First off this morning we visited the Little_Hagia_Sophia begun by the Emperor Justinian in 527. The church was used as the model for San Vitale in Ravenna, which we saw, and as a practice run for Hagia Sophia. It was converted to a mosque during the Ottoman period, and the mosaics removed. The walls are plastered and there are no images, but in a way that makes it easier to appreciated the space. Here is Anne, lost in wonder shortly after entering.
It was a very peaceful place to spend the morning. I think we will be going back there, which is easy because it is so close. Next we enjoyed a stroll around some of the local streets - I think we've explored nearly all the streets in our neighbourhood. The streets are very lively, kids running around, grannies sitting in doorways with babies, people shaking carpets out windows, people pushing round carts with fruit or various goods for sale, or just junk - maybe the last are the equivalent of rubbish removal services.
We had lunch in a great restaurant situated on the edge of the nearby park. Nice basic food, and the service picked up significantly when the televised World Cup game finished. Neither of us slept well last night and Anne wanted to rest her knee, so she stayed at the hotel while I set out to visit the Theodosian Walls built originally by Constantine the Great, and developed as a double line of fortifications by Theodosius in the 5th Century. They protected the city from multiple would be invaders for almost a thousand years. The story of Constantine XI and the fall of Constantinople is one that impressed me deeply when I heard it, and I wanted to go and see what is left of the walls and to pay my respects.
Getting to the wall, and then walking beside it, makes you realise what a huge city Constantinople must have been. I walked for around an hour and a half along beside the wall and traversed probably less than half. There are bits of wall that have been restored, bits that have been turned into very fine houses, bits where houses have been burrowed into the wall, bits where homeless people sleep, bits that are about to fall down or which have fallen down.
When I could see the water of the Golden Horn below I decided to call it quits, and managed to find my way back to the hotel without too much trouble. A bit muggy and overcast this afternoon and I was glad to be back in the air con and to see Anne.
We had dinner at a quieter restaurant nearby - a much more peaceful experience then last night and much better for the digestion. We ate attended by three cats, one of whom was very pregnant. A pretty cat and starving, poor thing. We gave her as much meat from our plates as we could without attracting the attention of the waiting staff. When we got back to the hotel we enjoyed watching the party on the roof of the sports club opposite. Lots of dancing and high spirits. I just hope they get tired soon.
We've been developing our agenda for the next few days and I am getting the hang of the public transport so tomorrow we are really going to get stuck into Istanbul.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Friday, June 13, 2014
Istanbul, Friday 13 June, Day 51
Great breakfast on the terrace of the hotel this morning. I think we have gone to fig jam heaven - a huge bowl of rich chunky fig jam on the table, along with fresh fruit, salad, and fresh bread. Anne's knee giving some trouble so I went off in search of an ATM to get some local currency and a chemist to buy paracetamol and ibuprofen. I headed off in what turned out to be a wrong direction, but it took me past the Little_Hagia_Sophia built around 527 AD by Justinian, past big chunks of Roman defensive wall in various stages of disrepair or absorption into newer structures, past the Blue Mosque, the Column_of_Constantine, and more.
Eventually found both ATM and pharmacy - pharmaceuticals incredibly cheap here compared to Australia - as well as a shop to buy some baklava, and completed a circuit walking back down steep narrow streets through what seems to be the rag trade district. A lot of people moving big packages, bolts of cloth and boxes on trolleys or on their backs, as the streets are so narrow and the traffic so gridlocked that human transportation must be the most efficient way.
The weather was beautiful, mid 20's, light sea breeze, brilliant blue sky. We explored some more streets sussing out lunch options, and chose a nice place with an open dinning area under a grape vine, where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch. It is so nice not to have to rush around and to know that we have time to see what we want to see.
We looped up the hill, this time past the Hippodrome and the Obelisk_of_Theodosius, placed there in 357 ad. The Obelisk itself dates from 1450 BC, but owing to the hardness of the granite from which it was carved, it looks like it was created yesterday. The Roman marble on which it stands hasn't weathered so well, though the story of the transportation and erection of the obelisk is still visible.
There were huge crowds of local people and tourists out enjoying the day. We wanted a low key day so we headed home early down some more little streets with beautiful old Ottoman wooden houses, which have a distinctly Eastern air about them. We are staying in a residential area with families and playgrounds, siblings looking after toddlers, washing drying on the lines - it's nice to be part of everyday Turkish life.
For dinner we went to an area I'd stumbled on, with many restaurants down streets radiating out from a central fountain. It was jumping. Large groups of both Turkish people and tourists all out for a good time, coloured lights strung across the shop fronts and streets and a lively festive mood. Every restaurateur was out the front of his business promising the best food and prices. We chose a place that seemed OK and sat on the upstairs terrace watching the scene becoming ever more boisterous. There were at least 5 competing Turkish bands working the crowd, dishes that seemed to involve sheets of flame in a sort of wok shaped dish while the waiter poked at it, people clapping and dancing and singing. By the time we'd eaten, we had complete sensory overload and an exorbitant bill full of mystery charges ... more than enough for day one.
Tomorrow we look forward to beginning our explorations of some of the wonderful structures and historic legacy of this amazing city.
Eventually found both ATM and pharmacy - pharmaceuticals incredibly cheap here compared to Australia - as well as a shop to buy some baklava, and completed a circuit walking back down steep narrow streets through what seems to be the rag trade district. A lot of people moving big packages, bolts of cloth and boxes on trolleys or on their backs, as the streets are so narrow and the traffic so gridlocked that human transportation must be the most efficient way.
The weather was beautiful, mid 20's, light sea breeze, brilliant blue sky. We explored some more streets sussing out lunch options, and chose a nice place with an open dinning area under a grape vine, where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch. It is so nice not to have to rush around and to know that we have time to see what we want to see.
We looped up the hill, this time past the Hippodrome and the Obelisk_of_Theodosius, placed there in 357 ad. The Obelisk itself dates from 1450 BC, but owing to the hardness of the granite from which it was carved, it looks like it was created yesterday. The Roman marble on which it stands hasn't weathered so well, though the story of the transportation and erection of the obelisk is still visible.
There were huge crowds of local people and tourists out enjoying the day. We wanted a low key day so we headed home early down some more little streets with beautiful old Ottoman wooden houses, which have a distinctly Eastern air about them. We are staying in a residential area with families and playgrounds, siblings looking after toddlers, washing drying on the lines - it's nice to be part of everyday Turkish life.
For dinner we went to an area I'd stumbled on, with many restaurants down streets radiating out from a central fountain. It was jumping. Large groups of both Turkish people and tourists all out for a good time, coloured lights strung across the shop fronts and streets and a lively festive mood. Every restaurateur was out the front of his business promising the best food and prices. We chose a place that seemed OK and sat on the upstairs terrace watching the scene becoming ever more boisterous. There were at least 5 competing Turkish bands working the crowd, dishes that seemed to involve sheets of flame in a sort of wok shaped dish while the waiter poked at it, people clapping and dancing and singing. By the time we'd eaten, we had complete sensory overload and an exorbitant bill full of mystery charges ... more than enough for day one.
Tomorrow we look forward to beginning our explorations of some of the wonderful structures and historic legacy of this amazing city.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Istanbul, Thurday 12 June, Day 50
We got up super early and left by round 7.00. Anne slipped on the marble stairs on the way out, and hurt her knee again, just when we were congratulating ourselves on a complete recovery from her previous injury. We caught the bus to the airport and had breakfast there, watching the tough looking uniformed police with their revolvers and caps and shiny boots heading into the Pasticcerie and coming out eating dainty Cornetto pastries. We got the plane to Rome airport to catch our connecting flight to Istanbul.
As we were leaving the EU, Anne wanted to collect the VAT refund on a number of things she had bought. She had carefully saved all the receipts, had the form filled out, and had the items in a bag ready to display on request. The Italian system is designed to be as off putting as possible. After one failed attempt we learned we needed to have boarding passes - bad luck if you wanted to put the items you'd bought in your checked luggage. Once we had boarding passes, next step was to get the form stamped by customs, for which there was a long queue in an unairconditioned corridor with lots of hot people fighting off queue jumpers, and two people behind the counter processing the claims ... until one abruptly walked off for a bit of me time, rendering the glacial progress even slower. Once in possession of the magic stamp, there was a further queue to actually get the refund. Helped to pass the time but not improve sense of benevolence towards fellow man. Rome is an extremely busy airport and we were glad to get on the plane, a very pleasant Turkish Airlines flight.
We'd arranged with our hotel to be collected, and as the plane was almost an hour late, we were relieved to see someone with our name waiting in the crowd. A nice young Turkish chap whose job is a greeter. He greets the people who have arranged transport, calls the car, and waits with you till the car arrives. Great division of labour.
As we were leaving the EU, Anne wanted to collect the VAT refund on a number of things she had bought. She had carefully saved all the receipts, had the form filled out, and had the items in a bag ready to display on request. The Italian system is designed to be as off putting as possible. After one failed attempt we learned we needed to have boarding passes - bad luck if you wanted to put the items you'd bought in your checked luggage. Once we had boarding passes, next step was to get the form stamped by customs, for which there was a long queue in an unairconditioned corridor with lots of hot people fighting off queue jumpers, and two people behind the counter processing the claims ... until one abruptly walked off for a bit of me time, rendering the glacial progress even slower. Once in possession of the magic stamp, there was a further queue to actually get the refund. Helped to pass the time but not improve sense of benevolence towards fellow man. Rome is an extremely busy airport and we were glad to get on the plane, a very pleasant Turkish Airlines flight.
We'd arranged with our hotel to be collected, and as the plane was almost an hour late, we were relieved to see someone with our name waiting in the crowd. A nice young Turkish chap whose job is a greeter. He greets the people who have arranged transport, calls the car, and waits with you till the car arrives. Great division of labour.
It was on sunset as we were driven through the city. I'm not sure what the building is that Anne is looking at through the window - but we are definitely not in Kansas any more. Or Sicily either, though some of the little streets near the hotel feel like it. Hope we wake up filled with energy tomorrow to begin exploration.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Palermo, Sicily, Wednesday 11 June, Day 49
This morning we set off early to visit the Cappella_Palatina which was established by Roger II in the enormous Palazzo Normani which is built over the top of a Carthaginian then a Greek fortress. You can see the different layers of construction quite clearly down in the basement. When we arrived at the Cappella mass was in progress. In Italian, the mass is similar to the Latin of our childhoods. We knew where it was up to, and quite enjoyed the peace of the ritual, and that the church was still working as intended after so many centuries. The interior has its own magnificent mosaics, some of which seem not to be closely connected to any biblical theme. It was nice to spend some quiet time contemplating the works, until the mass finished and the tour groups flooded in, cameras flashing away.
Our next planned stop was Monreale, a town about 10 kilometres out of Palermo and perched up in the mountains. We had researched which bus to catch, and we did well buying the tickets and finding the stop. We came unstuck however when the bus, despite having its destination clearly marked as Monreale Duomo stopped some 4 kilometres and one very steep mountain road short of the Duomo. "On foot" the driver said, waving his hand in the general direction ahead as he kicked us off. There were couple of shifty looking taxi drivers waiting who immediately descended upon us. The whole thing felt like a scam, so we declined their services and set out to walk up the hill in the very hot sun.
We discovered on visiting the tourist info centre in the town when we finally arrived that there is a shuttle bus, which our bus driver had neglected to tell us about. Whatever, we were a bit hot and addled, and running short of time thanks to the experience of getting to Monreale which rather detracted from our experience of the church, which really is magnificent. The Christ Pantocrator mosaic there has serious presence.
The church is almost an illustrated old and new testament picture book but not well lit in the side naves, so a few panels are very hard to make out.
We caught the shuttle bus down the hill and after a long hot wait, the connecting bus back into Palermo, which gave us a chance to observe Sicilian city traffic habits which were sometimes hair raising. We saw one girl, mobile phone to her ear, do a U turn despite traffic bearing down from both directions, then park her car at right angles to the road, completely blocking the footpath, all without missing a beat in her conversation.
We had a tasty Sicilian lunch in a little restaurant in the park near Piazza Independencia, home for a siesta, then another walk around, then dinner in our favourite restaurant of the trip. Very, very good food. The proprietor shook hands with us as we left and we wished one another well with great sincerity.
So, our last night in Italy. Tomorrow we fly to Rome then to Istanbul, another country and another completely different culture.
Our next planned stop was Monreale, a town about 10 kilometres out of Palermo and perched up in the mountains. We had researched which bus to catch, and we did well buying the tickets and finding the stop. We came unstuck however when the bus, despite having its destination clearly marked as Monreale Duomo stopped some 4 kilometres and one very steep mountain road short of the Duomo. "On foot" the driver said, waving his hand in the general direction ahead as he kicked us off. There were couple of shifty looking taxi drivers waiting who immediately descended upon us. The whole thing felt like a scam, so we declined their services and set out to walk up the hill in the very hot sun.
We discovered on visiting the tourist info centre in the town when we finally arrived that there is a shuttle bus, which our bus driver had neglected to tell us about. Whatever, we were a bit hot and addled, and running short of time thanks to the experience of getting to Monreale which rather detracted from our experience of the church, which really is magnificent. The Christ Pantocrator mosaic there has serious presence.
The church is almost an illustrated old and new testament picture book but not well lit in the side naves, so a few panels are very hard to make out.
We caught the shuttle bus down the hill and after a long hot wait, the connecting bus back into Palermo, which gave us a chance to observe Sicilian city traffic habits which were sometimes hair raising. We saw one girl, mobile phone to her ear, do a U turn despite traffic bearing down from both directions, then park her car at right angles to the road, completely blocking the footpath, all without missing a beat in her conversation.
We had a tasty Sicilian lunch in a little restaurant in the park near Piazza Independencia, home for a siesta, then another walk around, then dinner in our favourite restaurant of the trip. Very, very good food. The proprietor shook hands with us as we left and we wished one another well with great sincerity.
So, our last night in Italy. Tomorrow we fly to Rome then to Istanbul, another country and another completely different culture.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Palermo, Sicily, Tuesday 10 June, Day 48
After breakfast on the roof terrace of the hotel, enjoying the spectacular view over the domes and spires of the city, we set out to explore. First stop was Chiesa_di_San_Cataldo, said to be an example of Arab Norman architecture. Very simple and stark, with three very exotic looking red domes.
Right next door was the highlight of the day, the Chiesa Della Martorana. It has a fine bell tower with detail picked out in tiles, and you get the sense even before you go in that it is something special. Founded at the time of Norman rule it is as ornate as the nearby San Cataldo is restrained. Martorana has some truly splendid mosaics created by Byzantine craftsmen. The space is complex and there are many different zones each of which the artists have filled in unique and different ways. There is a mosaic portrait of Roger II receiving his crown directly from Jesus, with whom he bears a strong family resemblance. There are wonderful angles with mighty wings and tiny feet. There is a charming annunciation, with the hand of God the father appearing just below the radiance of the central upper window. The nave has a beautiful nativity scene, which we really liked. As with all mosaics, it seems impossible to get a photo that is even close to what they really look like.
We wanted to visit the church of San Francesco de Assiza, but it was closed, but we did pass a restaurant that seemed to have a good vibe - Anne's antennae for this has become finely attuned over the trip - and made a mental note of the location. We headed onto Chiesa Della Magione, another stark interior Norman church, fragrant with many while lilies and roses, perhaps in preparation for a wedding. At the back of the church was a remarkable 20th Century Pieta, that Anne particularly liked. Unfortunately the church closed for lunch ]soon after we got there so we thought we'd have lunch as well, and retraced our steps to the place we'd noted earlier.
Turned out to be one of the all time great lunches - 'street food' of arancini and caponata and potatoes with melted Sicilian cheese, with dolci of little ricotta filled tarts in short pastry and a sort of almond icecream, plus a lovely wine, in a lovely restoration of what looked like a medieval warehouse. The ambience and service were great and so was the food. I'm afraid Sicily is turning me into a foodie. Interesting that there were a number of youngish Sicilian men in the restaurant sitting at tables by themselves, earnestly enjoying the food. Eating is a serious business in Sicily. We assured the proprietor that we would be back for dinner, which he accepted as the compliment that it was.
Palermo is not a great pedestrian city. The streets are tiny, footpaths narrow or non existent, and the concept of cleaning up after your dog has yet to catch on here, so walking is not relaxing. We were glad to get back to our air con comfort for a siesta. A low key afternoon, some shopping and a wander, then back for dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
Tomorrow we want to get out the door early to beat the tour groups at Cappella Palatina, and then get a bus to visit Monreale.
Right next door was the highlight of the day, the Chiesa Della Martorana. It has a fine bell tower with detail picked out in tiles, and you get the sense even before you go in that it is something special. Founded at the time of Norman rule it is as ornate as the nearby San Cataldo is restrained. Martorana has some truly splendid mosaics created by Byzantine craftsmen. The space is complex and there are many different zones each of which the artists have filled in unique and different ways. There is a mosaic portrait of Roger II receiving his crown directly from Jesus, with whom he bears a strong family resemblance. There are wonderful angles with mighty wings and tiny feet. There is a charming annunciation, with the hand of God the father appearing just below the radiance of the central upper window. The nave has a beautiful nativity scene, which we really liked. As with all mosaics, it seems impossible to get a photo that is even close to what they really look like.
We wanted to visit the church of San Francesco de Assiza, but it was closed, but we did pass a restaurant that seemed to have a good vibe - Anne's antennae for this has become finely attuned over the trip - and made a mental note of the location. We headed onto Chiesa Della Magione, another stark interior Norman church, fragrant with many while lilies and roses, perhaps in preparation for a wedding. At the back of the church was a remarkable 20th Century Pieta, that Anne particularly liked. Unfortunately the church closed for lunch ]soon after we got there so we thought we'd have lunch as well, and retraced our steps to the place we'd noted earlier.
Turned out to be one of the all time great lunches - 'street food' of arancini and caponata and potatoes with melted Sicilian cheese, with dolci of little ricotta filled tarts in short pastry and a sort of almond icecream, plus a lovely wine, in a lovely restoration of what looked like a medieval warehouse. The ambience and service were great and so was the food. I'm afraid Sicily is turning me into a foodie. Interesting that there were a number of youngish Sicilian men in the restaurant sitting at tables by themselves, earnestly enjoying the food. Eating is a serious business in Sicily. We assured the proprietor that we would be back for dinner, which he accepted as the compliment that it was.
Palermo is not a great pedestrian city. The streets are tiny, footpaths narrow or non existent, and the concept of cleaning up after your dog has yet to catch on here, so walking is not relaxing. We were glad to get back to our air con comfort for a siesta. A low key afternoon, some shopping and a wander, then back for dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
Tomorrow we want to get out the door early to beat the tour groups at Cappella Palatina, and then get a bus to visit Monreale.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Palermo, Sicily, Monday 9 June, Day 47
Up early, checked out, left our bags at the hotel and headed off down the hill to the site of the temples and the remains of the Greek then Roman city below. Pedestrian traffic obviously isn't too common and we had to scramble along to avoid oncoming traffic. Most people seem to arrive by coach as part of an organized tour group.
A couple of the temples are very well preserved, one because it was taken over as a church, after the bishop had 'exorcised the pagan filth' the sign helpfully informed us. Other temples have been destroyed by earthquakes, but are still impressive as you get a good sense of how massive the component parts of the temples can be, and a new respect of the engineering capacity that was around in Greek society in 600 BC to build those huge structures. Other temples have been destroyed by human intervention, with stone carted off for other building projects.
It was great to be able to wander through the old city, to contemplate some of its chequered history, to look out from the remnants of the defensive walls, to explore the places where houses once stood, their layout still clear, and to see things like the plaster still visible on fallen temple columns. There was an ancient swimming pool, with the steps and the irrigation channel clearly visible.
There are some ancient olive trees around the site too, said to be more than 1500 years old. There was a Japanese tour group in front of us as we approached a particularly venerable tree, and each member of the group placed their hand respectfully on the tree's trunk as they passed.
It was very hot by the time we had traversed the city, so we decided to catch the local bus back up the hill to the Archeology Museum. While waiting we shared the extremely small patch of shade available with a senior Sicilian citizen and his little dog which was really feeling the heat. Anne offered the dog some water, which won the approval of the owner, and we had a good old chat while waiting for the bus. He had been to Australia and New Zealand, and was like many of the Sicilians we have met, very proud of Sicily and its culture.
The museum has an impressive collection of art and artefacts retrieved from the site. The city at its zenith had over 200,000 people, and was inhabited for hundreds of years, so the amount of stuff is not surprising. There are still large areas which have not been excavated. Walking back up the hill there were bits of pottery shard visible in the bank beside the path. But it was too hot to stop, and we needed to get to the station, get our tickets and some supplies, and catch the train.
Agrigento station is a strong contender for the Italian station of the trip award. It has a great bar, offering a fine selection of freshly baked Sicilian pastries. We got an economical and tasty lunch from the friendly proprietor, it has helpful group of loungers who are very ready to provide useful information - get your ticket over there, the departures board is that one, silly, go down the lift there - it has a deliciously cool waiting room, and it even has its own chapel. Lost points for locking the door to the ladies. Overall score very high.
The train ride from Agrigento to Palermo traverses some really lovely Sicilian landscape. It is in parts a stunningly rugged and beautiful place. Geologists must love it, as it has some extraordinary features, massive plates of sedimentary rock pushed up at alarming angles to form mountains a bit reminiscent of some parts of the Grampians. There were some thunder storm clouds around today which created wonderful patterns of light and shade on the grass and flower covered hills. The regional train was very comfortable too, with good air con, unlike our train from Salerno to Catalina. And it ran to schedule, so we got here in good time and found our hotel without any drama. I think I have finally worked out the GPS.
The hotel has roof terrace restaurant so we tried it out tonight. The view over Palermo and the surrounding mountains was magical as the sun set and the city lights came on. The dinner was perhaps not so magical, but we have been spoiled by the fantastic Sicilian food so far. Lots to explore over the next few days.
A couple of the temples are very well preserved, one because it was taken over as a church, after the bishop had 'exorcised the pagan filth' the sign helpfully informed us. Other temples have been destroyed by earthquakes, but are still impressive as you get a good sense of how massive the component parts of the temples can be, and a new respect of the engineering capacity that was around in Greek society in 600 BC to build those huge structures. Other temples have been destroyed by human intervention, with stone carted off for other building projects.
It was great to be able to wander through the old city, to contemplate some of its chequered history, to look out from the remnants of the defensive walls, to explore the places where houses once stood, their layout still clear, and to see things like the plaster still visible on fallen temple columns. There was an ancient swimming pool, with the steps and the irrigation channel clearly visible.
There are some ancient olive trees around the site too, said to be more than 1500 years old. There was a Japanese tour group in front of us as we approached a particularly venerable tree, and each member of the group placed their hand respectfully on the tree's trunk as they passed.
It was very hot by the time we had traversed the city, so we decided to catch the local bus back up the hill to the Archeology Museum. While waiting we shared the extremely small patch of shade available with a senior Sicilian citizen and his little dog which was really feeling the heat. Anne offered the dog some water, which won the approval of the owner, and we had a good old chat while waiting for the bus. He had been to Australia and New Zealand, and was like many of the Sicilians we have met, very proud of Sicily and its culture.
The museum has an impressive collection of art and artefacts retrieved from the site. The city at its zenith had over 200,000 people, and was inhabited for hundreds of years, so the amount of stuff is not surprising. There are still large areas which have not been excavated. Walking back up the hill there were bits of pottery shard visible in the bank beside the path. But it was too hot to stop, and we needed to get to the station, get our tickets and some supplies, and catch the train.
Agrigento station is a strong contender for the Italian station of the trip award. It has a great bar, offering a fine selection of freshly baked Sicilian pastries. We got an economical and tasty lunch from the friendly proprietor, it has helpful group of loungers who are very ready to provide useful information - get your ticket over there, the departures board is that one, silly, go down the lift there - it has a deliciously cool waiting room, and it even has its own chapel. Lost points for locking the door to the ladies. Overall score very high.
The train ride from Agrigento to Palermo traverses some really lovely Sicilian landscape. It is in parts a stunningly rugged and beautiful place. Geologists must love it, as it has some extraordinary features, massive plates of sedimentary rock pushed up at alarming angles to form mountains a bit reminiscent of some parts of the Grampians. There were some thunder storm clouds around today which created wonderful patterns of light and shade on the grass and flower covered hills. The regional train was very comfortable too, with good air con, unlike our train from Salerno to Catalina. And it ran to schedule, so we got here in good time and found our hotel without any drama. I think I have finally worked out the GPS.
The hotel has roof terrace restaurant so we tried it out tonight. The view over Palermo and the surrounding mountains was magical as the sun set and the city lights came on. The dinner was perhaps not so magical, but we have been spoiled by the fantastic Sicilian food so far. Lots to explore over the next few days.
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Agrigento, Sicily, Sunday 8 June, Day 46
This morning we caught our first taxi of the trip from the hotel down to the bus station. Luckily yesterday I had identified where the bus left from and where to buy tickets as the Tourist information centre had given us incorrect info on both. But we were in the right place with the right tickets and soon we were sitting in a very comfortable bus heading off to Agrigento, about three hours drive away from Catania.
It was a nice change from trains. The landscape from Catania to here is very varied. There are the slopes of Mt Etna, lots of dry wheat country not unlike the wheat belts in Australia, craggy mountains often with crumbling castles grafted onto the summits, strikingly awful towns of concrete multi story apartment blocks that make housing commission look good, groves of olives, sudden green valleys, some wonderful stone houses that are very much like Spain ...
The Sicilian roads seem to be a series of roadworks linked together by confusing roundabouts. Luckily the bus driver knew the way, and we arrived on schedule. Being really lazy we caught another taxi to our hotel, so I feel a bit odd, as I did not do much to get here. We certainly fell short of our 10,000 steps today though I think we will make up for it tomorrow when we head off to explore the temples of Agrigento, which we can see waiting for us in the valley below. Here is a bit of the view that we contemplated while eating an extremely nice dinner on the terrace of the hotel.
The food and the people in Sicily have been memorable. Sicilians have a wonderful sense of humour. The hotel and the fellow guests are a bit weird but in an entertaining way so far. Tomorrow we will explore the temples and then catch an early afternoon train on to Palermo, which is our last stop in Italy.
It was a nice change from trains. The landscape from Catania to here is very varied. There are the slopes of Mt Etna, lots of dry wheat country not unlike the wheat belts in Australia, craggy mountains often with crumbling castles grafted onto the summits, strikingly awful towns of concrete multi story apartment blocks that make housing commission look good, groves of olives, sudden green valleys, some wonderful stone houses that are very much like Spain ...
The Sicilian roads seem to be a series of roadworks linked together by confusing roundabouts. Luckily the bus driver knew the way, and we arrived on schedule. Being really lazy we caught another taxi to our hotel, so I feel a bit odd, as I did not do much to get here. We certainly fell short of our 10,000 steps today though I think we will make up for it tomorrow when we head off to explore the temples of Agrigento, which we can see waiting for us in the valley below. Here is a bit of the view that we contemplated while eating an extremely nice dinner on the terrace of the hotel.
The food and the people in Sicily have been memorable. Sicilians have a wonderful sense of humour. The hotel and the fellow guests are a bit weird but in an entertaining way so far. Tomorrow we will explore the temples and then catch an early afternoon train on to Palermo, which is our last stop in Italy.
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