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Post by htmb on Aug 1, 2015 15:29:06 GMT
Yah! More Palermo pics!
I was once given a bottle of homemade "authentic recipe" limoncello by someone who had been inspired by a recent visit to Palermo.. You'd think, as much as I like citrus flavors, I would have loved the limoncello. It could be that I was given some lousy limoncello; it was awful.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2015 16:04:25 GMT
That last set of street scenes is particularly wonderful.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 1, 2015 16:36:42 GMT
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Post by bjd on Aug 1, 2015 18:19:26 GMT
I do hope you had space in your luggage for that glass painting of Santa Rosalia, lying back and relaxing with a little skull beside her?
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 1, 2015 18:41:28 GMT
How did you know that was the one I coveted?!
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Post by htmb on Aug 1, 2015 21:45:52 GMT
I'd love to have a balcony full of ferns and spider plants like the ones you photographed.
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Post by tod2 on Aug 2, 2015 11:07:59 GMT
Wonderful wanderings with you Bixa! Going back to the market scenes - the vegetables and fruit just jump at you.... So beautiful I can reach up and pluck something right off my screen! Yes, aren't those ferns just magnificent. I hope the weight of them doesn't affect that delicate balcony. Well, it's probably a lot sturdier than it appears!
I spied you in the photo of the Eiffel Tower...you saw that too?
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Post by nycgirl on Aug 2, 2015 17:06:45 GMT
I can see why you love Palermo so much; it's so thriving, vibrant, and charming. These photos capture it beautifully. I especially love the food market photos with its piles of sumptuous fruits and veggies. I also love the shots of the city streets with surrounding mountains in the background. That's something I don't get to see walking around my own city.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 16, 2015 19:30:00 GMT
Ha ha, Tod -- yes I saw my little curly head. Thank you so much, NYCGirl. This poor thread got abandoned when I moved on to Turkey, but I have much more of Palermo to show. I am homeward bound now and hope I can get caught up. So many pictures, but I saw so much great stuff.
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Post by tod2 on Aug 17, 2015 15:07:40 GMT
Bixa - Happy landings! You achieved a huge amount in the time away so probably need a holiday from your holiday...
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Post by lola on Aug 26, 2015 15:33:02 GMT
Oh, my. Thank you dear cousin Bixa for turning us on to Palermo. (I'm claiming kin just because.) Wonderful.
Why doesn't Nat'l Geographic pay you to fly around and do this sort of thing everywhere?
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 26, 2015 21:08:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2015 21:49:35 GMT
Oh goody, more pictures!
I am always amazed by the grand isolated hotels that were built back in those days. Of course back then, people would check in for a month and hardly ever leave the premises, eating every meal there, too. When people started moving around more, just about all of those fantastic old places died.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 26, 2015 22:01:13 GMT
Here I am across the street from the cathedral, on my way to one of the many glories of Palermo. Note the young brother & sister in the air-conditioned chain joint, while the grown lady knows that the old ways are best. Who are you gonna believe -- Ronald McDonald or Sta. Rosalia?My goal was the magnificent Cappella Palatina <-- clickMy ticket also entitled me to see Botero's work which was being exhibited in a lower floor of the Palace, the Via Crucis <-- clickAnd now I am returning from there. Here is a bit of the grounds and a side view of the Norman palace ~
Across from the palace was a large lovely park with a plant nursery and florist on one corner. Qualcosa per tutti ~
This is the Porta Nuova, the "new gate" into the city, which was originally ... built in 1583 to commemorate the victory of Charles V (known as Carlo V in Italy) over the Turks, but was destroyed in an explosion in 1667. Two years later, architect Gaspare Guercio redid the entrance to the city, adding a majolica-tiled pyramid with an eagle on the top ... For centuries, Porta Nuova was the most important entry way into the city of Palermo. source
Man boobs ~
Hiding man boobs ~
Actually, I don't believe those figures are meant to advertise a gym, but rather are vanquished and enslaved Turks.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 26, 2015 22:39:51 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 26, 2015 23:05:06 GMT
I love seeing the photos of the craftsman in his shop! Were those toys? Puppets? Models?
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 27, 2015 0:13:12 GMT
Sorry, Htmb! I thought this was something people knew about. Here is an explanation ~ www.bestofsicily.com/mag/art29.htmAnd here is a short, brutal excerpt from one of the plays ~
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 27, 2015 3:50:04 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 27, 2015 4:10:07 GMT
Telescoping two days together in this post. I went out Sunday to find the chapel of plaster putti. That was closed, but I found an equally fascinating bit of Baroque beauty in the same church.
Cutting through the empty but interesting little square near my hotel on Sunday, I quickly checked out the church there ~After this quick peek, I went on the church of Santa Cita, where I saw the beautiful Capella del Rosario and found out how to go to the Oratorio del Rosario which would be open the next day.
So here I am on Monday setting out past the horses which draw the tourist carriages. Extra photo included in case you want to make a bonnet for your horse ~And on down one of Palermo's many winding lanes ~And here are the wonders I got to see that Sunday and Monday in Santa Cita church.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 27, 2015 4:33:20 GMT
Wandering back to my hotel on Via Roma from the train station, I noticed a Vespa zipping through an old arch. It had the feeling of a fairy tale, where the heroine is compelled to follow, so I did ~Of course -- July is the month of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and I remembered seeing posters for a festival. There were quite a few fair-type booths set up, but mostly all closed.
No matter, I had been fascinated by the number of Africans I'd seen in Sicily and tailed this beautifully dressed group, hoping to find out where the party was ~
Wandering around, I come across more evidence of multiculturalism in Palermo ~
Naturally I got good and lost but came across a tiny street housing cafes and clubs full of African men. They kindly set me on my course again, through a narrow alley and back where I came in ~
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 27, 2015 4:44:17 GMT
That was a worthwhile little jaunt!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2015 5:11:01 GMT
Oh definitely, you need to get lost more often! I am a sucker for decorative coloured lights.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 27, 2015 5:17:48 GMT
Now it's my last day in Palermo and I have to go do an errand for a friend back home. On my way out that morning, I'm greeted by this unexpected sight ~It's for sale, if you're in the market. In pursuit of violin strings, I come across the Politeama Garibaldi. It was officially opened in 1891 with a performance of Verdi's Otello, despite having been in use without a roof for almost twenty years. Detailed history here.This little jewel box was right across the street ~Proceeding on to the music/bookstore to complete my errand, I'm intrigued by this display ~
I am assuming those are not proposte you can't refuse.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 27, 2015 5:34:26 GMT
On my way back I come across another of those wonderful art deco kiosks ~Ahhh ~ gelato!I assume this is the Sicilian prototype of the ubiquitous New Orleans sno-ball stands ~Just a few shots of this city I am sad to be leaving ~Let's hope this last photo of St. Christopher is an omen that this traveler gets to return to Palermo!
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Post by bjd on Aug 27, 2015 6:47:12 GMT
Thanks for all this pictures, Bixa. Palermo definitely looks like a great place to visit.
Were there a lot of other tourists around?
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Post by htmb on Aug 27, 2015 21:09:06 GMT
What a great thread, Bixa! Fabulous photos! And thanks so much for providing the information about the puppets.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 27, 2015 22:18:42 GMT
Thank you, Bjd! There were tourists, but pretty much scattered as far as I could tell. The only clump I saw was on the last day, when I had to avoid a throng moving in my same direction from the Politeama. You can tell from my enthusiasm that I found it a great place to visit, not least because it all seems like such a great surprise due to fewer known "tourist icons" than many other cities.
Aw, thanks Htmb and thanks for always being so supportive to everyone here. I enjoyed finding out about the puppets, especially because of the article by Mary Simeti, of whom I'm a great fan.
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Post by tod2 on Aug 28, 2015 11:07:45 GMT
That was an awesome end to a fantastic photo-essay on Palermo! As always, photos just magic and subject matter most interesting. Do you think you will return in another few years Bixa?
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Post by fumobici on Aug 28, 2015 17:57:12 GMT
Indeed a loving portrait. Palermo has moved up the list for sure.
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 28, 2015 18:10:04 GMT
So kind, Tod -- thank you! Indeed I am thinking seriously about returning to Palermo in June.
I take that as the highest praise, Fumobici -- thank you! Coincidentally, I have just come online at anyport because of you. I want to look up your Ravenna thread in particular, then proceed to re-enjoy your other Itaian threads
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