October 21 - Enna

 Today we are going to another mountain town.  Ah, you think, so you didn't learn your lesson a couple of days ago and want to try again!  But this time will be better - and we will do it right.  Enna is the largest town in the center of Sicily.  It is known as the "navel of Sicily" or "the belvedere of Sicily".  The first because it is pretty much in the middle of the island and the second because it is built high into the mountain with great views from all sides of the city of the countryside around it.  We have enjoyed many a belvedere all over Sicily.  They are usually wide areas for walking and enjoying the view.

We head out of Cefalu and take the E90 towards Palermo, then the A19 towards Catania.  At first everything is fine.  The road does look like it needs some major repairs and it has frequent lane closures where you merge down to one lane than open again to two lanes.  And sometimes both lanes are closed and you cross over into one of the two lanes that are heading back where you came from and it becomes a two way road.  Eventually our GPS got very confused and kept telling us the A19 was closed and we should take the XXX road in 1.5 kilometers.  But the A19 continued and we ignored Miss GPS.  But Miss GPS was very persistent and insisted that in 2.2 kilometers we must take the exit to the XXY road.  And every kilometer or so she would insist we take the next exit.  Until we got confused and actually took one of the exits and ended up on a two-way road winding up the mountain in more and more S curves.  

Lucky for us the road was not that scary and we ended up in Enna.  We had programed in a parking lot and our GPS obediently took us in that direction.  We could see the Duomo just ahead - and just next to it a parking place!  It was on the beginning of the street and we debated whether the tail end of our car was sticking out too far.  We decided that it just barely made it within an acceptable amount of space and cars would be able to get by us with no problem.  This was not the parking lot we were heading for - it was way better!

This Duomo is known for being in three sections - which is unusual and hard to miss.  Inside it was very interesting and such a contrast to all the gold at Termini Imerese.

Lots of very good paintings.  These are always hard to photograph as they are huge and way above you.  I'm thinking thats Mary looking very pregnant.

Now I am back outside - this is actually the front of the Duomo.  

From the Duomo we walked up hill to the Lombardia Castle and Rocca di Cerere.

We've seen a lot of medieval castles so decided not to go in.

There is a walkway all along this side of the city.  It is not the official belvedere but the views are great.  It is too bad that it is a very hazy day.

And up here there is actually some Fall color.  It is cooler here than in Cefalu and I have been wearing a sweater since we arrived.

As we head toward Rocca di Cerere we notice this building to the right with this painting on it.

And a view back towards Enna.

Rocca di Cerere.  We actually did not go up to the top.  The steps are typical medieval uneven steps that are eroded and there is no handrail.  I could have made it up and down - but then someone would have had to carry me to the car.

More views from the walkway going back down.

Michael - under the "rock" finding shade to figure out where there were restaurants.

We found a 4.6 rated restaurant on our way back to our car.  It is hard to tell - but we did have a view out to the countryside.

Here is the actual view.  Way off in the distance there are wind turbines.

This poor town at the top of the hill is in the shadow of Enna for a lot of the day.

The restaurant.

A view back to the Rock.

A view back to the Rock, the Castle and a man taking a photo.

And just to showcase a typical medieval street - here is a car coming down one.

And this is our view as we walked through the street and looked back down it.

Remember how we thought maybe the backend of our car stuck out too much into the street?  Well - someone parked behind us - and gave us the Italian kiss.  Notice how much space is in front of our car!  MICHAEL GOT THE CAR OUT OF THAT SPACE!!!  Just shows what practice in small medieval town streets can do for you!