West Coast Sicily Days 15 and 16 Castellamare del Golfo, Balestrate beach and Alamo

We have enjoyed our stay in Trapani but now it's time to pick up another hire car with the same company, slightly more expensive and in a lot better condition, also because this car will have to face the traffic in Palermo. We stop for a lunch of mussels on the outskirts of Trapani because we have to arrive at our Airbnb apartment in Castellamare del Golfo after lunch. Our original choice was cancelled and this apartment is in a panoramic position on the outskirts of Castellamare with splendid views over Alcamo beach. This is the good news. The not so good news is that the road to reach it is in the middle of the countryside and so narrow, especially on the bend, that I'm highly relieved that this car, although better, is already well-scratched. Also, the position is spectacular but the apartment anything but. The bathroom, fortunately, is new but the rest of the apartment is somewhat rustic and in need of TLC. Once we've settled in and done some shopping we go back down to the beach for a longish walk, one of our favourite activities and particularly nice on such firm sand.

The next day we decided to go to Castellamare on foot to avoid squeezing the car down the narrow lane, but this turns out to be a poor idea because the road is presided by big and rather aggressive dogs (at least the ones in Trapani, while persistent were undoubtedly friendly). We walk down to Castellamare and have a longer stroll round than during our last visit, we also get some fruit and vegetables, it's a longer walk back uphill to the apartment but we make it past the dogs.

After lunch we go back down to Alcamo beach to park and then walk all along the beach as far as Balestrate where I have only a quick plunge because the wind is now quite strong and the waves are getting bigger. The beach is indeed splendid for walking, firm sand few people, heading towards Balestrate perhaps too few people at a certain point, just one or two men, standing and gazing, a little odd we feel. Anyway we get as far as the beach of Balestrate and rest for a while. 

By the time we start walking back there are dark clouds on the horizon, the wind and waves are increasing, it's exhilarating but also tiring. 

Our walk along the beach and back is about 12 kilometres, and considering the battering from the elements we sink gratefully back into the car and drive to Alcamo.

Alcamo is quite busy on a Tuesday late afternoon/early evening. Piazza Ciullo where there is the Chiesa di S.Oliva and Chiesa del Collegio is a large square which is the centre of village life, there are hardly any tourists around, some kids are playing football in the square observed by elderly men already dressed for autumn in cardigans, dark trousers, socks and shoes. With my windswept hair and light dress I feel decidedly underdressed. We carry on to the 14th century Castello dei Conti di Modica which is open and free to visit. 

The castle is a rhomboidal shape with a rectangular courtyard in the center, mainly made up of roughly cut stone blocks, except for the towers and openings, where perfectly squared stones were used. At the corners of the castle there are four battlement towers, two square and two round. Apart from looking around the ancient building in general there's a small museum of Pupi, 

typical Sicilian puppets. We also wander up and down the main street in search of a Cannolo provider which is impossible to find, so we call it a day and head back to the apartment. The wind is bending the pine trees and we skip the view for tonight.