Palermo Cathedral

After about 3 hours sleep (I always struggle with early flights) Mr P and 1 set off in the dark and caught the 5am bus from Corstorphine to the airport.
No delays and a very smooth flight. We arrived in a hot (about 29°) and sunny Palermo. The city is a mix of sublime architecture, wonderful gardens and amazing street food but is also incredibly noisy, very busy and has areas of deprivation. In some ways it feels more Spanish than Italian or a larger than life version of Italy. There is a magical quality to it though without doubt.
Despite the heat and feeling tired we visited the Cathedral, the Norman Palace (including the unforgettable Palatine Chapel) the Royal gardens and the Ballarò market.
We had superb arancini and cannoli for lunch and Mr P tried the local drink, Aperol Spritz, in the afternoon. It looks like Irn-Bru but tastes bitter, definitely not my drink of choice. I was feeling so tired after my lack of sleep that I persuaded Mr P to go to the restaurant across the road from our hotel for our meal tonight and it was mediocre at best and overpriced. Disappointing as Palermo is foodie heaven. Looking forward to more sightseeing tomorrow.