The traffic was Palermo busy on the way to the Palatine Chapel. This place is a Norman-Byzantine-Arab jewel of a masterpiece. Roger II of Sicily is sort of a hero of mine. Like all Normans he was a warrior. However, in Normandy, England, Sicily and Outremer (the Holy Land), the Normans were state builders, castle builders and church builders. Roger built a multicultural kingdom, favoured intellectuals and artists and built this place.
We climbed back into the bus to drive the ten or so kilometres to Monreale to see the astounding Norman cathedral there. Firstly, we were to enjoy the worst of Palermo's traffic, or at least, we thought it was the worst.
Monreal is a much bigger mosaic wonderland. We admired it all until a thunderstorm erupted, the staff turned off the lights and told everyone to leave because they were going to lunch.
I know I repeat this point often but pictures cannot get close to explaining the sheer impact off these places. Words neither...
Outside the rain continued so we scuttled to a nearby restaurant for lunch.
We further explored the outde areas after lunch.
The short drive back to the hotel took an eternity. The drivers of Palermo KNOW that there is nowhere to park, so they simply double park if a school pick up or an errand requires it. Sicilians may have mastered multiculturalism in the 12th Century but the mysteries of traffic flow elude them 800 years later.
The piece de resistance was the sight of a motorscooter which was wedged nose first into an open manhole in the middle of the road. I hope the rider is OK but I have so many questions!
Tonight we were eating at a restaurant with a large and happy party sitting next to us. As the meeting ended, various individuals sang rather mournful folk songs - in Hebrew. Random entertainment just keeps finding us.
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