Erice to Agrigento (19/9)

That's Erice on top of the mountain.
We drove up this side (towards the left) to get there.

We had a much easier drive down from Erice than up to it, but it wasn't as interesting. We didn't count the hairpin bends on the way up, but decided that the road should be included in the Giro d'Italia one day if it hasn't been already. We were fortunate not to meet too much traffic on the way up, because a couple of the bends were very tight. The region along the road from Erice to Marsala, via Trapani, has nothing to recommend it being across coastal plains. It has to be the scruffiest length of road we have travelled to date.  We couldn't work out where the grapes come from to make the wine Marsala is famous for, as we saw very few vines near the town. After Marsala, things did improve but not until we were past Sciacca, where farmland began to look more productive.

One of the temples outside the city.
Partially reconstructed.  There is rubble from another
five on this hill.

Our Sicilian culture and history lesson today revolved around the ancient site of Selinunte with its two groups of temples, one on an acropolis within the ancient city walls, and the other on a hill outside. Selinunte was on a very impressive site on a ridge between two rivers.  One of the rivers acted as a sea port for the city.  It was founded by Greek colonists in the 7th century BC and became one of the most important Greek colonies on Sicily until sacked by the Carthaginians in 409. Although the few survivors who fled the slaughter were allowed to return, the city never recovered and was eventually abandoned after a second sacking by the Carthaginians around 250 BC. This time though, the Carthaginians forced everyone to leave before they destroyed the city. The next building phase for the site dates from the Byzantine era around 700 AD, and these were stone huts found between two of the temples, and other huts constructed out of recycled stone with Christians crosses incised into them. 

Main street of Selinunte

The oldest of the eight temples was started in 580 BC and the youngest, and also the smallest, in around 250 BC. Temple G (they are all known by letters because the deities they were dedicated to are unknown) was started in 540 BC and is one of the largest ever built - 113.34 metres long, 54.05 metres wide and about 30 metres high. Because it took so long to build, methods and styles changed, moving from un-fluted columns constructed from several massive drums, to fluted columns made up of many smaller drums. It was the third temple to be started but for whatever reason never finished. Some of the drums destined for the temple are still in-situ in the quarry 20km from the city, and others were actually on their way to the building site when they were abandoned. It is thought that this occurred at the time of the first Carthaginian attack in 409 BC. At its peak, it is estimated that the city had a population of about 30,000 people, excluding slaves, and covered more than 100 hectares. There was also another small sanctuary built some distance from the main walled city which we explored. We spent a couple of hours wandering over the site, looking for the information boards which were not in any real order. At least they had an English translation, but unfortunately there was no map of the site to be had. A little frustrating that. There was a team of archeologists working in the area, but we were not able to get very close to see what they were doing. There must be centuries of work which could be done at this site. There was other life amongst the fallen masonry - we saw lots of skinks and a snake, but little bird life.

Archeologists are continuing to work
on different parts of Selinunte

From Selinunte we headed for Agrigento, another town built on a mountain, but just a little inland from the sea. We had booked a B&B off the web which looked quite good, until we eventually found it. It was down a back road in a scruffy-looking area but miles from anywhere. There was no sign outside so we had to ask where it was, took one look and said no way. We had another look on the web and found a B&B within walking distance of town so headed for that instead. We booked it, but when we arrived it was all shut up. Fortunately, there was a local lurking nearby who assured us that the B&B was in operation, but we would have to ring the telephone number on the door. This Allan did, and the lady, who fortunately spoke a little English assured us that she was ten minutes away, although it took her twice that to get to us. It turned out that she had been to some do associated with a wedding and hadn't picked up our booking, for which she was most apologetic. We were almost ready to walk away when she arrived, but the apartment was very comfortable so we were happy to stay. After settling in, we set off to look for somewhere to eat.

Exploration of the town could wait until tomorrow. We found a restaurant set out on a flight of stairs linking one street to another. There was a set of about six steps then a landing, before the steps started again, and on each of the landings were set two or three tables. The waiter must keep very fit bounding up and down the stairs waiting on the tables. Dinner was delicious, fresh pasta. There can't be any rats or mice in Sicilian cities because there are cats everywhere. We had three cats constantly patrolling the our tables, hoping for titbits. They are certainly not anyone's pet, because if you made a move towards them, they were off. They looked in good condition, but we have seen some in pretty miserable health. Whilst we were waiting for our landlady arrive, a lady pulled up in a car and fed five cats which we had seen lurking nearby. They were obviously expecting her, because they all came bounding out from their various hiding places as she arrived. She fed them and then left. Don't know if she is a "cat lady" or is looking after them for someone who isn't able to at the moment.