To Mazara del Vallo: Salt pans and windmills

April 26, 2016

We dropped from Erice this morning on the southern approach, which ends in downtown Trapani. It is a bit more gradual and relaxed, other than for the traffic - which wasn't bad at all, but busier than the other approach; and this is the route the tour buses all take. At the switchbacks, they completely fill both lanes. We were surprised at what a wonderful descent it is though, and how spectacular the views are. If anything, we enjoyed it even more than the other route.

Dropping down passes like this is a split-brain activity. One half wants to take flight, lost in the wonder of the surroundings; but the other needs to stay firmly grounded, focused fully on cars, potholes, and other road hazards. It is absolutely engaging, in multiple ways at the same time.

From Trapani, we followed the Salt Road south to Marsala through the pancake flat land that is the home for Sicily's salt industry, which dates back to the Phoenecians. South of Tapani and again on the southern coast beside Stagnane Lagoon are large expanses of salt pans - shallow, flat basins that fill with salt water at the beginning of the salt-making cycle, and evaporate down to a salt residue at the end. It is quite a colorful scene, highlighted by shells of the old windmills that powered the enterprise historically, and by salt pyramids exposed to the sun or protected by a covering of ceramic tiles. We enjoyed cycling past it and enjoyed lunch there at a sandwich shop overlooking the lagoon. It really deserved more time than we gave it though - if we ever come back to Sicily (which we are beginning already to fantasize about), we should at least make time to visit the salt museum.

From Marsala, our road turned eastward. We picked up a bit of a tailwind (but the winds are much more moderate today than they have been until now), and made good time for the remaining miles to Mazara del Vallo. The countryside is different here than we've seen so far - low contour, open, almost wholly agricultural. Fields are cultivated alternatively in grain or grapes. To the northwest, Mount Eryx still rises high above the horizon. Here and there, wind farms rise up from the fields, their immense blades spinning slowly in the wind. Or not so slowly, actually - at one point, the shadows from the blades of one race along our road with us, overtaking us at four or five times our speed.

We arrived in Mazara a bit after five, found our room buried in a crooked, convoluted alley in the old Arab quarter of the city, and didn't come out again until shortly before supper, and shortly before sundown. When we walked through its streets, we were amazed at the richness and variety of its attractions. We'll have a proper look at them tomorrow.

And, bonus, here's a second video from Rachael - gliding along the coast around Marsala, and weaving our way through the alley to our room for the evening. Note the risqué artwork lining the alley.

Rachael descending, from Erice to Trapani

The Trapani salt pans, from the descent from Erice

On the Trapani salt pans, with Trapani in the distance.

Here's a new species to me - the pied avocet, cousin to our American avocet. I hadn't known there were others in the avocet family.

I think these must be flamingos, although I'm surprised at how white they are.

A salt pyramid on the Trapani salt pans, blanketed with tiles to prevent erosion.

Rachael posing with my Moretti, pretending that the taste of beer doesn't make her retch.

Birra Moretti
An Italian story
The true tradition since 1859
The original recipe
Preferably enjoyed in good company

A windmill on the salt pans at Stagnone Lagoon. Windmills were the traditional power source for irrigating the pans and grinding the salt.

I wish the lighting had been better for this, but I love this photo on the wall of our sandwich shop by the salt pans. I think it must be a salt worker, driving his horse and cart through the lagoon. It conveys such a pre-industrial image; and yet it's a color photo. So much has changed, so fast.

On Stagnone Lagoon, west of Marsala (for Emily Sharp and her small crew)

Vineyards a bit north of Marzala del Vallo. Not the best photo, but I wanted to remember how prominent Mount Eryx is on the west end of the island. I was really surprised to have it dominate the horizon even down here on the southwest coast.

Sunset over the harbor, Mazara del Vallo

Today's ride: 55 miles (89 km)
Total: 202 miles (325 km)

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