I wasn't expecting much for our last day in Sicily. A morning check out of the b&b then hanging out with luggage until it is time to board the 20:00 ferry for Naples.
But no, the Palermitani, the residents of Palermo, were looking out for us.
Here is one example: Marco at the b&b offered to let us keep our room for the whole day, and at no charge. Yay, a place to store luggage, relax, shower. A friendly guy and a nice place to stay.
Free of our luggage, we headed out. We found a ceramic shop with colourful Picasso-inspired designs. The question of course was do we want to carry one more breakable on the plane home? They are awfully pretty so of course!
We then walked to the Kalsa neighborhood, which is seaside, and along the way we passed a school overflowing with students. Late teens, maybe a bit older. Palermo is full of young people, I think they've some universities here, which adds good energy to the city. Anyway, the kids called out to me, they saw my big camera, they wanted me to take their pictures. I would not normally take pics of faces of kids but they insisted, they posed, and it all seemed fine.
We then wandered into Santa Maria dello Spasimo, or Lo Spasimo, a church in the Kalsa neighborhood. The church was never completed because of the rising Turkish threat in 1535, where resources meant for the church were diverted to fortifications of the city against any possible incursions.
Once inside a woman walks over to tell us the history of the building and about how it's now used for jazz concerts. Then another lady flags us down to show us a cupola that she thinks we'll find interesting.
By now we are hungry, but it is 14:00, mid afternoon, and not much is open. We just happen to walk past Il Culinario, where we ate last night. It is closed, they only serve dinner. Then Silvio, the owner, walks out, he calls to us. He seats us, brings some of his delicious chickpea and crostini appetizers, then presents us with two pizzas. He joins us. He talks about his travels in his broken English. When we're done he serves us a small dessert and a small glass of his homemade lemon liquor.
Palermo, as you can tell, has made a very positive impression on us. It's Italy turned up a notch, proud and passionate survivors of thousands of years of battles, from the Romans, Burbons, Arabs, the inquisition, etc., up to the more recent fascists and the mafia. A fine place to visit indeed.
The photos are of Lo Spasimo and a group of students posing for me outside their school.
