Sicily Oh Sicily Continued

I tried everything that I could to continue yesterday's post to conclusion, but I just couldn't manipulate it...  So, for today, I will try to finish some of my thoughts from yesterday and tell you about today, which was spent high above Trapani in Erice, a city which is the greatest preserved Norman fortress in Europe.

We took a cable car up to this ancient stronghold and spent the entire day traversing the narrow passages that house some of the most amazing dwellings, little shops and cafes. It is worth reading about if you have the time. Of course, as with most of Sicily, you have to figure out who was defeating who at what particular time in history. In this case, it was the Normans ousting the Muslims, so then you have to dig deeper and find out which churches were mosques first etc. Aside from all of that, the entire mountain top is incredible, and well worth a visit to this area alone. The vistas are spectacular and the Norman stronghold is an architectural wonder that is almost impossible to believe. I know that it was important to hold the higher ground, but who in God's name could get up there to defeat you. Aliyah and I were trying to comprehend the difficulty one had in manipulating these enormous stones while dangling for your life thousands of feet up in the air. I am not well versed or well traveled, but Erice combined with the Old City part of Trapani are amazing areas to visit.

At the most famous pasticceria in Erice we sat with a very nice and rather tall German couple, Franc and Bridgette from Lindbergh or somewhere in Germany. Aliyah and I are not the ignorant American types, but we are American, and therefore, not very knowledgeable about many other countries. Actually, we don't even know that much about any other state than Pennsylvania- let's just drop the subject, ok! We conversed nicely, and of course, I had to know how the German dollar compared to the American exchange for a Euro, which is at an all time low. They nicely told us how the Americans bought so much of Europe for years and years after WW Two, when it was a 4 to 1 exchange rate. Now, all of Europe will vacation in the USA and go first class. Just to put it in perspective: I exchanged $300. American for $188. in Euros yesterday. When I get home, I am doing all of my estimates for new jobs in Euros!

After this nice encounter we found the church of St. Albert and then a second church of St. Albert. I've never read anything about St. Albert, I only know Novelli folklore about my father's mother and Al Albert's mother, whose families came together from the same village in Italy, praying to Saint Albert and both of them giving birth to boys and naming them Albert, one of course becoming Albert Novelli Sr. and the other Albert Albertini, the lead singer of the Four Aces and writer of "Three Coins in a Fountain" and "Love is a Many Splendor Thing" and probably a few other hits. For my Fellowship friends- he and Ahamed's mother, Kitty Kallin, sang together on Milton Berle's children's hour on the radio every Sunday afternoon when they were young. To the younger generation, you might just remember him on Channel Six's Al Albert's Children's Talent Show for years and years. Regardless, I have found St. Albert for whatever it is worth! These Italian legacies are so steeped and rooted in drama that it is easy to see why the churches have such dramatic design and depictions. The architecture is amazing, but the artistry is beyond comprehension.

Well, Aliyah has informed me that it is feeding time again, so off to another dish of pasta I go. We are walking miles and miles each day, but I am sure that the calories are not burning as fast as they are going in, and I fear the instant glance of my lovely wife when she sees me in ten days. But, like any good food addict, especially an Italian on the loose in Italy for the first time, no fear can stand in the way of a good dinner. Please compliment my new clothes when I return and don't dare look at the rest of me. Ciao or as I spelled it the first day, Chow!