Skeletons, Beaches, and Fresh Fish

The weeks are going by faster and faster....

It seemed like right when we got back from Firenze we hopped on the train to Sicily!

Danielle, Christine, and I took the overnight train from Rome to Sicily. We had a cabin with three beds all to ourselves.  It isso nice to take the night train because it was a 12 hour trip but we slept all through it so it felt like nothing!

We arrived in Sicily early the next morning and went right to our Hotel on the via Vittorio Emanuele, which is the main street in downtown Palermo. The city was so cool!  The island is so close to Africa so you can see the influence in the architecture, food, and even in the people.  The first thing on the list were cannoli (invented in Sicily).  We went to a caffe and ordered two and their other specialty, which is an almond cookie.  The next thing we wanted to do was go to the famous Catacombs in Palermo.  It was quite of a walk actually and when we got there they were closed for the afternoon siesta.... so we decided to try to find a lunch place.  After a few miles of wandering in a small town, passing fish market after fish market, we finally found a spot.  It was a small family run Enoteca.  We ordered a chilled bottle or rose and I ordered the seafood salad.  It felt like we were on vacation :)

On the walk to the Catacombs 

African Influence: Turban Men! 

After lunch, we went back to the catacombs.  When I think of catacombs, I think of underground tombs and you might see a few bones... but this was a completely unexpected experience.  I took five steps into the catacombs and had a mini panic attack.  Inside were rows and row of puppet-like skeletons of real people hung up on the walls, posed, and dressed.  Some still had facial expressions, skin, and hair.  I have never been so disturbed. I told Christine and Danielle that I needed to leave because I couldn't handle it.. but Christine told me to just push though it so I did.  The entire time I tried to just look forward and not directly look at anyone of the bodies.  It was kind of like watching a scary movie and only peeking out between your fingers covering your eyes.  This was a collection of people from the 1800's until the 1920's.  There was even a children's section with infants in cradles and children hung on the walls with their little dresses and bonnettes on.  Apparently the people buried there wanted to be remembered and respected by their families so they wanted to be perserved this way.  I think it may have started out as a way to respect their wishes but I think now it has turned into a puppet museum.  In my opinion, I think it is really desecrating the dead.  I couldn't get out of that place any faster.. we probably spent all of 5 minutes there.

Afterwards we were all kind of silent... we decided we needed to do something happy ASAP so we went to the port to see all of the ships and the incredible view of the Mediterranean.


Then we got a quick snack and some Cafe Cremas and then went back to the hotel to rest for a bit.  Our legs were dying from all of the walking we did that day.

We decided to do an Aperitivo for dinner that night because we wanted a cheap meal.  We went to a place right on Vittorio Emanuele and ordered bellini's and got an assortment of Sicilian specialties, which included couscous of course! It was so nice to be able to sit outside and be in warm weather!

The Cathedral of Palermo (on our walk to the Catacombs)

Santa Rosario, Patron Saint of Palermo 

The next day we woke up early and headed to the famous Mercato di Ballaro (which literally means market of yelling).  It was probably one of the best experiences I have had abroad so far. I can't even explain what it was like.. and the pictures definitely do not do it justice.  I understand the name for sure! The market was huge and had the most incredible products, octopus, sea urchins, swordfish, spices, artichokes, olives, special sicilian cheeses, desserts, and bread.  I couldn't resist the olives or the cheese so I bought some.  We also all got sicilian bread which is covered in sesame seeds.  It was fresh out of the oven and absolutely delicious!  We also got fresh strawberries and the man gave us a sample with fresh cream.  We got to taste a lot of the food at the market.  Some of the seafood was still moving! I took a video of one of the Octopi trying to escape his crate! There were also a lot of products from Africa.

Loved the Cheese Man

yummy 

We wanted as much time as possible on the beach so we headed there as soon as possible with all of our goodies from the market.  Mondello beach was spectacular.  Sicily actually has some of the top beaches in the entire world.  The sun was blazing and the water was the most beautiful shade of turquoise.  It felt like a dream with cliffs on both ends of the white sand beach.  We couldn't believe it was warm enough to lay out! For lunch we had to get seafood so I got calamari from a small hut next to the beach.  Then it started to rain so we rushed back to our hotel to take cover. On the way back we saw the Teatro Massimo from the Godfather!  

Teatro Massimo. Dad told me to watch out for Don Corleone! 

Christine and I then went to mass that night at the church directly next door to our hotel, San Giuseppe.  It was so beautiful and enormous! I was obsessed with one of the side altars because it had an unmistakable Islamic influence in its decoration.  The mixing of cultures is so interesting to me.  The priest was this little African/Italian/Islamic looking mad with long curly hair and a gotee.  He looked like someone right out of the Count of Monte Cristo, a three musketeer, or a pirate.


After mass, we looked for an authentic Sicilian meal.  We found a place right down the street which we actually saw on trip advisor so we decided to check it out! We ordered a Sicilian red wine and the gave us sesame bread (of course) and then I told the girls we should just see what they give us from the kitchen! They agreed so we orded the house specialties so we could get a true feel of what the flavors of Sicily were.  The appetizers were different types of fish prepared in different ways: fried, pickled, grilled with raisins.  The flavors were so different from Rome.  There was a good combination of sweet and salty.  The food was heavily spiced but also had things like raisins, dates, and almonds in it.  This is definitely the African influence.  I then ordered the mixed seafood risotto.  I die just thinking about it today. It came with mussels, clams, and shrimp and was prepared with a white wine butter sauce..... honestly one of my most favorite meals I have ever had.  The one turn off in the end was when I realized the clams had little eyes........  oh well, they were delicious!


We were absolutely exhausted from our long day so honestly we went right back to the hotel and passed out!! We initially went back to find a dessert place, but once we sat down in our beds, we couldn't get back up.  It was alright because we had an early train the next morning.

The next day was absolutely gorgeous and I was secretly wishing our train would be cancelled so we could have another day on the beach.. but nope, had to go back....

Let me just tell you, this was the most beautiful train ride of my life.  It went all along the coast of Italy. I can't even begin to describe what I saw! It definitely made the ten hour ride worth it.  

Ok well some of you may be wondering..... Sicily is an Island, so how did I take a train there? I wondered the same thing my self... So one the way to Sicily I woke up in the middle of the night and realized we were stopped.  I could fall back asleep so I started to play some games on my phone.  I then realized an hour went by and we were still stopped... I thought it was really bizarre but thought nothing of it and fell back asleep! On the way back we stopped again and I recognized the place! I told the girls this is where we stopped before.  All of a sudden everyone got up and started leaving the train.  I was curious to see where everyone was going so I told Danielle I would go check it out.  I followed some people out of the train and then up some stairs...... WE WERE ON A FERRY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN.  Let me put it a different way: OUR TRAIN WAS INSIDE OF A BOAT. Who knew boats could carry a 9 carriage train!!!! I quickly ran down back into the train to get Danielle and we rushed back on deck.  We could not believe it! It was such a good way to break up the ride being able to sunbathe on the deck for an hour.  The trip finally made sense!

The next week's post will be up shortly! Stay tuned.... Election of Pope Francis, getting stuck in London, and being in Dublin for St. Patty's day (for 3 hours) .

Bacioni xxxx