Day 1

The view from my apartment

So I set off early for the airport prepared for the face there would be no DLR trains (Thank you TFL for only having weekend trains on your website) anyway as I suspected there were plenty of trains (it was a Monday after all) and I got to the airport in plenty of time to check in both myself and my hold luggage (WAY under – all that night sweats for nothing!) anyway I rush through City security (very efficient) and hop on the plane only to get really nausea! I have never felt sick on a plane before and was determined not to embarrass myself. We landed and, as I already had my ticket I dashed through security again and waited from my transfer with a trusty bottle of Frizzante water and got to Palermo no problem. The problem I encounter was there is no train station at the moment!! They are putting in the fancy trains my work colleagues and I were admiring so glad I had investigated the bus! I got a return and we arrived at Central Station, Palermo via a very scenic motorway trip by the sea. I had discovered that the alleged offline map of Palermo that I had downloaded was not working so I ran to the station and found a trusty newsagent who sold me a very good street map. I then set off to find my apartment. This is the first time I realised that everything in Palermo is always a bit further then you think it is going to be. I felt like I had been walking for ages before I found the side street I needed and seem to be wandering aimlessly until I found a street with a name to orientate myself ( I was not as far along as I hoped and when I stopped to ask for Biscottori; I obviously said it wrong because people were confused). Anyway I checked in to my lovely apartment that had an excellent breeze (which I was grateful for after dragging my bag across cobblestones) and was welcomed by the handyman who was fixing the internet (thank god!) and the tv. The TV was a no go but I quickly discovered that I could get on to Amazon prime and netfix without an issue (Thank you Charlotte Koppe for your advice – keep your app logged in. Amazon Prime just log in- some content is restricted but I watched The Man in the high castle without an issue). I unpacked and showered and prepared to go out for a meal in the evening a la Sicilian!! The guy who had greeted me had suggested some places but to be frank I was finding my lack of language and disorientation a little scary so I walked to the nearest square that seemed to be open and took myself to the Pizzeria Carlo V because they were selling Squid with pasta! They were great, excellent service, very helpful especially when they told me that squid is not in season (whelp!) but in the end I opted for a swordfish, salmon Spaghetti which was delicious and a lovely glass of white wine (at the time I thought it was a little light on favour but it worked well with meal). I did have a panic that I don’t know how to eat spaghetti in a formal setting (I know, I know Brooklyn but I don’t find it works!) anyway I sat inside so hopefully no one noticed! It was lovely I would recommend the swordfish especially if you are not sure about crustaceans or cephalopod. I then headed back to a little place right by the Cathedral which was selling ice cream. It was delicious and cheap (Pizzeria Katia). I went back to the apartment after such an early start I was glad of an ‘early’ night'.

The original features in Carlo X

The view from the street in front of my apartment

and again but to the right