An Offer You Can't Refuse

Another WiFi find, so another report. We spent the greater part of yesterday motoring across half of Sicily, from Palermo to the town of Agrigento, site of the Valley of the Temples. No, this isn't a shopping mall sponsored by the United Jewish Appeal. It's an expanse of rich archeological treasures from the 5th Century B.C., all Greek temples in various states of ruin, stretching across a long ridge of almond and olive trees, with the Mediterranean at its feet. Today, we climbed through the site in detail.


But along the way, I couldn't resist a drive through the rocky hills leading to the town of Corleone. Throughout the journey, the love theme from "The Godfather" haunted me. Just as depicted in the film, the area takes your breath away with its verdant beauty: tall green hills patched with squares of vine stalks and other local produce; stone buildings, in different stages of wear, dating back centuries; herds of sheep crossing from one rolling hill to the next, encouraged by attentive dogs and meandering shepherds strolling lazily behind.

Corleone is a moderately large village. We arrived just as school let out, and spent lunch at a popular pizzeria among lively high school students. The town itself is rather neural about its notoriety, and why not? I doubt if Vito Andolini or his prodigy ever walked these steps. But it was fun to see the surroundings from which the book emerged.


IN AND ABOUT PALERMO
This is a large metropolis, with the flavor of both Rome and Naples. Numerous large piazzas display grand sculpture, statues and architecture of many periods, dating back to the 11th C. Norman invasion. We wisely invested in a "Hop On/Off" tour bus ticket, and experienced two different touring routes with historical commentary. This allowed us to follow-up with return visits to favorite locales. The dock area was most interesting, as Palermo is a huge port for commercial and tourist activity. And not surprisingly, the seafood here and throughout Sicily is fresh and delicious.

One day we took an hour's bus ride out of town to Monreale. The cathedral there is a work of art in the field of mosaics, pretty much floor to ceiling (65,000 sq. ft.), by 12th C. Byzantine craftsmen. It's considered the art treasure of Sicily, and I wouldn't contest it. Here's a portion of the 42 ft. mosaic figure over the church's apse.


Another day we rode the rails 90 minutes eastward along the coast to the town of Cefalu. This was one of our favorite small cities in Italy, reminiscent of Orvieto. Its narrow cobblestone streets were filled with interesting small shops, with towering medieval stonework above. It was fun to wander through the streets and get a feel for the quieter life enjoyed by its residents. A tasty lunch of homemade pasta with crabmeat, in a small restaurant near the sea, was punctuated by the delightful vocal reaction to local seafood delicacies as expressed by a group of Japanese tourists. I'm guessing they enjoyed it, but since my Japanese is about as proficient as my Italian, there's no way to be sure.

Next: eastern shore of Sicily, and the city of Syracuse.

Location:Agrigento, Sicily