Segesta, Erice & Trapani
Day 3: Ancient Segesta and Mountaintop Erice
Whoa! Where are we? Did our super-bus-driver Antonio somehow transport us to Greece? Ancient Greek temples in Sicily, who knew? I would have to call this one of the wow moments on the trip. Just look at that temple shining in the sunshine on that hill!!
Believed by the Romans to be the home of Venus, Erice is an enchanting medieval mountaintop town. You can see it from the distance across the landscape of Sicily, way up there at 2500 feet, and we wondered how the bus was going to make it up there. But we had faith in our super-driver Antonio. Erice is also the home of world-class pastry maker Maria Gramattico, whose story is as wonderful as her almond confections. I had a terrible cold at this point in the trip so I didn't take part in the pastry making, but Tod tried his hand in learning the special twist of the wrist to form the "breasts of the nuns", and stuffing cannoli, while Alfio coached.
The pastry-making class at Maria Grammatico's was a huge hit with everyone. She spoke in her native Sicilian, with Alfio providing expert translation. For those interested in her story, her co-authored book is available on Amazon.
Day 4: Salt Harvesting and Seaside Trapani
