My little perch on the balcony complete with potted palms
Palermo greeted me with a beautiful full moon, yellow and ponderous over the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Ciao la signora luna! I called from the bus window. Then it was up three flights of stone steps to my new little nest.
In the morning I set up my balcony perch.
I’m just across the piazza from Palermo Sation and Bus Terminal. A major landmark like this is very handy as a reference point when you’re in a strange city.
Life in the city starts with ladies hanging out their laundry.
Directly opposite me, this Palermo housewife was cleaning her own tiny balcony.
The street cleaner started work, whistling.
I was starting to feel hungry, delicious doughnut-type smells were coming from somewhere, hot, sweet smells. And the smell of freshly roasted coffee.
Then I realised. I was right on top of a little breakfast bar!
They set their tables up in the street, taking about the space of a parked car.
Hurriedly, I laced up my shoes, risked a quick glimpse in the mirror, then leaned over the balcony again to get another big breath of the breakfast smell.
Look what was under my balcony!
By the time I made it down the stairs, the carozza (or is it a correto?) had left. Ah well, plenty more carriages like this, little sulkys and jinkers, in Palermo.
I had a milky coffee and a ciambella to begin the day.
Buongiorno Palermo!
