Erice, Sicily

On the second morning, we woke desperate for a grocery store.  (Yes, desperate.  We drank our last 2-liter water bottle and the stores closed on New Year's Day.  I guess the Mafia controls the water quality in western Sicily so like the Sicilians, I refused tap water.)   We pulled the two kids by their sleeves the three blocks to Simply market observing the decaying buildings and rusting cars as we walked.  In the store,  I begged them to lower their voices ("Do you guys hear anyone else yelling in here?") as we tried to figure out which white carton contained milk.  Luckily, some grocery items remain universal as we found a delicious rotisserie chicken and of course, honey-nut Cheerios.  I practiced ignoring my children as they argued in one of the aisles until an elderly Italian man approached them and seemed to inquire "where is the mother."  We survived the store and enjoyed zeppole, Italian donuts, and cappuccino at a Pasticcerie.

Upon returning to the apartment, Alessandro, Merta, and Charlie offered to take us to Erice - a walled architecturally medieval city that dates from ancient times.   We piled in the Fiat (without seat belts or car seats) and wound our way up the mountain.  Alessandro insisted we stop at an lookout.  I suppressed my panic as I watched speeding cars swing around the "look out."

When we arrived, we walked through the Porta Trapani and went to the Chiesa Madre, a massive Gothic Church from 1314.

I tried a cassata, a Sicilian dessert consisting of sponge cake and ricotta cheese layers covered with colorful marzipan.  Definitely too sweet, even for me. Two desserts down - eight to go.

We walked through the city to the 12th century Castello di Venere, a castle built on the site of the ancient temple of Aphrodite, chunks of which are incorporated into the walls.  This castle sits on a cliff and offers incredible views of Trapani and the water front.  Emily insisted on using her camera to capture the amazing scenes.

She directed each of us including Alessandro when he offered to take a picture of our family.  I realized a little late that I had forgotten to change my aperture, so it appears Emily is taking pictures of heaven.

I did manage to get a few great shots.