It all began with this photo.I was wandering the back streets of Palermo, checking out the markets and the scenery of everyday life when I came into this small piazza (Piazzia Garraffello). Crumbling walls, dirty everywhere, with a tiny fountain in the center, the piazza was quiet. I watched as this guy balanced a few sculptural elements on the edge of the fountain. Another guy was taking photos. They beckoned me over and asked me to take a photo. This was the result. Christian invited me back that evening for the opening, his opening…After spending the day wandering through the streets of Palermo,......................................I made my way to the Opera dei Puppi, a 19th century Sicilian tradition featuring 1m marionettes, all of which are unique (individual faces!) and hand carved. ..They performed one chapter of a medieval cycle that has hundreds of parts...The crowd went wildest, then and now, when the tyrant puppet was decapitated...The opening was great; ..Christian had some great pieces..The owner of the gallery Francesco invited me to stay and eat and drink in his home with all of his friends, basically a bunch of artists.  ....Christian and a couple of his friends invited me to come with them to a party. A sculptor, a painter, a playwright and me. This house party was epic. The multimillion euro eighteenth century villa was nestled against the giant rock at the edge of downtown Palermo, and the party was replete with an excess of amazing food, wine, servants and elegantly dressed Italians. They had the ballroom set up with a dj and sax player, so we danced and enjoyed the party. ..The rest is a blur, but I did take this on the way home..And this from the balcony of my hotel..Epic.