BATES MOTEL ON THE SEA

After saying goodbye to Pim and Stuart, Bob drove us a couple of hours up the southern coast of Sicily to the western port of Castellammare del Golfo ("Sea Fortress on the Gulf").

From 827 AD, it was occupied by Arabs, who built a castle fortress that was later enlarged by the Normans. It's also noted for having been the birthplace of such American Mafia figures as Joseph Bonanno.

      Today, the town's small harbor, which is nestled below a high mountain, is home to many small pleasure boats and a few fishing boats. Like most towns in Sicily, this one clearly has a love affair with steep roadways, ramps, and stairs. This one had 76 steps that began after a long ramp.

     For once, Suzanne guided us (mostly) well, since we were on major roads all the way, not cow paths. She was a bit confused in town, however, because the streets she wanted us to go on were often one-way the wrong way, but Bob managed to find our hotel anyway.

      The hotel, like the town itself, seemed eerily, deserted. After checking in, we took a walk around, stopping to check out at a restaurant the desk clerk recommended. One of sales people outside was surprised that our hotel had recommended them.

     “Oh, they're open?” he asked.

      “Apparently,” I replied, “and how long are you open for lunch?”

      “Oh, till about two,” he replied.

      “It's ten minutes after two now,” Bob noted, looking at the empty dining room.

      “Then make it three,” the man replied.

We said we'd be back.

     Along the waterfront and up the many steps in town, nearly everything was closed including the castle, which said it would reopen from 3:30 – 6:30 pm. Then we began to understand. Not only were we slightly pre-season, we were, at that hour, in mid-siesta. So back we trudged to join the town for its collective nap.

     Back at the hotel we discovered that there was no heat in

The Cerri (Bates) Hotel

the room. The temp outside had been 81, but now it was dropping and, since the hotel had just opened yesterday for the season, the room had that built in coldness from a long winter of no heat. As I write, they are talking of changing our room. Stay tuned!

***UPDATE*** The heat is on. Seems they needed to "open up" something. Phew...