After Mom's departure I was left on my own to explore more of Sicily, then a quick stop in Rome to visit a friend before heading to London to connect with new and old friends. After that I recovered in Frankfurt at Phil's place before having a few final days in Malaga, Spain to finish my 8th visit to Europe.
Off to Trapani which turned out to be 4 hours by train and only 1.5 hours by bus. I didn't realise the train went all the way down and around to get to the West coast, but who wouldn't want to see green and rock mountains, orchards, desert and sea.
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| Solo Travelling |
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| Looks nice, I'll come back later |
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| Crossing the country |
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| Approaching Trapani |
Three signs, I'm definitely in Trapani a West coast town, with a few good places to eat and see. Lots of walking if you want.
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| Did you get the sign? |
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| My first lemon beer |
Not a bad spot for 30 euros a night, but it can get even better...
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Looks like a lot of locks on the
building door, but only one worked. |
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| Looking to centre of town from a less than sexy beach |
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| It's not cut up fishing net? |
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| Spear fishing off the shore |
The future...Automated convenience stores.
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| I guess these guys run the machines? |
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| Oh boy |
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| Oh yeah, a 3 pack traveller of red |
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| Delicious and healthy |
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| Next door to my patio and lunch. Yep dog crap everywhere. |
A night out with new friends James and Maddy from the Queensland.
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Huge everything at their apartment
45 euros a night |
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| Looking good early on |
Decided to jump ship and head to Marsala for 1 night finding an awesome place with a view to calm my jealousy of James and Maddy's place. Some times it's good to be hungover in a new place that's only 30 minutes down the road.
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Back on the same little one car
I took to get here |
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| Didn't find the beach in Marsala, but seems to be sailing here |
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| Hungover, but holding |
Brilliant apartment with great balcony. Only catch, no WIFI. Hey, but that can be good too.
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| Huge balcony |
Quick walking tour around the surprisingly charming Marsala.
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| San Sebastiano |
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| Roman Ruins you don't need to pay for |
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| Free mini-golf. Am I in Europe? Free? |
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| Food trucks |
A little Italian "Pro" Karaoke with a delicious meal at my favourite spot, Kristal.
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Good beer, amazing
pizza |
Back over to the North of Sicily somewhere I could get a swim in. Trappeto seemed the fit finding a great penthouse apartment near the sea. Just what I needed.
Side Story: The train went right past Trappeto to Partinico as that is the route, "no changes", according to the conductor. You have to wait for the exact train to come back through to stop at Trappeto. This wouldn't have been so bad, but the Partinico station is far from anything at all. Boo.
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| Sulla flowers of Sicily |
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| Partinico, Boo. |
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| Finally...That's me in the photo, it was a long wait at Partinico. |
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| A sign of tourism |
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| This looks promising |
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| Wow!!! View from apartment balcony. |
What a view...
And now for a little Trappeto beach time.
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| exciting |
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| That's the look I'm going for |
A little beach chat in Trappeto
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| I love it, I really do |
Back on the road, but just for a short time to get to Palermo the biggest city in Sicily, full of everything, which to be honest, if I found some of it in other places in the world I probably wouldn't have ventured to try them.
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| Awesome late check out, Thank you! |
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| Last looks at Trappeto |
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| Small town life. No bus stop sign and a tractor fueling up. |
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| Couple hour bus ride to Palermo |
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Rough Russian bus ride to get here then a quick
bus tour of Palermo due to construction. |
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| And then an odd walk to the Airbnb |
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| Some good deals I'm sure |
Rough neighbourhood me thinks. Although the walk through was a little nerve racking the place was just off the tourist zone.
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| Wrong way? |
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| Park Villa |
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| Cathedral di Palermo |
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| This looks like the way |
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| A street market, restaurant, bar area. I'd go back. |
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| Piazza San Domenico |
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| How cute, beer for a baby |
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| Busy Sant Anna area |
Very good restaurant, MultiVolti, check out the way they rigged up the ceiling fans.
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That will help the
hangover |
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| Feeding street cats |
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| Free food bar buffet. |
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| Sant Anna much more civil in the day |
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| Alright |
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| Oldest tree in Sicily |
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| Cathedral di Palermo again |
Well that was nice in Sicily, but time does slip by and unfortunately I had to make my way to the UK. But First one last dip in the sea! Isola delle Femmine, a town of a few 1000, for a night which is only a few stops from the Palermo airport.
What an apartment and the owners were worried it was too small for me. Haha, i've slept in shoe boxes a few times and this was not one of those times.
Recommend: "Pane" bakery a few blocks from the train station and "Pizzeria Zio Fe" in the town centre.
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| Tight sidewalk |
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| This looks like a promising path |
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| There it is |
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| Yikes, there it is, "Dog Toilet" |
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| This kid was having the time of his life. Respect. Me too. |
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| Walk around the coast |
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| A filming of a TV show going on |
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| I followed the clues |
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| Wow |
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| Pizzeria Zio Fe, very nice! |
Goodbye Sicily
Rome, sort of. All flights I found went through the Italian capital and since my friend Maria works at the airport (FCO) we decided I should stay a night to check out the coast. A nice and relaxing day and good plan.
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| Isola Sacra |
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| Love watching all the neighbours |
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| Great location |
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| Catch anything? |
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| You know what this means |
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| Thanks Maria |
London for 3 days, graciously hosted by Dan and Anna in a nice part on the East side, Leytonstone. Trains, tubes and pints and no rain, well a little. As well, I was able to meet up with my friend Tom H and family easier done than flying to Newfoundland.
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| A nice dirty welcome foot |
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| This looks like the place |
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| Funny that people stand in the way |
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| My room, the penthouse |
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| Wetherspoons, cheap and cheerful |
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| Camden |
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| Famous pub |
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| Famous people. Dan, Peter and Tom |
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| Love these public urinals |
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| Who's glasses are these? Ben? |
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| King of Falafel, more like King of Crap! |
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| Weird, parks with fake grass, why? |
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| Tiny tubes to fit the old tunnels |
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| Prix Brasserie in Soho |
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| Take a good whiff |
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| Anna, Dan,. Michelle |
Then back to the middle of Europe, Frankfurt, Germany to hang with Phil and Rainer and friends.
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| Line it up and off to Frankfurt |
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| Nice day |
Unfortunately my ride was a little too drunk to pick me up from the airport so at 11pm I made my way to Phil's through a Crowded Train of Electronic Music Festival goers as my cold began to take over.
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| Give me a bed |
A Rhine river boat day under the weather, but drugs and alcohol can work miracles.
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| Can't do em all and go to the Carnival? |
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| German tourism. |
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| Didn't get the sign of "Assmann", but it was just like this |
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| Niederheimbach |
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| I've seen better days |
On top of a wall along the Rhine.
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| Ham and eggs, tasty. |
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| Feeling much better |
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| The team |
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| Not everyone loves Rammstein |
The forest carnival of Frankfurt; Waldchestag.
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| Phil on top of the world |
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| Mispelchen |
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| Don't be afraid children |
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| Tasty german meal |
The Nied Beach Club.. sort of near the river...
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| beach and beer kills colds |
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| Odd |
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| Super Mario |
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| Or Dave Tippet |
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| 4 years since I played in BA. |
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| Pork Knuckle!!! |
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| 2 hour walk then to the city, no nap |
A night of live music in the city. Franz Fischer featuring Joe Cocker's pianist Nick Milos.
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| Franz and friends |
And finally the last stop on the Europe June 2019 tour, Malaga!
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| Late arrival is not an issue in Spain |
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| Scooters taking over the world |
ZZ Pub, my late night haunt. Some people go to McDonalds, I go here.
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| I should work there |
Malaga apartment for the 4 days.
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| Tough to sleep with this outside |
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| Casa Lola Olives!!! |
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| Episcopal Palace |
A little beach time at Malagueta. Check out the crazy guy who washes his clothes in the ocean.
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| It's got it all |
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| More ZZ Pub with Danny and Jorge |
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| Tasty Tapas at la Tranca |
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| Great value just beside "Be Happy" |
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| The central market |
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| Goodbye Malaga |
June 2019 in Europe was about all the fun I can handle. I need a vacation from my vacation!
Other Stuff
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| Odd toilet on the train in Sicily |
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| Odd toilet in Sicily |
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This guy has balance, or maybe the dog
is driving? (Marsala) |
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| Wow in Palermo |
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At this old bar in Frankfurt the owner
taking a photo with the Champ |
