{"id":3101,"date":"2014-06-16T13:33:15","date_gmt":"2014-06-16T11:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rickzullo.com\/?p=3101"},"modified":"2021-09-11T23:20:08","modified_gmt":"2021-09-11T21:20:08","slug":"visiting-palermo-making-new-friends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/visiting-palermo-making-new-friends\/","title":{"rendered":"Visiting Palermo and Making New Friends"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"visitingIt\u2019s good to have friends in Palermo. \u00a0Rome is chaotic in a frenetic way, but Palermo\u2019s brand of disorder is a little harder to decode.\u00a0 With the exception of taxi drivers and motorini,<\/em> nobody’s in a hurry.<\/p>\n

In fact, there\u2019s a randomness to the pace of life\u2014it\u2019s a bit vexing.\u00a0 The food markets close surprisingly early.\u00a0 People go out for dinner at 9:30 p.m.\u00a0 Some of the street signs are in Arabic.\u00a0 Old ladies shout across the alleyway to each other from open windows, their voices mixing with the echoes of church bells.\u00a0 Then there\u2019s the summer heat, which forces everyone indoors during the middle of the day, and suddenly this chaotic town looks deserted.\u00a0 You feel like you\u2019ve shown up late to a meeting and missed out on the orientation session with no reliable handbook for reference. Yes, visiting Palermo can be confusing, and having friends in the know can make all the difference.<\/p>\n

We arrived early in the evening, amid the ordinary commotion of a Tuesday, tired and hot, and with only the vaguest idea of where our accommodations were located.\u00a0 Wandering up Via Roma, guided by little more than \u201cfeel,\u201d we soon found ourselves within the labyrinth of the Vucciria district.\u00a0 The streets were narrow and not particular friendly to rolling suitcases and a baby stroller.\u00a0 Using a combination of my iPhone app and the advice of random strangers, we eventually found the address.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Our hostess, Gisella, greeted us warmly and invited us into her little sanctuary, which she calls \u201cDoppio Koncerto<\/a>.\u201d\u00a0 She showed us to our spacious room (it was actually three connected rooms, more like an apartment without a kitchen) so that we could freshen up, and then told us to meet her up on the rooftop terrace for a beer with a view.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"visiting<\/a>
Our room at the Doppio Koncerto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When we finally joined her, we were not disappointed.\u00a0 From her terrace, all of Palermo was visible; from the serrated skyline of the many churches, to the cargo ships lining up along the port.\u00a0 While enjoying the panorama, I asked about the name she chose for her B&B, which didn\u2019t immediately make sense to me.\u00a0 After sleeping one peaceful night at her place, I understood.<\/p>\n

The inside of her palazzo is a quiet retreat from the city noise only steps away.\u00a0 Within her rooms, there are only two sounds that you hear: the seagulls that occasionally perch on the terrace; and the professional pianist across the courtyard that practices every afternoon.\u00a0 This is the \u201cDoppio Koncerto,\u201d the two (double) concerts that we enjoyed during our stay.\u00a0 Quite relaxing, while the city hustles and bustles just outside her doors.<\/p>\n

I had been introduced to Gisella through a mutual friend, Maurizio, who joined us for dinner the following night.\u00a0 We sat down to a big Sicilian meal that Gisella and her daughter had prepared, and we were also joined by Maurizio\u2019s wife Andrea and their daughter.\u00a0 It was one of those dinners that lasted all night, another bottle of wine opened as the conversation deepens; then dessert and then more dessert.\u00a0 After dinner drinks.\u00a0 Meanwhile, our own little bambina slept quietly in the corner.<\/p>\n

Six years ago, Maurizio and\u00a0his wife\u00a0decided that their city needed a little better representation on the Internet, so they started a website called VisitPalermo.i<\/a>t.\u00a0 They wanted to showcase the very best of their city and its tourist related businesses.\u00a0 So they did all the legwork of contacting local business owners, designing a website, writing content for the site, and networking throughout the city.\u00a0 In 2010 they had just 9 handpicked businesses that they chose to collaborate with.\u00a0 Now, just four years later, that number is in excess of 200, with an additional\u00a0website,\u00a0VisitingSicily<\/a>, that goes beyond just Palermo.<\/p>\n

\"visiting<\/a><\/p>\n

The concept is simple, but has taken a while to build up because Maurizio and his colleagues<\/a> have taken the time to actually get to know each connection personally.\u00a0 This sets his site apart from the bigger search engines such as TripAdvisor, et al.\u00a0 On those giant sites, you have random folks leaving reviews based on anecdotal, and usually overly emotional, experiences.\u00a0 Not to mention rumors of \u201cfake\u201d reviews.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong, I occasionally use those sites, too, as a starting point for my travel research.\u00a0 But always with a skeptical mind towards reviews that are either too praising or too critical. I never trust them outright.\u00a0 On the other hand, I know that Maurizio and friends have done actual, unbiased research, so it\u2019s much more reliable.<\/p>\n

The \u201cdownside\u201d to Maurizio\u2019s site<\/a>?\u00a0 Well, it\u2019s only this: because it\u2019s such a personal, hands-on project, he can\u2019t possibly have contacts in every little town across Sicily.\u00a0 At least not yet.\u00a0 But like Palermo itself, it\u2019s proceeding at its own comfortable pace, and what it does offer is only top-notch. \u00a0Still, with his networks throughout the island, if you can envision your ideal Sicilian vacation, he and his partners can design it and organize it for you.<\/p>\n

\"rick<\/a><\/p>\n

The meal that evening was memorable for many reasons.\u00a0 Gisella\u2019s pasta alla trapanese, <\/em>Maurizio\u2019s passion for his city, great local wines, engaging conversation, and the background music of a Doppio Koncerto<\/a>. \u00a0But most of all, it was memorable for the new friends we made.\u00a0 It\u2019s good to have friends everywhere, but in Sicily it can make all the difference between just passing through, and getting to know this complex region of Italy on a personal level.<\/p>\n

Il Teatro dei Pupi<\/h2>\n
\"My
My Daughter Demetra in front of the Temple to…Demetra!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u2019s plenty to do and see while visiting Palermo, but still it\u2019s challenging to find something to distract a curious infant.\u00a0 Our little daughter, Demetra, has been the talk of Italy all along our route this summer.\u00a0 She\u2019s 18 pounds of pure charm.\u00a0 Maybe I should even feel a little guilty about using her charms to soften up the Trenitalia employee who then chose to overlook our un-validated train tickets, or the restaurant owner who makes a special plate of pasta just for her at no charge.\u00a0 Strangers on the street have literally given her spontaneous gifts of toys\u2014TWICE in Palermo alone.\u00a0 She then smiles on command, and even the most indifferent passerby can\u2019t help but stop and reciprocate.\u00a0 It\u2019s really been a joy to witness the effect she has on people.<\/p>\n

So after dragging her onto endless trains to check into yet another hotel to see yet another famous monument, we decided to do something that she might enjoy for an afternoon.\u00a0 Palermo is famous for its \u201cpupi,\u201d so I thought it would be fun to take her to the Museo Internazionale delle Marionette<\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0 In other words, a puppet show!\u00a0 How could that plan possibly go awry\u2026right?<\/p>\n

As luck would have it, there was a large group of school children there on the day we showed up.\u00a0 Now, Demetra is only 10 months old and can\u2019t yet effectively communicate verbally, but she still appreciates the company of other rug-rats\u2026I mean, kids.\u00a0 So we pushed her stroller over towards the group so that she could watch and listen with them.<\/p>\n

The teacher began with an interactive discussion.\u00a0 \u201cWho knows what a pupo<\/em> is?\u201d<\/p>\n

Enthusiastic hands shot up and answers were blurted out randomly.\u00a0 From what I could hear, the consensus was, \u201cA pupo<\/em> is a marionette!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s right,\u201d replied the teacher, \u201cBut a pupo<\/em> is a special kind of marionette.\u00a0 Look at what they\u2019re all wearing.\u201d\u00a0 She motioned towards the line of inanimate puppets dangling by their strings along an adjacent wall.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re all wearing amour.\u00a0 That\u2019s because pupi<\/em> are all warriors, fighting in virtuous battles.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"touring<\/p>\n

The word \u201cvirtuous\u201d sent up a little red flag in my brain, and I wasn’t sure that I liked where the discussion was going.\u00a0 I shifted my posture a bit, and leaned in closer to make sure that I wasn’t missing something in the linguistic subtleties.\u00a0 In any case, my wife was there to help me out.<\/p>\n

The teacher\u2019s zeal grew as she continued, \u201cYes, that\u2019s right, bambini, i pupi<\/em> represent the good guys\u2026the Christians who were fighting a war against the pagans!\u201d<\/p>\n

I knew it.\u00a0 How could this woman take something as simple and enjoyable as a puppet show and turn it into indoctrination?\u00a0 Anyway, I was now grateful that Demetra wasn\u2019t able to understand the lecture, because how would I assure my daughter that she is a \u201cgood guy\u201d (girl) even though she has a \u201cpagan\u201d name?<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the teacher was just getting started, leading the children in a pep rally of sorts. \u00a0I heard her shout, \u201cBambini,<\/em> who are we?!?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Christians!!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd who are the good guys?!?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Christians!!!!\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, we left shortly after that, and\u00a0despite the unwanted lesson in catechism, the museum\u00a0was quite enjoyable and worth a visit when in Palermo. \u00a0It\u2019s not so simple to find, however.\u00a0 Again, Palermo isn\u2019t particularly easy to navigate.\u00a0 But that\u2019s part of its appeal, I think.\u00a0 You feel like you\u2019ve discovered something slightly exotic and yet very inviting.\u00a0 Kind of like the gelato con brioche<\/em> that we had after the puppet show.\u00a0 Where else can you have an ice cream sandwich for lunch and not feel guilty about it?\u00a0 Catholics are well-known for imposing guilt as method of obedience.\u00a0 But not when it comes to food. \u00a0Mangia!<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"gelato<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s good to have friends in Palermo. \u00a0Rome is chaotic in a frenetic way, but Palermo\u2019s brand of disorder is a little harder to decode.\u00a0 With the exception of taxi drivers and motorini, nobody’s in a hurry. In fact, there\u2019s a randomness to the pace of life\u2014it\u2019s a bit vexing.\u00a0 The food markets close surprisingly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2307,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[95,211,94],"tags":[384,244,97,243,381,25],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3101"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3101"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3101\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2307"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}