Travel in Sicily, winter 2009

Day 7:

Usually we have the habit of sleeping outdoors, I prefer the quiet agitation that often prevails over an area or a campground, and here in the city, Palermo anyway, and although we had a great night very quiet, it's worth noting anyway!
We tried to find ourselves in Palermo on a Sunday to enjoy some tranquility to our visitors, and is well managed!

8:30, we left the parking lot, the streets are deserted, impressive contrast with the previous evening, the city is still asleep, a good half-hour later we arrive at the door of the Palace of the Normans, not easy to cross on foot if the heavy traffic, then we enter the square of the palace, "chiuso" as the Palatine Chapel, the work is done in the winter off-season tourism

We went down the main street, soon to our left is the cathedral, the Baroque jewel is the 1st office soon, visit us quickly inside, outside is more grandiose

We continue and arrive at the "Quattro Canti" a crossroads of 2 major thoroughfares of the city, each wedge is adorned with a fountain and statues on each floor, then a few hundred yards away is the "piazza Pretoria "and its famous fountain of shame, we make the turn, but it is high, not easy to make a photo together
At this time a guard challenges us is that the Municipio, ie the mayor of Palermo, he invites us to come and visit this magnificent palace, as it is Sunday the parliament is not in Sicily, the palace and its wonders are ours!
It is a rare privilege, parts and lounges open to us, the mayor's office where the throne and sword dueling range offered by Napoleon Bonaparte to the government of Sicily, Ming vases, the hall of parliament, a upstairs window to the most beautiful pictures of the fountain and the church of the Martorana, the Bellini Theater in short, a big thank you to that person for having kindly allowed this visit,

We continue by Martorana, a small Byzantine church of beauty (it comforts us a bit of closure of the Palatine Chapel) and then we go back to the neighborhoods, on this Sunday morning s' there is one of many city markets, we do our shopping at prices that I dare not quote here, you call me a liar (though an example: net veal cutlets: 9 € / kg!) and what the atmosphere! Italy What! but African souk,,,

It's good arms laden with food that we return to the camper, it is 13H, we will eat before leaving to visit Monreale,

We do services after lunch and settling in our night guard I asked him to confirm the direction for Monreale, my GPS is a bit lost at the start amid the buildings, then he tells me that the cathedral was partially closed for repairs and The Cloister also closed on Sunday!

Another disappointment, but the downside of the quiet winter

I feel that we will absolutely return to Sicily to discover all the wonders that are unfortunately closed, and then, not in a few days we can all see, we know!

So we take the motorway towards Enna in the center of the island and then towards the Villa Romana del Casale

Before Enna, I reprogrammed my GPS on the Villa, no problem, he knows well, I have the same phone! One idea I have seen the number of closures this season, would it not be wise to learn? I try,,, pronto,,, if,,,

In a charming French person of the OT Piazza armenia-m 'informs that the work is not completed, only a small portion is open,,,

Now what? As we still have many things to do in Sicily, this will be a next trip
We won a trip of 200 kilometers, given the time we get to Taormina for the night, we'll see where it arises, I have my own idea,,,

Here also the center of the island is totally different from the coast is very green, the field of cattle, Enna is still at around 1000 meters!

We descend over Catania in the midst of orange, Etna is perfectly visible, as fumaroles, no cloud cache, superb!
The highway between Messina and Catania is saturated in the direction of Catania, we are Sunday night and those caps are well worth the entry of Paris the same day, luckily we reverse it later we arrived in Taormina , parking has been indicated at the foot of the city, it is empty, and without restrictions, a "fermata" (bus stop) to 10 meters, great for tomorrow!

We install, it is almost flat, traffic is scarce, so much the better!

Day 8:

The trucks we wake up, they pass close to the camper, it's nice and sweet, I go out and Laura took the opportunity to cast an eye on the schedules of bus pass is the line that serves Taormina

A bus every half hour, perfect!

Breakfast, cars are parked next to us, I watch the blue bus to get out shortly before their passage, but no password since this morning, weird!

While Kathy is the washer, I will look at the next hotel, the concierge speaks a little French, verdict: no bus for 2 days,,, per qué? Know!

And damn! (not to say anything!)
I look at the map on the GPS, there are 3 car parks, although access is forbidden to campers (except transit Castelmola) we see the car up, 1 is reserved for buses and residents, missed the second to the northern entrance of the tunnel is limited by the bar - 1.90 million, still missed, so we crossed the tunnel to the final where a sign indicates BUS, the other path is also the - of 1.90 million, super ! But disappointment soon, entry BUS pay, work! A tourist bus is parked on the roadside, obstructing the passage, but I dare not leave behind him, he remains on the cable car that I spotted our 1st shift, also prohibits camping vans, put if we borrow this conveyance may be a T'on right?

I arrive at the parking station and I'll see at the counter for tickets, I asked the attendant if you can leave the "vehicle" on the car by paying 2 places?

No, prohibited "campers", otherwise it calls the polizia municipale and is the "multi"! plum, fine, whatever!

There, fed up of "cons", I yelled at copiously and we take our cliques and claques to leave the city (certainly very beautiful) but who knows if ill accept anything that does not drive a Porsche or Ferrari, tourist season, I can understand, but in winter, no!

And now, on this bad impression we go back to Messina to catch a ferry and cross the strait of Sicily, but we will leave a very good memory, beautiful landscapes, Sicilians welcoming, friendly, cool, driving with a confusing but when I I am quickly adapted, fresh delicious and cheap, a good life they would return home and certainly no sense of insecurity for us motorhomers,
Arrivederci Sicilia!


The return journey continues in the top southern Italy and Pompeii, practical information on the page are useful info by country, Italy, Sicily,
Find points of camping in the download section, they are integrated into the database downloadable for Garmin GPS or display on Google Earth
Thank you to the previous travelers who helped us prepare for this trip, this story will hopefully others to take the plunge and visit this beautiful island that is Sicily

Bon voyage!