A warning light came on in our car - low tyre pressure - so we pulled into a service station and checked all tyres - seemed ok. The light persisted.
We had a stop at the medieval village of Cefalu on the way and spent a couple of hours walking around this very picturesque village...an enjoyable stop with pizza and gelato for lunch.
We set the GPS for the centre of Palermo just to have a quick look around before we were to check in. It was crazy, Italian drivers are crazy, while there may be road rules. no-one obeys them. We have worked out that a "STOP" sign means "GO", the speed restriction signs are actually the minimum myspeed you can go, not the maximum. 2 lanes become 3 or 4 if you need, "give way" means push in, and give way to the left ... well there is no such thing as "give way" over here ! Oh if you put on your hazard lights you can park anywhere you like, and double parking is certainly ok and the norm in many streets ! You also get honked for being considerate, when a motor bike is passing in a tight situation, and letting other drivers in ! As for motor bikes and scooters ... they are allowed to go anywhere, footpaths, one way streets the wrong way, pedestrian only areas, bike lanes, highways, anything goes ... and don't even think of getting in their way.
Anyway, we got exhausted trying to navigate our way through the city of Palermo and decided not to stop and just head out to our accommodatiion early which was located near Mondello Beach. A modest apartment with a supermarket right across the road and we had the best pasta meal yet ... prepared by ourselves and costing 5.50 euros. Complimentary wine supplied by the host - Inzalio - a really nice Italian (Sicilian) white !
Google told us there was a Hertz rental office not far from where we were staying, so off we go, only to find no Hertz rental office at all. Amazing as it had received reviews only a few months ago !
So we tried to call their Palermo city office, call rang out without being answered ! Tania found an online chat service for Hertz rental cars, they gave us 2 phone numbers to ring - no asnwer or didn't even connect. In the meantime the chat service told us to go to a service station and pump up the tyres ! We had already done this but we did it again - the message remained on the car display. Next stop was a tyre retailer, he checked our tyres - pressure was fine, but he found a bluge on the front right tyre, and said DON'T drive - too dangerous - tyre may blow out. Bonus - this car didn't have a spare tyre !
Needless to say we were becoming more frustrated by the minute. Graeme finally got onto the Hertz Rental car return office at the Palermo airport and after explaining the problem, they arranged a change over vehicle for us at the airport at 17:00.
In the meantime, with time to spare we walked down to the local Mondello Beach and did some people watching and coffee drinking. !
An automatic replacement was a requirement. Our Lynk & Co for the last week had been very comfortable to drive but always a little on the large size for an Australian driving through the narrow 2 way streets of Italy. The next car waiting for us was a stylish Citrone C7, super modern inside but was even larger again (20cm wider and 30cm longer!). Tania was a little concerned !! The Hertz staff were fantastic and found us a Jeep Renagade, smaller (20cm narrower and 30 cm shorter than the Lynk & Co), not as luxurious or powerful but it will be easier to manage. Now to get used to a different car.
A ten minute walk to the bus stop, 25 minute trip into the centre, a 1 kilometre walk down via de Liberato and we were there ! What a surprise ! Our previous exposure of the city as we drove through it on Friday on our way in was not that impressive, but the different aspect today showed us what a grand and impressive city Palermo is ! Similar to Naples, but wider streets and cleaner.
We made our way to the Ballaro Market, another great experience with crowds of people everywhere. There were many stalls offereing a variety of foods to enjoy now or take home, spices, shoes, bags clothes, kitchenware and more. The colours, smells, loud upbeat music everywhere with people dancing, sitting eating with friends...it was a great atmosphere to enjoy on a Sunday.
Next stop the Catacombe Frati Cappuccini di Palermo ! A catacomb under a church that contains mummified bodies of local parishners started in the late 16th century. We walked past 2000 bodies and numerous skulls ... bodies were clothed and arranged in various postures from reclining with heads on pillows to being hung from under the arms in recesses in the walls. Clergy, men, women and children all from the Cappuccini area. Rather macabre but interesting ! We were not allowed to take photos, but you can get an idea of the catacomb and further information from this link :
Sounds wonderful -mafia country -you didn’t go to Taormina -so beautiful-Kane and family have had two weeks in Italy they left Venice yesterday – now in Paris for 4 nights – ( hope they are ok with the bed bugs problem there ) then LA for a week – safe travels xxx
Interesting about the car tyre. No doubt a lot of frustration getting onto someone -anyone. But, you probably did well to avert a potential blow out in transit, and the red light indicator most likely worked as it ought to have to alert you to a problem.
Well done to the rental cat staff and it all ended OK.
Martin Buber – philosopher – once said, “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware.”
I wonder what your secret destination has been or will yet be.
It seems a little like Palermo might fit the bill, given your favourable impressions after the initial dismissive ones on your first drive through.
Did you buy yourself a replacement piece of luggage at the markets.
Some very scenic places. Pity about the car trouble but great it was resolved ok.
Another fabulous market by the looks. Stay all day, all week 😝