Travel On Our Own

[travelonourown]

[travelonourown]

[travelonourown]

Sun 9/1

Had breakfast and then took the wrong bus towards Monreale Cathedral. Realizing it would be a 1 mile climb in the heat to get to the Cathedral, we wisely called an (overpriced) Uber to haul us up there. We visited the Cloister first as it closed around 1pm. The fantastic 12th century capitals on the columns of the cloister were individually carved with incredible variety- depicting subjects like Samson, the Slaughter of the Innocents and Melusine (aka the Starbucks Mermaid). The cloister garden has 4 trees (palm, fig, olive, pomegranate, and all quite healthy) which represent earthly paradise. Really a special place! After lunch including a sweet canolo for Edward, we visited the Cathedral with its amazing mosaics, which surpass even those of San Marco in Venice! They form pictorial stories (Genesis, Old Testament and the Life of Christ) on different levels and all around the nave, and are truly exquisite. The columns in the nave have capitals which were repurposed from other places, and still display pagan goddesses. The main Christ Pantocrator mosaic was under renovation so we didn’t see it. The royal tombs of Norman kings William I and William II are in the south transcript- beautiful porphyry and marble. Monreale Cathedral was built in only 15 years, but its floors took another 300 years to complete. Leaving the Cathedral, we went to the wrong bus stop (again Edward’s mistake), we made our way to the correct place and waited. The bus didn’t come for some time, and a van pulled up and offered us a ride back into town for 10 Euros, which we accepted. We walked back from the area of the Norman Palace, had another rest and set out again to find dinner. Had another good meal near Piazza Rivoluzione, including another Sicilian white wine (Insolia) which we really enjoyed.

[travelonourown]

[travelonourown]

[travelonourown]

[travelonourown]

Sat 8/31

After breakfast we visited 3 churches very near our hotel- Santa Catarina (a beautiful but faded lady quite in disrepair, where even the pipes were removed from the organ box), La Martorana (originally 12th century with beautiful mosaics in Eastern Orthodox style, and later Baroque extensions), and San Cataldo (small and plain, with 3 red Arabic domes, very atmospheric). We then took the city bus to Mondello beach for a few hours- a bit disappointing as it was extremely crowded and the water was greenish. We did enjoy some gelato post-swim, though. After returning on the bus and having a bit of rest, we hit a couple of restaurants in and near Piazza Rivoluzione, along a pedestrian street. Had cocktails and pizza in the first restaurant, and wine/beer and calamari in the second. Lots of bars and young people enjoying themselves in this neighborhood, again quite magical, and a bit like when we were lost in the back streets of Venice. We walked back to our hotel on Via Vittoria Emanuele (lighted like the shopping streets in London) and Via Roma (the main drag).

[travelonourown]

[travelonourown]

[travelonourown]

[travelonourown]

Fri 8/30

After breakfast on the rooftop terrace, we walked (with a slight detour toward the Marina area) to the grand opera house Teatro Massimo and checked out the exterior. Had beer in the square and then walked along the pedestrian-only street Via Maqueda. Got some Arancini (fried rice balls with various fillings, a local specialty), and ate them in the Quattro Canti, the Four Corners intersection of Via Maqueda and Via Vittoria Emanuele. This landmark had wonderful sculptures on each corner, of Spanish kings, patron saints and women representing the four seasons. Sunlight illuminates the different corners at different times of the day- magical! After resting in our room for a bit, we had a great meal at a tiny restaurant near the Quattro Canti. A big day!

[travelonourown]

[travelonourown]

Wed 8/28 - Thu 8/29

Flew on Swiss to Palermo via Zurich, then took an Uber to Hotel Ambasciatori near the Historic Center. Since we were fed on the plane, we went up to the rooftop terrace in the hotel for a drink. The terrace had a gorgeous view of the City, and we tried some Grillo, a fabulous white wine specialty of Sicily. What a great start to our Sicily adventure!

[travelonourown]

[travelonourown]

Mon 8/5

After breakfast at our hotel, we set off for home along the coast. We stopped for a short visit in Redwood National and State Parks. Drove the amazing Drury Scenic Parkway through magnificent coastal redwoods, and took 2 short walks into the forest along the way. It was like being in Jurassic Park- we expected to see a velociraptor among the ferns and gigantic trees! Next we stopped to see the Big Tree, one of the very largest in the Parks. Got lots of nice pictures on all of these stops. After picking up park brochures at the Kuchel Visitor Center and vowing to return, we headed south to Eureka for lunch. We had raw oysters, fried calamari & chips at Cafe Waterfront- really good. Then we tackled the rest of the long drive home, on 101 through Ukiah, Santa Rosa and Marin County. It was a very long day but so worthwhile.

[travelonourown]

[travelonourown]

Sun 8/4

After bidding adieu to our Portland friends, we set out for Crescent City, just over the border in California. It was a fairly long drive, but the section through the Smith River canyon was quite beautiful. Passing the redwoods of Jedediah Smith Redwood SP, we arrived at our hotel around 5:30pm, and immediately went back out for dinner at the Boat House Restaurant. We had delicious Japanese seafood rolls and fried ice cream for dessert. After this we took a walk out to Whaler Island to look at the sea. Along the way we were serenaded by the Sea Lion Chorale, and no tsunamis were experienced.