The packing list and my aching back

This afternoon I made my first pass at packing "l' valigio" (suitcase maximum 50 lbs), my backpack and my satchel carry-ons.

This is a partial list of things I need to bring for our one month stay in Sciacca, Sicilia:

SICILIA 2012:

Binder with travel and apartment paperwork
Sciacca Map
Travel books
Language books

Picnic stuff

iPad (in hope that we can find WiFi)
iTouch (music)

Binoculars
Wine opener (note to self: move to top of list)
Travel bag

Medicines
First aid kit
Flashlight
Batteries
Umbrellas

TICKETS
PASSPORTS
DRIVERS LICENSE INTERNATIONAL (just in case)

ART SUPPLES: (Joey has her own list)

Canvas
Board
Paper separators
Glazing liquid
Glue
Brushes in tube
Other brushes
Mortar and pestle
Rags
Plastic bags
Sketch books
Pens
Pencils
Knife
Duct Tape
Plastic Tape
Markers
Drawing board (actually a piece of driftwood that found on Brier Island, Nova Scotia, that has been on trips to the west coast and Florida among various other local places)

CLOTHES: (my clothes, Joey has her own list, and "la grande" suitcase)

Painting clothes
Wool sweater
Other sweaters
Long sleeve shirts
Jeans
Slacks
Shorts
Underwear
T-shirts
Collar shirts
Socks
Jacket
Coat
Hat
Scarf
Shoes
Sandals

This is how it is going so far?

Remember we are using public transit to get from Canaan, CT, to JFK, to Palermo, to Sciacca, then walk to the apartment. So far I have 50lbs. of mostly art supplies! But really is that so bad? Well no if we actually knew where or if there is a laundromat, but that is still yet to be seen!

With the suitcase filled I then started filling the back pack until I remembered that there was still a wash in the dryer that needed to be sorted and included. Better hold off a bit. I still have a few more days.

I can see me now dragging "mio valigio" with a bandoliero of backpack and satchel across my shoulders dressed in two pairs of pants, three shirts, two sweaters, and an umbrella under my arm humping my way to Sicilia.

Wish me (and my back) luck.

Planning notes

We have wanted to return to Sciacca since 2007. That was a great trip!

Out for a walk near Fontana Calda in 2007.

From our home away from home at Fontana Calda to going to crazy Carnevale, to a day at the white clay cliffs that rise from the beach at  Eraclea Minoa, to a day in the ancient Greek city of Selinunte, to the high peak of the both ancient and still very much alive Caltabellotta, to a trip to the small hill town where my Gandfather Re was born! All in about fabulous seven days.


Global Home: Sicilia 2012

February 2012: Welcome to our journal of our month long immersion into the life, culture and goings on in and around Sciacca, Sicilia. Including our adventures at making art in this beautiful place.

This time though we wanted to experience what it would be to actually live here. Our length of stay (the month of February 2012) and our tiny budget meant that we could not afford to rent a car so we decided to learn how to use the bus (this should add a lot of laughs and hopefully not too much stress) this time. So with a little savings, very little Italiano ("Dov'e l'autobus per Sciacca?") and determination ("Pazzo!") we planned our escape.

Joey, after a lot of searching, found us an apartment in Sciacca right on the port (ours is a one bedroom version of the one linked to, here is the full site http://www.sciaccacase.it/intro.html).

Building where our apartment is located in Sciacca. Ours is the two windows on the second floor.

She found good reviews as well as a few that said it is a little noisy when the fishing fleet comes and goes early and late. But the monthly rate worked (half what it would have been to board our dog for the month, thanks Chaz and Lizzie for sitting both house and dog) for our budget and we will surely be  right in the bustle of local life!

We are really looking forward to making art while we are there too. Joey wants to unleash her sculpture muse and play with all sorts of art materials and I want to do a Sciacca series working with locally gathered pigments. Hopefully we can find a gallery, library or vacant store somewhere to show this new work. (let me know if you have any ideas) when we get back.

We leave on January 31st.

Arrivederci for now.