We slept better last night because I did. My rash only woke me once so it is getting better although it looks otherwise! We had an early start this morning because we had a ferry to catch back to Milazzo. The guy at the hotel was so nice! I think his name was Daniello. He drove us to the ferry port with time to spare to catch the 9:15. The ferry was a little late arriving. In one hour we were back in Milazzo and in the car (30 euros for 3 days). Off to Monreale!
arriverderci lipari
We had time for a diversion and I read a lot of ancient Cefalu, a beautiful seaside city at the base of an enormous rock. Its Norman cathedral with exquisite 12th century Byzantine mosaics, narrow medieval streets, and beautiful coastline make it a well-touristed city. We didn't have much time but we stayed a couple of hours, just enough to cruise through to get a taste. We would definitely like to come back and spend more time here but we had to move on. We went into the cathedral. It was awesome - the mosaics were dazzling.
There were a lot of shops selling local foods so we had to stop in one. We bought a load of sundried tomatoes and bags of Sicilian oregano. We walked to the coast and took pictures. The houses along the water against a backdrop of the hills was beautiful.
on the steps of the cathedral
12th century mosaic of christ the pantocrator
There were a lot of shops selling local foods so we had to stop in one. We bought a load of sundried tomatoes and bags of Sicilian oregano. We walked to the coast and took pictures. The houses along the water against a backdrop of the hills was beautiful.
the misty beach
more fishing boats!
ken, is that you?
Getting to the hotel Carrubella Park was yet another stressful driving event. It was well marked on the streets but the streets were narrow, the width for one way (but are indeed 2 way), and steep. The hotel had a parking lot which we knew ahead of time so it was just a matter of getting to it. We went to reception and was escorted with our bags which took two elevator trips up to our room which turned out was already occupied - oops. So we took the bags down, in two elevator trips, back to the lobby. We waited while the guy at the front desk made a phone call to sort it all out. After waiting about 15 minutes we had a room. It was gigantic and furnished old fashioned with a decent view.
We dropped off the bags and rushed to the Cathedral. It was 4:30 and the hotel is only a 10 minute walk away so we knew we would make it in time but i turned out it was closed today because of a festival weekend La Festa del S.S. Crocifisso, Monreale's most important feast day. Luckily for us, it was open the next day but even luckier was that we stumbled upon an incredible traditional Sicilian celebration!
marching band
The streets were filed with people and lined with cart selling candies, roasted nuts, roast pork, cotton candy, sausages, and milza (spleen!) sandwiches - the local specialty. Old ladies were looking out onto the crowds from their balconies, old men were sitting on benches in small groups talking furiously with their hands.
You can see where the street festivals in Italian American neighborhoods all over the US get their origins minus the spleens. We could hear a band approaching playing traditional music and the crowd started to part. Then came a procession of traditional Sicilian painted horse carts...
We parked ourselves at Piccolo Rifugio with a glass of wine to people watch. It was right at the edge of the action. The wine was red and ice cold. Next to us, the band was warming up...
After a glass of wine, we followed the procession to the church. There were confraternity boys in lines outside.
air quality not so great today
We dropped off the bags and rushed to the Cathedral. It was 4:30 and the hotel is only a 10 minute walk away so we knew we would make it in time but i turned out it was closed today because of a festival weekend La Festa del S.S. Crocifisso, Monreale's most important feast day. Luckily for us, it was open the next day but even luckier was that we stumbled upon an incredible traditional Sicilian celebration!
marching band
The streets were filed with people and lined with cart selling candies, roasted nuts, roast pork, cotton candy, sausages, and milza (spleen!) sandwiches - the local specialty. Old ladies were looking out onto the crowds from their balconies, old men were sitting on benches in small groups talking furiously with their hands.
onlooker
You can see where the street festivals in Italian American neighborhoods all over the US get their origins minus the spleens. We could hear a band approaching playing traditional music and the crowd started to part. Then came a procession of traditional Sicilian painted horse carts...
flags!
the tuba player
ken likes the wine
After a glass of wine, we followed the procession to the church. There were confraternity boys in lines outside.
these guys don't like their picture being taken
looking holy
the crowd
We had our fill of the procession. The town was full of ceramic shops and we stopped in one called La Bottega dei Normanni di Quattrocchi Maria Carmela because there was a plate outside that caught our eye. We were indecisive in the shop and hemmed and hawed as we piled though piles of hand painted plates and bowls. I told the owners it was difficult to choose and they were flattered. Finally we picked one and I said it will be taken to New York and as a joke they said if someone there sees it and wants one here's our business card and we will send you another one. And they said Ken couldn't eat off it but I could.
the ceramics shop
We brought the plate back to the hotel and started to pack the bags because we were leaving tomorrow. We bought some fragile items and had bottles and bags of foods. We needed to distribute the weight, protect the breakables, and pack the liquids in the check-in bags.
We ate at Pizzeria Mizzica that was downstairs from street level. It was extremely hot because of the furnace and the lack of windows. We waited 10 minutes for a table and I was getting woozy from the heat. If the pizzas didn't look so fantastic and more restaurants were open we would have left. Ken got the Napoletana and I got a white pizza with fresh porcini and arugula. It was good but in retrospect I wish I had stuck with my favorite, the Napoletana. We shared a cold beer and a mixed salad. The place was crowded and loud with lots of families. We arrived pretty late and by the time we left, around 11, it had cleared out. We walked through the festival streets on the way back to hotel, passing the main piazza where there was a stage and a huge crowd watching a pop performer. We were too tired to stick around and tomorrow is a big travel day...
back street on festival night
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