ekscrunchy

This trip had been postponed, and cancelled, at least three times, due to medical and COVID glitches. We finally made it onto the flight (Delta/ITA) from JFK to Palermo with a connection (! hour 55 minutes) in FCO. I received repeated anxiety0making e-mails from Delta telling me that my connection time was too short and I should re-book. But when I had booked, the agent on the phone told me not to worry..five minutes short of the recommended 2 hours would be just fine.

And it was. Partner is using a wheelchair before a hip replacement scheduled for early June. We had discussed the idea of me going solo, but in the end, figured that being handicapped at home would not be as much fun as having to remain in a nice hotel room in Italy on some days. I made sure that I booked rooms with a view, or at least with access to outdoor space.

The flights went just fine! Partner was met and whisked through security and immigration at all points, ahead of the able-bodied. I benefitted from my association with a near-disabled person and also was whisked through with little delay.

Details: We booked with Carmel car service from our apartment in Manhattan to Terminal 4, Delta. We were met in Palermo by the driver recommended by our hotel in Trapani, who was on site, holding sign with our names. Price of transfer from PMO to our hotel in Trapani was 100 euro. I had checked a few other transfer services and this one offered the best price. I will give the exact info if anyone wants it...

We were deposited at our Trapani hotel before noon; we love this hotel, and the room we booked, the only one on the fourth floor, with two large terraces facing the sea:

The name is LA GANCIA, and right now I am unable to link it due to problems with WiFi in the hotel.

Will return when Wifi returns...

SDsunflower

[QUOTE=ekscrunchy;17461100]This trip had been postponed, and cancelled, at least three times, due to medical and COVID glitches. We finally made it onto the flight (Delta/ITA) from JFK to Palermo with a connection (! hour 55 minutes) in FCO. I received repeated anxiety0making e-mails from Delta telling me that my connection time was too short and I should re-book. But when I had booked, the agent on the phone told me not to worry..five minutes short of the recommended 2 hours would be just fine.

And it was. Partner is using a wheelchair before a hip replacement scheduled for early June. We had discussed the idea of me going solo, but in the end, figured that being handicapped at home would not be as much fun as having to remain in a nice hotel room in Italy on some days. I made sure that I booked rooms with a view, or at least with access to outdoor space.

The flights went just fine! Partner was met and whisked through security and immigration at all points, ahead of the able-bodied. I benefitted from my association with a near-disabled person and also was whisked through with little delay.

Details: We booked with Carmel car service from our apartment in Manhattan to Terminal 4, Delta. We were met in Palermo by the driver recommended by our hotel in Trapani, who was on site, holding sign with our names. Price of transfer from PMO to our hotel in Trapani was 100 euro. I had checked a few other transfer services and this one offered the best price. I will give the exact info if anyone wants it...

We were deposited at our Trapani hotel before noon; we love this hotel, and the room we booked, the only one on the fourth floor, with two large terraces facing the sea:

The name is LA GANCIA, and right now I am unable to link it due to problems with WiFi in the hotel.

Will return when Wifi returns...[/

SDsunflower

Hi EK! So sorry that somehow my attempt to reply to your beginning post did something strange!.
can’t wait to hear how your wonderful trip progresses!
off to a great start!
and yes,: what is name of car service you used from PMO to hotel in Trapani?
Enjoy your vacation!!

ekscrunchy

Hi!! Sent you the drivers name. But at last minute he was not available and we switched to his comrade, VITO [email protected].

Vito’s company is :

ERICE TRANSFERS

He transferred us from Palermo airport to our Trapani hotel (100 euro)

Today he drove us from Trapani hotel to lunch at a restaurant I selected in PORTO PALO DI MENFI; after a lunch of about 1.5 hours he drove us on to our B&B near PORTO EMPEDOCLE. BORGO DELLE PIETRE. Fantastic!!!!!! We have 2 nights here without a car.

ekscrunchy

Hi!! Sent you the drivers name. But at last minute he was not available and we switched to his comrade, VITO [email protected].

Vito’s company is :

ERICE TRANSFERS

He transferred us from Palermo airport to our Trapani hotel (100 euro)

Today he drove us from Trapani hotel to lunch at a restaurant I selected in PORTO PALO DI MENFI; after a lunch of about 1.5 hours he drove us on to our B&B near PORTO EMPEDOCLE. BORGO DELLE PIETRE. Fantastic!!!!!! We have 2 nights here without a car.

ekscrunchy

I wrote a very long recap on my phone, only to have it disappear.

We had booked with Michelangelo for airport transfer from Palermo to our Trapani hotel (100 euro), and from Trapani to our second stop, a B&B near Pto Empedocle, with a stop for lunch at Porto Palo di Menfi.

At the last minute, Michelangelo referred us to his colleague, [email protected]. Vito's company is ERICE TRANSFER (39-339-611-8200) You can e-mail him or connect via What's App.

Vito was excellent.. large and very roomy new van, careful driver. Limited English, but he is a driver, not a guide. He worked out very well..on time, polite, etc etc.

After 3 wonderful nights in Trapani (beautiful city, handsome architecture, on a peninsula edged on two sides by turquoise waters and clean, sandy beaches; we had 2 wonderful dinners in Trapani and one very good dinner just outside the city) we were picked up this (Sunday) morning at noon by Vito and driven to our lunch stop in PortoPalo near Menfi.

I highly recommend the restaurant we chose. DA VITTORIO. This being Sunday lunch, it was filled with Italian families, dressed to the nines, and a few young couples, also dressed (to the 10s??) Right on the beach, Vittorio's lair offers tables inside the glass-enclosed dining room, as well as tables outside. We chose an inside table.

Seafood here is stellar and, according to my partner, the Spaghetti alla Bolognese was also superb. (10 euro)

I began with glorious spaghetti with sea urchin..best I've had since my first sample, in Ortygia, about 18 years ago at Don Camillo. Unforgettable. (25 euro)

I followed with Gamberoni Rossi, large shrimp from Mazzaro del Valle, served heads on the way I prefer. (25 euro)

With the shrimp, I ordered the vegetable of the day, a pair of grilled artichokes, of which I ate every last bit from the tip of the slightly charred leaves to the tender hearts. (6 euro) With the driver waiting, we did not feel comfortable ordering dessert. The lunch, with a bottle of still mineral water and a half bottle of Planeta, La Segreta white wine from a reputable local producer, cost 90 euro and I felt it was worth the high price.

After lunch, Vito ferried us the final hour to our B&B, BORGO DELLE PIETRE. Mara and Domenico, a couple with roots in Pto Empedocle and Agrigento, restored this rambling stone assemblage from a near-ruin to a handsome, tasteful and very comfortable B&B with 8 guest rooms. They serve dinner--complete meal or lighter fare--and arrange sightseeing for those without transport. A lovely pool sits at the edge of the property, which itself is but a few miles from the beach. I will reserve final judgement, for so far, we are more than pleased!

ekscrunchy

I wrote a lot more about our stay so far; I can only hope that it will be posted soon enough....not sure what I am doing wrong to have this lag between writing and having it posted.

ekscrunchy

This morning we left, with regret, BORGO DELLE PIETRE. I recommend this upscale B&B to anyone with a car, or willing to hire a driver, as I do not think staying there is feasible without private transport. We hit a stretch of bad weather, intermittent rain and clouds (not cold, though) so could not enjoy the pretty pool area (pool just b ig enough to lap swim but likely too cold at this time of year). The place is just beautiful--Mara and Domenico, both from this area, purchased the property (2 hectares-plus, and the structure, which was in ruin) 14 years ago when it had been abandoned since WW2. Prior to that, it has been a travellers' inn since the 15th Century--imagine who laid their heads on those beds/pallets(!!)

This young couple did a masterful job in restoring the buildings, stone exteriors and lots of local stone inside, interspersed with terra cotta flooring and painted stucco walls to perfection.. There are 8 guest rooms; we were allotted CARRUBO; we had some steps to negotiate but all went well. (we were offered a choice of rooms, but chose this one due to its proxmity to the main public areas)

We spent the afternoon of the first day, and the whole of the second day, relaxing at the property, reading, with me doing my best to write a few notes for this forum and a food forum. If we had rented a car, we would have taken the opportunity to drive to view the Scala dei Turchii and explore the city of Agrigento, perhaps. The approach to the property has been decried in some reviews but I don't think it would present a problem during daylight.

Mara, the female half of the owners, is a masterful cook and together with her helpers, she prepared a salumi plate, with cheeses, for our first dinner (we had had what was probably the best meal of the trip, earlier that day of arrival, at DA VITTORIO.

Price of cheese and salumi plate at BORGO DELLE PIETRE, ample for two people and including one white wine and one Coca Zero: 38 euro.


Last night, our second night there, we opted for the on site dinner. We were given a choice (the day prior) of meat or fish; we chose fish, and very much enjoyed::

2 caponata, served cold....excellent, less sweet than the version (served hot) at LA BETTOLACCIA in Trapani but excelllent. Remind me why I do not make this more often back home..!!!! It's more complicated than it appears, for one thing, to prepare it correctly.

Mara sources all of the vegetables for her meals from her gardens. Domenico shops daily for fish at the dock in Porto Empedocle. I wish I could hve gone with him on a buying trip.

Partner continued our dinner with mafalde (or some version of this pasta, meaning badly made, I think!) (thick cut and home-made) with a ragu of tuna in tomato sauce. His biggest compliment was that "it did not taste like fish."
He ate every last morsel, apart from the one I snatched. The pasta was very (too(?) thick but the taste was excellent.

My secondi was sea bream, two lovely (small) skin-on filets sitting on a bed of thick pea puree, almost like the pea soup of your dreams. I'm getting more and more accustomed to eating fish and that is a very good thing. I did add salt, something I also did the day before, at lunch at DA VITTORIO.

Dessert was 2 versios (one each) of semi-freddo that, although store-bought, was fantastic...layers of (for me): chocolate cream at the bottom of the small, fluted cup, vanilla semi-freddo in the middle, and a topping that was the essence of cherry...the kind of taste that makes you stop in your tracks and close your eyes and think, "Now, that's what cherry IS...almost impossible to convey how decadent and delicious these desserts were (partner had the pistachio version and was equally wowed).

Price for that dinner and dessert, with water and a glass of Sicilian white wine: 87euro..convenience factor for not having to negotiate the dirt roads: Priceless.








This morning, gloomy weather (but not at all cold--we are wearing cotton shirts and, sometimes for me, a light linen jacket; for partner, a windbreaker at night) again, but no matter.

After another stellar breakfast (by this time I had learned the trick of edging my cup of caffe latte with a rim of pistacchio crema (think salt-edged Margarita glass) so that I got that taste with every sip (Mara had never heard of this, but took mental notes!) I wanted to buy a jar of that pistachio crema but she was on her last jar so I will make a point of seeking it out on one of my shopping forays.

Together with the caffe, I fixed myself a nice plate of salumi and local cheeses, including a Marzalino (fresh cow cheese from early spring milk) ) that was topped with fresh almonds just plucked from their tree, and fresh pistachhi. Gorgeous presentation..will post on that "other food site."

Eggs are on offer but I passed, once again--too much to sample on the buffet-style spread. A favorite sweet: An almond-paste, round, fluted cookie that reminded me of a Passover macaroon, but with almond paste instead of coconut. I just do not understand travelers who complain that Italian hotel breakfasts are heavy on the sweets. You can always have a boiled egg, and some good bread and butter with local marmalade. They even had packs of yogurt this morning, but not the dreaded boxes of dried American-style cereal that i've seen on countless breakfast spreads, not only in Italy.

Anyway, give me the local salumi and cheese, and the cakes. And the bread. And the marmelade. Too bad my walking has been curtailed by the fraility of the partner here, but I will make it my business to get a move on on my own every day from here on.....

So..after breakfast, we were collected by Fabrizio Randizo for a pre-arranged transfer to Licata with a stop at the famed Mandranova azienda (their olive oils are sold in the US, at Eataly among other retailers) near Chiaramonte Gulfi, between the B&B and the town of Licata, where we are staying tonight. The transfer was arranged by Mara at BORGO DELLE PIETRE, and cost 130euro, to be paid in cash (other transfer drivers accepted credit cards as well):

We were very happy with Fabrizio; he is based in Agrigento but will undertake transfers ranging much further afield:

FABRIZIO RANDISI...cell phone and What's App: 329-367-5563
His clean, spacious van can take 9 passengers and I woult not hesitate to recommend him.

If you are interested in fine olive oil, I'd recommend a stop at MANDRANOVA. You can arrage in advance for a tasting of their oils (mono-cultivar and blends) for 20euro. We did not book ahead, and just showed up. We opted not to tase the oils, because I knew of their reputation. So I chose 2 different single variety oils, and one bland. The .75 liter tins cost 19 euro apiece.

I also bought a pistacchio pesto (they were out of the sweet, pistacchio crema, so I will seek that out someplace further on), and jars of both lemon (with rind) and cedro ( a citrus gown in Calabria and in Sicily, the source of one of the "etrog" fruit used in the Sukkot celebrations among Jews worldwide); you can read up, by Googling, how the rabbis travel to Italy to select the finest fruits to sue in the celebration...

My total bill for these fine treats was 106 euro.

From MANDRANOVA, we drove on, along the coast, to the town of LICATA, and booked into the RELAIS VILLA GIULIANI, a Liberty (art nouveau)-style villa that had been a private home until about a decade ago when it was converted to a small and charming hotel with excellent and very friendly service.
It's on a hill with a view of the sea, standing above the town of LICATA. We were upgraded to a suite overlooking the sea, and part of the town; we have a bedroom and a separate den with sofa bed, which is great since partner has trouble sleeping and sometimes has to wander around at night. Price, including breakfast, is 130 euro.

Tonight we will have dinner at the hotel's restaurant, which has a good word of mouth and means no walking for partner, and after lunch in Licata, will be driven (dfriver arranged by this hotel) to RAGUSA IBLA for a four-night stay.



Photos from Trapani restaurants:


https://www.hungryonion.org/t/sicily-dining-in-2023/34398

ekscrunchy

Here is more on the search for the etrog, for the Jewish festival of Sukkot. The article focuses on the cedro grown in Calabria but it is alo harvested, and sought after by the rabbis, in Sicily....I bought the cedro marmelade today at MANDRANOVA , after enjoying a cedro-flavored bottled drink in the mini-bar of our b&b last night:


https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-cal...rog-tradition/


https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/2...-brings-rabbis

bon_voyage

Your food and dining descriptions are transcendent—thank you!

SDsunflower

Fabulous details and interesting history too ! Loved reading another cedro! Etrog! mouth watering food you are enjoy! Very happy for you !

ekscrunchy

Thanks to both of you for your kind comments!

(i don't know why these odd characters are showing up iin my posts today (???) )

So from Mandranova, the driver took us to the town of Licata. Â Did I mention that we had a great view of the Agrigento temples from the road? Â And that there are vast swathes of fields covered by plastic sheeting to protect the fruits and vegetables from hungry birds? Â But the sheeting is pale gray and fits into the colors of the landscapes much better than that bright blue I've seen in southern coastal Spain. Â From afar, it looks a bit like rice paddies, or rectangular-shaped shallow ponds. Â You can't tell that it is plastic, or at least I couldn't.

Also, I noticed that in this area, and maybe all over the island, a lot of buildings (concrete, I think--residences and businesses, are left unpainted, so they are a light tan in color. Â It sounds unattractive but this, also, blends into the colors of the landscape (light brown and green in early May). Â So the buildings do not look too unobtrusive, color wise. Â I'm guessing that they are left unpainted for financial reasons but the overall effect is not at all visually jarring.

We checked into our hotel in LICATA, RELAIS VILLA GIULIANA and were very warmly welcomed by Mara at the front desk. Â There's less English spoken here than in other places we stayed, but I can understand the basics of Italian even if my speaking skills are woefully limited. Â This is a lovely small hotel that has retained the architecture and furnishings in the Liberty style. Â Before being converted to a hotel about 10 years ago (according to front desk staff) Â the structure was a private villa belonging to, I imagine, a rich person since it sits high on a hill overlooking the town of Licata and the sea. Â There is a prime view of the Castel Sant' Angelo, built as a watchtower in the late 16th Century and expanded into a triangular-shaped fort in the 17th Century. Â Damaged during the Allied invasion, it's been restored and I only wish we had time (and the partner had the physical capacity) to explore the castle and the gardens surrounding the site:

https://topsecretsicily.com/en/thing...-land-and-sea/


ÂÂ Â I'm embarassed that up until our arrival here, I did not know that the coastal stretch between Licata and Gela was the site of the first Allied landings in the campaign against the Axis powers, in the summer of 1943. Â The Sicily campaign is known as Operation Husky and hopefully, we will learn more about this when we visit the museum in Catania (closed Mondays, out only full day in Catania, but we will try to get there on Sunday).

Here is a photo of the Allied soldiers on the pier in Licata:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ject/205196332


More history:

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/wa...nvasion-sicily




And now it is time to get ready for lunch at LA MADIA, a meal I booked about 2 months ago, and the priincipal reason for our overnight in Licata.



Â
Â

J62

After lunch, Vito ferried us the final hour to our B&B, BORGO DELLE PIETRE. Mara and Domenico, a couple with roots in Pto Empedocle and Agrigento, restored this rambling stone assemblage from a near-ruin to a handsome, tasteful and very comfortable B&B with 8 guest rooms.

Fantastic tip I never would have learned anywhere else..... Pto Empedocle is grandmother's old stomping grounds (from before the turn of the century...) - Hearing stories of PE, and having someone recognize the family name would be priceless to me....

Enjoying your TR.

SusanP

Really enjoying this report! I've been to Italy many times, but not Sicily. From this and other reports, I think I need to go just for the food!

SDsunflower

Thanks for including the website on secret Sicily! I didn’t know that one   Hope lunch was great !  Can’t wait to hear about daily explorations in Ragusa and more stories ….. and great meals! Â

ekscrunchy

The update from today:

We had what I believe was THE BEST meal we have ever had in Italy (after so many, many trips to this country and so many great meals).

The restaurant was LA MADIA in the small city of Licata, which we spent an overnight mainly because we wanted to have lunch at this restaurant. I do not care anything about Michelin stars, and Ihave some of the most pleasure eating at holes in the wall in many places all over the world.

LA MADIA was just in another realm. First off, the chef, Pino Cutrera, is a native of Licata and "came home" after working in some of the top plaes in Milano and Torino. Never mind all that..this guy was everywhere... taking orders, keeping an eagle eye on everythiing in the (10 tables more or less) dining room, even to the point of busing tables. How do these top Italian restaurants do so well with such small staff, as compared to the "best" USA restaurants where the staff is always bustling around and there seem to be 5 people attending each table??

I have no idea...but I will say this: LA MADIA is expensive. For 2 people, with one glass of wine (for me; partner barely drinks even after long background in the industry), our bill totalled 240 euro. And guess what..it was worth every penny.

I am still in the clouds just remembering every course. I can offer details soon, if you all would like, but am tired now.

From Licata, we had a driver for the trip to Ragusa Ibla, where we are now. This place is a drean, and has a trmemdous similarity visually with Matera,a city I was taken with, in Basilicata.

For anyone who is thinking of hiring a driver, I highly recommend the man who drove us from LA MADIA to RAGUSA IBLA. Roberto Alabiso, and his wife, run the premier taxi/driver service in Licata and regularly take passengers to Agrigento, the Baroque towns (Ragusa, Noto, Scicli, and as far as Palermo and Taormina) We were very impressed, and wished that we could have had an even longer road trip,as Roberto iparted so much information, not only about the usual sights, but avout daily life in this part of Sicily--pros and cons...

Before I ramble on further, here is his information;

ROBERTO ALABISO [email protected]

ekscrunchy

We are now in Ragusa Ibla, for the first of 4 mornings at SABBRINIRICA B&B. I HIGHLY recommend this small hotel! However, after less than 24 hours here, I can see that Ibla is NOT the best place for anyone who has the least bit of trouble walking! The B&B is one of the loveliest I've ever visited, BUT (and I think this is true of almost all of the lodgings in Ibla, there are many, many small steps, as the property spans several stories, connected with rounding staircases!!!

But it's thrilling to be here..the town is absolutely spectacular and I'm surprised I've never read about the visuall similarity between Ragusa and Matera, in Basilicata. Both with upper, flat towns where most of the locals seem to reside, and both with lower towns in gorges/canyons/depressions in the land--not sure which word is accurate. So they are layered towns...now that I think of it, so is Ercolano, and probably many other places..I need to think aboutu this further!!

Finally the sun is out after several cloudy,drizzly days and the view alone from the terrace of the room is like a movie set..Conde Nast Traveler needs to feature this room on their last magazine page, where they feature fabulous hotel rooms (or maybe they do not do that anymore...I just cancelled my subscription, for reasons unrelated to this subject!!)

Last night we arrived late afternoon, having been driven to Ragusa from Licata by THE best driver of our trip.

Highly recommend: ROBERTO ALABISO:

[email protected]

Roberto lives in Licata but drives all over Sicily. AND, his English is very good, unlike the other drivers we had so far, although these drivers were also excellent, some travelers might appreciate a driver having english-language skills. More on Roberto, later.

Also later, a few details of the BEST meal of this trip and one of the best meals I have ever experienced.

LA MADIA in Licata.

SDsunflower

Fantastic to read your much awaited meal at La Madia was terrific!
wish we had time to go as well but will vicariously enjoy your meals and sightseeing .
ragusa ibla now beckons !
enjoy and keep posting when you have down time 😊

ekscrunchy

HI!! So glad you are enjoying. Today I explored the "centro" of Ragusa, above Ibla....let me tell you, SD...it took me ONE HOUR-plus to get there!


Everyone I asked was a little unsure about how often the buses ran. The guy near the bus piazza (The B&B owner, advised me to take the bus to the "Centro" from Piazza Republica) told me..."the bus should come within 10 minutes. But do not worry: " If that bus does not come, there WILL, for sure, be a bus in one hour more!!!"

Not to mention that NO ONE I asked had any idea fo what the bus cost (it's 1.5euro from Centro to Piazza Republica in Ibla). I asked the owners of our B&B about this and they replied that many persons who have businesses in Ibla live in the center; when they go back and forth, they tend to drive. (some did admit to walking at times)

I listened to that vague info about the time of the bus from Piazza Republica to the Centro and, not wanting to linger for what might be an hour or more at the bus stop, decided to walk. I should mention that, although the temperature was, I think, in the 60s, according to my online weather info, it was (finally) sunny, and seemed warmer than the stated temperature. And, I had forgotten not only my glasses, but a hat and sunscreen. (NOTE for next time!)


From Ibla, I walked and walked. And walked, uphill on stairs, with frequent stops to besiege passersby if I was, in fact, walking on the "right" steps, in the direction of the "Centro.)

And then, after getting hot and (sorry) kind of sweaty (I always bring either a wash cloth or a cloth napkin for these occasions) , I finally arrive: AT MORE STEPS!! My goodness, it took me an hour, more or less, to arrive at the main square in the Centro! Later I will go into the reason for this expedition; no surprise, it involves something to eat.

IBLA for an ambulatory-challenged person:


The partner here is really stymied by Ibla. This is NOT a place to stay for anyone with trouble walking, and walking steps and walking steps uphill. The streets are mainly pedestrian, so cars are not much worry. But it is very easy to get lost, and the street surfaces are polished stones--absolutely gorgeous but a little tricky when wet (it drizzled last night after we arrived). The great thing is that after dark, there are mootion detector lights on many streets, so although it looks dark, the streets light up once you get to the coverage point.

The streets were pretty empty last night. I walked around alone from about 7pm (sundown was at 7:55pm) until about 10pm. Many times I was the only person in sight. There is ABSOLUTELY no reason for any fear, even for me, a female walking alone after dark. NONE!!! So the only fear is for someone with mobility "issues."

Also, it is VERY easy to get, if not lost, "turned around." I've had lots of moments of being "lost and confused!!" But it's always kind of fun!! I estimated that since we arrived here, about 24 hours ago now, I've asked more than 20 people (low estimate) for directions. Some of these people confide that they are as lost as I am..they are from Milano, or Berlin!! But most of those I asked were knowledgeable about the local layout and were, in fact, locals. And I don't think I've experienced before locals who went so far out of their way to escort me to where I wanted to go.

The good thing is that I can understand a pretty good amount of Italian. (Can't speak more than a few words and even those, are Span-ian (???)

I've been taken (several times) for a Spaniard, and twice for a person from Milan (once) or, another time, for an Italian but not from here. (Oh, you are northern!) Yikes! But the thing is, once you are taken for someone who speaks Italian (joke, as far as I go), the person trying to help speaks very rapidly and all I can take in is "sinestra," "destra," etc... But hand gestures are very helpful!! They really do go a long way.

Last night when I ventured out for the first time, solo, I was looking for the main piazza, the PIAZZA DEL DUOMO. I approached the first person I ran into since, of course, despite copious, detailed explanations at different times from the (lovely!) B&B owners (Laura and Tiziana--sisters-in law), I became lost literally a minute after exiting the door. (Mind you I was a geography major in college, so this is a point of pride for me, lost pride in this case)

So I approached this man and stumbled along with my non-existent Italian, punctuated by hand gestures and facial expressions indicating my cluelessness,
for a few minutes when I slipped and said a word in Spanish (I often do this). So this man, who guessed that I was "not from around this area," revealed that he was from Argentina. And we proceeded to have a 15 minutes conversation about his country...before I got what I thought were good directions to the Piazza del Duomo. I relished the conversation, and this man walked me a good 10 minutes out of his way. But the minute he left me, with "clear" directions, I became lost once again. And so it went. Ekscrunchy stopping numerous random persons in the street, asking directions for a place that I had just recived detailed directions to find.

I went though all this to say: RAGUSA IBLA is confusing! Prepare to ask, and ask again, and you cannot even imagine how kind and helpful the responses will be!

Does this long deviation from the thread give you the idea of how much I love this place, and Italy in general, and Sicily to the extreme? I hope so!!

SDsunflower

Laughing so hard with this post! Love how you describe getting lost and lost
and lost and lost …. And the kindness or people and the fun you are having!
glad I exercise daily
so I can maybe handle all those steps when we do a day visit Reminds me of Dubrovnik stairs 😎😊
you do sound like you are having fun!