Ciao !
Palermo is gritty, now touristy in many spots (thank you White Lotus.), loud, chaotic, so exotic and Arab and so international and intimate and personal and delicious in so many ways.
Friends make fun of me for this but, the first thing I do when I arrive in Palermo is to say Ciao! to everyone I know here, to let them know I've arrived. I go to the grocery, I go see my coffee guys at Spinatto, I go see Salvo and Giuseppe who repair my cell phones and computer and close their (very busy) shop for 30 minutes to invite me across the street to have coffee and tell me about their kids. I go see Losella, Manuela and Sarabella at my pharmacy..."sono arrivata", "I'm back"!
I receive hugs and double kisses and hand clapping (wait...! those may be my hands clapping!), they treat me like a hero home from the war. Every single time. I receive this every day, who would NOT want to start each and every morning like this? I spend a lot of time daily just talking to people (that may surprise no one.).
I go to the port nearly every morning to watch the ferries arrive, from Tunisia and from all over Italy. Palermo is closer to North Africa than it is to Rome. The security guard at the port used to shoo me away, now he has a coffee brought from home waiting for me.
Then there is my apartment at Hotel Alma, right in the middle of the city. These guys turn up the reception a hundred notches, I feel affection and a connection to each of these amazing young women. And they call me Princess Diana (which we all think is hilarious!). If hugging and smooching were sports, I would be an elite athlete when I am in Palermo. I highly recommend this place but please do not take my apartment if I am here!
A friend was here with me in the fall and she said..."people at the other table start talking to you; next, they are sitting with us at OUR table, then they start bringing you gifts!" It's true, these warm, open, love-to-talk people are everywhere. Like many, I seek out connection and it is here in droves. The Palermitani are loud like me, they yell when they get excited, like me, they emote and cry alot, like me. I adore this beautiful place and these beautiful people and have never felt so at home. "Sono tornata", I'm back!
THIS...is my Palermo. | 
