typical Sicilian breakfast … or at least part of it. We had a granita … like a fruit slush or shave ice, ours were lemon … and while nearly everyone else had a Brioche, Lev and the kids and I had a lite fruit and cheese plate. Some people had a Cappuchino – Lev and Sadie had one – but since I wanted to actually be conscious the rest of the day I stuck to a glass of still water and Benny was satisfied with his granita. I did make sure to have our water bottles filled and the guide nodded approvingly.
This morning, after managing to get everyone on the bus on time, we traveled to the nearby town of Piazza Armerina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been called an "art city.” Sadie and Benny were very interested because of that alone and I struggled not to worry about he hamster getting bored. To the contrary, I actually enjoyed myself a lot.
Our guide started by saying, “The mosaics you will see here are considered among the most beautiful and best preserved of their kind anywhere in the world. Your artful discoveries begin when you step inside the Roman Villa del Casale, dating back to 320 to 350 BC when it was built for a Roman official back in the day. Look down at the floors as you tour the villa; the mosaics, both figurative and geometric, cover the surfaces measuring some 37,674 square feet, telling eloquent tales of Homeric poems and myths, nature and scenes from aristocratic life. You will also discover mosaic murals on the walls and columns, and statues and coins that pay further homage to the glory days of the Roman Empire.”
Yeah, mosaics. Those little pieces of tile on the floor that are put together like a puzzle to form a picture. Reminded me of a picture I had made for Dad one Christmas. I took little ceramic squares from where a neighbor was renovating his bathroom, and used them to make a picture of him and I in our kayak. I found it in one of the boxes from Jacksonville and I plan on hanging it up on the inside of the cabinet I am keeping all of my tchotchkes in. Lev says I should hang it up out in the open but I’m not sure I’m willing to, maybe some day.
When we got off the bus I knew right away the hamster was going to have fun. Especially after getting a look on the faces of a couple of the tour group members that had put me on overload yesterday. Bwahahaha. I’m so bad. And I’m glad I made sure my crew wore their better hikers. Something must have shown on my face because Sadie was giggling quietly. Benny’s grin was nearly as big as mine and Lev was looking on indulgently. I did make a note to self to make sure to offer to help carry his camera bag to give him a break.
The town isn’t especially well-known, but it does get the occasional tourist bus as it is a good stopping point for tours covering other, better known towns in the area. I gotta say that lik so many places in Italy, Piazza Armerina has an immediately recognizable medieval look to it. There’s very little modern about the town and much of it is still made up of narrow cobblestone streets. How cool is that? The winding streets follow the steep hillside the town is built on. You get a good work out on any casual stroll.
While loads of uphill walking may not sound like too much fun for your average tourist, I don’t consider my crew anything approaching average. The “hiking” was how we discovere some of the town’s best scenery. Buildings along the streets aren’t impressive on their own, but together they create an old-fashioned atmosphere that was very neat.
We started our tourat the historical center of town at the main square. Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi is right in the heart of Piazza Armerina’s mess of streets and feels just as understated as the rest of town. It can even look more like a parking lot than for the local Town Hall.
While Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi (the hamster nearly turned the name into an earworm it was so fun to say) has some of the better-cared-for landmarks, it’s not representative of the entire town. Like in many places in Sicily, this town has its share of buildings that clearly have seen better days. That doesn’t make these landmarks any less interesting though. I liked seeing something besides buildings that have specifically been spiffed up for tourists.
Easily the most important attraction in Piazza Armerina is the Cathedral of Saint Mary ‘delle Vittorie’. It rests at the highest point of town, making it impossible to miss. Our group finally made it to its hilltop square and it turned out to be quite a pretty building. Dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, it is anther one of thoset Baroque cathedrals and has some interesting design choices, like the marble façade on one side of its small tower. The square below the church is also quite nice, with tiles patterns, a nice viewpoint and local seniors chatting up a storm. Basically a very lived in part of town. Lev was clicking away and Sadie and Benny were blocking out a scene in their shared sketch book to flesh out later.
You wouldn’t think of a castle as an afterthought, but that’s how our guide treatd the castle of Piazza Armerina. It isn’t particularly fancy and it doesn’t stand out. As a matter fact you don’t really spot it until it’s right in front of you. It has the typical high stone walls but that’s all we really got to see becase the Castello Aragonese is privately owned now so is not open to the public. There’s probably quite some history to this 14th century fortress but none that our guide shared, nor were there sign thingies for me to translate.
Piazza Armerina clearly isn’t a place with a lot of things to do and see. But there are just enough sights to make a stop interesting, even if it’s only a few hours or part of a day. I certainly enjoyed getting the wiggles out in a way I am not often able to. It also has a few good restaurants like the Trattoria Al Goloso just near the main square where we ate lunch.
Lunch was good and Lev and Benny could even eat most of it so long as they ate around the bread and pasta. First course was an antipasto plate … basically an appetizer plate with two types of salami (one spicy, one not), cheese, olives, peperonata (marinated sweet and sour peppers with pine nuts and raisins), garlicky eggplant slices, one square of something really tasty that was obviously made with eggs and cheese but I’m not sure what it’s called, and one square of something else (again, I have no idea what it’s called) that was layered with eggplant, tomato, cheese, and some other things. There were also some slices of bread to go with it but I had Sadie eat them. She needed the carbs and calories after the last couple of days of heavy walking.
Next came the first course (Primo) and this was a little trickier. There was a Ragu (pasta with meat sauce) and even though I asked for it to be left off Lev and Benny’s portion it was still plated up that way. The Risotto with mushrooms was the other part. I wound up just shifting things so that Sadie and I ate the pasta and Lev and Benny ate the Risotto.
Second course (Secondo) was really filling. Grilled sausage, veal scallopine with porcini mushroom cream sauce, chicken involtini (thin chicken breast layered with cheese and ham, rolled up, and fried), mixed salad. The involtini was pretty standard but a little on the dry side. What was really surprising was that the salad had potatoes in it. In Sicily you’re generally lucky to find even a tomato in a mixed salad because ‘mixed’ could simply mean some lettuce mixed with radicchio. But this salad had lettuce, radicchio, tomato, carrot and potato. Yum, and very welcome.
There was also Dolce (dessert) but Benny and Lev couldn’t eat the torte (it was some kind of apple cake) and both Sadie and I were full. Apparently we didn’t miss anything because I heard other people saying it was a little bland and dry. Then of course there was the shot of espresso. Uh, nope. Lev had one but not even Sadie wanted one after the buzz the cappuccino had given her at breakfast.
We headed back to the hotel at this point and arrived there to find out we had free time. Well yippy skippy. Lev was able to do more daytime photography and then head into a heavy-duty session of editing and even managed to get a digital package off for Tommi to send to the correct people. She’s acting as gatekeeper to prevent Lev from being pecked to death with demands.
The kids and I did our own walking to get the wiggles out from the bus ride. The hotel has a fantastic view of the Valley of the Temples which is where we are going tomorrow. Dinner was much more laid back, at least for our crew. There was a rare snafu down in the restaurant. They’d overbooked several tables and staff were in a panic because they were important locals who kept the place running during the off-season. Lev and the kids were already back in the
room, and I’d just stepped out to get a little stretch. I my halting Italian I asked if it would help if we ate at the little table outside our room, that I’d promise we wouldn’t be obvious or make a mess. They gratefully accepted my compromise, especially when a last minute cancellation meant they’d only needed the four-top to work things out. And boy was the food good. Zucco in Agrodolce was our appetizer, basically thin slices of pumpkin in a glaze. Primo was Ensalata Eoliana which is the Sicilian version of potato salad made of potatoes, capers, tomatoes, and olives. There was also a couscous dish which was specifically gluten-free. Our main (or second course) was Gambero Rosso di Mazara … giant shrimp, or prawns as Sadie called them. Holy smokes were they good. And as another special treat, they were letting us test the chef’s latest creation … gluten-free cannolis. Oh my gosh! We all enjoyed them immensely.
I didn’t even have to clean off the table and haul the debris back to the kitchen as one of the kitchen wait staff was johnny on the spot right after I had stacked everything as neatly as Grandma Barry had taught me. I made sure to give our compliments to the chef and all the wait staff.
The kids are now packed up, Lev still had a few things to do, and I’m finishing up a few things as well. I would have washed my hair but the night air is cool. Tomorrow promises to be interesting.
Today’s title sounds like a Nancy Drew mystery. I just couldn’t think of anything else. This morning we got up and had a typical Sicilian breakfast … or at least part of it. We had a granita … like a fruit slush or shave ice, ours were lemon … and while nearly everyone else had a Brioche, Lev and the kids and I had a lite fruit and cheese plate. Some people had a Cappuchino – Lev and Sadie had one – but since I wanted to actually be conscious the rest of the day I stuck to a glass of still water and Benny was satisfied with his granita. I did make sure to have our water bottles filled and the guide nodded approvingly.
This morning, after managing to get everyone on the bus on time, we traveled to the nearby town of Piazza Armerina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been called an "art city.” Sadie and Benny were very interested because of that alone and I struggled not to worry about he hamster getting bored. To the contrary, I actually enjoyed myself a lot.
Our guide started by saying, “The mosaics you will see here are considered among the most beautiful and best preserved of their kind anywhere in the world. Your artful discoveries begin when you step inside the Roman Villa del Casale, dating back to 320 to 350 BC when it was built for a Roman official back in the day. Look down at the floors as you tour the villa; the mosaics, both figurative and geometric, cover the surfaces measuring some 37,674 square feet, telling eloquent tales of Homeric poems and myths, nature and scenes from aristocratic life. You will also discover mosaic murals on the walls and columns, and statues and coins that pay further homage to the glory days of the Roman Empire.”
Yeah, mosaics. Those little pieces of tile on the floor that are put together like a puzzle to form a picture. Reminded me of a picture I had made for Dad one Christmas. I took little ceramic squares from where a neighbor was renovating his bathroom, and used them to make a picture of him and I in our kayak. I found it in one of the boxes from Jacksonville and I plan on hanging it up on the inside of the cabinet I am keeping all of my tchotchkes in. Lev says I should hang it up out in the open but I’m not sure I’m willing to, maybe some day.
When we got off the bus I knew right away the hamster was going to have fun. Especially after getting a look on the faces of a couple of the tour group members that had put me on overload yesterday. Bwahahaha. I’m so bad. And I’m glad I made sure my crew wore their better hikers. Something must have shown on my face because Sadie was giggling quietly. Benny’s grin was nearly as big as mine and Lev was looking on indulgently. I did make a note to self to make sure to offer to help carry his camera bag to give him a break.
The town isn’t especially well-known, but it does get the occasional tourist bus as it is a good stopping point for tours covering other, better known towns in the area. I gotta say that lik so many places in Italy, Piazza Armerina has an immediately recognizable medieval look to it. There’s very little modern about the town and much of it is still made up of narrow cobblestone streets. How cool is that? The winding streets follow the steep hillside the town is built on. You get a good work out on any casual stroll.
While loads of uphill walking may not sound like too much fun for your average tourist, I don’t consider my crew anything approaching average. The “hiking” was how we discovere some of the town’s best scenery. Buildings along the streets aren’t impressive on their own, but together they create an old-fashioned atmosphere that was very neat.
We started our tourat the historical center of town at the main square. Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi is right in the heart of Piazza Armerina’s mess of streets and feels just as understated as the rest of town. It can even look more like a parking lot than for the local Town Hall.
While Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi (the hamster nearly turned the name into an earworm it was so fun to say) has some of the better-cared-for landmarks, it’s not representative of the entire town. Like in many places in Sicily, this town has its share of buildings that clearly have seen better days. That doesn’t make these landmarks any less interesting though. I liked seeing something besides buildings that have specifically been spiffed up for tourists.
Easily the most important attraction in Piazza Armerina is the Cathedral of Saint Mary ‘delle Vittorie’. It rests at the highest point of town, making it impossible to miss. Our group finally made it to its hilltop square and it turned out to be quite a pretty building. Dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, it is anther one of thoset Baroque cathedrals and has some interesting design choices, like the marble façade on one side of its small tower. The square below the church is also quite nice, with tiles patterns, a nice viewpoint and local seniors chatting up a storm. Basically a very lived in part of town. Lev was clicking away and Sadie and Benny were blocking out a scene in their shared sketch book to flesh out later.
You wouldn’t think of a castle as an afterthought, but that’s how our guide treatd the castle of Piazza Armerina. It isn’t particularly fancy and it doesn’t stand out. As a matter fact you don’t really spot it until it’s right in front of you. It has the typical high stone walls but that’s all we really got to see becase the Castello Aragonese is privately owned now so is not open to the public. There’s probably quite some history to this 14th century fortress but none that our guide shared, nor were there sign thingies for me to translate.
Piazza Armerina clearly isn’t a place with a lot of things to do and see. But there are just enough sights to make a stop interesting, even if it’s only a few hours or part of a day. I certainly enjoyed getting the wiggles out in a way I am not often able to. It also has a few good restaurants like the Trattoria Al Goloso just near the main square where we ate lunch.
Lunch was good and Lev and Benny could even eat most of it so long as they ate around the bread and pasta. First course was an antipasto plate … basically an appetizer plate with two types of salami (one spicy, one not), cheese, olives, peperonata (marinated sweet and sour peppers with pine nuts and raisins), garlicky eggplant slices, one square of something really tasty that was obviously made with eggs and cheese but I’m not sure what it’s called, and one square of something else (again, I have no idea what it’s called) that was layered with eggplant, tomato, cheese, and some other things. There were also some slices of bread to go with it but I had Sadie eat them. She needed the carbs and calories after the last couple of days of heavy walking.
Next came the first course (Primo) and this was a little trickier. There was a Ragu (pasta with meat sauce) and even though I asked for it to be left off Lev and Benny’s portion it was still plated up that way. The Risotto with mushrooms was the other part. I wound up just shifting things so that Sadie and I ate the pasta and Lev and Benny ate the Risotto.
Second course (Secondo) was really filling. Grilled sausage, veal scallopine with porcini mushroom cream sauce, chicken involtini (thin chicken breast layered with cheese and ham, rolled up, and fried), mixed salad. The involtini was pretty standard but a little on the dry side. What was really surprising was that the salad had potatoes in it. In Sicily you’re generally lucky to find even a tomato in a mixed salad because ‘mixed’ could simply mean some lettuce mixed with radicchio. But this salad had lettuce, radicchio, tomato, carrot and potato. Yum, and very welcome.
There was also Dolce (dessert) but Benny and Lev couldn’t eat the torte (it was some kind of apple cake) and both Sadie and I were full. Apparently we didn’t miss anything because I heard other people saying it was a little bland and dry. Then of course there was the shot of espresso. Uh, nope. Lev had one but not even Sadie wanted one after the buzz the cappuccino had given her at breakfast.
We headed back to the hotel at this point and arrived there to find out we had free time. Well yippy skippy. Lev was able to do more daytime photography and then head into a heavy-duty session of editing and even managed to get a digital package off for Tommi to send to the correct people. She’s acting as gatekeeper to prevent Lev from being pecked to death with demands.
The kids and I did our own walking to get the wiggles out from the bus ride. The hotel has a fantastic view of the Valley of the Temples which is where we are going tomorrow. Dinner was much more laid back, at least for our crew. There was a rare snafu down in the restaurant. They’d overbooked several tables and staff were in a panic because they were important locals who kept the place running during the off-season. Lev and the kids were already back in the
room, and I’d just stepped out to get a little stretch. I my halting Italian I asked if it would help if we ate at the little table outside our room, that I’d promise we wouldn’t be obvious or make a mess. They gratefully accepted my compromise, especially when a last minute cancellation meant they’d only needed the four-top to work things out. And boy was the food good. Zucco in Agrodolce was our appetizer, basically thin slices of pumpkin in a glaze. Primo was Ensalata Eoliana which is the Sicilian version of potato salad made of potatoes, capers, tomatoes, and olives. There was also a couscous dish which was specifically gluten-free. Our main (or second course) was Gambero Rosso di Mazara … giant shrimp, or prawns as Sadie called them. Holy smokes were they good. And as another special treat, they were letting us test the chef’s latest creation … gluten-free cannolis. Oh my gosh! We all enjoyed them immensely.
I didn’t even have to clean off the table and haul the debris back to the kitchen as one of the kitchen wait staff was johnny on the spot right after I had stacked everything as neatly as Grandma Barry had taught me. I made sure to give our compliments to the chef and all the wait staff.
The kids are now packed up, Lev still had a few things to do, and I’m finishing up a few things as well. I would have washed my hair but the night air is cool. Tomorrow promises to be interesting.
I’ve been to the top of Mr. Etna. Even in the summer it is so cold and dry up there it isn’t always easy to breathe. Sicily was gorgeous.
Mr Bill
Veteran Member
Spent a New Years Eve up there a long time ago then watched an eruption
bury the hotel some time later. It has been going off for a long time now.
sssarawolf
We're just plugging along.
Thank you very much Kathy.
Nov 5 - Day 54: Explore the Greek temples of Agrigento & afternoon at the resort
So much for self-improvement in the writing and grammar department. I put yesterday’s draft through a grammar and spelling check app I have, and the doggone thing sounded like it was going to lay an egg or have a nervous breakdown. Maybe trying to write and walk at the same time while we are touring isn’t the greatest idea. I’m just trying to include more information and capture details so I can include them in the kids’ portfolios. Man oh man, trying to improve in one area only shows the weaknesses in another. I’m about give up and give out with this self-improvement stuff. There’s just not a lot of time for it as we are changing hotels more often. Almost every night is a new one. And I don’t have a problem with that for our crew. But apparently other members of our party are struggling to live out of their luggage without wasting a lot of time packing and unpacking over and over again.
Breakfast was another granita and fruit/cheese plate. That was fine by me. And the cappuccinos consumed by everyone else got our slower tour members moving a little faster. This morning we departed for a visit to this place called Agrigento and the amazing Greek temples that area there. Yeah, I know, we’re in Sicily but we are getting Greek history stuff. The Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, dating back to 581 BC, must have been the favorite vacation spot of the gods if the number of temples there is any indication. I put that into an email to Pei and I could almost hear her laughing by all the emojis she responded with. The site is another one of those UNESCO World Heritage places. It’s built on a hillside facing the sea which made for bodacious shots for Lev. Rather than the guide from our bus, we got a local guide who took us through the sites and explained the temples honoring historical figures like of Zeus, Hercules, Concord, Pollux and Castor.
History is always a good way to lure me to a destination, and we got it in spades today. There’s not too much unique about the city itself really, but Agrigento isn’t the reason people visit Agrigento if you know what I mean. No, they come for the Valley of the Temples. It’s this huge archaeological site is probably the most popular and impressive historical site in all of Sicily. In Italian it is the Valle dei Templi. The ancient ruins are an entire city all on their own.
First, to explain the whole Greek thing in Sicily the guide explained that it was built by the Greeks who colonized parts of Sicily in the 6th century BC. A loooong time ago. Finding Roman ruins in Europe is always interesting, but Greek ones are far less common. While the place is known as Agrigento today, this ancient Greek city was originally known as Akragas, after the nearby Akragas river. The city is said to have prospered due to agriculture and trade. From its founding it expanded until the Carthaginians set fire to the city in 406 BC. Those nasty ol’ Carthaginians.
Centuries later the Romans took the territory and renamed the city Agrigentum. The city prospered again right up until the fall of the Roman Empire. Following that, the city eventually migrated to its current hilltop spot away from the coast and raids by seafaring pirates and the like. While the modern city took damage during WWII, fortunately, the Valley of the Temples was preserved even though it didn’t get recognized by UNESCO until 1997.
So, let’s get to what it was like to walk through the Valley of the Temples. To start with, calling it a valley is wrong; the area is not a valley at all, but a plateau; somebody just wanted to be dramatic, I guess. The site entrance is at the very eastern end. Once you have your wrist band that shows you are a permitted visitor and stepped onto the grounds two things become noticeable. One is the arrow straight road that runs from the entrance right through the park, taking you from one end to the other. The other is the giant columns of the Temple of Juno that dates from the 5th century BC standing right above you to the left. If you need a sign that tells you what you’ve come to see, that would be it. can’t think of a better sign of what you have to look forward to than that. It has huge Doric columns that were the style of the time.
There are essentially three main ruins throughout this part of the Valley of Temples. In order, our guide took us to see the Temple of Juno, the Temple of Concordia, and the Temple of Hercules. Yes, that Hercules. There are other sights to see as well, like the Necropoli Paleocristiana and the gardens of the Villa Aurea. But in terms of the wow factor, it was those three main temples that made the biggest impression. A big reason the temples make such an impact is that they’ve been preserved and partially reconstructed. The Temple of Concordia is the most complete. It survived so well that it was converted into a Christian basilica in the 6th century, keeping its bones intact. The Temple of Hercules is the site’s oldest.
Right along the cliffs on the south side of the Valley of Temples, we saw what’s left of ancient fortifications. These were once the city walls of Akragas, which ran all around the city. This means the Greeks not only used the landscape to their advantage but doubled down with proper defenses. Makes it even more impressive that the Carthaginians took the city given how well-defended it was.
What most grabs people’s attention though with these stone defenses are the small hollows that have been carved out of them. They look portholes. These cavities in the walls were used as tombs and were known as arcosolia[1]. They date from centuries after the fall of Akragas during the 4th-7th centuries AD; basically the time of the late Roman Empire. Our guide says they are very rare. Or at least this particular form is.
A strange thing abou the Valley of the Temples is that it’s broken up into two parts. The eastern portion is the main section as it’s larger and home to more prominent ruins. The other part continues over on the other side of the road by taking the small elevated pedestrian bridge. While there’s loads more to see in the second part, it doesn’t feature anything as picturesque as the first side. The most impressive ruin in the second part is the Temple of Castor and Pollux, which has been partially reconstructed.
What I liked about the second side of the archaeological site was the sign thingies it provided. We learned more about the details of Doric temples and how the Greeks built the temples. There was even a replica of a crane that would have been used at the time.
We finished up with archaeology and took a look around the city while our lunch was being arrange. It sits along a hill above the ruins. Known as Girgenti after the hill it’s on, the Old Town of Agrigento traces its origins to the Middle Ages. We started on the street of Via Atenea. This is the main street in the Old Town and is where you’ll find so many of the local cafes and eateries which is why we were there and how we knew our reservations were running behind. On either side of it there were staircases, steep roads, and a few viewpoints, we were free to explore since we hd th time and were inclined. The only thing in the Old Town you won’t find close to this street are all the local churches. They’re all at the highest points of the ridgeline. Made for a very neat skyline.
One cool spot in town that stands out is a painted staircase known as the Scalinata Degli Artisti. Lev loved it as did the kids. I mean I thought it was neat too, but I didn’t necessarily go as Gaga for is as their artistic personalities did. Each step has a message in a different language, while street art covers the later stairs and nearby walls. The stairs are on Via Neve, on the right off of Via Atenea. Further along Via Atenea, you’ll come to Piazza Luigi Pirandello and the city’s town hall. The Agrigento Town Hall is kind of hard to miss, as it’s the only building I saw there with ivy draped all across its front facade.
If you’re able to at least walk this far through the Old Town, you’re sure to at least get a sense of what Agrigento is like. Just around the corner, there’s also a great panoramic terrace that looks out to the sea, which is nice. All the tour group members that took the short trek were glad they did for that view alone.
Lunch was a little challenging. Gluten-free in Sicily in general has been a little challenging. We’d been doing okay up to this point. This time around we mostly had to eat arancini and an antipasto plate. It wasn’t bad but Lev and Benny were hungry as only hollow-legged people can get and Sadie’s metabolism needs addressing as well so she doesn’t lose weight. I miss how easy we had it on the safari. Oh well, it is just one meal. I’m running low on gluten-free snack bars and may need to make a stop to refill my supply if I can find anything that will work.
Our “lunch” was more like an early dinner, and we had to hurry to the next hotel, the Verdra Resort which was in this place called Sciacca. Wow, very different from the previous hotel. This one is on the coast and climate wise reminds me of places in Florida in the winter. The temps were in the upper 60s F during the day. At night it was cooler with a sea breeze. Even though it was “off season” the resort pools – several of them and an unusual configuration – were busy but not crowded. People were sunbathing and generally relaxing. Lev encouraged me to just relax for a while since we had free time and honestly? He was right. I swam while Benny and Sadie did their own thing. Lev joined us after taking a call.
“Everything okay Admiral?” I asked, teasing him since I was in a good mood.
He grinned. “Yes. Tommi is good at what she does. Nothing against Bob, but he let the money guys get to him too much and it sometimes rolled downhill whether he meant it to or not. Tommi understands that part better. She also trusts us not to take advantage so she watches out for us so the penny pinchers don’t shortchange us. She said if we do need to go shopping, to make sure she gets the receipts.”
“We haven’t used all the per diem because most of the meals have been included. The only thing I’ve had to buy recently were the water bottles the other day.”
“Yeah. And she said don’t forget to do the scarf thing. The media people like it and the colors work well on the film. They really liked that flag of Sicily one the kids picked out and how you are using it in geography lessons. Might try to do the same for Italy if we can find one.”
“Aye aye Admiral,” I told him, giving way even though the frou-frou doesn’t do a thing for me. I have a growing collection of scarves that I’m not sure I’ll ever use again … at least not as scarves. I’ve kinda got a half idea formed of next time we are “off assignment” to find ways to reuse the scarves in some way. Grandma Barry used to take some of my scout t-shirts I outgrew and cut a square with the logo on it and then she sewed those blocks together to make a bedspread for the bed I kept at The River House. It went into storage when I moved to Jacksonville. It isn’t something that I could put on the bed I share with Lev, so it is in the cedar chest I keep my few keepsakes in. But maybe I could do something similar with the scarves. I don’t know, it is just a thought.
The resort has a bunch of different restaurants. Since we were on our own Lev said we’d go to the one that was primarily seafood.
“You spoil me,” I told him. He gave me puppy dog eyes. I hope he isn’t trying to soften me up for something because I gotta admit, I kinda like it.
The food was delish; from the grilled octopus and potato salad to the fish of the day filet to the spiced carrots side to one of the richest desserts I think I’ve ever had … chocolate fondant, aniseed cream, and raspberries sorbet. Oh boy, my mouth is watering just remembering. The heavy dinner had the kids both crashing and burning as soon as we came back to the room. Lev was growing amorous one minute and then I heard a snore the next. I nearly laughed. Poor guy. I guess now that I’ve finished this log entry I’ll go crawl in bed. If he wakes up fine, if he doesn’t that’s fine too. We haven’t been short of privacy on this leg of the assignment.
[1] Arcosolium - Wikipedia
Nov 6 - Day 55: Morning at leisure and on to Palermo
We had a slow start to the morning with “brunch” replacing breakfast and lunch. Fine by me. Lev needed some time to work, the kids needed some time for school, and I needed some time to do what it takes to keep us all clean and organized, including spot cleaning our clothes.
After “brunch” we hopped on our bus and traveled to Palermo and a real quickie scenic tour kind of thing from the bus just to give us an overview. We’ve switched guides and I’m liking this guy better than the last one. He explained that around 8,000 BC, people called the Sicani drew pictures in a cave outside Palermo. The scene shows a ritual sacrifice in the theater. He got use to think about if it was it a Paleolithic foreshadowing of the temples, churches, and cathedrals to come?
The Sicani were followed by the Phoenicians. They made a settlement called Ziz which eventually became Palermo. But first, the Greeks, followed by the Carthaginians, followed by the Romans, followed by the Germans, followed by Saracens, followed by Normans, had to leave their marks. The Romans built temples, and the Saracens built mosques and libraries. In 1072 the Normans turned mosques into churches. In 1194 the Holy Roman Empire encouraged alots of rebuilding. Baroque, Gothic, and other architectural styles appeared. Many of these buildings are preserved today.
Like I said, it was just a quickie bus tour overview before we headed to our hotel for the night. The Grand Hotel et des Palmes. We are here for just another two-night stay. They didn’t just cut us loose after we go our rooms however. Get this, this evening we joined the son of a baroness for a private dinner and then a tour of his family's art collection in their historic villa. Even Sadie looked impressed.
We are all heading to bed and Lev can do it without guilt since he got some editing done this morning. Tomorrow promises to be a full day. I think everyone appreciated the slower pace today because some of our tour group members had been flagging. We’ll see how they do tomorrow.