AGRIGENTO (April 4) -- By bus and bike, the Chippings journeyed to Agrigento today to walk through the most extensive Greek temple ruins outside of Greece. "The Valley of the Temples," a UN World Heritage Site, includes the still upright remains of at least eight large Greek temples and the fallen remains of many more scattered over hundreds of acres on the lower slopes of the ancient coastal city.
Going to Agrigento was without "Argumento" (Filippo's mistaken name for the town). Everyone agreed to go, the question was how. Filippo, Bruce, Jimma, David and Spazio, a bit weary from the 83-kilometer ride the day before, took the 46 kilometer bus ride from Licata. Dino and Gianni DeR elected to cycle there on busy State Route 115 which features narrow dark tunnels, a six-inch shoulder with thistle plants and every conveyance from Vespas to 18-wheelers. They put their bikes on the bus for the ride back.
Despite a hot, 80-plus degree day, the Chips spent several hours on the unshaded temple site, wandering about the ruins which currently feature large bronze statues and heads by a modern Russian-Japanese scupltor.
In Greek and Roman times, a half million people lived in Agrigento. Pindar described it as "the most beautiful city every built by man." One influential resident said his fellow townsmen "built as if they would live forever and ate as if they would die tomorrow." Today, however, the Rough Guide calls Agrigento the poorest large city in the country and the most Mafia-dominated.
The Chips didn't see any wise guys in the Temples of Venus, Juno or Jupiter although they did pay extortionist prices for a mediocre pizza lunch on the temple grounds.
This is the Temple of Concord, dating from 430 BC and preserved because for many centuries it was a Christian church. The figure on the pedestal at the left is not cast in stone or bronze. He is Jimma Jamma, Chippings ambasciatore a tutti.
Bruce, "il Brutte," poses for a German photographer at the Temple of Juno.
David doffs his ball cap in salute of the temple ruins at Agrigento, a city that has been variously ruled by Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spainards and now the Mafia.
The Chippings had a pizza lunch at a restaurant at the gates of the "Valley of Temples," the most extensive Greek temple ruins outside of Greece. Filippo explored the archeology museum while Italian teens sunbathed.
In the bus ride back from Agrigento, Dino sports the yellow-rimmed shades he purchased from a Senegalese street vendor. He got the price down from 10 to 5 euros and was pleased until he learned they often sell for a single euro.
Location:Agrigento, Italia
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