Day 6, April 8th: Today took a quick peek at the local market before we toured the Salt Museum and salt pans near Trapani. We took a short boat ride to Mozia Island and enjoyed a cooking class back in Marsala.
At the market we could not get over the size of the peppers and all of the fresh fish of all kinds.
The Salt Museum has working salt pans. Salt production is all based on location, sloping, gravity and the heat from the sun and the wind. See: https://www.salineculcasi.it/en/ASCII Digital Design Museum
Our local salt expert shows us how the water levels in the pans are regulated by opening up a small dam.
You can see wider views of the salt pans. Collection of the salt is all done by hand, no machinery. They collect in July, again in August and sometimes in September if the weather cooperates.
Peter was on the walkway separating the salt pans. The salt from these pans is privately owned and goes to a factory in Trapani to be packaged into organic salt.
On Mozia Island, the Whitaker Museum’s greatest treasure, is a marble statue, the Youth of Mozia (‘Giovanetto di Mozia’), also known as the Charioteer. This is a Greek work dating to the fifth century BC and is a real masterpiece. For more on the island, see: https://www.italyheaven.co.uk/sicily/mozia.html
Mozia had archeological ruins found by Joseph Whitaker, and showcased in a museum with his name. The flowers on the island were gorgeous.
Back in Marsala at night we visited the Le Caserie Restaurant where chef Paulo instructed us on how to make our dinner. Peter was on the team rolling out dough for pasta. Meanwhile Mary was on eggplant duty with two of our new friends.
On the way back to our hotel we caught the Marsala City Hall lit up at night.
We made it to the Easter Vigil at the Marsala Cathedral and grabbed a few photos of the blessing of Paschal Candle before it was processed into the church. The procession was followed in by a few dozen young scouts.