Tuesday 15^th to Friday 18^th October 2024

A relaxing few days in cooler, wetter, sometimes sunny weather, getting ready for the next move to Italy on Tuesday.

Saturday 19^th to Tuesday 22 October 2024

Helped Johnny cut back, that is prune heavily, two fruit trees as the last tasks at LPR. Lady P and Emma Louise took off for Il d  Re for the day of lunch and shopping. On Tuesday morning we drove the hire car back to Bordeaux and flew to Palermo.

Lady P had booked a BnB close to the airport because the next morning we are on another flight to Bari. It reads well on Booking.com, with a bar and restaurant and only 8 minutes drive from the airport. After an easy 2 hr flight on a full plane, we arrive at Palermo kerb side to a fleet of clean, white taxis and about five guys assisting travellers into cabs to Palermo city (€40).”How much to Torres Pozzillo BnB?” “€40,” he said. “Same as Palermo.” So, of course Lady P argues with him and half an hour later we are no closer to our 8 minute ride to the BnB, in a town that is still home to the mafia.

Flashy giver her an ultimatum. “Get in. Pay the money. or I’ll meet you there!” Eventually the taxi lads get a nice man to drop us off for €30, cash.

And it gets better. The BnB’s gate bell doesn’t work, so, Flashy forces the gate and we walk down the drive to be met by Maria.  Of, course she’s Maria and I’m Bruce!

The room turns out to be large, clean and modern. Booking.com says we have a restaurant and bar. Wonderful, as we’ve not had lunch and its now 7.00 pm. Er, no. “You want to eat?” “Well, si Maria, that would be good.” “OK, I will ring the restaurant and see if  it is open. If not you can walk to the pizzeria, it’s only cinque minute away.” 

It seems that there has been a bit of a liberty taken with the Booking.com description. There is no restaurant on site, nor is there a bar. However Maria makes a phone call and yes the restaurant 10 minutes drive down the road is open and they will send a car for us – gratis!

A Mini arrives for us with two large Italians in the front. We clamber in the back, thinking that we have been captured by the Mob. Down dark side streets we go and arrive at Villa de Rossa Restaurant. It seems the driver is the chef and the large woman in the front is the owner’s daughter.

There are two tables making four of us, but it gets a bit busier as the evening goes on. They are cheeky Italians with reasonable English and we enjoy Fritto Misto and Fettuccini Gambertini and a couple of wines. The finale is a large cannoli. Delizioso!

Then chef and large woman appear and drive us home. This time in a fairly old four door Toyota. What a crazy evening.

That's the big boy.