Sicily 2013

The four of us start off at midday Saturday getting a taxi to Balham station where it starts drizzling and with the forecast of much worse to come so much so that Simon has his barge holiday cancelled. Only the 4 of us as Maya elects to stay in miserable London as a more likely place for revising for Maths GCSEs than in sunny Sicily. We constantly miss her and I'm always looking for 5 tables around the table when there's only 4 of us. The journey goes very smoothly although we've near misses at both ends as we're 48 hours before a hurricane in south England and Etna erupts Saturday morning closing Sicilian airspace for a few hours before we arrive. We're navigated to the villa by our effusive Sicilian landlady who compensates for a lack of English with arm waving and shouting. Which is the usual British way of getting foreigners to understand us. Mistakenly. The villa is lovely and can sleep 12 so we have plenty of space both inside and out. Sunday I wake early and see the sunrise setting the mountains red before going back to bed. When I reappear we see just how gorgeous the setting is with mountains around us and the beautifully blue med out front with yachts skidding past. The only sound is the pooting of fishing boats out beyond the bay.

Cactus Trees

Back view with prickly pears

Home

Breakfast

We're in Scopello to the west of Palermo in Trapani province and it's a short hop in our sporty Alfa Romeo Giulietta into Castellammare del Golfo to the supermarket to pick up supplies then into the local greengrocers for our goodness foods including Romanesco broccoli bigger than footballs and serious looking fan-like fungi. Weekly chores out the way we wake Jack and take the 5 minute cliff walk down to the sea and our own secluded pebbly and rocky cove. A perfect place to swim and relax taking turns floating in the salty sea and diving in off the rocks into the crystal clear water. And it's warm so much so than our usual bracing Atlantic swims off Devon and Cornwall.

Jack relaxing and posing

Jack working hard. Honest.

After lunch we wander towards Scopello the local town along the coast but are thwarted by the lack of public paths ending up at the bottom of an olive grove we can't get out of. It's a pleasant enough stroll though with some great views back towards our villa.

Our local boy and local bay

Our local beach coves - the nearest to camera

Supper is barbecued fat sausages for Jack and Lily-Rose and veggies for me and Debbie. A lazy evening in the warm air only needing shirt sleeves although it does get dark early.

Monday is hot hot hot and we sample the local beach before the heat gets too much and head off into Scopello which is a pretty village with not a lot there. We go into Castellammare del Golfo properly exploring this time. After a lovely spaghetti lunch served by a waiter who dons his floppy hat especially for us we wander the narrow streets down to the harbour and back up again.

Floats like a butterfly...

The difficult second album cover following personnel changes

Castellammare harbour

A lazy late afternoon reading, playing games and eating and after so much excitement it's early nights for all.

Tuesday is scorching too and we drive to Segesta along the main road which degenerates into a broken track. First up the imposing temple then Debbie and Lily-Rose take the mini bus up the hill to the theatre whilst Jack and I trek up in the searing heat. The view is amazing towards the sea and the theatre must have been so impressive back in the day.

Segesta temple

Temple

Highway snaking towards Palermo

Lily-Rose takes the stage

Beautiful views, and scenery

As it's so hot and no shade we get back home for a late lunch of our picnic. Cooling off down at our local beach again for a swim and read before being chased back home by the mozzies. Another relaxing evening chilling out at home and fully deserved after the day's exertions.

Dad taking the strain as usual

Next day we head to Palermo and it's hot though a dry heat in the city. After negotiating the crazy traffic we put the car in a guarded car park and wander the streets past the Teatro through narrow alleyways before stumbling out at the cathedral with it's Islamic influences and the usual 12 stations inside adorning the walls. The streets are pretty run down and dirty even the main shopping streets. Seems that the middle classes live  a little out of the centre leaving downtown for the grimier side of Palermo and at least it's not rammed with branded stores, at least not that many. Lovely to walk through though and another great restaurant at which we sample the massive pizzas then go for unreasonably large and tasty ice creams. Eventually we drive out of Palermo and I decide just to drive in one direction away from the sea. Feels like we're back late as it's pitch black but it's only about 7pm.

Palermo Cathedral

Palermo downtown

Doors within doors opposite graffiti

Scooters are GO!

Thursday we take our picnic lunch to a nearby nature reserve and after a gentle stroll along the coast we get to what must be the most crowded beach in all of Sicily. There must be at least 20 people on the 100 yard stretch of shingle. It's in a beautiful cove with the usual clear water which is irresistible. We leave when the sun drops behind the mountain behind which is fairly early in the afternoon really. After a barbecue with chicken for the kids and stuffed mushrooms for the adults (Jack a kid here) we have some traditional Halloween games organised by Lily-Rose including feeling horrible bits of witches and apple bobbing.

Portent of tomorrow's weather

Posing

Bobbing

It's our last full day so Lily-Rose and I go for an earlyish swim. Jack opts to work so the girls and I drive into Trapani province to the hilltop town of Erice. It's a very steep drive up with amazing views at the top back towards the national park between here and our place and out the other way over the lagoons of Trapani. Smooth as marble cobbled streets we wander through before taking lunch in the piazza. Pasta for me and rice balls for the girls. We take in the cake shops and stunning views.

Erice

On the way back we drive through a biblical deluge for an hour. Our last evening we wander around Castellammare one last time before pizza overlooking the Golfo. We finish off with what seems to be the northern Sicily take on the ubiquitous cannoli - instead of hard fried pastry filled with ricotta they are a softer pasty shape. Not quite as full as the last meal of the last Sicilian holiday (I couldn't reach my shoelaces) but very satisfied none the less.

Saturday is hot again and after leaving our home for the last time we stop at a beautiful sandy beach just past Castellammare in the middle of the Golfo where I go for a last swim.

Golfo

Geroff you orrible wet man

All this holidaying wears me out

Lunch is possibly the best pasta meal we've had, they love their aubergine here, with a starter of a fried potato dish reminiscent of indian potato dishes. Such good value too. We go to a scuzzi beach at Terrasini for last bit of sun before hitting the airport for another uneventful journey back to drizzly London.