Palermo & Tour of Sicily, 2016

November 17th–December 2nd, 2016


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  1. DSG_4041.NEF — Checking into the Ambasciatori Hotel.
  2. DSG_4033.NEF — Palermo from the rooftop of our hotel.
  3. DSG_4379.NEF — One of the “Four Corners” intersection. Each corner is dedicated to a different king of Sicily.
  4. DSG_3947.NEF — Off on a field trip!
  5. DSG_3957.NEF — The bounty of the Mediterranean.
  6. DSG_3963.NEF — The bounty of Sicily.
  7. Il_Borgo.jpg — The old Palermo seaport in 1864.
  8. DSG_3971.NEF — The seaport today.
  9. DSG_4047.NEF — Local students show their hospitality.
  10. DSG_3993.NEF — Nucatola flower shop. We don’t know his exact relation to us. He told us he got a letter from America many years ago. It was from Barbara.
  11. DSG_3988.NEF — Gelato heaven.
  12. DSG_4018.NEF — Giuseppe & Maria Nucatola took us out for dinner and we walked around afterwards.
  13. DSG_4010.NEF — Teatro di Palermo
  14. DSG_4001.NEF — Legs doorpull
  15. DSG_4036.NEF — Ambasciatori breakfast area on the roof with a 360° view of the city.
  16. DSG_4052.NEF — Entrance to Oratoria San Lorenzo.
  17. Nativita_con_i_santi_Francesco_e_Lorenzo.jpg — The Adoration by Caravaggio in the Oratorio. (Wikipedia photo)
  18. DSG_4060.NEF — Museo Archeologico
  19. DSG_4095.NEF — Metope (friezes at top border of Greek temples).
  20. DSG_4103.NEF — Docent explains the Metopes
  21. DSG_4107.NEF — Man’s superiority is always shown by his foot being atop a woman’s in Greek art.
  22. DSG_4067.NEF — Grecian urns
  23. DSG_4117.NEF — Amazon women
  24. DSG_4139.NEF — Oratoria Santa Caterina d’Alexessandria. We were allowed to photograph here.
  25. DSG_4133.NEF — To the science of Physics. Oratorios were used for secular meetings as well as religious.
  26. DSG_4158.NEF — Monte Pellegrino home to the sanctuary of Saint Rosalia.
  27. DSG_4183.NEF — Francesco and Anna Nucatola took us on a sightseeing tour to Mondello, a resort town for Sicilians. Francesco, Anna e Barbara.
  28. DSG_4176.NEF — Fishing off a Mondello wharf.
  29. DSG_4160.NEF — Just your normal billboard along the road.
  30. DSG_4141.NEF — Francesco and Anna take us to their favorite lunch place. Sicilian specialties galore.
  31. DSG_4151.NEF
  32. DSG_4186.NEF — Driving back from Mondello.
  33. DSG_4191.NEF — Similar to “Il Borgo” where Barbara’s ancestors lived.
  34. DSG_4339.NEF — Posters on the way to Orto Botanico
  35. DSG_4277.NEF — Nick visited Orto Botanico—the botanical garden.
  36. DSG_4338.NEF — Sicilian Boy Scouts
  37. DSG_4341.NEF
  38. DSG_4349.NEF — Antica Focaccaria San Francisco. We stayed near here in 2005. Famous for a Spleen Sandwich.
  39. IMG_4880.CR2 — Us with Giuseppe & Maria.
  40. IMG_4865.CR2 — Dinner
  41. IMG_4869.CR2 — Cassata, a traditional Sicilian dessert.
  42. DSG_4353.NEF — Piazza Pretoria, also known as “Square of Shame” for the nude statues.
  43. DSG_4371.NEF
  44. DSG_4360.NEF
  45. DSG_4394.NEF — Cathedral of Palermo
  46. DSG_4400.NEF — Interior redesigned in the 18th century with neoclassical style.
  47. DSG_4414.NEF — Tomb of priest assassinated by the Mafia in the 1960’s.
  48. DSG_4443.NEF
  49. DSG_4447.NEF — Initial get together of our tour group
  50. DSG_4469.NEF — We meet our guide for our evening walk.
  51. DSG_4472.NEF
  52. DSG_4575.NEF — A highlight of the tour.
  53. DSG_4489.NEF — The contessa Federico herself, showed us around.
  54. DSG_4520.NEF
  55. DSG_4529.NEF — Richard Wagner once played this piano. The contessa was an Olympic swimmer as well as an accomplished soprano.
  56. DSG_4530.NEF
  57. DSG_4537.NEF — She regaled us with song and stories of the family & palazzo.
  58. DSG_4536.NEF — Family cats.
  59. DSG_4535.NEF
  60. DSG_4568.NEF — Count Federico, a race car driver in his youth.
  61. DSG_4561.NEF — Racing his car.
  62. DSG_4487.NEF — The car today.
  63. DSG_4578.NEF — Dinner after the visit to the Palazzo.
  64. DSG_4587.NEF — Street signs in the Jewish neighborhood are in three languages, to celebrate their heritage.
  65. DSG_4584.NEF — Tour guide, Jackie
  66. DSG_4594.NEF — Pots pans and sheet metal are made and sold in the Jewish neighborhood.
  67. DSG_4604.NEF — Church of the Gesù, decorated in high Sicilian baroque manner.
  68. DSG_4609.NEF — This was the ultimate in Sicilian Baroque.
  69. DSG_4691.NEF — About to tour a market.
  70. DSG_4680.NEF — Swordfish from the Mediterranean.
  71. DSG_4641.NEF
  72. DSG_4642.NEF
  73. DSG_4669.NEF — Prickly pear cactus fruit is a favorite Sicilian dessert.
  74. DSG_4849.NEF — Cathedral of Monreale
  75. DSG_4695.NEF — Modern statue
  76. DSG_4718.NEF — There are more mosaics at Monreale than at St. Marks in Venice.
  77. DSG_4703.NEF — The walls are covered with biblical stories, both Old and New Testament. This is Noah’s Ark after the storm.
  78. DSG_4741.NEF — Beautiful coffered ceiling.
  79. DSG_4742.NEF — Mosaic over the main altar.
  80. DSG_4758.NEF — Tomb of a king of Sicily made of a rare giant piece of red marble.
  81. DSG_4808.NEF — St. George and the Dragon, a popular theme.
  82. DSG_4819.NEF — The famous cloisters with inlaid marble columns and biblical stories carved into the capitals
  83. DSG_4828.NEF — Samson & Delila on one of the monastery capitals.
  84. DSG_4838.NEF — Monreale bell tower and cloister.
  85. DSG_4851.NEF — Monreale looks down on Palermo for a spectacular view.
  86. DSG_4882.NEF — Back at the Museo Archeologico for a history lesson.
  87. DSG_4885.NEF — La Martorana in Palermo with more mosaics.
  88. DSG_4895.NEF — Man humbling himself before Mary.
  89. DSG_4900.NEF — Start of a new day.
  90. DSG_4951.NEF — Sicilian roads are beautiful. Many roads have spectular bridges that span valleys.
  91. DSG_4975.NEF — The Doric Temple at Segesta.
  92. DSG_4954.NEF — The Roman Theatre at Segesta
  93. IMG_4888.CR2
  94. DSG_4985.NEF — Construction of the temple stopped after it was realized that “federal aid” was not forthcoming.
  95. IMG_4890.CR2
  96. DSG_5107.NEF — Lunch at the home of Maria Grammatica, Sicily’s most famous pastry chef.
  97. DSG_5050.NEF — Maria Grammatica with Susanna and the part of the spread of platters.
  98. DSG_5055.NEF — Yum!
  99. DSG_5063.NEF
  100. DSG_5076.NEF — Making almond cookies.
  101. DSG_5099.NEF — Maria Cutting cannoli.
  102. DSG_5098.NEF — Karen
  103. DSG_5120.NEF — Erice. Hiking up to Castle of Venus in the wind in Erice.
  104. DSG_5138.NEF — A little fairly tale castle.
  105. DSG_5155.NEF — The streets of Erice were deserted—off season and a very strong windstorm.
  106. DSG_5146.NEF — Many shops carried ceramics.
  107. DSG_5147.NEF
  108. DSG_5141.NEF — We are headed down this winding road to get to Trapani.
  109. DSG_5157.NEF — Happy Campers.
  110. DSG_5158.NEF — Into the busy city of Trapani.
  111. DSG_5165.NEF — Our seaside hotel in the resort town of Trapani.
  112. DSG_5164.NEF — One of the floats used at festivals.
  113. IMG_4892.CR2 — Carol & Barbara
  114. DSG_5227.NEF — Piles of covered sea salt. The salt is covered with roof tiles in the winter to protect it from the weather.
  115. DSG_5175.NEF — Our tour guide …
  116. DSG_5182.NEF — On the boat to San Pantaleo Island.
  117. DSG_5208.NEF — At the Whitaker Museum in Mozia.
  118. DSG_5226.NEF — Old Windmill, used to pump water into the salt ponds.
  119. IMG_4893.CR2
  120. DSG_5249.NEF — Another bridge spanning a valley.
  121. IMG_0862.JPG — View from our hotel in Trapani.
  122. IMG_0864.JPG — Fig filled cookie, a nucatoli.
  123. IMG_4899.CR2 — Roses in an our room!
  124. DSG_5255.NEF — On the way to Agrigento.
  125. DSG_5281.NEF
  126. DSG_5284.NEF — ‘Giant’ that holds up the roof of the Temple of Jupiter.
  127. DSG_5297.NEF — The first Trinacria—the emblem of Sicily.
  128. DSG_5303.NEF — Greek wine urn used at big gatherings.
  129. DSG_5310.NEF — A relaxed messager god, Hermes.
  130. DSG_5314.NEF
  131. DSG_5343.NEF
  132. IMG_4901.CR2
  133. DSG_5361.psd — Tempio di Hera
  134. DSG_5378.NEF
  135. DSG_5347.NEF — 800 year old olive tree
  136. DSG_5379.NEF
  137. DSG_5483.psd — Tempio della Concordia—the most beautifully preserved Greek temple in the world.
  138. DSG_5432.NEF
  139. DSG_5497.NEF — Tempio di Ercole (Hercules)
  140. DSG_5520.NEF — The collapsed Temple of Jupiter.
  141. DSG_5452.NEF
  142. DSG_5508.NEF
  143. DSG_5477.NEF — Girgentana Goat, actually native to Agrigento, with twisted horns.
  144. IMG_4906.CR2
  145. DSG_5539.NEF — Leaving our agritourismo in Agrigento.
  146. DSG_5570.NEF — Di Maggio coffee bar, for a rest stop.
  147. DSG_5557.NEF — Decorated expresso at Di Maggio
  148. DSG_5551.NEF — Sicilian marzipan in the shape of fruits.
  149. DSG_5572.NEF — Oh the places we go!
  150. DSG_5580.NEF
  151. DSG_5676.NEF — Since becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site, they have the money to fully protect all the rooms.
  152. DSG_5592.NEF — One of the larger mosaic floors.
  153. DSG_5607.NEF — Animals surrounding a central courtyard.
  154. DSG_5606.NEF — Goat
  155. DSG_5613.NEF — Boar
  156. DSG_5652.NEF — Pulling an elephant onto a ship for transport.
  157. DSG_5647.NEF — Ostrich.
  158. DSG_5698.NEF — Basilica. A basilica is any large meeting hall.
  159. DSG_5671.NEF — Room of the Ten Girls—bikini clad athletes.
  160. DSG_5663.NEF — The center one is getting an award, perhaps at an Olympic games.
  161. DSG_5680.NEF — Fishing. The fisherman look like cherubs.
  162. DSG_5586.NEF
  163. DSG_5709.NEF
  164. DSG_5726.NEF — Agriturismo where we ate all native grown food.
  165. DSG_5728.NEF — Antipasto
  166. DSG_5745.NEF — Ragusa, hilltown.
  167. DSG_5758.NEF — Our hotel in Ragusa. The rooms were in separate buildings. Ours was up several flights of outside stairs.
  168. DSG_5755.NEF — In our room.
  169. DSG_5764.NEF — Nighttime tour of Ragusa.
  170. DSG_5774.NEF
  171. DSG_5771.NEF — Detective Montalbano is a popular Sicilian detective serial. There are tours of the filming locations.
  172. DSG_5779.NEF
  173. DSG_5788.NEF
  174. DSG_5816.NEF — Olive oil producer, Gulino, at Chiaramonte Gulfi.
  175. DSG_5808.NEF — Samples for all, of course.
  176. DSG_5809.NEF
  177. DSG_5826.NEF — Getting a tour of the olive trees and farmland.
  178. DSG_5851.NEF
  179. DSG_5853.NEF — Lost in the streets of Ragusa.
  180. DSG_5860.NEF — Pay dirt! We find a seller of Nucatola cookies.
  181. DSG_5047.NEF — Yum. We took some home to send to relatives.
  182. IMG_4909.CR2 — Part of our lunch.
  183. DSG_5890.NEF — Cooking lessons at the hotel restaurant—Making arancini.
  184. DSG_5902.NEF — Lessons from the chef.
  185. DSG_5907.NEF — Arancini, ready for deep frying.
  186. DSG_5926.NEF — Dinner for all.
  187. DSG_5949.NEF
  188. DSG_5944.NEF — Bob meets a Sicilian police officer.
  189. DSG_5959.NEF — Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, Modica’s orginal chocolate factory.
  190. DSG_5971.NEF — All the different flavored award winning chocolates.
  191. DSG_5977.NEF — We’re going to watch them temper and mold chocolates.
  192. DSG_5985.NEF — All the Sicilian delicacies, including Nucatoli.
  193. DSG_5992.NEF — Well said!
  194. DSG_6005.NEF — Italian cemeteries are all above ground. The remains only get a limited amount of time there.
  195. DSG_6008.NEF — Our guide to Scicli. He’s the only one not writing a book.
  196. DSG_6022.NEF — Town hall in Scicli.
  197. DSG_6024.NEF — The office of Detective Montalbano’s boss.
  198. DSG_6054.NEF — Sentimental 19th or early 20th century works.
  199. DSG_6044.NEF
  200. DSG_6083.NEF — Another lunch of treats.
  201. DSG_6102.NEF — Siracusa on a rainy night.
  202. DSG_6124.NEF — Our bus driver, Giuseppe, with Susanna.
  203. DSG_6130.NEF — The next day was extremely windy.
  204. DSG_6147.NEF — Violent waves pounding the shore and ruffling our feathers.
  205. DSG_6157.NEF
  206. DSG_6159.NEF — Our guide to the Neapolis Archaeological Park with Greek theatre, dungeon and Roman amphitheater.
  207. DSG_6180.NEF
  208. DSG_6194.NEF
  209. DSG_6211.NEF — Entrance to a cave used as a dungeon
  210. DSG_6196.NEF — Caper plants grow on the walls.
  211. DSG_6231.NEF — Retro Coca-Cola signs are popular. Not very Italian.
  212. DSG_6235.NEF — The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Tears, a privately funded memorial.
  213. DSG_6255.NEF — These sandwiches were a treat from Susanna.
  214. DSG_6282.NEF — Chiesa di Santa Lucia alla Badia
  215. DSG_6272.NEF — Santa Lucia is the patron saint of the blind and of Siracusa.
  216. DSG_6293.NEF — Fountain of Diana in Siracusa.
  217. DSG_6304.NEF — Laurie with her new hat. Great town for shoppers.
  218. DSG_6309.NEF — The puppet theatre in Siracusa.
  219. DSG_6321.NEF — The sequence of shows takes several years to cycle through.
  220. DSG_6331.NEF — The puppets are only 2 1/2 feet high, but they look full size on the stage—an optical illusion.
  221. DSG_6349.NEF — On our way to Catania, we stopped at the only WW II museum on Sicily. It is dedicated to the actions in Sicily during the war.
  222. DSG_6355.NEF
  223. DSG_6366.NEF — Code machine. Like the German Enigma, but used by the Allies.
  224. DSG_6370.NEF — The Nazi had taken over Sicily before the Allies liberated it.
  225. DSG_6343.NEF — Bob & Barb
  226. DSG_6380.NEF — Entering Catania, a chaotic city that reminded us of Naples. Mount Etna is straight ahead.
  227. DSG_6339.NEF — Some of our fellow tourists planned to stay a few days extra in order to visit Mount Etna.
  228. DSG_6403.NEF — Elephant, the emblem of Catania.
  229. DSG_6394.NEF — The Catania fish market. Fish plays a big role in Sicilian cuisine.
  230. DSG_6386.NEF — Sicilians do eat meat.
  231. DSG_6388.NEF — I grow radicchio like this at our town garden.
  232. DSG_6418.NEF — Catania buildings.
  233. DSG_6427.NEF — The Sonny Bono?
  234. DSG_6428.NEF — Nick’s dad was born in San Demetrio in Calabria.
  235. DSG_6444.NEF — Our room in Catania, a fabulous suite.
  236. DSG_6434.NEF
  237. DSG_6443.NEF
  238. DSG_6457.NEF — Benanti Vineyards, where we had our farewell dinner.
  239. DSG_6462.NEF — Our vineyard guide.
  240. DSG_6451.NEF — A Sicilian cart. Nick’s dad went to the seaport to leave for America in one of these.
  241. DSG_6450.NEF — Every square inch is painted with stories.
  242. DSG_6467.NEF — Our last sunset in Sicily.
  243. DSG_6476.NEF — Another family that has been in the same business for hundreds of years.
  244. DSG_6491.NEF
  245. DSG_6501.NEF
  246. DSG_6483.NEF — Signore Benanti expresses his appreciation of Rick Steves Tours.
  247. IMG_4910.CR2 — Dinner
  248. DSG_6505.NEF — Signore Benanti’s son, who sells their wine around the world.
  249. DSG_4560.NEF
  250. DSG_6584.NEF — Back at home we made our own Nucatola cookies, and they were delicious!