Palermo - Sicily God first made the world and then he made the Straits of Messina to separate men from madmen – Sicilian proverb. I love this. I am not quite sure who the madmen are. I know the Sicilians think it is the mainland Italians, and maybe they are right. But as I said earlier anywhere south of Rome is a different world in Italy. There is a strong Arabic influence as they are so close to Tunisia, Algeria and Africa in the south. A lot of the churches have Islamic influences with mosque style domes, and the people have a more laid back and friendly attitude and the African concept of hospitality. It is more seedier of course too, but I think that is only on appearances. Palermo is described as fast, brash, loud and exciting. And is the capital of city and the centre of Mafia in Sicily. But it seems cleaner than Napoli on one level.

 

We roamed around without plan. The town is actually quite elegant with wide streets in the modern centre brimming with cafes, restaurants and boutiques. In the old town, winding streets with elegant Baroque and Norman monuments sit next to the Arabic cupolas, Byzantine street markets and heaving fresh produce markets. It's a mixed world and this is what Duigald and I loved best. We wandered through these medieval warrens, eating doughy bread laced with sugar, calamari, marinated eggplant and plenty of fruit. We watched the vendors calling out their wares, we went into the tiny churches off each piazza, we passed old people sitting in the shade outside their houses in tiny alleyways, we chatted to everyone we could. It was interesting, everywhere with touches of the Arabic.Sometimes in a design on a wall or the shape of a building. But so hot. So when 3pm came we got on the bus, kind of like getting on an Indian bus and fell asleep in the 2.5 hour journey.

Rosa lives in the centre of Sicily in a village called Mazzorino. The landscape here is barren and dry and just rolling hills with hot villages that would be beautiful in spring or autumn but now overwhelmed with heat and desperation. We arrived about 5pm and I called Rosa's nonna (grandmother) who said Rosa was on her way. She was so pleased to see us. The bus had dropped us in a tiny piazza with old men on benches and a farmacy. She took us to her aunt's sunglass shop nearby and produced Granita's for us, an iced tea drink with lemon icecream. Her aunt was very pleased to have us, a small woman of about 45, unmarried with long black hair, fashionably dressed but incredibly aloof on first appearances. Rosa kept saying she was pleased to have us here. She spoke some Italian so I was able to converse with her. She gave Duigald some glasses that had a fault.

We then went to Rosa's grandparents house, walking down tiny medieval alleyways, where cars could hardly fit through. Nonna and nonno were classic. So short and small but so welcoming. They were so glad to have us, and nonna had prepared the most amazing feast for us, about three courses of food, pasta, meats, salads, fruits, wine, soft drink and water. We were stuffed.Nonno kept coming in and out, as did nonna's sister, a small woman still dressed in black in mourning for a husband that had passed some years earlier. Everyone was tiny. They all kissed us, said they were pleased to have us here. No one spoke English and really only nonno and the aunt could speak Italian to me so it was a bit hard. We ate in a little shack around the corner from the house as the stove in their house was not working. This room was incredible, paint peeling, an old wash sink in the corner and a table in the middle of the room. Very atmospheric.

 

After a siesta in the house Rosa took us around to her parents house. Lovely furnished and so different to their place in Tuscany. Sicilians are Sicilians
first, kind of like Queenslanders in Australia. Proud of who they are and their Arabic origins and culture. Everything is cheaper in Sicily and their houses are
amazing. The house Rosa has in Tuscany is small and poky, nice but not elegant. This place in Sicily was lovely. Tiled white floors, two or three floors,
terraces and balconies. Spacious and airy. We walked around the town, meeting acquaintances of Rosa and eventually ended up at her aunt's shop again. She took us for a tour around town in her car, to an old castle just outside of town, through the main piazza's, stopping to give us pastries from a shop, getting coffee etc etc.