Palermo, Sicily - Our Christmas Day

Is this not the most awesome sight.  

This is my introduction to Sicily.  Yes, everyone else was sleeping in this morning.  I was up early as I received a text from my Mum and Dad at about 7am saying that a cat 1 cyclone had gone over our place in Gordonvale.  Thankfully, we had the laptop with us and I was able to jump on the internet and on to facebook. Where I found our neighbour who was looking after the house for us was online.  So after a quick chat with her I relaxed knowing our place was fine.  A bit of wind and a lot of water....only one small tree down and apparently our letterbox went for a wander but it was soon found.  

I then bumped into my friend, on the cruise with us, and her daughter for breakfast.  She lives in Cairns and asked if I knew anything had happened in Cairns and I explained what I knew.  We have later discovered that the cyclone went over Gordonvale and Cairns only got a little rain. :-)

Okay, back to Sicily....

Apparently, Sicily is one of the 20 regions of Italy but they function independently and have their own rules - an Autonomous Region.   It is the largest island in the Mediterranean.  

More terrific cranes.

Another great harbour view....as you can see there are clouds.  This was the first and only day we had rain on our holidays.  Ironic that we had light showers Christmas day and if we had been at home we would have had to sit through a cyclone.

A first sights of Sicily.  Things were a little quieter here as it was Christmas day after all and the shops were not open so no big crowds.  Lots of families in cars coming or going to church or to share their christmas with family and friends.  One thing I noticed were lots of Poinsettia's on peoples laps in the cars.

A beautiful Hotel.

Huge Post Office

We walked past this alleyway and my daughter told me to take a photo as it would turn out beautiful. 

I think she was right.

There seem to be a church in every block of Sicily.  Of course these were all filling up for the day.

Another church.

Central Train Station

I loved the work on the bottom of this statue.

Streetview.

We found some green a beautiful small park.  Villa Garibaldi in Piazza Marina.

Designed by architect Giovan Battista Flippo Basile between 1861 and 1864.

Another church.

We spied these interesting things along the front of the harbour.  Supposedly, to stop any traffic.

Another amazing view.

Aren't these fun looking beds....although I think a little hard.

Our daughter loved the cars of Sicily. 

Interesting I first was car searching I wanted a mini....Dad talked me out of it.....tooo small.  Then I wanted a VW beetle ....again Dad talked me out of it as the engine face the wrong way.  These are the two cars that my daughter loves.

Another one she likes.