Sure, we were staying on the beach in Sicily, but this is “OlsensTravels,” so of course, we took a few sightseeing trips after Christmas. First up, the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. Nearly 500 years before Christ, the Greeks “owned” Sicily and took a liking to a certain hill overlooking the sea. Hence, they built a bunch of temples for their gods. They didn’t build little stuff either; and after 2500 years, some of it is still there!
In the same area is the Scala dei Turkey, or Turkish Steps, named for the Barbary pirates. Kind of weird to think Africa is only 87 miles away! The Steps are white marlstone (a mix of clay and silt similar to limestone) that has naturally eroded into massive, terraced steps on the coast of Realmonte, the beach below Agrigento.
Closer to our “home” and perched on cliffs by the sea, the nearby town of Sciacca is a bustling port town. Good luck on that pronunciation! We went there at least 5 times, asked the locals, and still can’t pronounce it right. Ha!
In addition to the port, Sciacca is known to throw one heck of a Carnival in February, which didn’t work with our timing… this trip. It is primarily known, however, for the ceramic arts, which you can’t possibly miss. There’s colorful evidence everywhere.
One afternoon we strolled through the park near the shopping district to find it was a gathering place for the local gents. There were tables of lively card games (each player claimed to be winning) and a bumpy bocce ball court that’s difficult to describe – talk about your challenging course! It was clear they play every afternoon when the weather cooperates.
Walking and exploring in town is fun, but nothing beats stretching our legs with walks on the beach back in Menfi. We could get about 3/4 mile in either direction before being blocked by a “creek” of freshwater runoff from the nearby mountains. It was fascinating to see how the wind and tide changed the sand dunes from day to day. A particularly brisk storm moved a lot of sand, built a short “cliff,” and brought vast piles of sea grass ashore in one area.
We were always on the hunt for scarce shells and bits of sea glass. Sometimes we’d find other oddities.
When not walking the beach, we continued with the simple pleasures at the villa. It was amazing to experience the 55 degrees in short sleeves on the sunny “front porch” and be a tad warm. 🙂
No matter where we were, whether close to home or up in the mountains, the sunsets were a sight to behold.
When in Menfi, we shared the sunsets with a local gentleman who came out every evening to fish.
Always believing you play the hand you’re dealt, we have embraced our new path of exploring, but we do miss the sunsets over the water. And playing with Mother Ocean has been delightful. Thank you, Lord!
Our Travels 