Home!

We were up for 24 hrs straight, fly home was uneventful  which was a good thing.  The only negative situation is we are home our luggage is either in Rome or Amsterdam .  Delta said it will ship it when returns.  Going through customs and reentry was fast and every we encounterd was patient and polite compared to what we overheard people exchanging past experiences.   You know , nice is as nice does.

We split the drive home as Bo was exhausted.   He does not sleep on the plane compared to me.  Plus Delta has free movies, Tv shows and Bruce is glued to that screen.   I must say that on that plane trip from Amsterdam to Seattle, delta does feed its passengers well. Snacks, a fairly good dinner, a lunch and another snack.  Bottles of water passed out during the flight and the attendants were great.

One of the reasons they are rated so highly especially for on time arrivals/departures is , it seems to us, they give only the min. amount of time between flights.  One suggestion, Annie gave it to us, if ever in Amsertdam back sure you reserve a cart for transfer as we would never have made the connecting flights.

The dogs were overjoyed, as were we, to be home .    Miss Etta was nuts with happiness.  As a matter of fact, she slept in bed with us all night.  Every time we moved she woke up , kissed us, stared at us and then sighed with joy and went back to sleep.

We had to make our own coffee this morning, yup, I here oh you poor babies, but after a month with others making it for us it .

We are so grateful to have taken this trip as we learned a lot about ourselves, how we travel, what we like to do and not do and we liked it.

One more note, many other travelers we met and we shared this was our first trip to Italy that we were on our own and Bruce was doing the driving in Sicily and Southern Italy were mighty impressed. I think we were native and just did not know any better.

Bruce retires the end of the year and we are planning our next trip and it looks as if it will be to the Sea of Cortez in Mexico.  Sun!   But no way will we be gone a full month as that was just to long for us.

We are happy to be home and our routine .

EARLY Sunday morning

Had to get up by 3 this morning, just two hrs ago, to arrive at Plamero airport.  Had a sm antipasti plate at roof top bar before bed as we wanted to be in bed by 9 and we were.  Then lo and behold we hear someone singing Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone and our room was directly under the piano bar.  Debated whether to call front desk to change rooms but we were all tucked in, bags packed , clothes out and thought her singing might help us sleep.  We dozed off and on until she was done at midnight.   Bruce woke up at 2:45 and 15 extra minutes was not going to do me much good so I also rose and did not shine one bit.

Dressed and in the elevator a full half hr before the shuttle was to arrive.  Good and fortune thing we did get up early as we got stuck in the elevator for the 15 minutes we were early.  Of course, our minds raced with the "what Ifs" but I believed we had gone this far with no major mishaps so it would work out and it did.   The bellman had the right tools, a crow bar and a key, and got us out.  The shuttle was waiting and here we are.  Very small airport and the security people who ck you before you find your gates were not even here yet.   They arrive at 6.   I had to keep going through the medal dectector and finally figured it out that it was the bobby pins in my hair as I put my wig on as there was no time to wash dry my hair.  I'll see what happens with this wig.

Good morning.

Bruce and grace

Last day

We had a wonderful and sad morning saying goodbye to Cefula and Mirko.  Just as we were putting the last of our things together he came into the room to give us each a hug and another goodbye as he was off to rescue, yet, another guest who got lost.  He gave us a momento of our stay at the B and B a sm ceramic piece with the name of the B and B on it with Cefula in the background.   I asked him to sign it which he did .  Now we have one from Lecce and one from Cefula.  

So off we go to drive to Palermo on a beautiful day.   Before I left our room I went onto the balcony to blow a kiss to the blue Med sea to say averadici, you know what I mean.    Could not get Bruce to blow a kiss but he did go out to say averadici .

Guess What!   We got hopeless lost trying to find Hertz and we are not sure how the hell Bruce found it 

and I am not joking.  Once again, the GPS does not jive with street names and last night Bruce wrote out directions from Google but Google could not find the correct street so Bruce found another map.

Anyway, between the three of them and prayers from me we found it.  Had hertz call a cab which the associate did not seem happy about, got a very nice cab driver and arrived at a very old, well kept

(Sort of how I feel some days) grand hotel.   This place is right out of the 50s movie with Huge lobby

With lots of wood , marble floors and lots of steps.   The hallways are narrow with angles , steps down

And big white doors.   The room is comfortable, small , nice large shower and a view of a very old wall.

We are up at 3 a.m as the transfer shuttle comes at 4.   Another nail in the Avanti travel as they told me it was "impossible" to change.   But this means we should be in Seattle by 4 in the afternoon .   Hello

My puppies.

The five things I love most about Italy:   THE PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE, the sun/heat,

the food!

Also, this city Palermo, after going out to eat, short walk about, leaves a positive impression.   I also saw one of the very rare brightly handmade , hand painted , horse pulled carts that were once seen overall Sicily.

Prayers for safe trip home and I am going to have printed for Bruce's car a bumper sticker that states

"I survived driving in Italy"

Look forward to home you all of you.

Much love,   Bruce and Grace

Just got back

Went to walk around town for one more time. Had late lunch which was a home made pasta with sardines, raisins, pine nuts and finely ground bread crumbs.  My mom never made it cause my dad and I were the only ones who would eat it.  I know to some it might sound terrible but the raisins balance out the saltiness of fish.  Bruce had cream of asp soup and breaded veal.  Each had a glass of house local wine, $5 a glass, and we are amazed how wonderful it is.

Then a short walk to our favorite geletto and pastry shop, Bruce took a photo, and I had an almond filled flaky pastry and Bruce a double scoop of choc and one pistachio .  Sat there for awhile and talked to a couple from Conn with a tour group.  Said our goodbyes and off the our last stop to the cafe with the nice owners for our glass of Lemoncello .  In Italy one does say goodbye but see you next year or sometime in the future.

Back to the room and wAtching a very beautiful sunset.  Bruce is trying to get a photo.   Door is open to the baloney and a slight breeze is coming up so the weather changing.

Spent the morning confirming reservations for the trip home.  Called Hertz and they said the car lot is easy to find.  We have been told that by everyone we have asked for directions from.  Bruce told the rep that if we cannot find it he is leaving the car.  The rep said someone would come and get us.  Again, this has been the most unnerving thing on this trip.  Plus not speaking Italian , really speaking and understanding for us, has been an inpetament .

So we leave around 10 a.m. should be there around noon.  Say a prayer that we have a save trip 

Not much else.

Take care.

G and B

Just got back

Went to walk around town for one more time. Had late lunch which was a home made pasta with sardines, raisins, pine nuts and finely ground bread crumbs.  My mom never made it cause my dad and I were the only ones who would eat it.  I know to some it might sound terrible but the raisins balance out the saltiness of fish.  Bruce had cream of asp soup and breaded veal.  Each had a glass of house local wine, $5 a glass, and we are amazed how wonderful it is.

Then a short walk to our favorite geletto and pastry shop, Bruce took a photo, and I had an almond filled flaky pastry and Bruce a double scoop of choc and one pistachio .  Sat there for awhile and talked to a couple from Conn with a tour group.  Said our goodbyes and off the our last stop to the cafe with the nice owners for our glass of Lemoncello .  In Italy one does say goodbye but see you next year or sometime in the future.

Back to the room and wAtching a very beautiful sunset.  Bruce is trying to get a photo.   Door is open to the baloney and a slight breeze is coming up so the weather changing.

Spent the morning confirming reservations for the trip home.  Called Hertz and they said the car lot is easy to find.  We have been told that by everyone we have asked for directions from.  Bruce told the rep that if we cannot find it he is leaving the car.  The rep said someone would come and get us.  Again, this has been the most unnerving thing on this trip.  Plus not speaking Italian , really speaking and understanding for us, has been an inpetament .

So we leave around 10 a.m. should be there around noon.  Say a prayer that we have a save trip 

Not much else.

Take care.

G and B

Today is Wed so it must be Cefula

Yesterday, Tues, we found the local museum which at one time the home of a count and his family.

None of the intro on the history of the museum or the works that were displayed in it were written in English but it was still grand to walk through it.  Saw antiqutestes like pottery, mosicas and then paintings of the count and his family.  I can see why that hung his mothers portrait across the room from everyone else's as she looked down right mean.   One item was the type of carriage that was carried on the shoulders of slaves/servants and from what I saw this family was short, skinny and small.  No place for big booties in that carriage.

Then onto lunch at the beach and it was a beautiful day.  I kept looking at our server as she seem very familiar but how.  Well  just as we were about to leave she asked me if we were staying here and I said yes.   She is Mirko's sister and we met on the day we arrived.  

Walked along the beach for a short time and I was pooped and decided we would take a taxi back, could not find one, so walked the hr to get back.   The only tough part is the last block before the B and B.  I have to keep reminding Bruce, and myself, thus walk is not a race so take our time, stop , look, sit watch people which makes it a little better.

Back to the room to finish reading Elle, fashion magazine , watch some tv, wash up and out we go.

Decided on a light dinner and back to the Dumo area for this wonderful bean soup plus I wanted calamreii, you know, that was outstanding.  Here in Sicily I have had limes with my seafood and lemons with the meat.  Anyway, the salt on this dish made it taste of the sea, no shit!   We decided on dessert.

Bruce had brioche, an egg type bread shaped in a round that is filled with your geletto of choice.  He. Had dark choc and this choc comes from southern sicily from a town calledModerna , along those lines, I have read about the town and the great choc that is made there. He could only eat the geletto.i

I had a bubba rum ba, which is a very light cake which is soaked in rum syrup very good but sweet.

Yesterday we watched small local fishing boats that come in around five, met by guys on scooters that put in the catch in small wooden crates and then park the scooters near apartments so people buy their fresh fish.

Speaking of scooters.  We see kids riding with adults , everyone wears helmets , riding in the front or back with adults.   Kids as young as three, no speeding just taking care of bus.   We have also seen dogs, teethed to the inside of the scooters where there is a floor, riding around with their owners.  From

Sizes of small to medium dogs.   Dogs are as cool with these rides as they wait until the owners are off

Helmets put away and then the dog is unleashed from the scooter then walked off.

We have seen only one loose dog here .   Most are small to med size though Paula saw a woman walking a full size German Shepard last night.   All these dogs seem very well trained

Of course I watch to see what women are wearing and Italian women here do not seem to be as body phobic as we do.   I have not seen one women wearing pj bottoms, sloppy looking clothes or unkempt at all from doing their market chores to their evening walks.  Women my size seem not to mind some of their body rolls displayed wearing their tops and, what we think of maybe their jeans being a little too

Tight just really hug their curves again, because their outfits are very well put together.   They take pride, as the men do it being neat and clean.

Today making phone calls to Palermo to confirm reservations.  Will leave around 9:30 in the morning as it is about an hr and half and the Hertz drop off in center of city.  One more item learned about renting cars overseas.

We did check into Bruce going fishing and here , compared to home, you rent the whole boat for day at about $500 per day.  Nope, Bruce said as I thought if he wants to he deserves it.   Also, we coke he'd about just a few hrs off a boat ride out to the sea but not here as they did Taromina.  Oh well, next trip to wherever Bruce is going to fish.

Today is the last day in Cefula and am sitting on the balcony looking out to the blue Med sea.

Grace. and Bruce

Trip to my grandparents village

We decided to drive to the village of Cerda on Monday.  An easy drive following Mirkos directions,not the GPS .   As I remember my aunts describing it as a hilly town with very little going on.   I will add to that a seedy , hilly, unfriendly town with very little going on.   I was not surprised but Bruce was as he thought it was going to be one of those pretty hillside villages outside of Lecce we visited.  We took some photos mainly for my Cousin Frankie who plans on going next yr with his four adult children.

Drove around looking for familiar names or places to park and walk around somewhat but the sky opened and it poured we were when city hall and public offices closed until 4 and we were not going to hang around for four hrs.   So off we went for a drive back to Cefula.  The rain continued as it is needed here as it has been without rain for six months.   Driving down the rd there were mini mud slides along the sides of the rd which made the rds very slippery.

Luckily we found a parking space back at the B and B.  Dropped of a bag of potatoe chips I bought at a gas station,  doesn't matter to me what country I am in as potatoe chips are always good, pit stop at the room and off we went to walk down different streets.

Weather was overcast and just ok.  Had late lunch, nothing memorable, got back to the room after being out for five hrs and decided to stay in.  I washed up, pjs on, bought two magazines in English and settled down about 7 knock on the door and it was Mirko will two pieces of pizza for us.  It was very good, not sure if homemade or take out, Bruce returned the plate and was gone awhile which surprised me as he is not always chatty with new people.   When he got back he met a couple who just got in from Aberdeen, Scotland .

We decided to get things together for leaving on Thursday.  Long to short of it I ended up emailing Journey travel in aberdeen five times as two different airports were listed for our departure , different addresses for dropping off the car, it is in the center of Palermo now, voucher was not checked out for being completed by travel agent.   Bruce handled it better than I did.