Sunday 4/2/2017

 

Trapani

 

 

We slept fitfully with nasty jet-lag.  The coughing couple a row behind us on the flight from San Francisco has done me in.  I’ve got nasal congestion and that sucks. We awoke around 9AM to the sound of rain.  The weather had turned much colder.  Yesterday may have been in the 80’s.  Today was in the 50’s.  This is not the best weather to overcome an incipient cold, but we were prepared for the rain and cooler weather.

The apartment manager provides umbrellas at the door.  Grabbing one we set off to find a supermarket, a farmicia, or a café.  That can be a challenge on a Sunday in Trapani!

We had discovered a local supermarket and  Farmacia Restivo Dr.Ssa Ilaria within a few blocks of our apartment.  Both were closed.   Widening our search, we had no luck finding either,  We settled on coffee as our first priority and headed to Corso Vittorio Emanuele,  This is a pedestrian street full of cafes, trattorias, and shops; one of the happening places in Trapani.  The café on the corner was open, and while the tree older gents outside were friendly enough, we pushed on.  We pushed on to find nothing open.  We walked quite a way in the drizzle. There were a few pasticcerias open, none with more than a single occupied table. 

One of many historic but derelict edifices in Trapani

 

We decided to go left toward the ferries and marina hoping that one of the cafes we had seen yesterday were open.  I approached a fellow leaving a tabaccheria and asked, “Scusami, dov’e un café in vicina” (which was wrong s/b dov’e un café nelle vicinanze, but hey)  The fellow answered, “indietro e destra”  Cool, but that was the way we had come!  We retraced our steps all the way back to that café with the old gents, who were still there.  The next café up was open and had tables inside out of the rain.  I had an over the top chocolate covered cream filled horn and a double macchiato.  Ellen had a cappuccino and a croissant.  We were warm and listening to Italian conversations around us.  Two massive chalk boards had writing on them one said: Live life, have a small salt pizza (?), and a lemonade with a shot of tequila.

Two guys had two plates of antipasti served.  I asked the waiter if we could have what they were having (in English and with gestures)  a short time later out came our meal.  We no longer felt guilty taking a table.  The eggplant marinara was very good as were the green olives and the crostini with a bit of fresh sardine.  Trapani is big on sardines.

After some time the rain let up and we went back to our apartment to regroup.  We wanted to find a supermarket to get supplies like shampoo, body wash, Kleenex,  and cough drops at a minimum.  Google turned up a large supermarket just outside the historic district and it appeared to be open on Sundays.  Great, we can explore more of Trapani and go to a supermarket as well.  Coveting our free parking spot, we had no desire to drive.  Though it was still cold and windy with the occasional smattering of rain, our walk was exhilarating.  As we walked further form the historic district, the architecture became more residential and far less visually interesting.  We walked in the general direction of where I thought the supermarket should.  Most everything was closed but for a few cafes.  I asked a woman arranging shoes in a display where I’d find a supermarket close by (in Italian) and she answered (In Italian)  left down that street then right.  We found it and it was closed.  Sunday is not a good day to go shopping in Sicily.

By now we were just a block from the sea, why not walk back along the water?  We found a small beach with typical beach side changing and storage huts.  There were a few restaurants right on the water, closed as usual for us that day.

Citta Storica

Italy loves putting up fountains, monuments to famous historic figures, and creating parks.   On our way back we found all three. 

A decorative Lintel over a Church’s Entrance

All roads lead to Corso Vittorio Emanuele.  As we turned on to the street, the sun broke through the clouds shining on a church’s façade briefly.  Then the sky grayed over. We passed a church. Ellen popped then called me inside, “you have to see this”. She was right.  Trapani was once a very prosperous sea port.  It is still the capital of the province of Trapani.  This church showed the affluence that was once Trapani.  It was amazing.

Carved Marble

A Cherub in Carved Marble

Again Carved Marble

While we were inside, the skies parted and dumped sheets of rain on the street.  We caught the tail end as we left for home.

 

 

 

 

Palazzo Senatorio With its Day and Time Clocks

We had made reservations at a restaurant Alessandra recommended for 8pm that evening.  We arrived at the restaurant on time and were ushered to our table by the owner/chef. It was 8 pm and the restaurant was empty.  This is not a good sign.  We ordered at the owner’s recommendation, I had sardine pasta a Traditional Sicilian dish, and Ellen ordered the John Dory.  Appetizers arrived first and they were very good.  While we were eating the sardine pasta, the restaurant filled with a group of 18!  It appeared to be a tour group visiting Trapani.

To me both the pasta with sardines and the John Dory were too fishy tasting.  The pasta was great and cooked al dente, just as I like it.   I have not given up on fresh sardines.  I’ll give them one more try on the Amalfi Coast.