Climbing up and down the marble staircase was only rewarding in the way that "fitbit' gave me a helicopter award. I know for some people like my friend Vicki that's so passe but for me the slug that I am it's - woohoo!!! Everytime we returned to the airbnb I felt like hiring a sherpa to carry me. Going down the steps was ok but ascending was dreadful. This morning with the spirit of exploration shining brightly we set out.
We strolled down some lanes near our digs, everyone was up and about, there was no rest for the wicked here! People were sweeping out their one room dwellings others were sitting outside at their kitchen tables arguing or dtinking mocca. The feral German Shepherds were digging through rubbish. Just another day in Palermo!
Although we'd had a late night bar snack we were hungry. Eric whose heart was on mainland Italy was desperate for a capuccino; I on the other hand was desperate to take him to the Cappuccin Monastery where the famous coffee originated. Before we went to Italy I didn't think Eric would like the traditional sweet breakfast but he'd adapted quick smart and felt each day had to be started with a giant nutella croissant (Italians call it a cornetto ) and a cappuccino. (Only socially acceptable before 11am).
I was in complete agreeance but first needed to investigate the church in front of us. I was really touched that a brotherhood of lay people and volunteers maintained this church of St Rosalia whose bone relics were in the church placed around the statue of Christ. There is without a word of exaggeration at least one church per block here. Eric can only handle one a day so refused to go on the pilgrimage bus.
After a thorough read of all the inspirational information we went out into the street to look for a cafe. Eric pointed out one about 20 metres away which had a group of old men drinking coffee and having heated discussions over a board game. Upon closer inspection we realised it was someone's outdoor living room. We walked around the corner and there was a street food van selling arancini, salsa, pork chops and other intriguing items in paper cones. I ordered us both an arancini giant and a cutlet with salsa to share. There was no where to sit and the other customers just stood around to eat, with cats rubbing against their legs.
The seaside was about 25 metres away and I thought we could sit in front of the 4th church we'd seen in a 5 minute walk away from our apartment. My salmon arancini was the best I'd ever had in my life. Although I have to confess I slyly passed half of the buttery rice to Eric as I'm trying not to overeat.
Eric was still desperate for a coffee and there were unbrellas with cafe chairs set up to our left. We strolled along, nearly bowled over by a couple on a motorbike eho were also aiming to go there. We're slowly getting used to the fact that roads are optional. We went in and I was more excited about the selection of granita than pastries. So to complete my breakfast I chose pistachio and blood orange granita, it was so fresh and cleansing on the palate. After a stroll along the seaside and a futile search for the hop on hop off bus terminal we walked back to Stazione Centrale where we had been dropped off yesterday by the airport shuttle.
The old fellow who'd tried to take us in his private taxi was there again . It transpired that his apartment where he lived with his wife whose surname was Teixeira (Italian women don't take their husbands surname only the children take their fathers cognome). He introduced himself as Luciano he was very nice a real smooth talker like my cousin Les - who can sell ice to the Eskimos. Luci wanted €200 to do a round trip from Palermo to Agrigento then Trapani then Erice and back to homebase. Although expensive it would have been great however with more than 7 hours driving time I thought it would be too tiring for him to be a safe driver.
After finishing our hop on hop off bus tour and a visit to a travel agent we decided to go by public transport instead, he was so upset. As per usual in a strange city the hop on hop off provides a historical brief which we are always keen to learn about. The architectural features always elude us but we are slowly recognizing more.
We walked around each drop off zone and came to see what a paradox this place is. Avenues lined with designer stores and 2 streets back apartments still decrepit from WWII. People in fancy clothes and cars and other's sharing one bedroom hovels. Pampered dogs with bejeweled collars and gangs of feral dogs in parks. So in contrast to last nights adventures in Druggie Alley we went to Rick Steves favorite restaurant in Palermo. To highlight the contrast let me explain it was just around the corner from drug dealer alley and was amazingly clsssy.
The meal was fabulous we had two plates of appetisers one land and one sea, for grossness we had the spleen slider as recommended by Andrew Simmer . Anyway we took heaps of photos of the impressive meal and went to bed as full as googs!
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