Monreale Mosaic
Hardly a long drive as-the-crow-flies from Palermo, but a long time through traffic, Monreale is southwest from Palermo, and is worth the trip whether flying-like-a-crow or driving. The gold mosaic...
Cefalù Journal Snippets
8 May - In the "centro storico" - historic center - of this little seacoast town east of Palermo, on the north shore of the island of Sicily. The narrow, climbing, maze-like streets remind me of the...
Markets of Palermo
Palermo is renowned for its old street markets, some of which have been in the same spot as early as the 10th century! As far as I know, each one is open every day (except Sunday). Some vendors have...
On the Streets of Palermo
"Contrasts". That word describes Palermo best of all. (Probably in more ways than I've yet discovered.) Contrasts in style, in degree of polish and repair, in level of "refinement". The...
Unpolished Palermo
In short, I love Palermo, and look forward another visit. It offers plenty of dazzling sights to wow any visitor. But it remains "unpolished" (to my eye). It is genuine and without pretense, as were...
“Palermitani” – Citizens of Palermo
Traveling here in Sicily, I've most enjoyed Palermo because of the people I've met, "just plain folks" going about their days. They've been open, expressive, engaging, willing to get into...
Skewered Veal Guts
Veal guts were caught in my teeth. Coming back from a day trip up the hill to Monreale, I got off the bus at Piazza Indipendenza and started walking home to my B&B. Off on a low side road, I saw...
Technical Limitations
In pushing myself to "pack light, pack light, pack light"... in wanting to ease any worry about leaving my laptop behind in my hotel room while out exploring for the day... and in urging myself to...
Palermo is “Gritty”
Journal entry from my lunch table: "In piccolo Trattoria Tira Casciuni a Palermo. Stare qui in Sicilia, in Italia, e veramente una droga che mi sento in tutto il mio corpo. E perche no? Perche non...
In Sicilia!
Stepping outside the doors at the airport in Palermo, Sicily, I smelled the salty, sea air. Riding a bus from the airport into Palermo, the Mar Tirreno - Tyrrhenian Sea - was on our left, and this...
Heading South
Always an exercise in "packing light", I keep removing things from my one-and-only carry-on bag for two weeks in the south of "The Boot". After a week in Milano, I'm heading to south to wander...
Two Wheels along the Canal
Given a beautiful, 70-degree, blue-sky, springtime day in Italy, it was a joy to get out on a bike again for a ride along the canal! It's been 9 months, and I've missed it. That ride, and being on...