Monreale: Unreal(el)

We had so much fun Friday night that moving around this morning took a little effort until coffee helped us pick up some steam. We left about 11 a.m. to go to the Monreale and see the Cathedral. It was truly amazing.

On the slopes of Monte Caputo overlooking Palermo, the Monreale Cathedral is a breathtaking legacy of Sicily’s Norman kings. Built by King William II starting in 1174, it was completed in 15 years, which is extremely rare for structures of this scale in the 12th century. The construction of Notre Dame in Paris started nine years earlier and took 182 years to build.

Legend says William fell asleep under a carob tree while hunting and dreamt of the Virgin Mary, who revealed a hidden stash of gold and commanded him to build a temple in her honor. Whether he found buried treasure or simply dipped into the royal coffers, the result is a “golden Bible” that captures the peak of Arab-Norman-Byzantine fusion. It’s called the “golden Bible” because the mosaics depict scenes from the Bible throughout the structure. It is estimated these mosaics contain roughly two tons of pure gold, creating a shimmering atmosphere that feels more divine than earthly. These mosaics were designed as a visual storybook for a largely illiterate population. As you walk through, you can read the Bible from top to bottom.

The mosaics include scenes from the Old Testament like Noah building the ark and the temptation of Adam and Eve. The New Testament scenes include the life of Christ, including healing the sick.

Dominating the central apse is the mosaic of Christ. Spanning approximately 42 feet wide and 23 feet high, this colossal “Ruler of All” is set against a background of shimmering gold leaf, estimated to weigh over 4,850 pounds—which creates a celestial glow throughout the cathedral. Christ is depicted in a half-length pose, his right hand raised in a traditional Byzantine blessing where the fingers subtly form the Greek letters “IC XC” (Jesus Christ), while his left hand holds a Gospel book open to the verse, “I am the light of the world.” The right hand alone is more than 6 feet in length.

The columns were brought from Rome. We can’t even imagine the logistics that must have required to get those up the mountain.

In the south transept, the reddish tomb of King William I, frequently remembered by his historical moniker, William the Bad, was carved from a rare volcanic stone traditionally reserved for Roman emperors and royalty. His son and the cathedral’s founder, William the Good, lies nearby in a white marble tomb that was added centuries later.

After spending a lot of time in the Cathedral, we had lunch just across from it. Sheri had a pasta with sea urchin and she loved it. Betsy wanted to order lasagna, but they were sold out. We both ordered spaghetti bolognese instead and it was so not what we expected. It was in the shape of a lasagna and quite dry. It had peas and ham and precious little ground meat. And he “pasta” was round rings. Spaghetti Os! But maybe not as good.

Back at the apartment, we all took a nap. Again, the night prior we up well past midnight talking and laughing and having some wine. So some sleep was nice. It was pouring down rain outside, so we didn’t feel as though we were missing anything.

Tonight we walked less than a block to a nice restaurant and had a wonderful dinner.

We are in bed early this evening because a new adventure begins tomorrow. We’ll be at the car rental agency around 10:30 and then off to the Mt. Etna region. I’m not one to borrow trouble, but I expect even though I’ve booked a car, actually getting it and making it to the next vacation rental may not be quite as easy as it sounds.

Speaking of not as easy as it sounds…this scooter thing. I rented the mobility scooter to help Betsy on this trip, so she wouldn’t have to walk so much. It didn’t work well in Madrid and it was even worse in Palermo. We decided to return it early, even though we can’t get a refund. The thing is bulky and heavy and I just couldn’t see hauling it around knowing she can’t really use it. Oh my gosh…what a hassle it has been to try to get them to pick it up. Multiple texts and calls and emails…them telling me I had to keep it and haul it across the island. It almost made get rude. Finally, they have agreed to pick it up on Monday. We leave on Sunday, but our host is kind enough to let us leave it in the lobby for them to retrieve. I cannot tell you how glad I am to be shed of that thing. I would love to have a small, foldable manual wheelchair, but couldn’t make that happen. So, we’re off with Betsy and her cane. But she’s been so strong and resilient that we think it’s going to work.

And one other thing, beginning tomorrow I will be driving. Once I’m out of the city, I’m not worried. I’ve driven in Ireland, France and Italy in the past. At least this time, I will be driving on the familiar side of the road. But, just getting out of town scares me a little. No joke, we’ve ridden in taxis/ubers with our eyes closed most of the time.

Sicily’s streets are a controlled chaos. The roads are so narrow they feel less like lanes and more like suggestions, and I am amazed that any vehicle on the island still has an intact side mirror. Cars, scooters, motorcycles, delivery trucks, and buses pass one another with inches to spare, tailgating to the point they are almost touching. From the back seat of a large van taxi, the experience is equal parts white-knuckle terror and awe. Every merge into traffic seems impossible. The drivers have crazy skills…and not just the men, by the way. We’ve had women drivers who are just as skilled and aggressive. These people read traffic like a shared language, anticipating moves before they happen, and navigating these tiny streets with a calm confidence I can’t even imagine under these circumstances. It’s terrifying and impressive.

Wish us luck.