The Villa

  After a really bad night on a pretty nice ferry, we disembarked at the port in Palermo about 8:00 in the morning.

We hadn’t researched exactly where to find a taxi queue at the port, but there was a guy standing near the men in uniform (Port Authority) who saw us and said, “taxi?”

We followed him, Scott learning along the way, that he was indeed no taxi driver, but a gypsy taxi guy. 

Oh well.  He was a pleasant enough fellow and he enjoyed talking to Scott in Italian. He brought his price down (€25 to €20), cash only, and got us to the hotel in no time.

We arrived at the front desk anticipating our room would not yet be available, but at least they would store our baggage.

Only a Five Star Rocco Forte hotel would have our room ready at 8:30 in the morning. Of course they did. 

Let me say a little something about the positively anticipated overnight ferry ride from Naples to Palermo.

If you look closely, you an see the crescent moon setting
just above the hill

First of all, it was a relative bargain at less than €200, including an ensuite outside cabin (with window).  Comparing it to the P&O ferry we took all those years ago from Aberdeen Scotland to Lerwick in the Shetland Islands, this was a couple of steps up: the room had twin beds not bunk beds, a vast and comfortable lounge and an better-than-expected restaurant with white tablecloths and excellent wait staff. The ferry to Shetland was full of motorcyclists who sailed to the Islands every year at Simmer Dim (the longest day of the year). They were scary looking dudes and dudettes but they were actually very nice.  That ferry was full.

The ferry to Palermo was also full.  But full of adolescents and teenagers.  Raucous adolescents and teenagers who ran up and down the hall outside our door all night long. We couldn't tell if they were coming or returning to Palermo - but it being a Monday we guessed they may have been on some weekend school thing.  There were no parents keeping them in line, that’s for sure.

We were just glad to get the hell off that ship. 

And into the arms of quiet, tasteful, tasty Villa Igiea.

I splurged on a room not only with a sea view but with a veranda. 

That whole terrace was ours. We could've had a party!

First: breakfast.

We arrived in the restaurant just as the maître d' came 'round his podium and greeted us as though we were long lost friends. "Hello again! it's so good of you to return!" I remembered him very well, but I do have the feeling the front desk called down to forewarn him we were return guests. The buffet was just as luscious as we remembered: huge strawberries, blackberries, raspberries. Perfectly ripe slices of melon.  Mimosas.

The best thing ever, though, was from the menu:  scrambled eggs a la carbonara. Scott pronounced it the best scrambled eggs he’s ever had. I agreed.

We wandered around the grounds, looking out on the small private harbour, where a three-master was in port readying itself to set sail (it did the next morning just after dawn).

The flowers were blooming all over and the weather was mild and warm in the sun.

Too bad for us, the rain began in the night and didn’t stop for the rest of our time on the island.  Good for us: the bar and restaurant were cozy and inviting and we got to know the staff, and they us!

All in all, a very nice way to end our Italian vacanza.  It was fun to pretend we were rich!