Taking the train from FCO to Rome I was struck by the proliferation of graffiti on almost every surface. No real surprise; after all the art form has its roots in the Roman Empire. It's primavera in Italy. All the flowers and shrubs were in bloom and the palm trees made the city seem like a tropical paradise - at least to this Canuck. There were calla lilies, wisteria and orange trees in the lovely garden at our Roman villa apartment and it was a quiet and fragrant place to have our morning espresso before setting off for the day. As I mentioned earlier the Romans were still wearing heavy sweaters and jackets despite the very mild temperatures (mid-twenties).
The tourist sites in Rome are impossibly crammed with (what else would you expect?) tourists.
The Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain would be perfect places to sit and reflect on the beauty of Rome if I wasn't packed shoulder to sweaty shoulder with people who (I hate to admit it) are just like me. The highlight of our stay in Rome was a visit to the Galleria Doria Pamphili, an 18th century palazzo filled with a top notch art collection with works by Velazquez, Corregio, Titian, Breughel, Raphael and Caravaggio. The setting is magnificent and the excellent audio tour provides information on the palazzo, the Pamphili family and the paintings and sculpture. Best of all, we were the only ones there! It was the highlight of the Roman leg of our vacation. I also enjoyed wandering around the Jewish Quarter, Trastevere and the area around the Campo de Fiore.
From Rome we took the night train to Palermo. From the window we saw loads o' lemons. We stayed in the seedier area of Palermo where all the major sites are. We saw excellent examples of Arab, baroque and medieval architecture set amidst crumbling buildings and grinding poverty. We also took a side trip to the marvellous cathedral at Monreale. Palermo is definitely a city of jarring contrasts. Begging is a way of life for people in some neighbourhoods. Little girls go from table to table at outdoor restaurants asking for money. I saw a sharply dressed boy about 14 years old bopping down the street, snapping his fingers and singing along to some hip hop tune in his head. He caught sight of us and an expression of pain replaced his cheerful smile as he whined poignantly about his poverty and his hunger. When we gave him nothing he went on his merry way, singing and snapping once more. Seeing him turn on a dime like that made me laugh. An Oscar winning performance! That boy should pursue an acting career.
We rented a car and drove to Enna, a magnificent hill town in Central Sicily reached by negotiating hair raising switchbacks to the peak. My palms were sweating and my heart was palpitating. Mr. Nag kept reassuring me, after all he's used to driving a large firetruck and so the little Ford was a piece of cake but I was a panting, sweating mess by the time we got to the top. We stayed for two nights in a hotel with beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding hillside and took sidetrips to see the mosaics at Villa del Casale and the ceramics at Caltigirone. From there we drove to the Valle de Templi at Agrigento which gave new meaning to the word awesome.
We spent the next four days at the Villa Farli, a beautiful B&B set in the southern Sicilian countryside in Sampieri, not far from the sea. In the early part of each day we visited the beautiful small cities of Noto, Ragusa and Modica with their elaborate Sicilian baroque architecture. They don't seem to be high on the tour bus agenda so we were able to wander free of the hordes. In mid afternoon we spent time in the seaside villages surrounding Villa Farli and then back for dinner. Donatella prepared magnificent five course meals for us each night. Her pastas were the best we had in our two weeks in Italy. She learned it all from her mama. Needless to say I did not lose any weight on this trip.
Regrets? I should have made a stronger attempt to learn some Italian prior to going to Sicily - very few people, even in highly touristed areas there, speak any English. We got by with a dictionary and sign language but, in retrospect, I think it was arrogant of me not to have prepared a little better. I should also have worked out on our dusty, cobwebbed stair climber - some of the uphill climbs were a real challenge. It might have been a good idea to have applied sunscreen before, not after, my face resembled a salsiccia.
All in all we had a wonderful glitch-free, weather friendly (warm and sunny every day!) vacation. I was stunned by the beauty of Sicily. I loved the robust Sicilian wine and the hearty food. I developed an appreciation of Caravaggio after seeing The Penitant Magdalen and Rest During the Flight into Egypt at the Galleria Pamphili. I experienced the Velazquez portrait of Pamphili Pope Innocent X ( arguably his greatest work) in a whole new way after standing in front of it - his expression is so gripping and human. I'm eager to read more about Sicilian baroque architecture. April is the ideal time to visit Rome and Sicily; all the flowers were in bloom, not yet shrivelled in the summer heat. The Mediterranean sun is strong and we would have had an entirely different experience if we had to tramp about in 40 degree weather.
You can see some of my photos by clicking on the Flickr badge on my sidebar. (Tags are Rome and Sicily.)
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