Three Busy Days in Palermo

      We spent three days and nights in Palermo at a B&B.  Friends Carmelo and Rosaria, and their son Sergio live there, and they kept us very busy.  Carmelo took Joe to an engine museum at the University of Palermo, and two days later to an antique car show.  In between, on Saturday night, we were invited to ten-year-old Sergio's birthday party at Al Magnum restaurant.  Photos from the engine museum....

Airplane radial engine

Fiat ship engine

Lamborghini engine

A cut-away engine

     Of WNY interest, the museum has a boat engine made in the 1920s at Niagara Motors Corporation in Dunkirk, NY....

           Photos from Sergio's birthday party, with family and friends....

Carmelo's mother, and Rosaria with her mother and sister

With Sergio and his gift, a Lego Ferrari

        The Sunday Car Show....

     At late lunch on Sunday afternoon, after a very busy weekend, a tired Rosaria and Sergio...

     We were exhausted too!  Prescription?.... a couple days of rest from vacation!

     From your weary travelers, Joe and Chris.

     Click on any image to enlarge.

     

     

Fiumara d'Arte - Stream of Art....Monumental Outdoor Sculpture

     We spent a day driving through the Nebrodi mountains of Sicily, following the route of the monumental sculptures of the Fiumara d'Arte, the Stream of Art.  The roads, the views, the weather all were spectacular, and the art was pretty cool too.  The sculptures were created from the mid 1980s through the early 90s.  They are spread out over a large area of remote and twisting mountain roads.  We were able to see most of them.  Here are the sculptures we saw....

    Monument to A Dead Poet, or Window on the Sea....

        Matter Could Not Be There.... This one rests just below one of the Autostrada A20 bridges, which is a sculpture in itself....

The sculpture can be seen lower right

As seen from coast highway SS113

    

A Curve Thrown Behind Time....  Located on the curve of a new road, where an old road intersects

This Mini Stonehenge was Across the Road

Very Typical Sheep on the Road

     

    Mediterranean Energy....

    

    Arianna's Maze....

She can enter...

But will she find her way out...?

    

    The Pyramid on the 38th Parallel....

    

    A Map of the Sculptures, with Italian Descriptions....

    A fun day was enjoyed by your Mountain Driving, Art Loving travelers, Joe and Chris

    Click on any image to enlarge.

    

Charming Cefalu

     We are staying for five nights at the very modern Abelia Sea Suites in Cefalu.  Our "suite" has two rooms - a bedroom and a lounge - and two bathrooms.  And most importantly a Juliette balcony overlooking the sea, the beach, and the promenade (called lungomare here).  And even MORE importantly, the Abelia has only one parking space in front, and our rental car is in it!  George Costanza, eat your heart out!  We move the planter when we want to get out.  Our balcony is above our car, to the left.

    Here are views from our balcony looking toward the old town, and the other direction...

     A couple views of our suite....

    

    Cefalu has a wonderfully preserved old town with cobblestone streets, and many excellent restaurants.  Dominating the town is the 12th Century Norman style Cathedral.  And dominating everything is "la Rocca", a massive stone mountain that rises just behind the town.

     We are really enjoying ourselves here.  We've done some exploring, and some relaxing.  This is our third time here, and hopefully will not be the last.

     From Joe and Chris, your relaxed travelers in Charming Cefalu, Sicily.

     Click on any image to enlarge.