May 10-11, 2023

May 10-11, 2023

Some friends took us to the airport early this morning to begin another visit to Italy. In Dallas we transferred to our long overnight trans-Atlantic flight. It is a mostly cloudy journey but we get glimpses of the coastal Alps separating France and Italy. We arrive in Rome early the next morning flying in over Civitavecchia, the modern cruise port for the inland Italian capital. Italy must be getting lots of rain as the terrain is bright green.

Rome, however, is not our final destination. We quickly found our next flight to Palermo, capital of the Italian island of Sicily. Today most islands are backwaters because of difficult driving and railway connections. In pre-industrial times, it was just the opposite. Islands with their ready ports and sea access were internationally connected enhancing trade. As a result Palermo at one time was likely the largest city in Europe and Sicily the wealthiest kingdom. On the flip side, this easy access meant Palermo and Sicily were probably also the most conquered city and island of Europe.

Strategically located in the passage between the western and eastern Mediterranean, Sicily was colonized by the earliest trading empires, Among the first were the Phoenicians. They were quickly followed by the Greeks and then the Romans. In the Middle Ages, came the barbarians, then the Arabs, and finally the Norman Vikings.

Outside baggage claim, we met our driver who ferried us into the city of Palermo. I think he used to be a Grand Prix driver. The coastline of Sicily is very beautiful with sheer green mountains. Our hotel room has a long balcony overlooking the Politeama Theater and its wide piazza.

To keep our jetlag at bay, Aimee and I know we need to keep moving. So we take a walk south into historic Palermo. Our first stop is the Salinas Regional Archeological Museum to learn more about ancient Sicilian history. One small room illustrates the earliest writing alphabets. The oldest is from the Phoenicians who needed it to manage their far-flung trading operations. The utility of its simple sound-based alphabet was apparent, and then adopted and modified by the Greeks who added vowels. The Romans then adopted the Greek alphabet transforming it into our Latin script.

One exhibit that ties in with a recent trip is the Palermo Stone. This is a fragment of a large hieroglyphic stele that listed all the kings of Egypt. It helped scientists uncover Egyptian Pharaoh history. Of particular interest is the three-letter cartouche of Sneferu, founder of the fourth dynasty and builder of the Bent Pyramid. Aimee and I have learned to easily identify the guitar-shaped hieroglyph ‘nefer’ meaning beautiful.

The museum has artifacts from the many Greek temples that litter Sicily. Surprisingly some of the temple fragments were found to contain color. Astounding for buildings exposed to the elements for 2500 years. Scientists have learned that Greek temples and statues were originally brightly painted. Using these small fragments the colorful temple facades have been recreated. One odd Greek temple has an enormous painted head of a Gorgon on its pediment.

We are starting to fade, so across the street, we stopped to have a Coke and a Margherita Pizza. This pizza in the three colors of the Italian flag was named after an early queen of Italy.

Refreshed, we walked into the oldest section of Palermo. Next door to the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, we visited the Oratory of San Lorenzo. This small Baroque chapel or meeting house is filled with beautiful carved reliefs illustrating the lives of St. Lawrence and St. Francis. The most interesting is one that shows the martyrdom of Lawrence by being roasted alive. The oratory used to contain a famous Caravaggio painting but it was stolen by the Mafia in 1969.

We continued through the old section with its narrow winding lanes to the original port of Palermo. A cruise ship is at dock. Mostly it is now filled with sailboats. We passed a building facade with the portrait of two judges killed by the Mafia. Their assassination sparked a public outrage that finally did in the Cosa Nostra.

Back at the hotel we took a nap and then met up with my sister and brother-in-law for dinner. We had wine, swordfish and a delicious medley of Italian desserts. Traveling with my sister means we will be eating well.