Cefalu'..take 2!

view from half way up the Rocca

part of the castle ruins

more ruins!

nature's artistry

Cathedral in main piazza, path to Rocca on the right

Life's pretty good!

Saturday 26th March, Cefalu'

Italian trains make absolutely no sense…even to someone who understands the language!

This morning I checked the train schedule for Cefalu’ a pretty tourist town on the Palermo line that I wanted to revisit and I decided on the Regionale 8.22, a train that only stopped 3 times and arrived about 45 mins later.

I bought a return ticket from the ticket machine (11.20 euro) and waited on the platform.

A train pulled up at 8.21 but it was an IC (Intercity) that had night coaches, so I assumed it was not the right train, however I was told that the last 2 coaches were the Regionale and I would need to run or miss it.

I just made it in time, but when the ticket collector came around I realised it was not the right train. He wanted me to pay 2.30 euro more (a supplement as it was a faster train) BUT the train was actually arriving 40 minutes LATER than the Regionale that was following us? Go figure! Sometimes you just have to surrender to senselessness.

I seem to be spending a lot of time lately to avoid animal excrement.

Today it was sheep shit….deposited in copious quantities along the steep pathway to the Rocca, the ruins of a castle and temple to Diana, above Cefalu’ which was my destination.

On my first trip, I visited Cefalu’ and tried to get to the Rocca, but a rare migrainous headache prevented me from making the climb, so I was going back to try again.

The Rocca,  the remains of a castle and temple to Diana tower over the town and are accessible by taking a pathway from the right hand side of the cathedral on Corso Ruggiero the main street of Cefalu’. It winds to the right, climbing steadily up the hill behind all the local houses, eventually leading to a set of cobblestone stairs that marks the entrance to the Rocca.  

I buy a panino (cheese and salami) from a little shop near the Cathedral and find a spotless public toilet (worth every cent of the 50 euro cents charged) before heading up the path. An old local tells me the climb is worth it and will only take about half and hour.

As I start to climb, the view is spectacular. The silence broken only by the sound of birds calling to each other and what I later discover is the bells on the flock of sheep that are grazing on the steep slopes above me. My panino is quickly devoured and I relish each mouthful.

A German couple and I are the only people climbing up past the first ruins. We share the track reluctantly, but respectfully allowing each other privacy and solitude.

Another couple, French I think, pass me on their way down. We greet each other with a “Buon giorno “, then I push on  determinedly, trying to avoid the still fresh mounds of sheep shit that are strewn along the path. The pungent odour is not pleasant but does not detract from the awesome beauty of this place.

I turn around to look at the stupendous view and I see the young couple, locked in a loving embrace. Some things do make sense!

Heading back to the train station a few hours later, I need to go to the toilet again (the bane of my travelling existence).

I could write a guide to toilet availability and standard in the most of the world!

I spot a sign for hot chocolate-here in Europe hot chocolate is not a watery excuse for chocolate, but a rich, dense concoction that is warming and satisfying especially on a chilly day.

The café owner is a jovial chap who clearly loves his job. He chats amiably with a young couple who come in for a “crodino” (In Italy it is common to have an aperitif before a meal and a “digestivo” after a meal. Pranzo (lunch) is usually a big affair, consisting of at least three courses and coffee, necessitating a pisolino (siesta) afterwards.

The café owner deftly prepares a few complimentary nibbles (olives, sausage and bread) which the young couple say they will share and they enjoy their aperitif and each others company.

Just my luck that on the train back to Capo, I get the weirdo with the suspicious looking bulge in his pants who keeps trying to talk to me while leering AND picking his nose…yuk! Completely spoiled the mood.

I bury my head in my computer, mutter that “non comprendo” parlo Inglese and have to work and eventually weirdo takes himself, his bulge and his nose pickings elsewhere.

A presto

Mon x