Arriveder-mi-luggage!

8:40 am came fast, and before I knew it, Vicenzo and I, and three other passengers were making the hour drive back to the Palermo airport.

Upon arriving, I went through security, downstairs and sorted through the several hundred of pieces of luggage that had been misplaced and left for their owners out near baggage claim.  No luck.

So, I visited the lost and found, and chatted with the poor worker who had been left there with only one other person to work 18 hours a day to handle this huge mess. Since no flights were arriving in the morning, the line wasn't long, and he as able to take me to a storage room where he thought they might have my bag.  No luck.

But, there was one more room with a few bags, and wouldn't you know it, mine was right there in front!  What a journey it had been (literally, who knows where that bag had traveled!).  I was happy to have my bag, and couldn't resist this "smelfie," (photo you take after six days of the same clothes).

Okay, in business!  Now, it was back to Mazara for a change of clothes and then straight to the beach for some sun and beach volleyball.

Following an afternoon at Lido Maracaná (our spot for the summer), it was over to the local bakery for a snack of arancine and a slice of pizza

Then it was time to get ready for the Feragosto party.  If last year was any indication, it was going to be a late night, even by Italian standards.

For this year's Feragosto, we were headed to a private house near the Tonnarella; not far from where we had been spending our days at the beach.

On the menu for the evening was some bruschetta and grilled vegetables, and a mixed grill of sausages, chicken and ribs.  All American....minus the barbecue sauce (which is in fact consumed here in Sicily, only on a panino, as opposed to on grilled meats).  Francesco can be seen below, showing off his knife skills.

This year's party was fun, but definitely proved a bit more mellow than last year's bacchanal.  Which is probably good, considering I was nearly running on fumes, though not totally redlining.  Below is a shot of a few of us, not afraid to show our excitement for the feast to come and for the holiday itself.

The grilled veggies and meat turned out great, and we had just the right amount of food.  Fran had been worried that there wouldn't be enough, but there was even plenty left for a late night snack and some leftovers for the hosts.

Fortunately for this little one, Maia, shown below, the party guests were feeling generous, or maybe just a bit clumsy, as lots and lots of scraps hit the ground.  Maia was careful to make sure that the three second rule didn't even come into question, and duly fulfilled her role of chief janitor and scrap collector.  In this pic, she is seen in repose, perhaps stunned after an entire evening of human food.

To round out the evening and the Feragosto holiday, we made quick work of some delicious sorbetto di limone.  Nicola can be seen here, circa 4:00 am, enjoying this treat.  The sorbetto here is light and creamy, not to sweet, and just right after an evening of barbecue.

At about 4:45 am, it was time to head home, and that we did.  In bed by 5:15, I was fast asleep for another day of beaching and eating lay ahead.