Sun, Sea, Archeology, and Onwards to Croatia

Saturday 08-Jun-2019 (Agrigento to Palermo)

[Updated: 16-Jun-2019]

As time seems to be passing… quickly, and we have, it feels, seen enough ruins and rubbish…. and it is quite hot too… we have decided not to visit the western most points in Sicily. Today – we will start with a visit to the Valley of the Temples – which as I note are actually on a ridge. While the “temples” may not be quite as complete as those at Paestrum – their location is spectacular – and the site is around 2 km long.

The Valley of the Temples - Agrigento 

Built at at a similar time to those in Paestrum (6^th – 5^th century BC) – the most complete temple (Temple of Concord), like the Minerva temple in Assisi and the Pantheon in Rome can probably best trace their preservation back to their conversion into places of Christian Worship post Constantine’s edict about the new state religion of the Roman empire. There were many Christian burial sites in the valley – dating back to 4^th and 5h centuries AD.

The Temple of Concord... cropped to remove the towers of what looked like an oil refinery (just off image to the left)… Actually it was surprising to see so many refinery-like buildings on Sicily.

"Icaro" (Icarus) upon landing... and a hot seat for those wanting to be photographed sitting on his thigh!

Apparently – this is where Icarus fell to earth too – and natural place for women to pose… (but not without difficulty – as the beating sun had transferred a lot of heat to Icarus… (as we all know) – making it a hot place to sit upon!).

The sense of the “age of this site”, and the length of time people lived here (apart from the temples etc.!) is evident in one very simple image – that of the wheel ruts made by wheeled vehicles passing through one of the entry gates to the fortified area.  They must have had a good traffic lights system in place – as passing on this two-way road would seem to be a difficult problem – even for Italian’s!

Very deep "no-passing" wheel ruts at one of the entry gates... gives a sense of longevity, and poor roadway "re-surface" planning - something that has continued to this very day! (Or maybe the money got spent on other luxuries?)

This was also a location where we were confronted by the role that the Mafia have played in Italian life. There were a significant number of monuments to those in public office (Police and Judiciary) who had paid the ultimate price, when confronting these thugs.

Do enlarge this image so that you can read the inscription on the death of Piersanti Mattarella.

Like yesterday… it was a bit warm for one of us… being 35C … in the morning. And most (but not all) people making their way down the valley via the shade of the next available tree…. Some of which were rather ancient (one being 750 years old… not quite as old as those in the Garden of Gethsemane – but similar in appearance – very large and gnarly).

After the Valley of the temples – it was just a 3 hour drive to Palermo… via what, for Sicily, were quite good roads! The viaducts that carry the road over the land scape do tend to be rather amazing to us (the Otira Viaduct is very (very) puny compared to these ones). But they all seemed to be having some work done on them.. so were invariably reduced to one lane at some point. Lots of horticulture on view on what appears to be very fertile, rolling hill country.

While waiting at a Stop-Go halfway across a long, "S" shaped viaduct.. a view from the cabin door of Fiat. This was quite typical of the much of the countryside between Agrigento and Palermo - mainly intensive horticulture.  But also, often seen, large numbers of hay bales (round, but not wrapped on all sides).  Not clear what these are used for - as very few animals were to be seen anywhere.

Sunday & Monday 09,10-Jun-2019 (Palermo)

Our campsite, La Playa Isola de Femmine, is some distance to the west of Palermo – but there is a subway stop just a few hundred metres from the entrance – so very easy to get into the city (about 30 minutes). As the day after arriving was  a Sunday (where many sites would be closed) – we decided to stay 2 days, (3 nights).  It turned out that the Harker's were also in Palermo too – so we arranged to meet for “coffee” and to catch up - which we enjoyed very much (even if we did occupy a table for 3 hours... though we bought "twice").

The guidebook noted that Palermo is “vibrant, scruffy… and very noisy” – we can agree to the first two, but it didn’t seem to be any noisier than anywhere else in Italy that we have visited! But scruffy it is…

Looks a bit dodgy, and definitely gritty, but was only a stones throw away from the "#3" attraction for visitors in Palermo - the fish market.  Mercifully, on Sunday it was not operating, and neither of us have been able to smell for weeks (with ongoing sinus infections!)  

There is some kind of "harmony" among the apartments- and a certain attractiveness (that differs from other Sicilian (and mainland) cities... but I  am glad I don't live here.  We wonder what they are like inside: dark but beautiful, or dark but shabby??

As the first day we visited was Sunday – and, we presume, first communion – we enjoyed seeing the importance placed on this event… (including, professional photographers to record it… and so many “poses” as well) and on being dressed for Sunday.

Beautiful Sunday colour in a world of warm and crumbling stone.

It was Sunday, and we encountered quite a number of young (10 - 12 years old?) girls dressed in cloths resembling wedding dresses etc. with their parents similarly dressed in their best outfits.  We assumed these were young people after their first Communion - but perhaps we are mistaken.  Clearly though, a very serious and important day in the lives of these young girls.

The street musicians (on the Velo Tour (a tricycle)) were impressive too… the guitarist had multiple impressive skills – including management of the ever present ciggarette!

The male guitarist in the "Velo-Tour group" - the singer was a dark haired woman.  He could make impressive music with this instrument... all the while managing that cigarette - without taking it out of his mouth!

With regard to the adherence to the “laws” here … we have already commented – but we do need to revise our theory about the presence of indicators.  Cleary the facility to operate the indicator lights is present… as parking is defined by “stopping” (wherever), and turning on the hazard lights… but in the most part – there seems little other purpose for these lights.  And as regards parking in general – we both agree that only the front of a vehicle need be parked… and this applies to delivery trucks too… and often one of the good places is over a pedestrian crossing – where there is just enough room to get the front of the vehicle in, between those cars parked immediately adjacent to the crossing.

What is "not right" about this image?? Truly law abiding folks - as they have parked both the front and back of their cars under the no-parking sign.

A Piaggio ready for action... 2-stroke, low revving, and all sound like the muffler is long past it's use-by date.  They are everywhere, and are used for so many tasks... I assume they must be cheap! 

The "pattern" on the vault of the Capella Palatina - crafted by Muslim artisans - it is spectacular for the detail.

One small section of the wall above the main aisle - and the beginning of the story of Noah.

Given Sicily’s role in the Crusades (e.g. Roger II)– there are ancient edifices here that reflect on life in the 12^th Century – including the (really) amazing Cappella Palatina within the Palazzo dei Normanni – which has the most beautiful mosaics we have seen (and perhaps the most beautiful ever completed)… and built for said Roger between 1132 and 1140.

Looking toward the Apse of the Capella Palatina - all mosaic, and all dating back to the middle of the 12th century.

A fresco on the wall of the Palace (that contained the Capella).

The Cathedral is impressive too...

The Duomo (Cathedral) in Palermo - or rather a small section of it!

The Palermo skyline from the rooftop of the Duomo.... 110 steps up a spiral staircase (with each step at least 40 cm in height)… the attendant selling the ticket did take a look at me - and emphasised the "110" part... implicitly (I thought) suggesting I may want to reconsider??

And there are some very ancient churches here too - including one that is cared for by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

The church on the right (with the three red domes), San Cataldo, is also very old - and we are informed that it has made an important contribution to European architecture.  It is designed (almost) as a cube.  It is this church that  is managed from Jerusalem - and it's simple, unadorned structure and cupolas reminded (me) of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre... but only in the most general sense. 

San Cataldo - from the inside. 

Tuesday 11-Jun-2019 (Palermo to Tropea)

A long drive today… from Palermo (Sicily) to Tropea (Calabria)… taking in the Straits of Messina on the way.  But before that – a visit to Duomo at Monreale, a church that sits high above Palermo. Claimed to be one of the greatest sights of Norman Sicily. Sadly it’s origins relate more to the power of politics, than as a monument to the works of the Creator.  The church was built by William II, who wanted to rival the power of the Archbishop of Palermo.  Accordingly, it is bigger than the Cappella Palatina – but almost identical otherwise (in terms of the material “covered” in the mosaics). It also a sepulchre for William I and William II.

The exterior of the Duomo at Monreale - as the guide books notes - a bit austere... compared to what is inside it!

The Apse in the Duomo at Monreale… without careful analysis it looks quite like the imagery on the Capella that it was designed to "best"... likewise for much of the other decoration... Impressive, but not so much so after seeing the "more intimate" Capella.

The only other “interesting” element of today’s travel… was trying to find the right imbarkation location for the ferry from Messina to Villa San Giovanni.  Messina roads are complicated… as are the directions for the various ferry terminals…  but we got there… after almost going down the road to go to Corsica!  In talking to some very well travelled English campers at Matera – a few days later… we discovered that it wasn’t just us who had such difficulties!

After arriving back in Calabria… there was one more interesting element to the days travel… negotiating the roads to Tropea… more of those quite narrow roads… and a steep descent into the town (the GPS route just looked like spaghetti!... here a turn, there a turn… on and on!).

Wednesday, Thursday 12,13-Jun-2019 (Tropea to Matera)

Tropea is one of those really picturesque villages… with beautiful beaches and translucent water (the best we have encountered)… and yes we swam in the sea again… The campsite was just 120 steps below the town – so we did go and visit the night before leaving…

After climbing the 120 steps... the little town of Tropea at night.

And in the morning it looks like:

And the view of the convent on what was once an island - below the town... and the same level as the camp site which was just on the opposite side.  The swimming beach / water was surreal.

The "houses" in Tropea, are built right to the edge of the cliff above the bay... so if there is a need to do some work on the exterior of one of these houses - the scaffolder's task requires a lot of ingenuity! 

We exited the town and drove along the coast to Pizzo… again via some “quite” narrow streets… then onward across Colabria to Matera, almost in Puglia.  Matera contains a limestone gorge in which people have been living in cave-houses for of the order of 10,000 years.  It is a fascinating place – but my it was hot – with all these limestone buildings happily radiating away at whatever temperature they reached (40C?). We arrived into the “city” at 9.30 am, and left at 3.30pm… and it was 36C even at that time.

There are two parts to Matera - as above where the houses and churches are only partly built into the limestone, and an area where they seem to be entirely "built" within the limestone.  It sure does radiate heat!

The most important Rock Church - and a symbol of Matera. Actually two churches connected via a short tunnel - and entirely within the rock.

While each cave hose seemed to have it's own cistern, and method for routing rainwater into it... there was a need to have big cisterns for times of drought.  This one, the biggest, was dug right under the main square and could hold 5 million litres of water.  It was abandoned at the start of the 20th century - when Matera received piped water... and only relatively recently reassessed, and drained  of all but a metre or so of water... and available to visit.  Very cool... in every sense of that word - especially the one relating to temperature!

For reasons (unknown to us, right now) – around 50% of the inhabitants were removed from the cave houses in the late 50’s and housed instead in apartments. I’m not sure that went all that well.  But with the increasing interest in antiquity… and tourism, Matera is very much in the limelight now – and you can stay in a 5 star hotel there now.  But the site is very interesting – with a large number of “rock churches” – which have been carved out of the limestone, and in the case of the most important rock church (Madonna de Idris – there are fragments of some very early medieval frescos on the walls.

Interior of a "typical" cave house... not shown here - but the stall for the animals is on the back left, and the place to store hay and manure is in an alcove at the back right!  And yes - the "loo" was a commode!

Tomorrow we will head towards Bari, via Alberobello (to see the round “Trulli” houses)… and to find some internet so that we can book a ferry to Coatia for Saturday evening  (as they only sale every other day)…