How Convenient

I think there are some days I'd pick this over an ice cream cone. Maybe....

Listen to the Locals

We were planning to take a train from Trapani to Palermo (on the north side of Sicily) yesterday. We mentioned to Antonio (our B and B owner) and several locals and you would have thought they had said we are going to take a three legged mule.

"Noooo. Train is bad. Takes too long. Take bus - only 90 minutes."

The Train was about 2 1/2. Well, we had booked it quite a while back so we thought what the hey.

We boarded our tiny train just before 12 (seriously it was just a few cars) and we were off.Sort of anyway. We stopped at quite a few stations and I swear for traffic and for no reason at all (or that I could tell).

I lookedout the window and saw “Marsala.” Wait a minute, that’s due south. We were due north.

At the next stop “Castelvetrano.” Everyone got off. The station was quiet and the surrounding grape vineyards quite serene, conjuring up Godfather flashbacks again.

Steph and I found out the train towards Palermo was in three hours and we were in fact going the right way. Apparently you go in a circle to get to Palermo.

We settled in on a bench and had a great time reading and people watching. Policemen and Station managers were fighting in Italian and gesticulating wildly --- two minutes later they were friends again and laughing together. A German Sheppard wandered about eyeing my train station pizza. A cool Sicilian Breeze kept us comfortable.

The men came to know that first, we didn’t speak Italian and second, we were going to Palermo. They didn’t really interact with us (it was entertaining enough just to watch this little movie play out in front of us) but they made sure we got on the right train and helped us with our bags.

A couple hours into our second train ride the conductor comes through and starts rapidly talking to the passengers – we were straining to understand one word of his Italian.

We then come to a stop and he smiles at us and says “Change.”

Everyone gets off crosses the tracks and about ten minutes later and gets on a one car train to Palermo (or so I hoped). Finally, we pull into our station – which did not say Palermo (and why would it) --- the conductor informed us we were at our destination.

Exhausted we hauled our luggage off – one of the passengers hung back to make sure we were safely off.

So yeah, a 90 minute journey took about 71/2-8 hours.

So when in Sicily 1. Take the bus 2. Listen to the locals. 3. Know that the best way from Point A to Point B is NOT a straight line. 4. Finish a long journey with Sicilian pizza, it makes everything better.

Picture by Jaya Bird: Our train stop for about three hours.

Picture it. Sicily. Two-Thousand and Ten

There are a few things that come to mind when I think of Sicily. Our family friends and Sicilians, Emilio and (the late) Yolanda, the mafia/Godfather and the fictional character, Sofia Petrillo from the "Golden Girls." (Hence, the title to this post - if you don't get the reference, then you are dead to me.... okay, I kid, sorry, the Sicilian mentality is taking over :)).

Sofia's crazy stories about her homeland painted the first images of Sicily in my imagination. The quaint cobblestone streets, the churches on every corner, the gorgeous beaches,the fabulous pasta and seafood the plethora of older people milling about and chatting at neighborhood cafes --- and the general friendly and inviting demeanor of the locals.

Well, the stories were pretty much accurate. Sicily's weather and people are equally inviting.

Our first stop was in the town of Trapani (pronounces TraaA-pa-niiii). After dinner, we found one of the few bars open in this small town and quickly made friends with Laura (Wales) and Brenda (Scotland). They were both in town to teach English. We also made friends with Salvatore, the bartender and Marina (Salvatore's brother's girlfriend's sister). Within an hour we were hanging out as if we had known each other for years.

Day two: Steph's birthday! We visited the beach and had yet another great dinner (I know I have said it already but this beats schnitzel - hands down). We finished the night relaxing in warm open air and chatting with some locals and visitors at one of the cafes that lined Via Garabaldi --- one of the main drags.

I love summer in October.

Picture by Jaya Bird: Beach in Trapani, Sicily