Selinunte, Agrigento, Siracuse, Palermo

Found an internet cafe so thought I would use it. Here is what husband has diaried:

Selinunte 17-18th September

We took the train to get to Stansted as the flight was at 11.45 and made contact with the Ramblers rep at check in to reassure ourselves as we had booked to travel separately. Some of the flight was a bit turbulent, but we arrived ahead of time and joined the group (24) for the bus journey to Selinunte. We found a few members younger than ourselves - we had been concerned at first sight, that we'd be the babies of the group by 10-15 years. We arrived at about11pm local time and ate and went straight to bed - no we didn't - we chatted up the barman and drank limoncello for a while.

The following day we were briefed and went off to view the Greek temples and remains of Selinunte: one reasonably complete (re-erected?), one with most of one wall standing and several piles of huge stones after earthquakes. (H climbed some and got told off by a guard, so he was luckier than one of us, who climbed and fell and scraped her leg). A very small museum also indicated use of the site as watch tower during the 17th-18th century as a warning mechanism against Barbary pirates. We ate a picnic lunch and then returned to the bay outside before returning to the hotel via a walk along the (oily) beach and a short cut through olive groves, courtesy of a helpful farmer.

Agrigento 19th September

A bit of rain overnight, same still around in the morning when we assembled by the coach for transfer to Agrigento. Arriving before the hotel would let us in to our rooms, we spent time by the pool having coffee and discussing the plant life ' (see photos later) before wandering off to have lunch in the Tratoria al Templi. After lunch, we went up into the 'old' town stopping at a convent (Santi Spiritu) to admire the stucco and partake of the sisters' almond cakes. The second stop waqs at Sta Maria du Greci, where the Greek building which was the preceding building was visible around and below the glass floor. The cathedral was closed!

In the evening we found an enoteca nearby (we had to escape a noisy crowded wedding reception at the hotel).

Sept 20

Went down to the temple area by bus and browsed for a couple of hours before returning to the town. We bought water etc at the supermarket and a bottle of red wine made by Sedara at Donnafugato (q.v. The Leopard) (I'll add links later) Then retired to sample the wares at Spizzulio, the enoteca we had visited last night, where we again had the sole attention of Carmelo, the sommelier. Had a wonderful plate of Sicilian cheeses arranged in clockwise order of piquancy see photo , a shrimp risotto with a rose and a moscalo di Siracusa, grace à Carmelo.

Sept 21

A bus trip to Eraclea Minoa, a Greek - even Minoan settlement with a wonderful position on a headland of white rock. Wandered round the site with lovely butterflies (Scarce Swallowtail, which is neither scarce nor possessed of a tail) and an orange winged specimen where the tip of the wings shaded to brown with a pure white stripe. Also enjoyed watching the shepherd with his flock of big-eared sheep.

Then went down to the beach for an excellent lunch at a beach cafe (Sabbia d'Oro) followed by a stroll or paddle along the beach to the headland- white chalk, banded, and sculpted into smooth waves by sand and wind. (Some strolled but others stayed and swam and sunbathed on the clean sandy, almost empty beach).

Sept 22

Transfer to Siracuso via Enna and Villa Romana di Caslae (vicino Piazza Armerina). The first stop, Enna, was a town situated on a hill top miles above everywhere, accessed by a vertiginous round with much advance warning from the bus-drivers horn.

The Roman villa was an enormous building with extensive mosaics including a famous erotic one. The mosaics were superb but ongoing restoration work meant that the presentation left something to be desired.

Went for a locational walk around the Teardrop Church - a modern concrete landmark following the acceptance as miraculous of the tears of a panted Madonna.

Sept 23

Strolled with wife to see and go into the Madonna delle Lacrima church before breakfast. Then spent the morning at the Archeological Park opposite the hotel ' Springs, Greek theatre, the quarry area (Chatonmie, roman theatre, etc. Found a place for the group to eat in the evening before a quick look at the arch museum and lunch.

After lunching walked (because all the places we tried to buy bus tickets from were closed) into Ortigia, the island which was the centre of the ancient Greek city. The cathedral - the oldest continuously used place of worship - was built into a Greek temple, the columns of which now formed the outside wall of the church - the nave had columns cut from the continuous inner wall of the temple.

Then staggered from cafe to cafe along the streets and promenade of the old town which would take a day or more to explore fully.

Finding a bus back was problematical and I was in the dog-house for waving on a bus full of fellow ramblers and having to wait 10 minutes for another - but we got back before the rest because they were on the wrong bus.

We had a good sociable meal in the evening at the restaurant on the other side of the archaeological park.

Sept 24 Monday

An outing by train (return by bus) to Noto, a small town rebuild in the Sicilian Baroque style after the earthquake of 1693 by Rosario Gaghàrdi. A rather cramped hillside ridge location meant a shortage of places to sit and wonder at the ornate unity of the buildings in a strongly coloured sandstone. We then recirculated looking for the most ridiculously ornate set of balcony supports, see photos later, but quickly found a place near the Duomo which had no real competitor.

Went for a solo stroll in the evening to snap an abandoned steam loco at the station and make another tour of Ortigia in a successful search for us, of a place to eat in the evening although perilously short of cash to pay for it. (it didn't take plastic)