“Una foto vale mille parole!”

Or … in my case … maybe ten-thousand … or an hundred-thousand words!

BWIIC Note:  Chronologically… this post actually belongs as “Day ONE” (Lunedi …Monday) of the timeline…. 

Allora … there we were … a bit jet-lagged  … and not so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed  …. climbing aboard the Salvatore’ Express (in front of the airport) and immediately heading out for a “full” day, at Erice (Err’-i’cha …. short”i”, long “a”),  lunch, and a castle for dessert.  Then … a drive to accommodations, a fabulous masterpiece of an evening meal (2100 for dinner) … followed by …. the first of our nightly AARP meetings( No …of course that’s not it! …don’t be ridiculous … EGO15 coined that acronym long before those wha’chamacallit  people did) !    AARP has always stood for …Awards And Recognition Program … hasn’t it!

The “drive” …UP (and I mean uppppa) to Erice was what one might describe as a “thrill seeker’s” …  “adrenaline junkie’s” …. walk in the park.   But …. Alas … poor Yorick (as well as Senora Lucia-Pollio) had not received the Joey Chitwood Thrill Driver’s  fam course prior to leaving the States.  Hence … the occasional “no…no…no….ohhhh…..noooo…. noooo…ohhh nooooo” whimper could be heard clearly above the whine of the Salvatore’s “little coach engine that said could” …as it labored up the “switchback-every-100-meters” journey up that “Highway to …..”  (as AC/DC so aptly put it in their 4 min 45 sec chartbuster in 1979) en route Erice.    In an effort to at least “try” to get caught up …. many photos will follow in this post … with many fewer words accompanying them.  Relax …. no cause for alarm! … I will most likely return to the land of the somewhat normalcy …tomorrow…and write the normal “terse” (only different)  blog post ….you’ve become so accustomed to reading.

DSC_0131 (1)“One” of the almost countless switchback, hair-pin, aye-yai-yai turns on …….The Road to Mandolay …where  the  flying  fishes  play,  and the sun comes up like  thunder out of China  cross the bay. ….. oops …. wrong Blog… sorry Dr. N …. no harm…no foul.  Ahem! …. cough…cough …. on the road to ERICE (air’-i-cha <– short “i” and long “a”)

"On the road to Err'-i-cha...where the students come to play ...and the..
“On the road to Err’-i-cha…where the students come to play …and the..
A little up hill jaunt on street stones polished to a sheen (a near frictionless sheen) by thousands of years of "sanding"  ... sole of foot sanding that is.
A little up hill jaunt on street stones polished to a sheen (a near frictionless sheen) by thousands of years of sanding… “soles of feet”sanding that is.
Lunch for all my friends.  Choices ...choices ...choices!
Lunch for all my friends. Choices …choices …choices!
The Hunger Games ... Odyssey Italy style.
The Hunger Games … Odyssey Italy style.
Typical Italian hospitality.  Absolutely wonderful !
Typical Italian hospitality. Absolutely wonderful !
No comment.
No comment.
Gelato ..... of course !
Gelato ….. of course !
Really?
Really?
Photo says it all.
Photo says it all.
Castillo de Venere
Castillo de Venere
History (and a whole lot of fun) with every step.
History (and a whole lot of fun) with every step.
Bella Sicilia
Bella Sicilia
Bella ...Bella !!
Bella …Bella !!
Andiamo.
Andiamo.
Food for thought.
Food for thought.
Risotto, shrimp, and zucchini.  Just to get you rolling.
Risotto, shrimp, and zucchini. Just to get you rolling. (For alarmed parents and Headmaster … that is Coca-Cola in those goblets.)
Buon apetito !   Ciao.
Buon apetito ! Ciao.