Trapani

Located on the western tip of Sicily, Trapani has always been an important port, with a heavy emphasis on salt, wine and tuna.

We were only here for a short time and it was outside the town to see the salt flats. The town hya some major urban sprawl. Get through that and the histortic centre is more interesting. Also the Egadi Islands are just off Trapani.

Go down the main Corso Vittorio Emmanuele as the street is flanked with numerous buildings displaying the impressive Baroque style of architecture. If you along the seafront boulevard, lunomare Regine Elena, it takes you past the port and you can see some of the salt flats. Out in the sea are the Aegadean Islands.

We drove out to see the salines -- or salt flats. They are a series of small pools or ponds that take in water from the sea. This area of the Mediterranean has virtually no tide variance. So, the water comes in, sits and then is pumped into successive pools. Windmills drive the pumps. As the water evaporates the salt crystals form. They are then shoveled into small piles. Left for drying.

A short stop in a fish market in Trapani really brought out the feeling of life in Sicily. The air was abuzz with fish vendors all yelling out how their fish was the best. Customers, shrewd as ever, had their own comments and the price bartering and selection seemed to go on forever.

MARCUS TRAVEL JOURNAL
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