Welcome to Cefalù, Sicily

Once our train was off the ferry and prepared for the next segment of our trip, it left Messina Station, cut across to the north shore of Sicily via an underground tunnel, and then followed the coastline … when it wasn’t speeding through more tunnels … long and short.

We pulled into Cefalù Station at 4:01p … just 4 minutes late … which I wouldn’t consider late in the big picture of a 17-hour train/ferry journey that began at 11:05p last night.

A coastal city, Cefalù is the first of our three bases of operation on this trip. We’re here just three nights. We added it to our plans primarily so Mui can have some beach time. Actually, I doubt he’ll dally much on the beach, but he is definitely planning to swim … especially after we arrived today to find the main beach filled with locals and visitors taking advantage of the lovely sun-filled afternoon.

Our one-bedroom apartment is a short five minute walk to the beach, but away from the hub-bub of activities … and just a nine-minute easy walk from the train station. The building manager met us at the apartment; gave us the lay of the land, so to speak; collected the city tax we owed on the booking; and marked up a map with recommendations … best/least expensive supermarket, sightseeing, restaurants, and more. “Don’t pay more than €8-9 for an Aperol Spritz,” she said before leaving … giving us a local benchmark to work with when checking out menus.

Once settled into the apartment, we left to get a bite to eat — delicious food at a place called Karmarea on the lungomare (waterfront promenade) … dining al fresco … though we were disappointed that they forgot all about our desert order.

Tummies sated, we headed to Deco, the recommended supermarket, to pick up a few things for breakfast and snacks for the light dinners we hope to enjoy on the patio.

We took a roundabout way back to the apartment, planning on getting gelato from a place that came highly recommended. No luck with that either … the place was closed even though the website said they were open until 1:00a. No sweet treat for us tonight.

Now for a good night’s rest … in a bed that isn’t shaking and shimmying!Read more