May 7th Agrigento to Falconara
Rainy and dull day today and fairly uninspiring cycling. Area obviously very fertile with lots of agricultural farming under big polytunnels, which do detract from the scenery, but obviously needs must. Stopped in licarta, which was handy as big market allowing purchase of charger and bit of a food shop. Arrived eventually at the only campsite possible. Again one that only offers half of the things advertised and a bit rundown. Luckily rain stopped and it also offered somewhere to sit in the evening.
May 8th Falconera to Punta Bracatto
Blue skies lifted spirits. 70km cycle today, so needed. Into a head wind to Gela, which once we found centre was lovely. Very grumpy service for the cheapest coffee yet and with rather a fabulous view of the Duomo. Then back on the road to Scoglitti. Nice little harbour. Only negative of this area, as much of Sicily, so much rubbish on the sides of the roads. Then final cycle to Punta, or Montalbano land!!!! Luckily first campsite we came across was deserted in reception as we then moved on to the BEST campsite EVER!!!!!! Spotless, well organised, lovely pitches and your very own lockable toilet, with the nicest beach right there. Immediately we knew more than one night here. Library, breadman, veggie man, everything one could desire. Celebrated with a couple of beers at the bar on the beach.
May 4th Manfi to somewhere near Ribera
Cycled first to Scoccia. Coffee on the old port. Characterful place where men outnumber women 100 to 1. Then headed up to find a supermarket,to no avail. Luckily Ribera only small detour ahead. Only option larger road but these seem to be sparsely populated by really heavy traffic so not bad. The slight detour to Ribera was up a hill. Quite a nice place and more open than others in siesta, and luckily a Lidl (new favourite shop) open all hours to do a mammoth shop whilst we can. Cycle down the hill again to campsite. Disappointingly no pool, down to the weather said the patron, Dave reckons more to do with lack of tiles and amount of work needing doing everywhere! But a good pitch and fab showers, so all good.
May 5th and 6th Ribera to Agrigento
Back onto main road with a stop at montallegro for coffee. A ice little place and complimentary panne au chocolat too, which was scrummy. Then a cycle into Porto Empedocle, which is lovely. Quite grand pedestrianised area. On the way in passed some unusual white cliffs,which literally looked like white petrified lava. Escaped the chat up by the resident tooth deprived drinking chap to the campsite at Santa Leone. So nice we immediately decided to stay two nights. Quick sojourn to the beach, where we could see more white cliffs in the distance. Chilled evening, scrabble score evening out.
May 5th and 6th Ribera to Agrigento
Back onto main road with a stop at montallegro for coffee. A ice little place and complimentary panne au chocolat too, which was scrummy. Then a cycle into Porto Empedocle, which is lovely. Quite grand pedestrianised area. On the way in passed some unusual white cliffs,which literally looked like white petrified lava. Escaped the chat up by the resident tooth deprived drinking chap to the campsite at Santa Leone. So nice we immediately decided to stay two nights. Quick sojourn to the beach, where we could see more white cliffs in the distance. Chilled evening, scrabble score evening out. Next day set off with best intentions of being cultural, to the Valle Dei Templi. It was so easy to see these Greek ruins from the road we decided to forgo the 20 euro admission. Then on up to Agrigento. Hot, big hill. Coffee at the top. Nice but not printable for Dave so back down to beach where he did painting there. Early night as off again next day.
May 2nd Castellammare to Caralafini
Woke up to thunderous skies again today and unfortunately the rain stayed and it was cold and pretty miserable. Fair weather cyclists we are, obviously. By the time we found a cafe in Caralafini we had had enough. Luckily both of us realise these things at the same time. Onto booking.com and found a place to stay. Meanwhile chatted to an ex language professor, in French, much easier. Pleased that as I am now 4% fluent in Italian (half full glass Duolingo) it isn't interfering with the French. Felt good not to be grunting and pointing at things. Checked into hotel. Family run affair. stuck very much in the 60s with lots of church paraphernalia around. But with a kitchen to use, self contained flat really, so perfect. Popped out to an other cafe, where another older chap befriended us then as we shopped with a personal shopper walking us round, we realised we are somewhat novelty in the town. All added to this quirky charm of Sicily.
30th April Palermo to isola della MariaAfter 6hours sleep for me, 1 for Dave (think he will use sleep mat next time) we arrived at Palermo. Eventually found a tourist information, luckily we had 2 hours to do that before it opened, as that is how long it took. The signage in Italy is very odd at times. Palermo seems like an OK kind of place for a big city,and getting out of it relatively easy. Have managed to buy a map of everywhere we need to go in Italy, in fact it would have done for La corse too! Italy suddenly looks very big though! Cycled out along the coast,west. Big impressive rock formations. Unfortunately no photos as we were just a bit phased after night on the ferry. Got to isola OK, crashed on beach to sleep off the ferry journey. Chilled evening,cup of tea and scrabble.May 1st isola Della Maria to Castellammara de golfoStarted raining at 3 am heavy till 9. Managed to breakfast in between rain and then started again as we headed off. So we had to have a coffee in local town, super friendly folk in both the cafe and the little shop which I had been to the day before. Then the owner and I had been teaching each other our respective language,concerning eggs anyway. Lessons continued today. Then we headed off and the skies cleared. Ended up a nice undulating cycle. Busy initially but then once past airport quietened right down to what one expects in Italy on a Sunday. Found a campsite in Castellammare that has continued in the very friendly manner. The boss even said my brother could ring the landline here for a chat, unfortunately phone malfunction in Inglaterre so plan didn't work.
May 7th Agrigento to Falconara
May 8th Falconera to Punta Bracatto
