Palermo

Even cooler than Naples! Good times so far, and my touring legs are holding up despite having slept 4 hours in the past 72.

Highlight: catacombs filled with thousands of mummied corpses of long-dead Palermitans. Freaky deaky, genuine horror-movie nightmare stuff, for 1.50 euro. Obsessed with the death these Sicilians.

Palm trees by the thousand, narrow cobblestone alleys, choking scooter pollution, beautiful women leaning over the stoop talking to ancient nonnas screaming at the grandkids, no space to walk on the sidewalks, and every trip into traffic a near-death adventure. Lots of buildings look like they haven't been rebuilt since WWII bombings. But nobody seems to care. A most un-Toronto city. But the transit system even seems good despite the chaos.

I walked in on three separate weddings! Folks here know how to clean up nice.

I just walked by the Teatro Massimo, where famous Godfather 'climax on the steps' scene was shot. My closest brush with the Mafia. Despite the chaos and my lonesome status I feel quite safe. My hotel room, smack in the middle of it all, is a find. Hotel Ariston I highly recommend.

Ok I gotta find some dinner. Byeee