Day 1

Well it was a fairly smooth flight and our bags arrived with us, so far all is well. We boarded the bus from the airport and drove though an ugly area of the Island but then I think about travelers landing in Newark and they are greeted with the turnpike and refineries. Our guide then told us that Sicily is in the middle of a garbage strike, but not to worry we will be awed by what we are going to see. The scenery on the ride to the hotel improved somewhat as we drove through new Palermo to Old Palermo. Next we came to our hotel. Check in was smooth but as soon as we walked into the hotel room all the lights went out. We finally figured out that we had to put our key in a slot to keep the lights on. On the plus side the bed is big and the bathroom modern and sleek. Ron was thrilled to find a TV and English speaking channel. I looked across the room to see a balcony. I thought how nice till I saw the scaffolding immediately adjacent to our balcony. Not to despair we are heading to a small restaurant known for local cuisine.