Among the photos, taken by our daughter, in Sicily (April 2010), I found this to be the most striking and representative of the Sicilian dress style.
(with friendly permission from the photographer, Margo Shipley)
Apr 7, 2010
Springtime in Sicily
We have only returned from our trip yesterday afternoon. Mostly everything is unpacked, pictures have been uploaded, bills have been sorted, and memories stored away.
Here are a few more pictures taken in Trapani, Sicily.
Easter Sunday procession through Trapani
Six men upfront and six men in the back carried this float from one point to the next. In between, little strips of white and yellow paper came falling from the sky (well, from a balcony somewhere). Many people gathered at a market place where a high catholic figure, in a red robe, spoke down to the people from yet another balcony.
Trapani in the morning hours
The houses are tall and the roads so narrow. These tall buildings serve as a windshield and temperature buffer. There seems to be a constant wind, which must be rather nice in the summer time. Except during the days of the African wind Scirocco, which can paralyze life up to 20 days each year.
Sicilian coastline
The water is so clear and clean looking. On our walks, we only saw very low rocks – no cliffs at all – around the coastline. Some of these rocks show fossils in the shape of shells, snails. etc.
Street with a view
Brownish buildings, black rocks in the water, and the blue sea, all mingled in sunshine in April.
Amid rocks and mermaids’ tears, there was the catch of the morning…
I was beach combing for mermaids’ tears, and found myself in mermaids’ tears heaven. There were so many washed up on the shore. Not just regular broken glass shards, but the ones who had been in the water for a long time, polished smoothly by sand and water (a good quality mermaids’ tear takes 15 – 60 years of natural polish). It took me a minute to realize I was picking them out of a long strip of fish heads washed ashore.
There is much more to discover in Sicily. We only had three days there, but it was enough to realize that there is so much more to do and see.
I was able to use my Italian skills here and there, but you could also get by with only using English with the younger generation.
Apr 6, 2010
Springtime in Sicily
A passenger, sitting behind me on our flight to Trapani, commented how green the island looked compared to her usual summer visits, when the land is brown and parched.
Vineyards on Sicily
The land is green and lush in April. I heard golfing in Sicily is really good in this season as well.
Narrow streets and tall houses in Trapani
This is one rare front without laundry hanging on the balcony. Wherever we turned we could always see laundry flapping in the wind.
A typical thing to do on a lazy afternoon – watching people passing by in the street. It is very common to see people spending their free time like this.
street dogs
I guess I forgot that there are many more dogs roaming the streets without a master in Southern Europe. At night, after dinner and wine, we would often pass a sleeping dog on the sidewalk.
I have taken a fancy to Sicily, its pace, people, and pleasures.
Apr 6, 2010
Free book in Trapani
Die Schlangenbrut, written by Michael Borlik, will find itself on the streets in Trapani (Sicilian: Tràpani) sometime soon.
I am almost through reading it, so before leaving Sicily, I will release this book into the hands of another reader.
I would love to hear from the book finder – any language will do – so please leave a comment below.
