Day 20 - Palermo

We were originally planning on going to Cefalu as well as Palermo today, but as it turns out we decided that a 2 hour return trip was probably too far and not worth spending that time in the car so we just stayed in Palermo. Our taxi man today was also called Peter and he took us up the mountain to their patron Saint Rosalee's church which was pretty weird. It was attached to the mountain side and the interior was the mountains rock walls and grass and stone flooring. Wasn't the sort of church where they would hold mass but it was more a place of pilgrimage and prayer to this saint that apparently is miraculous.

A view of Palermo on the way up the hill

The chapel dedicated to Saint Rosalee built into the the side of the hill

Strange looking Church for the patron Saint of Miracles maybe she should do one more and turn it into a Basilica . 

This beach the locals call Miami Beach for the rich and famous of Palermo (Or Mafia)

There was the cutest little apron up there that took me a while to work out what it said, there was a picture of a little boy and the words "U Picciuriddo" I looked and I looked and it wasn't until we took off that I realised it said "the little one" in dialect. Spew, I could have got it for Zac, Dad would have loved it. Of course, I kept my eye peeled all day and didn't see it again. Plenty of Don Corleone stuff around. Even the taxi driver was pretty chuffed to tell us that Palermo is renowned as a Mafioso town.

This is where a scene from the last God Father was shot, apparently, the daughter died on the steps... the locals are very proud of it

Fountain Pretoria, when this was built 400 years ago the people of Palermo were disgusted with all the naked people they had to see on the way to church,  not for Liv and Nic they were laughing at all peepeeo's bums and boobies 

This bronze is a depiction of real life the women controlling the Lion (man) and it started in Italy !! Go Figure

So we saw the highlights, gorgeous beach,Theatro Massimo, piazza this, palazzo that, it all just rolls into one big piazza and one big ruin for me. Seen one church seen them all, seen one ruin, seen them all. Ben took the kids to the catacomb and I went shopping, not that I bought anything, I just could bear another skeleton! And these ones were fully clothed - yuk. How creepy. I've got a weird family.

These People aren't laying down they are actually standing up some still have most of their skin intact also some of the men have their moustache and beards 

8000 of the wealthiest people in palermo were entombed here.

We met back on the ship both of us with the world famous Scicilian Canoli in hand and guess what? They were pus! You could taste the lard that the shell was fried in and the filling wasn't ricotta, wasn't pastry cream, I don't know what it was. It tasted like powdered milk whipped up with a bit of sweetened condensed milk. Ew! I can't wait to come home and get one from O'Heas, Trivelli or Eiffel Tower! We don't know how good we've got it at home!

I'm actually taking a picture of the man behind Lee. He ran the restaurant (and was one salami short), he would say good morning to everyone that walked by and it was 2.30pm,  let me paint the picture... the man was wearing 2 watches...  what the ???

Nonno what are these , are they big caccuz??

Captains Ball again tonight so we're meant to dress up :( Might go to the Tex Mex instead OMG I feel like a bloody whinge but I CAN'T LIKE IT!!!!!!!


A day at sea tomorrow. While I'm watching the kids in the pool, I'll see if I can upload some photos. I don't have the patience to wait for them to upload here in the room  SOOOO SLOWWWWWW!

Hope everyone is well at home. Miss you all.

Lee Lee enjoying her nespoli (locuts)

Yes Rose after all those years of Vincence bagging the Sicilians we found out that the name Leone is a local name to Palermo so you married a paesane .The name is every where.

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