1. This is Salvo and Maria Lina Bommarito who are the wonderful proprietors of a delightful B&B just west of Palermo ( 20 minutes away) in CINISI which is a terrific alternative to staying in Palermo if one wants a totally country feel. One feels very at home in their orchard farm like setting. From Cinisi (whose beach is beautiful and accessible, it is a pleasant drive to places such as Trapani, Erice, Palermo, Castelmare Del Golfo etc. Maria Lina, having grown up in the U.S. is fluent in English for anyone who needs it. Both, together, are salt of the earth people who can help make your experience in Sicilia more than what you could have imagined. You can find them on the web at:

www.dreamingardenpirandello.com or by calling directly 011 ( from U.S.) 39 333 668 35 06.

 I LOVE baseball and in fact I was fortunate to have risen to the level of umpiring college baseball before an eye injury forced me to retire  (go ahead, make all the jokes you want!). Baseball in Italy ( Sicilia) is no where near as popular as the number one sport in the entire world, soccer. I watched this game on TV and knowing SOMETHING about rules, this "help" the third base coach is giving his faltering base runner is totally illegal! In the U.S. the runner would be declared out. The good thing about baseball is, well, it IS baseball.

 I happened across this fox while on a drive from the autostrada near Palermo cutting through the Nebrodi mountains ( a long way to get back to Sant'Alessio).

 From Castelmare Del Golfo, there is this fantastic cruise if you will, past the Zingaro National Preserve on the coast including a stop at the resort San Vito Lo Capo.  The boat ride was an incredibly delightful 6 hours and the views were spectacular

 Back in Taormina, you may remember, if you follow this blog, an image of the tracks at the Taormina Gardini Naxos train station. The inside is serenely Baroque, clean, and so comfortable. Trains from here go to Catania or Messina and all points in between. I believe one changes at the later two points for trains in the interior or to other destinations.




The image below is as common place in Taormina as the familiar "Passeggiata". In June, July or August, the wedding couple can be seen strolling the length of the Corso Umberto often times starting at the opposite end or point furthest away from the church so they can get the attention they deserve  (my speculation). Wedding photographers are more than accommodating to people who want to jump in their way to  bring home this memory.

As the spring approaches with the holidays of Easter, Passover and other such festas, I wanted to leave you with some peaceful thoughts in the manner that works for me:thinking of Sicilia.
Clockwise from top left: The sheep were photographed in Ventimiglia which I believe is in Palermo province. After my friend Eddie had done some family research, the statues were taken on the way back to our car in Palermo. The summer landscape near Selinunte. Calascibetta in Enna province and finally, my upstairs neighbor Ciro in Sant'Alessio He lives in Torino.
Buone feste, buona vita e buona fortuna