Oh Sicilia

My plan

e took me to Sicily this morning. The bus driver tried to scam me but it was okay because I watched the sun rise over the sea my whole way to Palermo. It's humid and hot on the island, but my favorite part of Italy is that there aren't any bugs. I couldn't check in to my hostel right away, so I walked around this city. I ate a pizza for 1,40€ and that's like a whole personal sized pizza. In Sicily they make the dough fluffier and I've noticed a common way they add the salty flavor to things is little bits of capers, olives, and tuna or anchovy. I had a smoothie from this one place where this guy sells juice. It took him forever to understand the word smoothie. I've learned that Europe is not known for smoothies whatsoever. They struggle with making them. Boy blended the watermelon with the seeds and he had me try it first and I didn't have the heart to tell him the seeds make it less appetizing. It was still good though, and he used fresh squeezed orange juice as the liquid so I appreciated the effort. I continued to walk and stop in all of the shops. I wish I was here to shop and had an empty suitcase because the clothes here are so cute and so inexpensive! Sicilian style is best described as classy hippie and I love it. I just want to buy all the shoes and all the skirts and dresses. I'm half debating dumping all the things I brought and just getting new stuff.

After, I headed back to the hostel to check in. She gave me my bed and I took a shower then took a fat nap. It was three hours long. I wanted to sleep more but I didn't want to throw off my sleep schedule. After google searching how the bus system worked here, I decided to head back into the world. It was cooler now since it was 1630. I walked back up to via Napoli where all the cute shops were and continued to look. Eventually I saw this nice boutique that said "sconti-50%" so I had to check it out. The sales lady only spoke Sicilian and Italian so it was challenging to communicate, but she helped me find two cute and simple blouses for 13€, and I was beyond pleased. I think I've spent almost 100€ in cash so far because I forgot that so many places in Europe are stuck in the 20th century and only do cash. But im not too worried yet, I probably won't buy much in Spain since food is taken care of and I'll just have to make sure I'm careful about money in Morocco.

For dinner I tried a traditional Sicilian food called Arancina (or arancini plural). It's a fried dough ball filled with cheese, spinach or other vegetables or meat, and rice). It's sooo good and only 2-3€. It's the size of my fist, maybe slightly bigger. I love how you can find anything while walking outside along the street. I passed by an outdoor hookah bar and incredible painters on my way to find food. I found a nice dessert shop and decided to get another smoothie. I got one that was pomodoro, fragola e ginger. All I want is fruit now.. especially that my skin is breaking out. I think I've tried all the food I care for and now I'm going back to plant based, maybe I'll have one more gelato tomorrow.

i met a girl in my hostel today named janet. she studied clinical psychology in her post grad in london, but she's originally from hong kong. she's deciding to live her life and travel now because she didn't in her undergrad. i respect that so much. she's super kind and she has an adorable british accent. we talked about the education system and health care in the US and the uk.

Whenever you realize you have no space in your duffle

Scrubs and military uniforms