I could not wait to finally arrive in Palermo. Palermo is in Sicily… which is an island off the “boot” of Italy. After hours in airports and time flying from Arizona, USA to Palermo, I would need sleep and good food! The next couple of days I am on my own; time to explore the capital of Sicily: Palermo.

Day 1, on my own: I slept in, because I could actually sleep in a bed! After breakfast, I was ready for my adventures to begin! I read so much about the bakery at Saint Caterina’s Monastery, so I headed there. Many delicious pastries and I chose the cannoli with, per each end of the pastry, chocolate chips, the other end with pistachios. I asked for it as take-away. Expecting a bag, I was pleasantly surprised with it in a beautiful box!

This day was my “nature” day since being cooped in the airports and planes left me needing green space and sunshine. I spent time at Orto Botanico which for an entrance fee you walk through acres of hundreds of different plants. It’s considered an “open air” museum with different cacti, shrubs, and trees. Of course there were birds, happily singing, so I could add 15 new birds to my life list! One of the buildings had Linnaeus’ microscope and collected samples. What I find fascinating with visiting Sicily, just as I felt anywhere in Europe in past visits, everything is truly old, very, very old, even many of the trees in this garden and throughout the city.

Adjacent to Orto Botanico is Villa Guilia. With no entrance fee, people can now enjoy this open space; a true public area! In ancient times, fishermen hung their nets to dry and later on it was the place for capital executions. In 1777, the villa was built following precise geometric rules and it became the first public garden in Italy.

Throughout this Sunday, I saw many families enjoying the outdoor spaces in beautiful sunny, 60-ish weather. Young children wore frilly costumes and on one backstreet I saw a float. I know there are festivals in each city honoring patron saints so it may have been used there.

Sicily is an island so I decided to head to the water. Along the way, I discovered another bird: white wagtail. I was appreciative of it standing in the grass, and in no real hurry, so I got a photo!

Day 2, on my own: Up at a decent time, breakfasted with some people, and then time to start my day. I headed back to the Church of Saint Caterina for a tour of the church, the monastery and bakery. Lots of climbing steps to get to 2 viewing areas from the roof. The nun’s rooms in the monastery were actually decent sized; interiors were larger than my van’s interior… so I thought each room quite spacious. No nuns remain at the monastery; they are elsewhere and now tour fees and bakery purchases help provide restoration dollars and upkeep. Then another treat at the bakery, a fried “Iris con ricotta”, or “Iris”, a bun with ricotta cheese and chocolate within. A bite into this and the ricotta cheese literally erupts, volcano-like from the pastry! So delicious and almost a meal! There was also a baked variety of this pastry.

I needed to walk and burn some calories after that treat. There are churches everywhere; I decided one more today would be good. I love seeing mosaics, so I stopped in, for a fee, at the Church of Santa Maria dell’ Ammiraglio. No words can explain the church’s interior, nor photo, but the mosaics are best seen in the photo with Christ.

I walked to the Royal Palace area. Although it was closed, I had some good people-watching time at a green space near the palace. Many people smoke cigarettes; jeans, electric bikes and scooter are popular; heavy jackets are worn by locals as this is their winter.

Then a walk to “Teatro Massimo”, a theater third largest in Europe. (First, Paris; second, Vienna) I took a guided tour. We sat in some very comfortable seats as our guide explained the size of the theater’s stage, and the seating for the five levels. We stopped in at the Royal box with its 27 chairs…. not as comfortable as the orchestra seating area. Opera and ballet presentations are seen here throughout the year. A few more theater rooms were discussed, then I was on my way back to the waterfront before a return to the hotel. I took time to organize since I join the tour group tomorrow. I am traveling with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT).

Arrivederci!

(means goodbye or see you later)