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| Church of the Immaculate Conception |
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| Capo Market |
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| Old Jewish Quarter |
April 2, 2014
Self-Guiding
Breakfast at the Hilton is the best yet. We feasted while we organized our day mindful of our date with the guide this afternoon. We didn't know what she'd show us so tried to avoid obvious venues.
We walked down a divided boulevard toward Teatro Massimo, a concert hall. The exterior is a beauteous structure that we were eager to see. Unfortunately, tourist season has begun & the English-speaking guides wouldn't be available until tomorrow. As we left, we heard trumpets playing. We followed the sound of practice scales to a portico on the side of the theater. Two men were taking advantage of the acoustics of that outdoor space & we enjoyed their session.
We asked directions of the polizia to San Augustino Church. It's an unassuming medieval building nestled into the chaotic architecture of the Capo. The white interior & stucco statues offer a sense of peaceful contemplation. Decked out in purple for Easter, this church is the antithesis of the Cathedral in Monreale. From its 14th century rose window to its cloister, to its tasteful gilt wood, it speaks serenity. That was until we took pictures in the cloister area. We'd openly snapped away in the sanctuary, but a man told us in no uncertain terms we had to cease & desist. He then indicated by scowl & gesture that we had to leave. Not until we were in the doorway did we realize it was closing time.
We were on the edge of the Capo district, one of the oldest in the historic center. It was known as a home to slave traders & is now home to what looked like low-income dwellers & many immigrants. We'd heard of the outdoor market but didn't realize it wasn't only food-stuffs. It was obvious locals shopped there for everything from lamps to bedding to hardware. Certainly there was food, & we sidled out of the way of motorcycles sharing the narrow aisles with us.
We stumbled on the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The door was open so I peeked in. A woman leaving said there was a E$1 admission fee but it was worth it. I'd say so! Built in the early 1600's, it was a Rococo wannabe. Technically Baroque, it was entirely decorated using inlaid marble & semi-precious stones. Some were geometrical designs & some depicted Biblical scenes. Although not as skillfully done, it reminded me of the technique used at the Taj Mahal. Its busyness was a contrast to the calm of San Augustino.
We wanted to eat a quick lunch to allow time to meet our guide. We chose poorly. We placed our order & began the long wait. We joked about how they were probably sending out for our food, & we were closer to the truth than we thought. We sat outside looking at our watches when a man walked down the street carrying a large white insulated box. Again we joked about carryout as he walked inside our restaurant & unloaded plates of food. Our waiter picked them up & carried them to our table. Lunch had arrived. We watched as the deliveryman picked up the now empty white box, walked across the street, & into a building.
Breakfast at the Hilton is the best yet. We feasted while we organized our day mindful of our date with the guide this afternoon. We didn't know what she'd show us so tried to avoid obvious venues.
We walked down a divided boulevard toward Teatro Massimo, a concert hall. The exterior is a beauteous structure that we were eager to see. Unfortunately, tourist season has begun & the English-speaking guides wouldn't be available until tomorrow. As we left, we heard trumpets playing. We followed the sound of practice scales to a portico on the side of the theater. Two men were taking advantage of the acoustics of that outdoor space & we enjoyed their session.
We asked directions of the polizia to San Augustino Church. It's an unassuming medieval building nestled into the chaotic architecture of the Capo. The white interior & stucco statues offer a sense of peaceful contemplation. Decked out in purple for Easter, this church is the antithesis of the Cathedral in Monreale. From its 14th century rose window to its cloister, to its tasteful gilt wood, it speaks serenity. That was until we took pictures in the cloister area. We'd openly snapped away in the sanctuary, but a man told us in no uncertain terms we had to cease & desist. He then indicated by scowl & gesture that we had to leave. Not until we were in the doorway did we realize it was closing time.
We were on the edge of the Capo district, one of the oldest in the historic center. It was known as a home to slave traders & is now home to what looked like low-income dwellers & many immigrants. We'd heard of the outdoor market but didn't realize it wasn't only food-stuffs. It was obvious locals shopped there for everything from lamps to bedding to hardware. Certainly there was food, & we sidled out of the way of motorcycles sharing the narrow aisles with us.
We stumbled on the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The door was open so I peeked in. A woman leaving said there was a E$1 admission fee but it was worth it. I'd say so! Built in the early 1600's, it was a Rococo wannabe. Technically Baroque, it was entirely decorated using inlaid marble & semi-precious stones. Some were geometrical designs & some depicted Biblical scenes. Although not as skillfully done, it reminded me of the technique used at the Taj Mahal. Its busyness was a contrast to the calm of San Augustino.
We wanted to eat a quick lunch to allow time to meet our guide. We chose poorly. We placed our order & began the long wait. We joked about how they were probably sending out for our food, & we were closer to the truth than we thought. We sat outside looking at our watches when a man walked down the street carrying a large white insulated box. Again we joked about carryout as he walked inside our restaurant & unloaded plates of food. Our waiter picked them up & carried them to our table. Lunch had arrived. We watched as the deliveryman picked up the now empty white box, walked across the street, & into a building.
Guided
Raffaella was our guide this afternoon. She was very personable & had spent a year studying English literature in Asheville, NC. When asked about Jews in Palermo & the Mafia, she assured us there was none of either. She joked that the Mafia were all in Miami, Florida.
She said that Palermo was settled by Phoenicians in the early 8th century. The layout of the area of our hotel was prompted by a rich wine merchant who, in the 1900's, wanted to create a European feel. The boulevard I mentioned before was am homage to the Champs Elysses. It echoes the art nouveau popular then.
It must have been an hour before we arrived in the old section, the Baroque, after what might have been the most expensive hike ever. Remember, we paid for this tour twice. We arrived at the Four Corners, which marked the center of the old walled city & branched out from there. In Bellini Square, we were surrounded by buildings ranging from the 12th through 16th century. A fountain decorated with obligatory male nudes was the centerpiece. The best part of it all was that a convent with cloistered nuns sat on that square & there was no way for the nuns not to see that fountain. For whatever reason, the nuns had the noses of the statues cut off. That wouldn't be the part I thought they'd go for.
The next church was a 12th century marvel, the Martorada. It pre-dates the cathedral in Monreale but has the same gilt mosaics. Built as a Byzantine church, it still follows the Greek Orthodox tradition. The Normans, who were "the Northman," hailed from what is now Scandinavia. They conquered their way south to Italy & became Christians. They really wanted to get a foothold in Sicily & made a bargain with the Pope. They promised to build churches if he'd leave them alone. Being recovering Vikings, all they could build were ships. But, being clever, the hired Arabs, Jews, & folks from Byzantium to do the planning & execution. That's why the hodge-podge of Baroque walls & art with Moorish inlaid geometric floors. Columns from a mosque were added during an expansion with Arabic writing intact. To cancel out the Muslim, one small cross was etched into the marble.
At last we went deep into the slums where the newest immigrants now reside. Street signs were in Italian, Arabic, & Hebrew. We'd arrived in the remnants of the Jewish quarter. As with other areas in Sicily, Jews arrived here with the Romans after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. In its heyday, before the Inquisition, Jews were about 5% (30,000) of the population of Palermo. The Moors left with the Jews during the Inquisition. Now N. African Muslims are returning as immigrants. Ironically, history is repeating itself. But evil was afoot even before then. Raffaella told us about Frederick II (13th century) who was a smart man in many ways but had a blind spot when it came to anyone who held power. He perceived the success of Jews to be a threat & instituted a law that they had to wear badges in the shape of a red star.
We were able to see a building labeled "meschita" that Raffaella said was a Sephardic place. We filled in the rest for her. That's what Sephardic Jews call a synagogue. It's the same root word as mosque. She explained that Jewish homes had been designed with a store below & living quarters above. That arrangement still functions today with the same trades being plied by the present occupants. There was a niche in the wall at an entrance to a multi-level apartment building reminiscent of European shtetls. Raffaella told us it was a place Jews used to keep a Torah so they could touch it when they entered. David introduced her to the word "mezzuzah" & told her what was written on that scroll. The government has recently realized that the "baths" used by a Sicilian family for centuries during the Scirocco (extreme hot winds) was actually a mikveh (ritual bath). They're trying to work with the family to restore it.
Raffaella gave us suggestions for sights to see tomorrow & I know we'll be walking that same distance again. She cautioned us not to return to the Jewish quarter since we'd be easy targets. Pickpockets, etc. leave tourists alone if they're with a guide. She also recommended a pizzeria near our hotel for tonight. Proximity was important. Pizza e Cucina was "typically" Italian with red checked tablecloths and singing pizza chef. He started out with the Italian national anthem, switched to the Marseilles, then people from Boulder, Colorado walked in. We launched into the Star-Spangled Banner & it was old home week.
I compared our quick ability to learn our way around cities to rats in a maze. Point us in the direction of food & we’ll find it every time.
Tomorrow we're on our own, on foot, & ready to search out more wonders of Palermo.
Toby
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