1/30/2020
(Above: A view of Agrigento, Sicily at dusk from our room’s balcony.)
Active Summary: This morning I woke up, performed the daily regimen of writing and exercise, and then departed with my brother to the train station. The ensuing 4.5 hours were spent venturing from Catania, Sicily to Agrigento (we had a 5 minute stop at Palermo). This was followed by our making the 20-30 minutes exodus from the train station all the way up* to our new Airbnb stay.
It was a nice looking apartment – again quite chilly – and we remained there for a brief time unpacking our belongings and setting up our computer stations. Next, we went out to eat a little something and procure some wares from a grocery store on the way back. What ensued was a 2.5 kilometer walk that somehow seemed all uphill, even on the way back. A bit of rest time was had at the room before venturing outdoors one last time for the day to procure a meal.
TIL: Today I learned about Sicily’s train system. The times between boarding one train to another usually take less than 5 minutes. However, the trains – in the brief experience that I had with them – are also very much on time. This means that there are minimal layovers and no delays.
I also learned that Agrigento is pronounced Agri-jento.
A creme-filled ‘croissant’. Actually, I’m fairly certain it bore a different name, but the only name I have for it via receipt is ‘colazione’ which means ‘breakfast’ in Italian. 
Inside the ‘Colazione’. 
The train station. 
A nearly empty cabin on our way from Catania to Palermo. 
Etna from afar. 
An expanse to be seen from the train window on the way from Catania to Palermo. 
Just another view out of the train’s window. 
Arrival at Palermo. Ocean can be seen in the distance. 
The first set of steps that my brother and I had to drag/walk our luggage up. 
A typical street in Agrigento’s central portion. 
An old church positioned at the edge of a cliff. The sea can be espied on the horizon in the lower right corner. 
A day with very little clouds. Sicily has thus far been far more clement than France. 
Agrigento with the sun still high in the sky. 
A shady concourse on our way to the grocery store. 
Our first food in Agrigento, found at a little shop quite some distance away from our abode. The top layer was mashed potatoes, the central was prosciutto and mushrooms, and the base was tomato and peppers. Though it was microwaved from something that had likely been made the previous evening, it is one of those dishes that develop flavor over time. 
Brother walking down some steps on our way to a grocery store. 
A church we found during our afternoon walk-about. 
Though the produce looked fresh, we decided to forgo buying in hopes of finding a market. This was a fortunate decision, because we have since discovered a produce market (open every day) that is less than 500 meters away from our apartment. 
Prices for butters and cheeses at a ‘Penny Market’. 
Receipt from our trip to the grocery store. The most incredible thing to me is that I 1 kg of bread flour (Farina 00 Penny) for 39 cents. 
A view of Agrigento, Sicily at dusk from our room’s balcony. 
Another view from the balcony of our newest Airbnb. 
Walk to the evening meal in Agrigento. 
Ruga Reali – the first restaurant we ate at in Agrigento. It was a fancy and somewhat pricey place, but the food was excellent. 
A crunchy toasted-sesame bread stick. 
Sicilian grilled cheese. Literally just cheese tossed on the grill and then served with arugula It was tremendous. 
Noodles drenched in Red (some sort of fish that is not snapper) Fish ragu. Served steaming hot. 
A salad with plenty of delicious Parmesan on top. 
My dinner at Ruga Reali. 
My brother’s noodles with roasted-pork mini-meatballs. 
A parfait filled with caramel-coated nuts and drizzled in dark chocolate. I usually enjoy meals more than the dessert, but this was something special. 
A creme-filled cookie procured on our way back from dinner. 
Inside the creme-filled cookie. 
Flauti Latte – a packaged dessert that we saw someone else pick up at the store. It is pronounced Flotti Lotti. 
Inside the Flauti Latte. 167 calories, by the way. Both in France and here, they do not flood their packaged goods with sugar like they do in the United States.
Commentary: Despite the ease of access to get to Catania from Agrigento, it was quite a lengthy journey topped off by much uphill hiking (both with luggage and groceries). I will have more commentary tomorrow, but for now, it is time for rest.
Final Note: Tomorrow will likely be a rest – and – town exploration day. I foresee some walking.
*By up, I mean we must have ascended a good 500 feet or so throughout our journey.
Again great pictures throughout, seemed that the true staples, according to receipt, are incredibly inexpensive. Thanks for sharing each day.