Last post from Italy, 20th May, 2012

Last Thursday we went first to Segesta supposedly founded by Aeneas and Co.on their way home from the Trojan wars. The huge Doric temple was never finished - the building was probably interrupted by war with neighbouring Selinunte. Today the temple stands in isolation and some distance away on the next hill is the well preserved 5thC B.C. theatre

Once again there were Senegalese hawkers in the car park. Mohammed who we struck up a conversation with (in French) had been 3 years in Sicily and was still trying to get established.

We spent the afternoon at Selinunte which must have been an important Greek city as the temple acropolis is huge. It was destroyed first by Carthage in 409 B.C. and then an earthquake completed the job.

Friday was our last day in Sicily. We drove east from Palermo along the coast road to Cefalu.  At one point the autostrada was blocked by workers from a Fiat plant which was closing. All traffic had to stop and chat to them. The carabinieri just observed it all. In Cefalu we ran to get to the cathedral before it closed for its afternoon siesta. Cefalu is an attractive resort town dominated by the massive cathedral and even more massive rocky outcrop known as La Rocca. 

Back in Palermo there was time for a final stroll through the centre, before making our way to the port area to catch the overnight ferry to Naples.

The sea was like a mill pond and we had a good sleep on board and docked in Naples at 6 a.m. My brief impressions of Naples included the grand palazzos along the waterfront (now apartments) and narrow medieval streets in the old town. 

It was a 3 hour drive to Rome where we stayed in a religious house. The view from their terrace included the dome of St Peter's.

On Sunday morning we caught a plane to Berlin and it is quite a contrast with Italy.= although both are in the euro zone it seems a little more expensive, but blissfully peaceful - bicycles instead of motorbikes. All for now.

Doric temple at Segesta standing in splendid isolation.

Detail showing the protuberances around which ropes were slung during construction

Wildflowers at Segesta

The 5thC B.C. Greek theatre at Segesta contrasts with the modern Autostrada

Ruins of one of the enormous Doric temples at Selinunte.

The  modern town of Selinunte from the ruins of the old town.

Fiat workers blocking the autostrada in protest at the closure of the plant

The cathedral at Cefalu dominates the town

Byzantine mosaics in the cathedral at Cefalu

The modern stained glass windows are quite a contrast

The beach at Cefalu

Street scene in Palermo

The ever present accordionist in Palermo.

Pitcher plants for sale in Naples.

The austere facade of a Jesuit church in Naples

The opulent baroque interior of this church

The old city of Naples is renowned for producing clay figurines of Nativity scenes.

they have branched out into political figures

And even nuns and priests.

the Galleria - a grand shopping arcade built at the end of the 19thC.

Horoscope mosaics in the floor of the galleria. The TV Italian news had the day's horoscopes near the  top of the bulletin.

Typical elegant baroque buildings in Naples.

Outside at Gambrinus coffee shop on Plebiscite square in Naples

The elegant interior of Gambrinus

Mouth watering selection of pastries.

I was a bit slow, but these nuns had been posing and taking each others photos against the background of roses.