Sicily, Italy

Trapani Sicily

The best purchase we made all day was two full length plastic raincoats to wear during our wet visit to Erice. The ancient town sits on the summit of 751 M high Mt Eryx at the east end of Trapani and collects the damp winds blowing off the ocean, producing foggy conditions more days than not. The day we visited it was already shrouded in fog, cool and rainy. Before setting out we had returned to our room to put on long sleeved shirts but we had forgotten to take our rain jackets. Next time we visit a hill town on a cloudy day, we will bring our rain jackets.

Our B&B manager told us the funicular running from Trapani up the mountain to Erice would not be running in the heavy winds blowing up a storm in Trapani. Our own car was sitting in the free parking lot a 10 minute walk from our B&B but we had no intention of driving up narrow switchbacks ourselves. It seemed much better to leave the driving to the local bus driver. We reached the bus stop at 10:30 only to find the morning bus ran at 8:30, 11:30 and 12:30. We had plenty of time to walk along the sea front, watching a few people swimming and several spear fishing just off the sandy beach.

At 11:30 there was an overflow of tourists waiting for the bus to Erice. Many had hoped to take the funicular which wasn’t running. The bus arrived and a scrum developed of everyone rushing to get a seat. The bus was filled to capacity and had to leave people on the sidewalk waiting for the 12:30 PM bus. I felt sorry for one young couple who had arrived from London that morning, intending to stay overnight in Erice. They had been waiting with their backpacks for two hours. The girl got on but the driver had reached his permitted number of riders before her boyfriend managed to stow their packs under the bus. There was no option but for her to get off the bus and wait another hour.

The origins of Erice are the subject of folklore and legends. The town is linked to the Elimi, the same indigenous people who brought us Segesta. In the Aeneas, Virgil tells of coming ashore at the foot of a mountain to perform the funeral of his father. Several of his ships had been lost to fire during his voyage, so a number of Virgil’s companions were put ashore to found a town at the top of the mountain. Another story lands the hero Heracles in Sicily on his way back to Greece. He had killed the Elimian king during his trip and prophesized that one of his descendants would take over as ruler of Erice.

The drive up the narrow switchbacks gave wonderful views of the coast. We were thankful that we had not elected to drive our car up. It would have been too nerve wracking, anticipating the approach of the many tour buses.

Walking the steep, cobbled streets would be a treat in good weather. We got off the bus to thick fog and drizzle. We were robbed of the promised spectacular views but the day was partially saved us by those plastic raincoats we bought at the first minimart we passed. They were large enough to cover us and our day packs as we meandered through the labyrinth of streets and narrow back alleys. The town, in the shape of an equilateral triangle, was bounded by an ancient wall, parts of which remain. We passed small churches and monasteries in almost deserted streets. Most of the tourists and locals were presumably holed up for the day in a cafe or their homes. We searched out a small cafe for lunch and a chance to get dry. We eventually shortened our visit by returning to the bus stop and finding a bus leaving at 3:30 instead of the expected 5:30 PM return.

On our trip back to town we eventually came out of the black cloud that still enveloped the hilltop into sunny skies over Trapani. What a relief.

As soon as we were back in our room, Ray went out to buy water and get more money from an ATM. He returned saying the skies were blue and we should see the streets of Trapani. The town was built by the Spanish in the 14 th C on a narrow peninsula, making fishing the main industry.

Saturday is wedding day in Sicily, the same as it is at home. Just a short block from our B&B a crowd dressed in their finest was waiting for a wedding couple to appear after the service. Out they came to congratulations and requests for ‘a kiss, a kiss’. Champagne was poured into glasses and handed to the bridal couple. A loud explosion was followed by a snow storm of confetti over the entire audience and the street. Ray got a photo of the bridal couple.

We walked past the cathedral where another wedding was taking place, then found our way to the shore where several older gentlemen sat under a tree discussing the news of the day. Small fishing boats with their nets curled up inside bobbed in the water. Several more boats were pulled up on shore for repairs. Part of the original walls run along the shore next to the old part of town. We joined families for a walk on the wide ramparts for a view of the town and the sea. Walking back we found ourselves behind a wedding couple stopped for photos in front of one of the houses built into the ramparts. We realized this was the wedding couple we had seen coming out of the church. We followed them back to the colonnaded Piazza Mercado de Pesce, where several more wedding couples were posing for photos. One couple had a red Ferrari as their backdrop, which interested Ray more than the wedding couples. The couple and their bridesmaid were waiting for their turn in the Piazza so I showed them the photo we had taken. They were surprised and pleased we had taken an interest in their day.

That evening we returned to A Casa Mia for dinner only to find it booked for the evening. The only tables available were chilly windy ones outside across the street from the sea. Instead we walked into the old town and joined most of the population of the town out for a family Saturday evening stroll and filling the cafes and restaurants. We did find a good restaurant with a sheltered outdoor patio to enjoy yet another Sicilian dinner.