In the picture below be assured that I have not started playing scratch and match in Italy. This is what I needed to buy to park for two hours. You then scratch the date and time you started and leave it on the windscreen. This is the only time I have seen this as most places have traditional parking ticket dispensing machines.
Anyway so it's Saturday morning and we decide to do a triangle of Segusta and Marsala and back to Trapani. Segusta had a most wonderful temple (photo below) and half way up the road to the amphitheatre in hot and humid weather we looked at each other and decided NAFAR - Not Another F&*(g Ancient Ruin and abandoned our visit to the amphitheatre. We go to the nearby town but abandon that when it seems to have less than nothing to offer outside of its proximity to Segesta.
Marsala, which I must confess I thought (without any real thinking) was in Spain is where....they produce Marsala. We have a lovely caffeteria lunch as opposed to the poor one we previously had followed by a lovely selection of pastries, many with sweet ricotta and some with tiny wild strawberries. Excuse me back in a minute while I search for a Paticceria.
We then walk about the historical part - yes a Piazza Garibaldi and Duomo. Now you need to know that every repeat every town has a piazza Garibaldi, Via Victor Emanuel and a Via Luigi Pirandello.
On the way back to Trapani we drive past the salt pans where there are square concrete ponds full of salt water waiting to dry out and have the salt harvested. I have a bright idea that we are sick of restaurants so buys some fruit, ham, chicken, breadrolls, salad ingredients and have a lovely relaxing dinner at the hotel after what was quite a long day.
Next morning we finish off the leftovers and 'off to Palermo. On the way we stop for a coffee at Castellammare del Golfo, a lovely beachside area which, due to the lack of hotels we think is for the locals.
This is the first time we have seen some fine homes suggesting that it is a weekend holiday house area. I havent been enjoying the coffee as I discovered that, in Sicily there is no such thing as fresh milk only longlife which taste's aweful in coffee so I have been drinking long black (Americano) with a dash of milk. Apparently the only place you can get fresh milk is ona farm - not surprising as we have hardly
seen any cows, sheep or livestock of any kind.
As you drive around Sicily you see a lot of agricultural activity, vineyards, olives and much more. However Wikipedia tells me that Sicily's economy is only 5% agricultural. Here are some key statistics about Sicily
Population: Palermo 657k Catania 294k Messina 242k Siracusa 123k Marsala 82k total just over 5 million
Economy: Agriculture, farming, fishing 3.52% Industry 9.30% Construction 5.52% Commerce, hotels and restaurants, transport, services and communications 18.28% Financial activity and real estate 21,29% Other economic activities 28.95% VAT and other forms of taxes 13.13%
Robert gives us a ten minute history of Garibaldi along the way which tells the story of the unification of Italy. Interestingly at 50 he marries a beautiful actress. On the wedding night or perhaps the next day she tells him she is pregnant with another man's baby and he walks out never to see her again.
We were originally booked into the Mercure in Palermo as the Hilton Villa Igiea was booked out for the dates we needed. Yesterday, because we had so many recommendations for this hotel I decided to try again and lo and behold we managed to get two rooms in the Marina Pavillion - one smoking (not a problem for me) and one not smoking. Now I should recound the problem I encountered when Linda and I stayed at the Ville d'Este in Florence where we got a room in the Pool Pavillion. It was magnificently appointed but tiny. So with this experience I was priming Robert and Kathy for a small but good room. Surprisingly however the room was magnificent and large. http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/PMOHVHI-Hilton-Villa-Igiea-Palermo/index.do
We arrive around midday and Robert and Kathy lunch and liunge around a beautiful pool while I catch up on some work, watch the French Open final and add to my blog. Tonight we plan a dinner at Bye Bye Blues located at Mondello Beach http://www.byebyeblues.it/menu_eng.htm which, again has been recommended.
More soon
XD
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