To the aeroporto

After stopping to fill up the rental car with benzene. Just before the airport we were held up...

Perfect last view.

Sicilia don't change.

Last day

Well this stay is now coming to an end.

Time to pack.

Time for pranzo!

Remember that recipe? Polpette di pane! Great!

Fresh pasta!

Delicious!

Joey walked.

I napped.

Set alarm for 6 a.m.

La famiglia comes to Sciacca

It is going to be very hard to leave this beautiful place.



We spent the morning eating Bar Charlie pastries and watching the port activities.



The family Sicilia came to spend the evening with us. We met them in the piazza and then came back to the apartment to enjoy the delicious pastries they brought from Palermo and wine from Marsala.

And watched the sun set.

We also discussed the family tree and how others fit in. I said I would make some contacts and do a new draft expanding the family tree that we worked out years ago.



Some notes...







What a great time we had!



Joey even got a new recipe!



We will miss you all very much!



On the way back to their cars we fooled around with this Carnivale props in the piazza near the Basilica.



Politics is no problem.

(è uguale)

A drive into the hills today

We decided to make the most out of the car rental this week a drive up into the hills to somewhere we have never been would be fun!

We first went to see if the beach at C. S. Marco was as advertised. We'll stick to Eraclea.



Then we went on back roads to reach route 624. Ha, ha that's not one. 

That's 624 viaduct over there. Interesting seeing the highway from down here instead of from up there!

Then shot off highway to Sambucca di Sicilia to San Carlo. The roads out here are a little wavy so take your time.

Picnic by the roadside with a great view and goat or sheep bells in the distant fields.

Then to Burgio.

Then I followed the signs back to Sciacca via the small village of Sant'Anna (sometimes spelled St. Anna) just south of Caltabellotta.

Next time need to explore the town we didn't turn to, Giuliana, a missed gem.

We always think there will be a next time...

Spada e melanzane per cena

On the way back from Lido Beach we stopped again at Isola fish market in the port.

They have such an amazing selection of seafood! I wish we would have brought the kids in here. Anyway we were looking around for something to go with the spada. They had all these baskets of raviolis with different fillings. One basket had about ten left in it while the others were almost full. I said to Joey let's get that one. Must be great. The basket is almost empty. A very good sign! Melanzane filled? She was skeptical but went along with me.



She did her cooking magic and it was delicious combination!

And then enjoyed watching the port vessels come and go at night.

Mesmerizing.

Lido Beach

Hot sunny Mediterranean day in search of corallo!





Not too much hunting right now... after vino chips and almonds.

Lovey.

How does that wall stay up?



The march of time...

Temptation in Palermo

After the palace and chapel we went to the seaside.

Trattoria Temptation in Sferracavallo.



The food kept coming...



...and we kept eating. Delicious!

Then to the new Palermo Marina and Convention Center that was not here four years ago on our last visit.



Fountains with a recessed encompassing walk.





View through a building that wraps one side of the fountain pool.

Impressive redevelopment open to the whole city. 
































..

Hide and seek in Palermo

You're it!

Into the palace garden

A garden of beautiful flowers and strong trees!









What have we here!



Le belle donne!



Gli uomini forti!

Norman and Swabian Potter

As part of our visit to the Norman Palace we also saw this exhibit of Norman pottery linked to the Islamic age.





First know use of iconic Sicilian yellow.

After all what would a visit to Sicily be without a visit to a pottery museum.

Impressionist Treasures Monet and Normandy

As part of our tour of the Norman Palace and Cappella Palatina the royal chapel in Palermo we were also able to see an exhibition of, "...Impressionist Treasures: Monet and Normandy is being held at the Royal Palace of Palermo, featuring masterpieces from the Peindre en Normandie Collection and MuMa Le Havre. This exhibition displays works by Claude Monet and other Impressionists, highlighting the landscapes of Normandy in a dialogue with Sicilian history. ..."



Thanks again!