One of the most exquisite gems of Palermo is the church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio, usually called La Martorana, which was built in 1143. The beautiful mosaic floors of this small church with its elegant Norman Campanile seem almost like delicate lace. Each of the intricate and colourful mosaics reflect the patchwork of cultures that is Sicily. Cassandra sat one afternoon after lunch, pencil and notebook in hand, in the cool of La Martorana and wondered how to tell the story of these mosaics in a jewel. The intricate pencil drawings of geometric patterns had a simplicity that Cassandra liked instantly- and unusually she decided not to add colour (imagining only small diamonds set sparkling as the minute tesserae of the mosaics instead). From the journey to Sicily.