24th May - Palermo


We are up late - not  50  metres and we are sitting in Lucchese for breakfast.

I head off to find an ATM - yesterday's taxi had cleaned us out.

We find a horse - the horse just wants to do is job but  the driver has one eye on an opportunity to relieve a couple of old Australians of as much of their wallet contents as he can manage - a process to be accomplished!


The reality of the horse and carriage tour? - we tour Palermo for two hours - a comfortable, delightful time - the horse amazing - the driver a touch gruff but helpful - through the streets and lanes of Palermo - past gatherings of large ficus trees - past museum and church and grand post office - past parks and markets - past mobile fruit market stalls their owners trying to make a euro and their customers numerous and happy!



The horse needs a rest  - we are directed into the catacombs - the driver lights up a cherute - we are greeted by a Catholic monk in full regalia - he smiles - we greet the ticket seller - we get the message! - no photographs! 

We find the catacombs interesting - extensive - grotesque - well maintained - surprising - thousands of people - little people - dressed in clothes - propped to keep them standing - showing their age - we walk over head stones as floor paving - an aisle of children - we turn away - we cannot face that aisle - a little shocking - how the world has changed!

Back to the waiting carriage - the driver is on his second cherute - he is pleased to see us but I suspect the horse would have preferred we stayed a little longer in the catacombs! 


Soon the little horse is back plying it's trade - through laneway - past rubbish - past mild graffiti - through areas that reeks of history and past glory - through other areas showing Siscily returning to it's former glory.




Along the magnificent via Roma   - the horse does not even prick it's ears as the noise of the emergency vehicles rushing by gets our attention.

We smile - like every other road user the horse ignores the existence of pedestrian crossings unless the pedestrian stares and asserts right of way - then the horse deviates slightly so as to allow the pedestrian some space.

The trip ends - my wallet is produced and openned - "how much?" I ask - suddenly the driver is completely devoid of English! -  he reaches over and extracts euros from my wallet until it is practically devoid of currency -  out of the corner of my eye I swear I see John Lowenstein smiling at me!" - "not much in the scheme of things!"


We sit in Lucchese and have lunch - we watch the week behaved Palermo pigeons - they dominate the avian life of the old city - they are remarkably clean and well behaved - I enjoy their company - as we sit we listen to the Italians - it is Saturday - many are just relaxing! As we sit trinket and cigarette salespeople wander in and wander past.


We wander out at 6:00  - a drink and dinner - less than 20 metres from our front door - Tony and Alex is setting up - we ask for a booking - booked out every night for 9:00 sitting  - Alex is delightful - "you come at 7:30 - you leave by 9:00 - welcome - ah - re-bec-e!

We sir at the bar around the corner - Bernie finally relents - an aperol spritz - "much better than I remember" says she! - we sit and watch - we watch the delivery men pick up take away Kentucky fried chicken - we watch people stream in and out of the tabacci - "I am loving my time in Palermo" says Bernie.

We head back 20 metres to Alex and Tony's - we are welcome as returning  Italians - delightful Etna wine - a Chardonnay-Viognier blend.

Delightful food - delightful  -  people we will return tomorrow!!

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