On the road, northern Sicily.

We farewelled Stefano and Barbara and headed west along the north coast of Sicily, past the noble city of Palermo on our way to Erice. The autostrada hugs the mountainous coast and passes more power plants and masses of shabby low- and medium-rise flats and apartment blocks. We travel through dozens of seriously long tunnels bored right under the mountains. The scenery that never disappoints each time we emerge from a tunnel is the natural scenery, the dramatic coast, the beaches, the azure Mediterranean. Bright blue sea, bright blue sky.  Leave the autostrada  and follow the blue-signed secondary roads to drive away from the built up towns and through country roads and small villages.  We're falling in love with Sicily.

Our Panarean friend suggested that on our four hour journey to Erice we stop in Cefalu for lunch and advised us not miss a visit to Segesta. She only said 'you won't believe what you see at Segesta'.

Our Panarean friend was right!

Lunch at Cefalu on the Tyrrhenian Sea.  This is a very
popular beach for Sicilians.



Everywhere in Sicily we see beautiful ceramiche, many traditional
designs with the Trinacria - the three-legged Sicilian emblem, however I love
the lemon and fruit designs and of course any blue and white pieces.
 I could pack a truckload from around Sicily and address it home. 
These are two little beauties from Santo Stefano di Camastra.

This is Segesta....

An incredible Sicilian-Greek archaeological site in the
countryside on the way to Erice.

The amphitheatre on the top of Mount Barbaro.

And there....sitting in a field.....is a Doric temple....an acropolis.

We thought the hot Sicilian sun was affecting us....we though
we were seeing things!

We sat here and marvelled. 

Apparently built between 430-420BC by the indigenous Elymian
people and the Greeks.  It's incredibly well preserved.

Ancient ruins just lying in the fields.

Sicilian countryside after we leave the coast and head to Erice.
It is so beautiful and rugged.
 

 

Sicilian roads range from impressive engineering feats to unfinished
roads to nowhere....let's just say we scratched our heads more than once,
laughed quite a few times, and sometimes just shook our heads.  To drive in
Sicily one must keep hand near horn, not assume that red light means
stop, and hold your nerve when that oncoming car in your lane
is getting quite big, it will just squeeze back into its lane as it passes you.
If you happen to be in pole position at a red light you will get horns
blasted at you when the light turns green....even if your reaction
time is that of an Olypmic athlete on a starting block.  The
scenario is...light turns green, car behind honks!  It's ok.
It's a Sicilian thing. Oh, and park anywhere you like, either
side of the road, up the gutter, double park in a one way street
while you pop in to the panificio.  It's ok.  It's Sicily