Into Marsala

Today around mid-day we move into the city of Marsala. We have taken an apartment for the next 32 days. With ‘booking.com’ so have not been able to see it but confident we can make it work. Street view below, and the entry door for us is the first on the left. (Parking of van…?????)

We are ready to enter the city after being on the edge for 5 days. We a) feel at home in the city and b) sense its significance for the next weeks. It is on the extreme west of the island – some 4 hours drive from where we landed.

Sicily is a triangle in shape and is marked at the three corners – the west point is here in Marsala and certainly feels the place to start. Walking the city, finding key points and let’s see.

The city is close on 3000 years from its initial beginnings and has been a ‘first’ in a number of ways. I have mentioned in a previous post that one natural reading of the unification of Italy is that it began here with Garibaldi landing with his ‘1000’ and from here eventually conquering all the way to Naples / the border of the ancient ‘kingdom of the two Sicilies’. This was not in our sight those days back when we were at that border but now seems to make sense. It was also where the first Punic War began (wars between Carthage and Rome 3rdC BCE lasting over 23 years) – the battle for supremacy in the Western Mediterranean. Finally in 241BCE the city was given to the Romans and soon became one of the most important cities in the Sicily.

History always gives some clues as to what is in the land, as in the same way that personal history shapes an individual. Sometimes of course the history covers over the reality… let’s see.

A few nights ago I had a dream that has stuck with me. First some background. (And if you wish to tone down the language that is OK – the substance / reality is always what counts…) someone said that the place to start would be like a portal for sight on Europe and that there was a ‘book’ there that we would receive giving details and strategy. So the dream. A few nights ago I was in a large space – either a large room or perhaps outside with some walls surrounding. I was not focused on that nor on whoever else was present, because an angel (don’t ask how one ‘knows’ what one knows in a dream – no wings to give away, but I simply knew this was not a human figure, but had come from a non-earthly location) had come carrying a book. The angel was small – maybe 5’5 (165cms) tall. And the book was large, heavy and very awkward to carry. I was aware that the book had come a long way so was deeply impressed that the angel had persisted and thought that I probably would not have persisted. To hold the book the angel had to bend somewhat as the book was too large to carry ‘normally’ or under an arm. The arms were to stretched to the furthest extent. I did not say anything, but the angel said – I will bring it, I have come thus far and not about to give up. Then with great effort the angel lifted the book on to a lectern, ready to be opened and read. End of dream. Of course it could just be a dream that rose from my sub-conscious, but…

So off to the city and whatever concludes about the book I think if we persist then we will leave here with something of significance.