1/31/2020
(Above: Temple of Heracles bordered by some peach/nectarine/cherry flowers.)
Active Summary: Today I woke, performed the daily calisthenics, and then took an exam in my Macroeconomics class. The lattermost task did not take very long, and afterward, my brother and I ate a small snack of Flauti Latte and apricot marmalade.
This was followed by a walk. We started out at about 11:50 PM and headed for Valley of the Temples, and I believe we were entering the park at about 1:36 PM. It took such a long while because the entrance we chose was rather hidden away and consisted of a lot of walking on the road shoulder (no sidewalks).
In the Valley of the Temples, we spent about three hours wandering around ancient Grecian ruins of which there was a plenitude. At one point we found a gate that apparently had been left open accidentally (more in commentary) and that led to a whole side-expedition of about forty-five minutes.
After a few hours of walking amongst the ruins, we decided it was time to return to the room so as to relax before dinner. We stopped by a grocery store and a gelato shop on our way back, procured some cheeses / shampoo / wine from the former and some refreshment form the later. Now, I’m back in the room about 6 hours after we departed earlier, drinking some Coca-Cola Zero Zuccheri as I compile this entry.
Agrigento at 7:00 AM. 
A mass of stalls and much merry shouting was indicative of a Friday market. 
A closer view of the Friday market. 
Images like this fill be found throughout the presentation. They are simply here because I found the scenery to be exceptional. 
The first ruins we happened upon. Though not the most majestic, they were juxtaposed quite well by the background scenery. 
The busy roundabout that we had to navigate our way through (this image was taken just before we crossed – a lull in the traffic). 
The initial walkway into the park. 
The re-assembled remains of the Temples of Castor and Pollux. 
A valley within the Valley of the Temples, filled with orange trees. 
Brother for scale. 
The same Orange Valley pictured from a different vantage. 
One final picture of the four pillars. 
The Olypieion Residential Quarters. Though ruined, the layout can still be seen. 
Plaque for the Olypieion Residential Quarters. 
A tree growing atop a ruined hill. 
The mystery ruin that we could not find a plaque for. Many of the massive blocks bore equally gigantic runes. 
Brother for scale. 
Such juxtaposition! 
A ‘microscope’ image of the building materials for the oldest temples – some form of cement and limestone conglomerate. 
The fallen corner of the temple of Olympian Zeus. Agrigento (and quite possibly our apartment) can be seen in the background. 
Brother for scale. 
One of the fallen colossi (or Atlases) that used to look as if it was supporting the roof – or entablature – of the Temple of Zeus. 
He was a big guy. 
Unnamed ruins. 
More unnamed ruins – this one bearing many squat pillars. 
Agrigento can be seen beyond the meadows. 
Our initial sight of the Temple of Heracles from within the park. 
This temple, though supposedly not quite as large as the one dedicated to Zeus, is the oldest in the valley. It was built sometime before 600 BCE. 
Brother for scale. 
Temple of Heracles viewed from what used to be its front. 
Plaque for Temple of Heracles. 
An unnamed ruin, perhaps for the transport of water? 
A cave dwelling under a green-topped hill. 
The beginning of the path that came after our passing through the open gate. We believe the gate was left mistakenly open because at the path’s end, we ended up inside a restricted area near the Temple of Concordia. Though not assailed, we did end up making our way back along the whole 20-minute path. 
It was well-maintained, as can be seen, so we walked onward. 
Cliff dwellings that we would not have seen had we not strayed from the main path. 
Faded plaque detailing the cliff dwellings. 
The backdoor to Concordia. 
Concordia from the hidden path. 
Temple of Concordia. 
Brother walking along a wall of purple flowers tended by myriad bees. 
A deep pit belonging to some very old underground ruins. 
The temple of Concordia – our original initiative. It only took about 3 hours to actually find it! 
Brother for scale. 
Though ancient, the temple is in excellent condition. 
Temple of Hera. 
The Juno Entrance. 
Ricotta, pecorino, pistachio, and chocolate chip gelato – a tremendous combination of flavors and very refreshing after and 7-or-so mile hike.
(9:13 PM Update:) My brother and I just returned from our evening out-to-eating. We originally were going to eat at Ninin Osteria, but they will not be open until February 3 (may still venture over there). So, instead we took a walk down the base-street of central Agrigento. It was while we walked down that thoroughfare that I saw an older fellow dressed in chef’s / cook’s regalia taking a smoke break and peering about quite intently. I observed how he had given us a hopeful look, and after walking a short distance past, told my brother as much. We walked back, and he commenced to ask, “Ristorante?” I nodded a ‘yes’ and he happily escorted us down a small well-lit street to a place whose name I still do not know. All I do know is that there were plenty of tables inside and that we were the first customers for the evening. The menu was written in Italian, English, and Spanish, so we had no trouble choosing our fare. What ensued was a simple, satiating, and delectable meal.
Afterward, on our way back home, we made a stop by a bakery / sweet-shop. During our visit, a couple of the attendants (there were three men in total) got into some sort of heated discussion. As we were paying for the delicacies, my brother and I were added to this discussion with a hand-gesture because we must have looked knowledgeable of they were talking about. I quickly provided payment while saying, “Spiacente, parlo inglese.” (Sorry, I speak English.) To this, the thickset man who had started the entire conversation appeared quite taken aback and his expression brightened; “Oh!” he stated, before returning to the heated discussion with his coworker and giving us a hearty, “Ciao! Ciao!” as we departed.
The foods procured from this evening outing are shown beneath the commentary below.
TIL: Today I learned that the easiest pedestrian entrance to Valle Dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) – despite being farther away from our abode and still requiring a couple hundred feet of walking in the street – is at the Ingresso Giunone (Juno Entrance). It lets visitors in at the most preserved temples and does not require them to navigate their way across a roundabout on foot.
Commentary: Once again, my brother and I visited ruins today that hail from hundreds of years before the common era. As a matter of fact, many of the worship places in Valley of the Temples were built before 430 BCE. Some of the ruins I could certainly see as belonging to such an time, such as the crumbled barrack-grounds, the toppled temple of Olympian Zeus*, the few remaining pillars belonging to the temple of Hercules, and the mysterious unnamed ruins that we visited atop one of the park’s central hills. However, when it came to the temples of Hera and especially to the temple of Concordia (Greek Goddess of Harmony), it was difficult to believe that they were built nearly 2,500 years ago.
Noodles with fresh and very tender octopus (bought that day from the market), marinated tomato, and fresh parsley on top. Served with a dish of smoked breadcrumbs. The latter was very unique addition to the food-repetoire. It gave the noodles texture and provided a slight flavor of woodsmoke. The wine served with my noodles also bore hints of smokiness and earth. 
A small piece of Sicilian crumb cake infused with ricotta and chocolate. 
Late night snack #1: A cross between a cannoli and a croissant. Crispy and filled with creme. Probably one of the best desserts right after that Napoleon in Cassis. 
Inside the cannoli-crepe. 
Late night snack #2: A ball of Sicilian fudge modeled after the first chocolate made in Noto, Sicily and coated with bitter cocoa powder. 
A small amount of nuts inside. It should be noted that we procured 4 of the first dessert and 6 of second all for 7.5 euro (the price of a single dessert in many restaurants). It is also safe to say that we did not consume all of those delicacies this evening.
Final Note: Tomorrow the only activity on the agenda is visiting a Laundromat to wash what may very well be our final loads of clothing for this trip. Other than that, I believe it is bound to be a day of rest and relaxation.
*They give it the title Olympian Zeus because it was the Zeus of the Greek Pantheon, not Jupiter of the Roman Pantheon.
Great post, all the pictures were much appreciated as was your commentary, felt I was along for the day… very much wish I was.