Spring in Sicily

Wildflowers along the highway. Yellows and reds and purples. Lovely. Our bus took a two-lane highway through low rolling hills, green from all of that recent rain, farms, some industrial works, and every once in a while, the church bell towers of a hill town, the houses with their terra cotta roofs spread out like a miniature village. Would have been an idyllic ride if it weren't for all the stops-and-starts, the highway under construction for miles and the bus wouldn't start, once, the cars around us whizzing past us on the green light as the driver futz around to get the big Pullman bus into gear. Part of the adventure, I guess.

Said goodbye to Andres, the volcano tracker, and Luigi, who gave me a big bear hug, kisses on the check. I got used to my funky, chilly room and those great breakfast conversations. Got one last picture from my balcony (I could finally stand on it and not get drenched!) and then dragged my bag down to the street near the train station where the buses come to visit once in a while.

Agrigento is much more quaint and culturally rich than I expected. Giuseppe, a guy in his early-30s who manages the b&b L'Antica Via, made sure I knew there was a Bernini sculpture in a nearby church, and encouraged me to check out some of the other Baroque churches in the city (see that, Mary, those churches are just waiting for me, honest, I didn't ask for this!). I'm in the historic district, lots of up-up-up-scale shops and cuteness, and neat stairways up alleys that lead to more b&b's than you could ever imagine. But then again, everybody I met in Palermo was either going to be in Agrigento today, or was planning to get here today, like my two new friends Charlotte and Deborah, who are now sitting in Palermo because their car broke down! They're having the Sicily adventure and enjoying themselves as they collect travel stories.

I've been really happy about the way my trip has gone. I spent a lot of time researching b&b's and transportation options and so far, things have been great. I really like my little single room here. A tiny single bed, I've gotten used to sleeping in doubles (miss my partner who hasn't been on her side of the bed with me since I left San Diego!). Nice room, nice chat with Giuseppe.

OK, so my goal tomorrow in the Valley of the Temples is to discover as much as I can about the Chthonian deities, Demeter and Persephone, fertility goddesses who have their own little pit full of sacred offerings that supposedly preceded the Temple of Hercules, the first big temple built here in the 6th B(efore) C(hrist), or B(efore) C(ommon) E(ra) (what a silly way to avoid including Christ's name in a date, especially as BCE starts when Christ was rumored to have been born). Anyway, who cares about that stuff? I'm tried and I'm getting cranky!

Here in Agrigento, having a good time so far. Off to the temples tomorrow! Ciao!