Monday 6th May Had a later start today & looked out over a street of market stalls selling meat & fruit & vegetables so had breakfast & went walkabout using a local guidebook in Russian but with well labelled maps of the area including well defined walking routes. First we visited the Castello Ursino, a square moated fortress originally built by the Swabians on the coast but now inland. This was quite a gem as it is also a museum & art galler...

Woke early & set out to get the bus for Palermo outside the railway station, glad to see the back of our tiny apartment (bed-sit) but when it arrived late the driver told us it had to be replaced. Finally got away at 8.30 & had a good run into Palermo on an autostrada which was quite an engineering feat. The Italians don't go around anything on these roads, they either go across them on elevated roadways or through tunnels consequently we probably were ...

Had to find somewhere for breakfast on the waterfront & then set off for the bus station to find out how to get to Erice & to buy tickets. This done we tried to find out how to get to Palermo tomorrow on our way to Catania, a difficult exercise. We were told to get a bus from the nearby train station but eventually due to the help of a kindly lady we found the agent for the bus & were told that they run every 2 hours starting at 8am. Moving on we visi...

Got up early at Jane's command to catch the 9.30 bus (Dick’s memory) to Trapani, had breakfast & set off early as Jane thought the bus went at 9.00. You guessed it, Jane was right again!! Caught the bus & in great style we went via an interesting route including the port below Agrigento, Sciacca, Marsala & the Trapani (Birga) airport. The countryside is very beautiful, rolling & occasionally rugged but covered in olive groves & vineyar...

Had a late breakfast at 8.30 & after discussing with Luca, our host decided to go to Trapani on the north west coast tomorrow. Walked down to the bus station & enquired about buses to Trapani & then caught a bus down to the Valley of the Temples where there are a string of Greek temple ruins dating back to the mid 500s BC. They include the ruins of the largest Temple ever found of Greek origin, that of Zeus, which took 70 years but was never complet...