Monte Erice, and the land of Canaan

1/7 - Custonaci to Erice - 13.91

My groin still bothered me, but I was now two short days away from my destination, and had no intention of stopping. I moved slowly through olive groves, picked my way through a marble factory, walked along the empty boardwalk, and after asking for directions from the local elders, began the climb up to Erice. Luckily, I had my third straight day of nature paths, and was thankful for the tremendous view that spanned over what I had just walked. When I got to the top, I walked through one last pine grove, up a steep (and painful) bank, and had suddenly reached the enchanted medieval town of Erice.

The winter population of this famous summer destination was around 250, 1/10th of the summer population, and I enjoyed the empty cobble streets, which transported me back 100s of years. I wandered aimlessly, letting myself get lost in this maze of a town, when all of a sudden I came to a clearing, looked out toward the horizon, and found myself staring at Trapani, my land of Canaan.

I shouted spasmodically, raised my arms in victory, laughed uncontrollably, and repeated over and over the words "I made it." Six months of expectation, and here I had stumbled on a magnificent, and suitably dramatic view of my final stop. I could almost touch it, and I savored the immense satisfaction of my great victory, oblivious to the frigid wind mercilessly whipping my face. I will never forget the euphoric invincibility of those precious moments, when I let the scope of my accomplishments sink in. It was as if I had already finished.

But I hadn't, not yet, and I had to find a place to sleep. So I did, as I had so many days before, and through the owner of my rented room I met the owner of the bar below, who gave me a good price on some local dishes and wine. As he closed at 8, I took the food upstairs with me, prepared a little celebratory feast for myself, and contemplated what the next day would bring.

Finally, as I was restless, full of energy, and drunk with my accomplishment and the local white wine, I bundled up to the best of my ability, braced myself, and went out for a ramble in the cold, deserted town.

I must have walked a good 40 minutes, accompanied by the town mutt, who showed me around and kept me entertained with his antics, while the heavy cloud surrounding the town obstructed a night view of Trapani. I enjoyed seeing this delightful hilltop town in a way that most people never see, at its most empty, with all the windows shuttered against the cold, a unique and mysterious time capsule.