Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

Unveiling Palermo:

Sicily's Capital Rich in History, Culture & Food

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

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Palermo is Sicily's cultural, economic and tourism capital, and has been thriving for over 2,700 years.

Living under the rule of the Phoenicians then the Greeks, under the Great Roman Empire, the Arabs, and then the Normans took over in their immense Conquest.

Since 1130, this island was called the New Kingdom of Sicily until it merged with the Kingdom of Naples in 1815 becoming part of what we now know as Italy.

The annexation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies completed the first phase of Italian unification, and the new Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed in 1861.

With such a colorful, ambitious and varied past, Sicily - an autonomous region of Italy - has its own personality, expression and cuisine.

We were energized and engaged by what we found.

Map of Sicily

Due to Sicily's location in the Mediterranean sea at the toe of the boot of Italy, this island was invaded over and over by the "Powers du jour."

The Greeks were nearby, and Sicily is at the north eastern tip of Africa so the Arabs also left their footprint.

Palermo has an international airport as does Catania.

The island has a stunning coastline.

Sign showing "No Mafia"

Walking around town we noticed this sign over a doorway.

The Mafia and Palermo, Sicily go hand in hand. Palermo is considered the birthplace of the Sicilian Mafia, also known as Cosa Nostra.

Since the Mafia began in the 19th century, Palermo has been its center of power. The Mafia act like a shadow government, offering "protection" and settling disputes in exchange for money and loyalty.

Palermo has a tragic history due to Mafia violence and some of the notorious Palermo-based Mafia clans include the Graviano, Motisi, Greco, and Galatolo "families".

The Second Mafia War in the 1980s was particularly bloody, with assassinations and bombings becoming commonplace.

Yikes.

A shop showing beautiful lemons

Sicily is famous for its citrus fruits, and we found lots of their famous sweet lemons in shops.

This store also showcases their dried herbs in the two baskets out front.

Inside you'll find bottled fruit syrups, pistachio liqueurs, olive oils and balsamic vinegars.

Sometimes you can find bottled spring water from Mount Etna, or even bottled essential oils made with local herbs like rosemary or lavender.

Entrance to the MEC Museum

This building was a surprise to us. The entrance has this eye-catching rustic ashlar faux stone which imitates sea coral. We found this type of design in several locations in the city.

While this building was constructed in the 2nd half of the 16th century, today it houses the MEC Museum also known as the Museum of Electronic Communication. It is the first museum in Sicily dedicated to the history of information technology, with a particular focus on Apple products.

Housing one of Europe's biggest Apple collections, the MEC Museum has over 4,000 items related to the IT revolution. These include the Apple-1, the first computer created by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs in 1976.

It's a must-visit for any tech enthusiast or Apple fan.

Women talking

People are people everywhere and these women stop their workday and have a chat together.

Often The Work of Women is overlooked or disparaged as though it has a lesser value than other types of endeavors. But often, I have found that women can be the backbone of their families by exemplifying hard work and commitment. Most will do anything possible for their children, and their sacrifices mark their days.

Men and women are both needed.

Men talking

These men are sitting outside a customized motorcycle seat shop.

The use of motorcycles is very common all throughout Europe and especially in the southern climes. The seat one chooses depends on the bike itself and whether you are using your bike for city riding or trips around the island.

Men having a conversation

We often saw men in blazers or even suits which seem to be a European custom.

I wonder what it is they are discussing?

Creative paint job on a Vespa

Well, someone got creative here!

Did this Vespa get stuck under a ladder or was this the outpouring of a visionary soul?

For sure, he will always be able to find his bike amidst all the ones parked on the street.

Fruit and vegetable shop

The fruits and vegetables in southern Italy and Sicily were simply the best.

In some shops the owners would not let anyone touch their produce. One had to point then say how many they wanted.

Personally, I don't prefer someone else picking out my groceries. But I do understand that the owners don't want someone's thumb to go through their peaches. Or to bruise or scrape the outsides of the item, making them less sellable.

Our neighborhood at night

Our apartment was located at the heart of the historic city center called the Quattro Canti.

It is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike with street performers often adding to the lively atmosphere.

As you can see here the streets are lit, and even though it's not our habit to go walking down alleyways, we felt safe in the area.

4 flags posted from the balcony

The EU flag, Italy's flag, the flag of Sicily, and then... a Pace flag.

At first I didn't understand how a rainbow flag was part of the government display of loyalty, but then I found out that Pace Flags or Peace Flags have a different meaning.

The Pace Flags were popularized during the "Pace da tutti i balconi" ("Peace From Every Balcony") campaign, which was a movement against the Iraq War.

2 young men chatting on a busy street

This day in Sicily, it had been raining, and people were covered up to keep dry and warm.

These two young men most likely were speaking the provincial Sicilian dialect, which is different than Italian, the designated language of the island. The ability to speak Sicilian shows that you are a local. Sicilians are very proud of their language and their country.

Busy pedestrian street after a rain

As you can see, rain or shine, the streets in Palermo are still busy.

The abundant number of cafes are filled up with those having espresso or lunch.

It's a very sociable community.

People-watching is a great pastime.

Beautiful corner building

In most historical cities around the world, settlements typically began with well-worn paths created by people walking from one place to another. These paths would have connected homes, essential resources like water sources, and marketplaces.

This beautiful corner building shows you how most probably the roads on either side began as footpaths. Once they became well-worn, the shape of buildings had to adapt to the streets.

I'm sure you have seen similar corner buildings in New York City and San Francisco as well.

The earliest paved roads might have been simple gravel paths, then progressed to cobblestones, and eventually to more modern materials like asphalt. As a city grows and transportation needs change, existing paths might be widened, straightened, or improved to accommodate carts, carriages, and eventually, cars.

Billy and Akaisha at the Piazza Pretoria

Behind us is the Fontana Pretoria, a massive Renaissance fountain originally designed in Florence in 1554.

Piazza Pretoria, also sometimes called Square of Shame, is a lively square located at the edge of the Kalsa neighborhood in Palermo, Sicily.

Our apartment was not far from here, and we saw this animated square almost daily.

Piazza Pretoria

This is the whole Piazza which shows the "scandalous" fountain with nude statues of nymphs, humans, mermaids, and satyrs. This nudity caused quite a stir back in the day, earning the square its nickname, Piazza della Vergogna.

The most prominent structure on the square was originally a Medieval fortress, but was renovated in the 19th century. Now it serves as Palermo's city hall.

Lively streets and outdoor cafe

Because Palermo is a big city (over 600,000) people seemed to be everywhere all the time.

Walking streets had pedestrians, bicycles, and motorbikes.

We had just finished a walkabout to see some sights through town and it was really warm, so we stopped at this cafe for some cold bottled water.

A Young Man from Cameroon, Africa

One thing very noticeable about Sicily is that the people here are from almost every country you can imagine. And except for a few grumps, people are friendly and engaging.

Billy and I were ambling along a street and this young man from Cameroon, Africa comes walking up. He was carrying a case of Guinness beer which he was bringing to a birthday party for a friend. Of course, he invited us to attend the party!

His eyes were like Light and we enjoyed a few moments of walking down the alleyway with him.

Then he asked where we came from and we said America. He promptly responded “God Save America.”

We were delighted.

One beautiful human.

Focacceria and Deli

Focaccia is basically a yeasted flat bread and it is also known as Italian flat bread.

The dough is flavored with olive oil and can sometimes be topped with herbs, vegetables and other toppings. It is similar to pizza dough being made with flour, oil, water, yeast and salt.

Another busy walking street with outdoor cafes

There seems never to be a shortage of outdoor cafes to sit, munch or have an espresso.

Shops are downstairs, apartments and offices are upstairs.

Arancini, sandwiches and pastries

Arancini are Sicilian fried rice balls and are a favorite as a Sicilian street food choice.

Crispy on the outside, inside they are cheesy and flavorful. One can order the cheesy sort or one that is filled with ground beef.

It's an easy food to grab and has been satisfying locals and tourists for centuries.

Sandwiches and pastries fill the window also.

Most definitely, Sicily is filled with surprises and worthy of a visit.

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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