Tuesday June 11, Porto Empedocle…not far from Agrigento!

Pohutakawa's growing on the sea front.

Time to hit the road again this morning and we had fun navigating through the suburbs of Marsala. It was Ian’s turn to play dodgems as we wound our way through the streets with Italian drivers in their little beaten up cars ducking and diving in front of us. We are gradually getting used to the way they drive…or maybe it is accepting that this is the way it is! Anyway, we made it to the “other side” and it was back onto the main road around the coast continuing on our “circumnavigating” of Sicily.

For much of the day it was very cloudy but didn’t complain as a little cooler. Stopped at a big supermarket to get some bread and in fact we saw more supermarkets today with large parking areas than we have done all trip.

Loved our drive which took us through more valleys of intensive agriculture and the biggest areas in olives that we have seen the whole time we have been in Italy. The roads were great and the traffic, once we left Marsala, was very good.

Destination this afternoon was on the coast at Porto Empedocle at a spot recommended by an Italian lady we met in Cefalu. Certainly a good one, right on the coast and wonderful to get a sea breeze coming in. And right in front of us are some rather stunned but flowering, pohutakawa bushes, very surprised to see them here. Had a wander along the beach late afternoon once it cooled a little.

So many viaducts on the road, makes for easy driving.

These hawkers are a familiar sight on the beaches,
carrying all their wares and hoping to sell to beach
goers. Loved the stack of hats on his head.

Perfect spot.

Late afternoon beach walk.