stairs, people running across tarmac.
When the plane arrived at Trapani, again the rush to get off. Trapani terminal is brand new, beautiful and clean. There are no phone booths in terminal, everyone has cell phones.
I took a look cab to the Garabaldi apartment, it is in a very nice neighborhood. It is in a small coutyard, with palm trees. It is a studio with a small separate kitchen, which has a gas stove and full size refrigerator. I walked around the neighborhood, it is elegant and clean. All the buildings are stone, stone streets and sidewalks, shops,cafes and close to main post office and museums.
The apartment was OK, but a few problem, was just a cook top, not a stove, had to hand lit. The water was shut off the first night for about 12 hours. I could not shower, wash dishes or flush toilet ! There is no heat in apartment. Their was a old TV, but not connected, also I could not get on the internet. The agent Saul Ferrari, I only saw when I checked in, he never came back! I had paid for 3 nights after that I left.
I went to a internet café and did research, found a couple of others. I finally found the Renda apartments, even in a nicer neighborhood, for the same price as the Garibaldi house. The owner of Renda , also owns a Salumeria on the ground floor on the building. There is also a fancy pastry shop next to the Salumeria, I bought some cannoli, and even Chocolate profiderolls.I will be in this place for at least 10 days.
I moved to the Renda on Saturday March 7, 2009. I went to an amazing buther shop, they had fresh meats and poultry, everthing was cut to order. They even had fresh rabbit. They ground meat you bought in front of you, sliced meat to your liking, I have never seen anything like this in the U.S. It made Whole Foods or Bristol Farms look like the Wal Mart !
The first day in the Renda, I cooked homemade tortellini, with a sauce from 2 kinds of fresh homemade sausage and fresh tomatoes. The other meal I had Chicken breast stuffed with mozzerella cheese.
The next day , I had a skewer of beef that was stuffed and rolled in spices, with fresh tomatoes in olive oil.
The fresh fish market closes at noon, I looked at them when I was in first apartment. I will probably go to check them out tommorow, all stores except pastry shopes are closed on Sunday. I have to remember not to buy too much, I can only eat so much a day.
I have been getting around just by walking, have not taken any transportation since I arrived at the airport in Trapani. When I pass some older person , I say either bono journo or bouno serra, depending on the time of day. I have found to just say” journo “in the morning and “serra” afternoon, they leave off the “bono” part .
The only thing I bought today was two big cannolis and five chocolate profitarolls, they were delicious.
On Sunday families walk around together, after church, they go to pastry shop. Some men hang out by the café and talk.