Day 3,

FEMALE

...or maybe it's the 8th, where you are! Losing track. 

Arrived in Palermo four nights ago after an easy trip (but Paul swears no more EasyJet seats!), reaching our hotel well before the Sicilian dinner hour of 9 pm. After 10 minutes in a nearby supermercato I was ready to move here! It's so much like Mexico (though with less friendly people): cheap, delicious, slow-moving, warm (well, compared to London!). We'd thought of Palermo as a dump, but other than some unpaved alleys and muffled hostility in the poorest back streets it seemed just fine (remember where we're coming from). Tales of Mafia atrocities everywhere, but then we've got the Narcos... 

Another pleasant surprise has been our hotels: expecting mom-'n-pop arrangements, we've had two great lodgings with comfy beds, plenty of room, fabulous breakfasts. The one in Palermo had a terrace off the breakfast area with an incredible rooftop view reminiscent of Guanajuato or maybe Florence.  Apparently the Rick Steves tours have moved upscale, and I'm wondering if the walking challenges haven't been dumbed down as well. 

Ruins everywhere in Palermo (from WWII bombings), some going back untold centuries. The second morning we went up to a hilltop town with the most beautiful cathedral of our traveling experience (I know, we've said that before), its interior completely covered in gorgeous mosaic work and featuring patterns by Christian, Muslim, and Jewish artisans. Utterly gorgeous, with an excellent guide who steeped us in the highly complex tea of the island's multicultural history. 

Our fears about the makeup of the group have not been realized, by and large. Many are quite interesting people and mostly West Coast liberal types. A nice contrast to our companions on the two cruises we took two years ago! I've opted out of some activities from fatigue or social overdosing, and there's no problem doing so. Hard to find time to write, otherwise! 

Yesterday we climbed to a Greek temple in Segesta through country swathed in wildflowers and herbs, including miniature prototypes of the artichokes we will be consuming here. It was a life high point for me—breathing in the ultrafresh air, gazing way down to watery ravines and up to limestone outcroppings: sort of like Tuscany crossed with the Greek mountains. Then on to another hilltop village for a buffet lunch and cookie-making demo: it started raining as we entered, increasing to a downpour and then hailstorm that left the surroundings with snowlike deposits. Brrr! Then down to a warmer seacoast town (Trapani) with abundant salt flats nearby. 

We are both squeamish about fish, which is hard to avoid on this island! There's very little meat on offer, but lots of well-prepared veggies. And sweets on end, even at breakfast (cannoli!!!). In general, they eat locavore-style, as in all other regions of Italy. I long for Bolognese cuisine, but have to say this is a lot healthier.

Erice Feast

Segesta Temple

Jesus mosaic (the hand alone is six feet tall)