Posting my Mediterranean shots (part 5)

This is the final (finally!) group of shots. This batch includes shots from Sicily, Elba and finally my last 2 days in Rome.

While on Sicily I was lucky enough to visit the town where they filmed the Sicilian scenes from The Godfather. I even managed to snap some photos of the very proud actress who played Apollonia’s mother in the movie. She greets tourists at the door of her home when she is in the mood. Luckily she was in the mood when we were there. As she didn’t speak much English our guide translated for her, but you can tell by her movements and expression how much that experience meant to her all these years later without having to say much. Sicily in general was a beautiful place. I could actually see myself living there.

From Sicily it was on to Elba. Elba was the home of Napoleon’s exile palace from 1814-1815. I would say this place seemed the most like a “resort” town more than any other. Everything shuts down for lunch and most shops seemed directed toward beach going clothing and resort wear. It was pretty hot that day so finding a Lemon Granita was on our list of must-dos.

After Elba it was time to head back to Rome the next day to disembark. I had booked a room at a hotel that had been converted from a monastery (Hotel Camilla Savelli) because I wanted to stay in the Trastevere District this time in Rome. I was blown away by this place. It was beautiful, in a fantastic neighborhood and walking distance from a great open-air market and shopping district across the Tiber River, and up behind it was the private Vatican residences.  It was a wonderful way to spend my last day of the trip before flying home the next day. Last time I stayed in Rome I stayed at the Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese up near the Spanish Steps and not far from the Trevi Fountain. As much as I loved that location I vowed on my next visit to stay somewhere near the Trastevere and try some of the food there. I wasn’t disappointed!