bidette and toilets

Anyone out there know how to use a bidette and why? There is one next to our toilet. It is like a toilet, only it has hot/cold water faucet and can be closed like a sink. It is pretty standard fair in Italian homes. I am wonder if you sit on it facing the faucet?

My friend Bill says I should try the variations and assume what feels good is the right way. Bill said he saw a program on NPR about wet and dry toilet paper. Would a bidette be considered wet "toilet paper?" We don't know.

Toilets can have a push button on the wall or top or side of tank. Some still have a tank above the toilet with a string to flush.

CAUTION! We learned at the Lidl that the pull cord is an emergency cord, not a flush.

Out of email contact two weeks

We found how much internet time we could get for the 3 GB plan we have--two weeks. Judy thinks using Skype with video is the culprit.

We spent much of yesterday trying to find out why the options to reload did not work. The same today. We have 1 GB that we can use for 48 hours and then we won't have internet until February 17.

Please call by phone if need us: country code 39-3661841897.

We will check internet occasionally during this time but not every day like we have been doing.

bikes

These are our bikes. Had a good ride today. Got home before the storm. Greg fixed a chicken stir fry. Made a mozzarella/tomato/basil salad to give an Italian flavor

 Here is Lucy with Bella.

Greg fixed dinner, of course.He let me make the salad.

Here  I am with Charlie Brown and Bella before we went for ride.

gnocchio

We bought gnocchio di patate (potato dumplings) but the directions were all in Italian for how to cook it. Greg used his Spanish and guessed some of it. Then we called Margaret in Bolzano for a translation. She and Luigi agreed to meet us in Verona April 11-14 before Greg returns to USA.

Made the sauce for the dumplings. I think the tomato sauce is what made it really good.

I used our excellent olive oil from Steffen and sauteed some onions and garlic. Sauteed some mushrooms (shaped like Chanterelle's but beige in color) and added that along with two kinds of sausage, salsiccia and something else that was hanging up at the meat shop. Likely some kind of smoked sausage, probably  not for cooking but it was really good.

After adding the sauce, added dried basil and oregano and a little red wine. While it was simmering, boiled the dumplings for about 2 minutes. We put the sauce over the dumplings and sprinkled with a little cheese. Margaret said it is always done with Parmesan but we didn't have any. We bought something else that was sort of hard so Greg grated it and put on top. I liked it better.

Greg made steamed spinach and yet another wonderful tossed salad. A glass of wine. Perfecto!

books to read

I downloaded a couple of  my favorite authors on my notebook to read while I am here. Including of course, Donna Leon, with Commissorio Brunetti. Steffen told me of one like her who is Italian, Andrea Camilleri. His policeman is Montalbano.

I am also reading, The Leopard, by G. di Lampadusa which is about Sicily around 1860 when a revolution led by a guy named Garibaldi ended the kingdom and created what appears to have become a police state.

It seems to have been very bad for Sicily from what I have read so far.  In a history source on the web I read that Garibaldi might not have succeeded, were it not for the help of the British. The British had a monopoly on sulfur mining and apparantly that was motivation to assist the "rebels." Had they not prevented the Italian navy from attacking Garibaldi's ships, maybe the revolt would have failed and tens of thousands of civilians and partisans would not have been killed.

bicycles

Between rain showers we road our "new" used bikes today. Both bikes we purchased in Marausa at the bike shop. Greg was able to convey with almost no Italian what we wanted. Steffen came with us later and translated for us. They are mechanically good bikes, although at least 20-30 years old. Italian made. Both have fenders, racks and lights. Steffen asked why they did not paint the bikes, to cover rust and the guy said you would not want to paint over the original paint job-classic! When we leave in April, Steffen will buy the bikes from us for 1/2 of what we paid for his next guests. Works for everybody.

The rides were very nice. We were a little worried about traffic on the narrow roads but today was Sunday so traffic was minimal. We watched a soccer game and found a back route from Loco Grande to the highway, near the wine shop, the vegetable stand and the bakery.

Squeezed a liter of orange juice which should last a few days.

contact in Italy

We have internet at our house in Trapani and also an Italian phone number: Country code 39-366-1841897.

Yesterday we went to Erice, which is a walled city on a mountain above Trapani. It was founded by Elymians, who supposedly descended from the Trojans. Genetic studies indicate this group was in Sicily as early as 4,000 BC and in Erice as early as 1000 BC.

We walked around the city, including this tower and what is now a church. Had lunch which cost $50. This was the fixed price lunch with a shrimp salad, traditional sardine/raisin pasta dish and a grilled fish main course. This was followed by a wonderful ice cream with chocolate sauce and choice of wine/water. We had the water. I would love to try various wines but we rented the car in my name and I am doing all the driving. This road had very many hair pin turns!


The city was known to the ancient world as Eryx. It is said there was a huge temple big enough to be a landmark to sailors. According to legend, it was here that Daedalus landed, unlike his son, Icarus who flew too near the sun, after fleeing from Minos.

While the fortress was considered impregnable, over the centuries it was defeated by Carthaginian, Roman, Arab and Norman armies.

Wikipedia:
The most familiar literary telling explaining Daedalus' wings is a late one, that of Ovid: in his Metamorphoses (VIII:183-235) Daedalus was shut up in a tower to prevent his knowledge of his Labyrinth from spreading to the public. He could not leave Crete by sea, as the king kept strict watch on all vessels, permitting none to sail without being carefully searched. Since Minos controlled the land and sea routes, Daedalus set to work to fabricate wings for himself and his young son Icarus. He tied feathers together, from smallest to largest so as to form an increasing surface. He secured the feathers at their midpoints with string and at their bases with wax, and gave the whole a gentle curvature like the wings of a bird. When the work was done, the artist, waving his wings, found himself buoyed upward and hung suspended, poising himself on the beaten air. He next equipped his son in the same manner, and taught him how to fly. When both were prepared for flight, Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too high, because the heat of the sun would melt the wax, nor too low, because the sea foam would soak the feathers.

Loco Grande Studio

In the village of Loco Grande is the compound where we are staying. There
is a large house with three bedrooms in one building. The other building has an apartment upstairs and down. While the weather is cool, we are in the upstairs apartment which is 25x25.

Just whining

Today we went to a local winery. They have 4 kinds of wine, a strong white wine, a soft white wine, a light red and a Cabernet. We bought 1.5 gallons of wine for 9 euro. Like $11-12. They are all very good. Probably a $50-75 value at home. The wine is dispensed from a nozzle like a gas nozzle into whatever container you bring.

Photo from grocery story-wine sold in gallons for 3-4 euro a bottle. That is about $3.16-4.16.

We found a local cheese shop so we had a knosch with salami and olives.  We found a bakery about five minutes away which has wonderful breads and sweet breads. A few doors away is a fruit/ vegatable stand. To have such fresh food every day is amazing even for us who eat very fresh foods all the time.

Our landlord, Steffen, gave us a bottle of his home pressed olive oil and we picked up an Italian balsamic vinegar. Greg made a salad that is the best I have ever had. Must be the quality of oil and vinegar. We also have all the oranges, lemons and mandarins we want so we have fresh juice every morning.

Steffen is here everyday doing repairs and gardening. His English is excellent so he gives us tourist information all the time.  Tomorrow we will ask his advice about buying two used bikes. Greg's idea is to buy them for 150 euro and then resell them to the bike shop in 90 days. This would mean we pay about .75 per day which is about the same as a rental. If we resell them, we pay about .40 per day for the time we are using them. That is, if they are not stolen...

The guy in the bike shop in Trapani told us it does not matter if the bike is old or new, they are all stolen! Steffen uses a bike that is so rusty no one would think it could work. But he says, it is so bad that no one will steal it. By bad I mean, something so rusted out there is no paint, there is something like a seat. The tires hold air and the chain turns. I have never seen such a bike in operation.

Poverty and entrepeneurs

Greg's friend, Danielle, said that something like 1/2 of the young people of Italy are unemployed. In Sicily, there are many immigrants. At the grocery store, some young man will stand in the parking lot and load your groceries in hopes of a small tip.

Another example is at the gas station. The rental place recommended a gas station to fill up before we returned the rental car. They have both self serve and assisted pumps typically, but this one had no assistant because it was mid-day. Most businesses are closed between 1-4 for a long lunch and then are open until 8 or 9 in the evening.

Italian gas pumps will not take our credit cards. The machine took only euro. Greg put in 50 euro.  A young man acted as if he was the gas station attendant, but he was not dressed well, so I wondered if he was "self employed." When the tank was full, Greg looked for his change. There was no change. The young man said the station was closed, no change was possible.

This seemed odd to us. I poked all the buttons on the machine and got a receipt. At that point the young man said we could bring the receipt tomorrow for our change. I was ready to let it go as a 25 euro lesson. But Greg persisted. Another driver stopped for gas and Greg asked him. The driver said the young man would give us the change and he would get reimbursed by the station.

So the young man gave us the money and we were off. Had we not retrieved our receipt, he would have received the change when the station opened again. It would have been a good day's salary for him, I think, even if we were the only tourists who came by that day!

Had the young man not been there, the station would have made an extra 25 euro.

car rental update

The car rental worked. Greg booked it in Spanish since the English site was twice the price. We used a credit card that covers insurance. Like all insurance, you never really know what it covers until you need it, but we had no accidents so we got the car for the advertised price, about 60 euro for five days.

Today we rented from the same discount site (different company) for a month. The rates go up as we get closer to high season and Easter but we can only rent for 30 days at a time for the credit card insurance coverage.

On our way back from airport car rental return, we stopped for dinner in Terresini at Casa Blanca restaurant with all the pictures of Bogart and Bergman. (pictures to follow) The food was excellent. We had the fixed price dinner for $22 euro each. First course was a pasta. Greg had the sardine spaghetti and I had the spicy seafood (mussels, shrimp and calamari) with a spiral pasta. Then we had fried calamari, sardines and octopus as a secondi. All with choice of wine, water and topped off with fresh strawberries and pineapple in an almond sugar, followed by espresso. The chef is going to New York/Staten Island in December.  It sounded like American Italians were hosting her in exchange for  a meal for 30 of their friends. Then she travels to Niagra Falls, Chicago and Detroit.

We have met several Italians who tell us that they have visited New York but not other parts of USA.

Sicily Sites

Beth asked for more blog about things to do in Sicily. Obvious options for me are architectural, natural and historic. Nearby Trapani is is a town called Salemi, which means Salem. Long before the Greeks, a people called Elimis controlled the area. Then Greeks, Romans, Goths and Vandals followed. Then, the Normans built a castle between 1070 and 1130 that is now a tourist site.

It is an ancient city founded in VII century BC by the Greeks. The city was important in the Pelopensian wars between Athens and Sparta. Sorry. I have not had philosophy since 1972 so I can't remember all the details! While the population was wiped out, the ancient Greek ruins were excavated from 1825 to the present. You could go to an Acropolis or Necropolis that is not so busy as those in Italy or Greece. There is a mafia museum in the town.

Speaking of mafia, there is a circular bike route starting in Corleone that is popular. It is in the interior on a country road, not far from Trapani. The route takes you by the Sanctuary of Tagliavia (or the Madonnna del Rosario). This seems to be connected to the story of two farmers who found a painting of the Holy Virgin in a heap of stones with a gushing spring at the same spot believed to have healing powers. A Bourbon King Ferdinand was reported to have been healed here and deeded a gift of 20 hectares to ensure the Sanctuary was preserved. We hope to buy a couple of used bikes for exploring the area. If not, the other day we were offered bike rentals out of Trapani for .75 cents a day.

There are several islands just off the coast of Trapani with frequent tours: Levanzo and Pavignana are close enough for day trips.

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About Levanzo
Levanzo is the smallest of the three Egadi Islands (Isole Egadi in Italian), off the western coast of Sicily. The island's little port is hugely picturesque; a small cluster of pale square buildings huddled around a little harbour of an amazing blue. Levanzo's population is approximately 200, and the little village around the port is the only settlement, though there are a few scattered buildings and farms further afield. The island used to be agricultural - grain was produced here, and you can still see lines of dry stone walls dividing overgrown fields, terraced hillsides and small stone shelters. Now not much cultivation goes on, though there is still some agriculture including sheep-farming. Levanzo doesn't have a road network, just a couple of dirt tracks; both jeeps and mules are used for transport. It's a humble place, with only one or two larger houses among the simpler dwellings. Fishing and boating are big activities here: there must be almost as many boats as there are residents. Small fishing and excursion boats bob in the harbour, are drawn up on slipways, and parked along a small lane near the port.

There's one major tourist sight on the island: the Grotta del Genovese, a cave containing prehistoric art. Other than that, Levanzo isn't an action-packed destination, but it is very pleasant. Visitors can, swim, sunbathe and enjoy the island atmosphere. If you're visiting the cave, you'll find an excursion to Levanzo can comfortably fill three or four hours, and it would be quite easy to spend a whole day exploring and relaxing. Note that during the peak summer season of July-August the islands fill up with holiday-makers and you'll find a different atmosphere.

Kindness of Strangers

What I love most about travelling, in retrospective, is the odd moment, the unexpected encounter and the kindness of strangers. However, in the moment, I am never so sanguine:

We had been in transit at least 24 hours when we got on the last flight from Rome to Palermo. It was delayed due to a bomb threat. They closed the airport with us sitting on the plane. When we did take off, it was obvious that we would miss our car rental and therefore, have no transportation to the B&B in Trapani.

Greg called the car rental but the guy would  not wait for our late flight. Memories of Greg's back up plans danced through my head: sleeping in a bell tower or a jail that had no official customers, or sleeping in the dirt under a bench at a bus stop that did not stop.

Another couple taking Hertz said their agent was waiting for them. We could get a car for 12 hours for 80 euro. Since our weekly rate was about 60 euro, I thought we should go back to airport and crash on a bench until morning.

Hearing all this, Carl and Carolynn offered to take us to a  nearby hotel and we could catch a local bus back in the morning to pick up our cheap car rental. They drove us all over Cinisi but found not one hotel or B&B open. I felt bad for the kind strangers who appeared to be stuck with us crammed into their back seat. Finally, Carolyn asked a policeman. He led us to a bar where the owner said he had a B&B. He found a friend to take us there.

So we said goodbye to Carl (Amsterdam) and Carolynn (Umbria) about 2 pm with a promise to do the same for someone else one day. The B&B was beautiful and clean. Franko came by after he closed the bar, with fresh milk for breakfast and some pastries. We could not figure out how to turn on the heat, but bundled up and went to sleep. In the morning, his friend Valeria picked us up and took us to the airport where we got our cheap rental car!

It was much better to drive to Trapani in the daylight. Found our villa in Loco Grande and were settled in before dark.

Cinisi pics

coordinate with relatives in Florida

Day 2. Our plan had been to meete Greg's dad in Miami, pick up rental car and get cousin Shirley at the Fort Lauderale airport, near our Baco Raton hotel.

When we arrived at  Chicago airport at 6:30 for 9:30 boarding, we had breakfast with our free coupons. We checked our plane status. It was delayed, waiting for a crew. There was another flight via Fort Lauderdale but it would arrive much later, so we would miss our car reservation deadline.

Since we were delayed, Greg arranged for his Dad to pick up the car in Miam, drive to Fort Lauderdale and pick up Shirley. Problem with that plan was that he would have to turn around and pick us up in Miami, where we had originally intended to meet.

With poor executive planning brain functioning so early in morning on 4 hours of sleep, it took Greg about 1/2 hour to realize we could transfer to the Fort Lauderdale flight and Fred could pick up Shirley, then wait for us at the airport.  (Never crossed my mind at all....) He even arranged for our checked bags to go to Fort Lauderdale instead.

That worked almost as planned. Luggage did go to Miama but it arrived on Saturday, in time to dress for wedding. Wedding was absolutely perfect. Zach and Elizabeth threw an incredible party. Will see family again today. Hope to go to Flagler museum tomorrow.

Traveling sometimes is work. Requires some patience and goodwill of others.

Stop in Florida

Wednesday night we learned our plane stop in Florida before heading to Italy was delayed. That meant we would not make our connection and would have to over night in New Jersey. We had a family wedding to attend in Baco Raton so we did not want to take this option.

Hopeful souls that we are, we decided to accept the re-route through Chicago. Winds were 70 miles an hour. We circled for an hour. When we landed, it was snowing.  We raced to the next flight but it was delayed two hours. Once boarded, we sat on the tarmac for another hour. First, they had to find a pilot. Then they needed to wait in line to de-ice the plane. By the time our plane was to be serviced, the co-pilot had exceeded the time he could fly.

They cancelled the flight. As soon as that happened, Greg got on his cell to United reservations. He waited for at least 30-40 minutes while we de-planed and went to customer service with several hundred people. As it would happen, one of the de-icing trucks slid into a plane and all the folks on their way to Europe on Lufthansa were stuck too.

I don't think we made the news but the scene in Chicago was just like I've seen on TV. Long lines of stranded travelers, trying to rebook. Because it was due to weather, they could not get a free hotel.

We got through to customer service while waiting in line. Greg told her we were just going to Florida the next day, not Italy, but she persisted and transferred him to the international line, with a proposed 40 minute wait.                        

While standing in line, a ticket agent came through the unhappy crowd with a piece of paper with the number we were already calling and instructions for getting the new boarding pass for the next day. While she was standing there, Greg told her the phone agent had transferred him to international because Europe was our final destination. She said that was incorrect and she called on our behalf.

Her name is Diane, i.e. Saint Diane. Time was now about 1 am on Friday in Chicago. Rather than the 6 am flight on Friday, she got us a 10 am flight. Because our original flight out of Portland was delayed due to mechanical problems, she got us a room for free and food vouchers. Several people approached her while she was doing this, complaining, asking questions.  A woman with a Belgian or French accident kept interrupting her. FInally the agent came around the counter and took my arm. She asked me to sit down and wait because this other woman was obviously more important than me.

I did, of course. Then she whispered in my ear. I am only kidding. You are just as important as she is. Ultimately, I think she helped us because there was something she could do for us but, for the others, she could only repeat the bad news.

We stood in the zero degrees weather in our light carry on clothes waiting for the shuttle.  I saw a Best Western shuttle but the guy said he was from another location. I took his number and called the site where we going to ask where we should stand and when it would arrive.

 When it arrived, several Europeans revolted. They had been waiting two hours in those conditions for the Best Western shuttle but that was a different location! One of our shuttle sharers said he had seen their shuttle much earlier but they had missed it. Probably not standing in the right spot....

Experienced travelers that we are, I had insisted we eat between flights since there was no free food on either plane. That salad got us through until we reached the hotel where the restaurant was closed, of course. So we bought a frozen burrito from there Market section and they changed our room to one with a microwave so we could cook it. No utensils, of course, so we put the hot food in a paper cup.

Clean bed. Warm. Thankfully, I had a change of clothes in my carry on, a toothbruch and toothpaste. Day done.

car rental

Greg found an inexpensive car rental from the Palermo airport. It is called Holiday Car Rental (www.holidayautos.co.uk). 

Be careful if you use this link. The first time  he tried it, he was linked to a form that only allowed him to choose between luxury cars. He could not get the site to allow him to choose an economy car.  He actually went to a different computer and tried again.

He booked it. We will see when we get there if there is a kiosk by that name and if they will give us the rate of $70 for 5 days. Of course, that includes only limited insurance. You can choose to excluse glass and tires and get a much lower rate. We think using our credit card that includes car rental insurance will cover these, but you never know.

If all that works as planned, we wil rent for periods of time when we need a car, like when guests come to visit!