Flying to Los Angeles in Air Atalia Airlines. Got up at 3:15 for a 3:45 cab ride to the airport in Palermo to Rome. Found out the plane did not leave until 9:20! Made it just in time to get to the plane in Rome.

Was a direct flight. 14 and a half hours. I was flying business class as the cruise line bought the ticket as part of the round the world trip.Imagine my delight to have a cubicle of my own with a huge tv and a seat that could be upright, leaning back, or flat so could l sleep. A pillow and blanket helped me. I slept twice, ate twice and watched 2 movies. Landed at 1:20. Audrey picked me up and I hugged her a lot! My luggage is arriving tomorrow. Did not make it to the larger plane. Going home tomorrow after the luggage gets here.

Arm rest and window

Traveling back to Palermo via Toormina, a beautiful town on the Sicilian coast known as the Pearl of the Mediterranean. We could see Mount Etna with its plume of smoke. We had a good tour of Teatro Greco. This Greek theater has been host to performances of all kinds since the 3rd century BC. When we were there the100 cello orchestra was just finishing a rehearsal. It was another hot day and I was glad we did not have to sing there that day. Our next stop was for wine tasting and lunch at Gambino Vini . This winery was high in the hills and had many switchbacks. We applauded our bus driver! Lunch and wine tasting were a great success. Back to Palermo to get ready to leave tomorrow.

Band member on break from rehearsal

This was a good day to rest up, especially at the hotel. They have a great pool in their large park setting . We sang our last concert with a local choir, Musica Antiqua. We sang in the courtyard of the Chiesa Parrocchiale Sacro Cuore di Gesu in Siracusa. The concert went well. It seems all of the local choirs knew one of the songs on our program so we sang it with them for the grand finale. The audience was large and responsive.

Getting ready in the courtyard

Checked out and headed for Siracusa, a city on the east coast. Siracusa (or Syracuse) has always been the most powerful and important Greek city in Sicily. and for a time (in the 400’s BC) the most powerful in the Mediterranean. At the height of its power it had nearly 3,000,000 citizens and was the home of many notable Greeks,including Archimedes, who died during the Siege of Syracuse by the Romans.

We went on a guided tour of Piazza Romana del Casals, originally a hunting lodge built by a Roman patrician in the middle of the 4th century AD. The lodge is huge and has some of the best preserved examples of Roman mosaics which spread over 11,000 square feet. Most of the viewing area is covered with walkways that are covered and let you see down onto the mosaics. Most of us agreed that this was a tour highlight.

We stayed in Syracuse that night. We are beginning to be weary of the heat . Some are getting colds.

We checked into Hotel Parco delle Fontaine. It is situated in a large park and has a swimming pool! Very grand in decor and service. Here are pictures of the hunting lodge mosaics.

Went bus to a guided tour of the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. Seems Sicily was a travel destination of ancient people of Greece. It covers eight square miles and includes ruins of the ancient city of Aklegras. The highlight was the temple of Concordia. It was used as a church when Christianity was the official religion.Thus saved it from being demolished. It in the best condition of the three ones there. We had our group picture taken there. We are the Concord Chorus after all! We checked into our hotel and had free time until the next day. It was very hot so just took it easy.

Started the day with a guided tour to the Opera House in Palermo. Posh, beautiful, and still in use. I think it is used in movies a lot in period movies.

Bus trip to Cefalù from Palermo. Guided to Cathedral finished in 1240. Also saw ruins of the castle. Concert with Regina Pacis , a local choir, at the Basilica Santuario della Madonna Millica that night. Good night for all as had good audience.

Got a little confused. Yesterday we rested and today we did the city tour and concert!

Flew from Florence to Rome to Sicily. Bus to Palermo where we were two hotels about a block apart. Guided tour of city but could not understand one word. Static. Broke off for a delicious lunch and some souvenir shopping. Sang a concert at Santa Catarina D’Alessandria Church with a local choir ,Tomas Luis de Victoria. Started at nine PM. Good audience!

We wore our concert clothes and sang a concert at the veteran cemetery in Tuscany. It is beautiful and well kept up with good information for visitors. It is our way of saying thank you. Our hearts hurt to see all the crosses and star of David’s there in neat rows.

Cuesta Concord Chorus is a wonderful group of wonderful people. Cassie Terrantino is our terrific conductor. We sing a variety of music in the way the music should be sung. We aim to bring concord to others as we perform. We honor veterans and always have free tickets for them and a family member at our concerts. They have sung in many veteran homes and I was with them on the 75th anniversary of DDay at the cemetery in Normandy on the 4th of July. We spent the first part of this

tour singing in the Tuscany International Choral Festival. Also had a guided tour of Florence.

Melody stayed with us for this part of the tour. She met her friends to continue her trip to Italy when we left for Sicily. You can see us and hear us at Cuesta Concord on YouTube.

Oldest way to get to hill above Montecatini