Martin's Mag.

We’ve been in Sicily for three weeks. We liked Sicily when we came a couple of years ago, but we were mostly on the east of the island then and didn’t get a chance to explore the capital, Palermo. Also, at this time of year, we weren’t going to spend much time sunbathing so the city seemed a good choice.

The flight went smoothly, apart from some gut-wrenching turbulence coming in to land, followed by the obligatory round of applause. Then a coach into the city followed by a 200m walk to our studio flat. Actually described as a “mezzanine” flat as the living/kitchen/bathroom is on one level with the open bedroom on, you’ve guessed it, a mezzanine level. Quite large. The kitchen is far short of Sal’s normal extensive requirements, but it should do for breakfasts and the occasional uncomplicated meal, she thinks.

The owners of the building are a pleasant family, and we met many of them as people wandered in and out while some sense was being made of their reservation and accounting system.

Sunday 19th January. Just finding our way around, went to the Piazza Marina and a bric-a-brac market in the Gardinio Garibaldi. Walking back we spotted an interesting-looking narrow lane with restaurants across the road and so ended up having a larger lunch than intended. Several courses: ante-pasta, pasta, fish/meat and dessert (well, a chopped orange) with a litre of wine – 25 euros for both of us.

Palermo Old harbour.

Banyan tree seen through picture frame at bric-a-brac market in Gardinio Garribaldi.

One of many fantastic banyan trees in the parks and piazzas of Palermo.

Detail of banyan tree in Gardinio Garribaldi.

Sal in Gardinio Garribaldi.

Lunch.

Contented dog.

Monday 20th. We did the first ten items in the guide book. Well, it’s as good a way as any! Also, the Ballerio north African market area.

Truck with fruit boxes.

Politeama Piazza in shower.

Tiles.

Tuesday 21st. Botanic gardens and the Cathedral.

Entrance to beach carpark.

Botanic gardens.

Botanic gardens.

Botanic gardens.

Botanic gardens.

Palermo Cathedral.

Palermo Cathedral.

Wednesday 22nd. Walked to the north-west up Monte Pellegrino. The hill had some supernatural legacy as it is devoted to Santa Rosalia, who, it is reputed, has appeared to a number of specially-gifted/feeble-minded people over the centuries. Very steep but mostly well-maintained paths. Good range of flora. I feel like Homer Simpson as Sal describes the origins and etymology of all the species, how they are related to each other and to British plants, what sort of soil and other conditions suit them. We both know that, fascinating though I find this information at the time, it will be lost forever within minutes of being entrusted to my brain’s filing system. Everything about the walk was great apart from the actual Santa Rosalia Sanctuary, with its very tacky souvenir stalls. We bought two not-very-nice expensive coffees from a surly woman who was much more interested in the imminent arrival of some coach parties. Happy to get back on the mountain trails.

Montepellegrino.

Montepellegrino.

Montepellegrino.

Tree trunk,

Montepellegrino.

Montepellegrino.

Montepellegrino. Arch used as climbing wall.

Thursday, 23rd. A walk to The English Gardens, plus markets and churches.

Furniture shop displaying our balcony seats!

Prison, with bullet holes.

The English Gardens.

Garibaldi.

Palermo church interior.

Fruit seller.

Our orange supplier.

Our hotel. The Politeamaffitti.

Friday, 24th. Showers, so good day for the Museum of Modern Art.

Museum of Modern Art.

Marina in shower.

Saturday, 25th.

My birthday present from the hotel!

Sunday, 26th. Walked up the coast, past a huge cemetery packed out with flower-bearing visitors, to a beach-side restaurant called La Mattanza. Really busy, mostly families, probably from the graveyard. Great meal. On walk back all the flower sellers now disappeared and cemetery locked.

Cemetery, with Montepellegrino in background.

View from near restaurant, looking toward Palermo.

La Mattanza beach-side restaurant. Bigger than it looks.

Monday, 27th. Lazy day. Went to supermarket. Watched Pointless and University Challenge. Just like being at home.

Tuesday, 28th. The catacombs of the capuchin monks. A bizarre and memorable visit. No photos allowed so click HEREhttps://www.wondersofsicily.com/palermo-capuchin-catacombs.htm for more details, if you dare! Then to the nearby Zisi Palace. Moorish.

Zisi Palace.

Zisi Palace.

Zisi Palace.

Zisi Palace.

Wednesday, 29th. Mondello by bus. Nice seaside town on the coast to north. Seafood lunch, etc.

Fishing boats at Mondello.

Fishing boats at Mondello.

Mondello.

Mondello.

Mondello.

Lunch.

Thursday 30th.
Walked around the left of Montepelligrino through the Parco Della Favorita, then turned south to the Palazzina Cinese. Fabulous place, built by the sister of Marie Antoinette to make her more famous sibling jealous. Interior restored to a high standard, including wall and ceiling paintings and a marbled basement bathing pool.

Palazzina Cinese, Palermo.

Palazzina Cinese.

Palazzina Cinese, Palermo.

Palazzina Cinese.

Palazzina Cinese.

Palazzina Cinese gardens.

Friday 31st. Warm but overcast day so just pottered about. Visited local supermarket and then read books (me Jeeves and the Wedding Bells by Sebastian Faulks and The First World War by AJP Taylor, and Sal Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner) and Sal made use of her paints, see below:

Veg and beer on Palermo table. Painting.

Corner of Palermo hotel room. Painting.

Saturday 1st February. Just wandering around, mainly street markets.

Block of flats from Palermo hotel window, with assistance from PhotoShop.

Butcher in street market, Palermo.

Palermo fruit stall.

Ornamented fruit carts.

Typical fish stall, Palermo market.

Palermo fruit trader.

Monday 3rd.

Walked along coast to south-east. Less interesting than the other way, but nice bright day and good sea views.

Street scene.

Sea shack, Palermo.

Palermo seascape.

Tuesday 4th. Caught bus up into hills, to Monreale. Fabulous church, even for an atheist, with world-famous monastery cloisters. Nice day so walked all the way back.

Monreale cloisters.

Monreale cloisters.

Monreale church roof.

Vertigo on church roof.

Monreale cathedral interior.

Thursday 6th. Back up the coast to Mondello. Even nicer day than last time. Ate in same restaurant, thereby becoming regulars.

Mondello.

Mondello boatmen.

Friday 7th. Back up Monte Pellegrino again, with a picnic. Warmer than last time, same spectacular views, improved by avoiding the Santa Rosalia Sanctuary.

Monte Pellegrino from below.

Saturday 8th. Flying back to London today. Sal dreading landing at Gatwick as weather reports are dire. As it happens, landing is much better then three weeks ago arriving in Palermo.

Leaving hotel.

Long wait at Pelermo airport.

It’s all over! The festive season, that is. It just happened that our big family party this year fell on the Winter Solstice (21st) which seemed to give the event more relevance, I thought. For an evangelical atheist, like me, Christmas is just a bundle of various historic traditions (many originally stemming from the solstice, I suppose) and commercialism. But mostly commercialism.

Sal’s fish pie.

The Mid-Winter Lido.

Kitting out the van! Christmas Eve fun.

Christmas Day at Abbot’s Pool.

High tide at Portishead.

Sunrise from home.

Walking back from the nature reserve yesterday afternoon we crossed the lock gates when three lifeboats were leaving. Not an emergency at sea, just retired boats, now lovingly cared for by their new owners. First out was the Pentland, a restored ex-RNLI Watson lifeboat which originally served in Scotland. Then the Douglas Currie, a Mark 2 Solent class lifeboat built in 1973, also from Scotland, and last the lovely little Always Ready, a Liverpool class lifeboat built in 1933. These pictures were taken with my phone. (You can guarantee a picture opportunity if you don’t have a camera on you.) NB: Click on any photo to enlarge.

The Pentland, on the left, and The Douglas Currie.

The Douglas Currie, in front of The Pentland.

The Always Ready.

I have some very well-scattered cousins. Australia, Germany, Switzerland and many parts of England. All originating from a small area of east London, with valuable additional genetic input from north Essex in the form of Ivor. As far as I know, this diasporation (surely not a word?) was for entirely non-criminal reasons. They slip back in from time to time though (the Border Control Agency is very overworked, apparently) and Simon and Jan were here from Australia recently. Simon and I popped over to Ivor’s for a chat and some very nice biscuits.

Ivor and Simon.