Around Palermo

Untitled Document

Around Palermo!!

Page Four

ALL THE PICTURES ON THIS PAGE ARE FROM OUR "SICILIAN EXCURSION TOUR." We hired a driver to take us to these places that are west of Palermo and not very accessable by public transportation.

These 2 pictures are of Laurie and I in front of the Greek Temple at Segesta. Built in 435 BC by the Greeks, there was also an amphitheatre.

Here we are stopping for a shepherd and his sheep, so pretty. In 2010, Tom and I saw these sheep in their pasture, by the Temple.

We are being driven up to the hill-top town of Erici, 2463 ft. in altitude from sea level. what a view !!

We got to see the Saltpans, where salt has been drying from sea water since the Normans ruled Sicily in the 11th century.

Here is the view from Erici looking East toward Mt. Cofano and Vito lo Capo.Beautiful view also of the Tyrennian Sea.

At the top is the Norman Castle of Venus, built over an ancient Greek temple. We only had time to walk thru some of it's gardens.

Here is a roof top view of more of the churches in this town.

As we walked the steep streets of Erici, we saw this old painted cart in the lobby of a small restaurant. The streets were lined with shops and places to eat.

Here is a good view of the streets of Erici. All where up and down on this hill-top town, not much level walking. By now Laurie and I were getting tired feet. This definately has become a real "tourist trap" for shoppers.

Well, this is the end of our excursion, on our last day of Sicily. We made it to the hotel in time to be picked up by Mario Oddo and taken to his house for a lovely dinner. Then we went to the Symphony, then to the airport the next morning. Our short stay in Rome before boarding our plane the following day, was quite a disapointment. We visited St. Peters Basillica, but half of it was roped off because of special services there for the federal holiday. I had wanted to finally go up to the Cupola to walk around, but it was closed, Add to this my being pick-pocketed of my wallet on the underground Metro, and you can see why I was glad to see that plane taking me home. When you visit another country, there is always something new to learn, and I sure want to warn you not to go on the Metro in Rome, it is very dangerous !! Our Hotel manager even warned us about this, but after the fact. Our wonderful time in Sicily, that included beautiful Ustica, far out weighs any negative events.

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