When I travel I love to go to markets and cook dinner at home. It’s a bit of creativity (what can we throw together using what is available?) and a bit of pretending that I live there. The others humored me and went to the market to shop for dinner.

We started the day by returning to the Church of La Martorana. When we went there the day before there was a wedding taking place and we were not able to walk into the space. It is the oldest in Sicily and decorated with Byzantine-Norman mosaics -plus Baroque extensions. Of particular interest is a mosaic of Christ crowning King Roger II. Albanian Orthodox hold services here and they do not sit. There are benches of seats – but they hinge up so that you stand in your space. 

Then we went to the Ballaro market to shop for dinner. It has a lot of personality but pales in comparison to the markets in Aix. There was good looking prepared food on display but you could only buy it by taking a seat and paying for table service. We eventually bought ingredients for a meal of pasta with shrimp and sun dried tomatoes, parmigiana , green beans, salad with fresh fennel, olives and sausage. Lots of food. 

We returned to the apartment which was near and put it all away. Then I separated from the group. I was the only one interested in the puppet museum so I split off. Near the puppet museum were two other interesting sights. The largest tree in Europe (hard to believe-must be the roots) and Palazzo Chiarmonte Steri. The palace is most visited because during the inquisition Spain controlled Sicily and a tribunal was held there and a prison was built for those awaiting their hearing. The prisoners wrote and drew on the walls. Some writings are in English because it was a trade route and heathen came from everywhere. 

David, Roberta and John headed out for the Palatine Chapel and the Norman Palace. They loved it and had the added treat of a special art exhibit.

Dinner was very good and finished off with local pastries and lemoncello from Santa Catarina.