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Day 2, Continued, Afternoon at Monreale Cathedral

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  Afternoon, still day 1 of our tour.  Our itinerary reads: This afternoon head to Monreale Cathedral, ascending on foot to see its majestic Byzantine mosaics.  Then, it's our choice!  Explore the cathedral's cloisters, taking in their serene atmosphere of the monastic complex - OR - ascend the southern tower to the panoramic terraces for a bird's -eye view over Palermo. Once we were done with the guided tour, we could explore on our own.  This cathedral is considered to be the best example of Norman Architecture.  The building began in 1174 by William II of Sicily. It was elevated to the Archdiocese of Monreale in 1183, and completed in 1267.  Since 2015 it's been part of the Arab-Norman Palermo and the Catholic churches of Cefalu' and Monreale UNESCO World Heritage Site. There were two Sarcophagi, but I wasn't able to get a picture of the 2nd one. Both William the I and William II of Sicily are there. It was quite colorful, with incredible detail eve...
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Day 2, Palermo, The Markets, Sept 26-2024

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  Day 2 of the tour, Breakfast started at 7 am and we were to meet at 9:30 in the lobby to begin our walking tour: Our itinerary reads: Begin your adventure tasting your way through Palermo's lively markets on a walking tour unveiling the city's historical center and introducing you to traditional  Sicilian street food, which layers Oriental and Norman influences with local produce such as wild fennel, olives, and spices.  Our group of 24 was divided into 2 groups, one group of 12 and one of 10.  A couple of people opted out.  The 2nd group was lead by Francesca above, who was very cute and animated.  She was full of information and shared with us her childhood memories of the area, the food and the vendors.  Group 2 was a bit delayed departing due to some technical issues with Vbox.  Standing with Angelica is Vera and Joe from Australia.  Visiting Sicily was especially important to them as they both have family in Sicily. We started with The...
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Before Meeting The Group and Tour Guide

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  We're scheduled to meet the tour group and tour guide at 6 pm in the lobby today, but we have the day on our own, so despite the rain we headed out to walk with our umbrellas.  We had checked on line to purchase tickets to tour Teatro Massimo (The Opera House), but it indicated there were no openings.  So we walk there to see if we could in person tickets....Bingo!  12 Euro's a piece and we only had about 10 minutes to wait for the guided tour. This incredible wooden model was built in 1866.   The Opera House is truly beautiful, colorful details every direction you look. Even the ceiling The Royal Box, which we were told some lucky patrons have the opportunity to sit there if The Royals aren't there and the house is full, as the Opera House is very much in use with a full performance schedule. In the very center of this room is a circle that men used when they had secret business to discuss.  You can stand in the center spot and feel and hear what yo...
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