Onward to Sicily

[Baz Faz]

I am abandoning my previous thread on Packing Heavy.

I am trying to be positive.

It is difficult in this situation. An email from Mrs Faz this morning. The grandchildren have the day off school so it is good she is there to comfort them. The 9 year old is a tough cookie so he will probably recover from the loss of his dad before long. The 12 year old is much more sensitive. Fortunately saying that he wants to die is his dad died has passed. I think he will brood a lot and play his guitar. He is gifted with the guitar. He only began learning in September but already he has composed pieces, reads music and plays competently. He goes to his room and plays the guitar when he is stressed.

For the first time I have a mobile phone. Mrs Faz insisted I have one. It is a fairly basic Doro but is fine for what I might use it for. If I really master it. The test will come later today when I text the apartment owner what time I shall be arriving in Taormina.

Yesterday was foggy at Gatwick and several flights were cancelled. Today it is sunny so there will not be that problem. However... Today is the day when EasyJet switches operations from the South Terminal to the North Terminal. Have you ever known an office move go without hiccups? I went into the North Terminal (just across the road from the Premier Inn)because I didn't want the stuff-yourself-with-all-you-can-eat hotel buffet and got a cappuccino and 2 croissants and there were a number of people standing about. One man even asked me where the National Express coaches left from (I told him). So I think things won't run smoothly today. I just hope the 12.20 flight leaves on time.

Right. My next post will be in Taormina (I hope). I have just checked the weather there and it is rainy and cold. Not likely to lift my spirits. I shall think of onlyMark and how he would brush aside talk of poor weather and plough ahead.

[OnlyMark]

I have my limits as well depending on the situation. With all that is happening with your events I'd have difficulty slipping off to foreign parts, but I know Mrs M would tell me to go rather than have me mooching around and 'under her feet'.
When I arrived though, if it was sunny and hot, it'd be better than rainy and cold. My feelings of guilt would still be strong in going away, I'm not immune to feelings, but I do understand my empathy and sympathy genes are somewhat less developed (especially with being male as well) than the superior of the species.
I know Mrs M would probably be happier with me sodding off anyway so that she could get the bull by the horns and sort stuff out without my interference. I could easily imagine her saying, "Just go, you'll be one less thing I'd have to be bothered about".

Raise a toast to Mrs Faz as soon as you can after arriving.
I must admit that in following any protocol regarding deaths, like cards, wreaths etc, I'd send Mrs M a bunch of flowers as well as a thank you.

[auntieannie]

I have checked and it seems Baz is currently en route, and due to land on time. He'll probably be tired so let's hope he can rest safely tonight. Benvenuti a Sicilia, Baz! You will have to try the cannoli and let us know your thoughts.

[Voy]

Safe landings and into-the-flattings! And I think Mark has some great ideas there. And may tomorrow be sunny!

[kuskiwi]

^ Agree.
Difficult though as one part of you wants to be there, yet sometimes it is easier away.
While the 9 year old may appear tough he may be the one that will need more assistance later on. Sometimes those tough cookies bury all their grief deep and it hits later (voice of experience speaking here) as I myself am pretty hopeless at showing emotion at the time and take a long while to process it to the stage of releasing it.

[Baz Faz]

Just a brief note. While I was at Gatwick waiting for my flight I got a text message from Mrs Faz saying she was flying out on Saturday to join me. Hooray. No death certificate has been issued. Are they waiting in case he starts breathing again? So no funeral plans can be made.

Yes, I am here in Sicily but not without difficulty. I am too tired to go into detail now. I don't know whether the sun is shining because it is night time. However I can safely say it is not warm. More tomorrow.

[Baz Faz]

Well, I wrote a long post and it disappeared. There is some feature on the computer which supposedly can restore lost messages but when I activated it (or tried to) is said it was disabled to ensure my security. So what use is it?

I had a tale of woe. I got my flight from Gatwick all right, cheered by Mrs Faz's SMS that she was flying out to join me on Saturday. Happy Traveller will be astounded to know that I even texted her back successfully. There was no problem with the flight but...

At Catania airport I had an hour to fill before my bus so I decided to use my bank card to draw some cash. The first ATM had a sign saying it was out of service. There appeared to be only one other ATM at the airport so I used that. Boy that is wrong, it used me. I chose English language instructions which I followed carefully: foreign transaction - yes; amount - 300€; all in 20€ notes; confirm. Then my PIN. At this point the machine switched angrily to Italian which I tried to follow. Something was broken apparently; then it said my card was being retained. End of communication.

What had I done wrong? I was ultra careful with the PIN but even if that was wrong it should just have made me redo it. But there I was left standing with no euros and no card.

The tourist office was just next to the bank (which was closed at 5 pm, or they hadn't yet returned from lunch) so I went there. The man came and glared at the machine, hammered it with his fist, then went back to his office and wrote down the number for blocked cards. Yes, it was no surprise to him and he had the number right at hand. The woman in the office chipped in and said her card had been blocked the day before. Why don't they fix the damn machines?

So I caught the bus to Taormina and got in my apartment and told the young man (son?) of my bank card problem. This morning he rang the number I had been given only to find it was only for Italian cards; for foreign cards I must telephone my bank (in France, as it happens, so we have euros). Stupid. It is nothing to do with the French bank, it is the wretched bank here. In the end I took a taxi to Catania airport, the driver came in with me to explain my problem, I showed my passport and I got my card back, and the taxi drove me back to Taormina. So that little episode cost me a hundred euros. Oh and incidentally the card worked perfectly at an ATM here.

Perhaps I have been jaded by the recent happenings: dash to Brighton, death of son-in-law, flight out on my own, infuriating business with the bank card, cold cloudy weather - but I don't really like Taormina. Its position on a steep hillside above the sea is magnificent, I saw snow-capped Etna from my bedroom window this morning all gleaming in the sun - before clouds came up for the rest of the day. There are plenty of old churches, a great Greek theatre, etc. But it has turned into a tourist resort town. Shops are full of tourist junk - who buys such awful stuff? Restaurants are expensive and most are closed anyway out of season. There is something dreary about a tourist resort out of season.

Tomorrow morning I am taking the bus to Catania (not the airport) for 2 nights. I do hope that cheers me up.

[auntieannie]

looks like you have been scammed, Baz. So sorry that it happened to you. are you sure no more money was taken?

[Baz Faz]

No Annie, it was just a defective ATM. Just out of curiosity once I had my card back I tried the machine again. It wouldn't produce money but it did at least return my card. And the woman at the tourist office said she had also had problems. No money has been stolen from the account.

[Baz Faz]

Today has been a good day. The sun has shone warmly until about 4 pm. I caught the bus from Taormina to Catania, asked the way to the Duomo and walked. It was fine until I got right into the centre of the old town. A woman in a shop where I asked directions told me in English to go down the road and turn left. I queried left but she insisted. Of course after a bit I realised she didn't know her English right from left so I had to walk back. I have a lovely guesthouse close to the cathedral. It has just been converted out of an old building so everything works.

The girl at reception insisted I go to an old monastery that is now a museum/university library. And she said I must take a guided tour. I usually resist tours with flocks of people but this was different. I was the only person. The guide was a lovely girl training for her certificate to become a registered guide. The point of having a guide is that she has a ring with about 30 keys on it and unlocks doors to show rooms, cellars, monks' cells that you wouldn't see otherwise.

Yesterday with all mu drama with the bank card I forget to have lunch. Or maybe Annie would consider my pastry at 4 to be proper. I have done a little better today with a ham and cheese panini. The girl at reception has recommended a good inexpensive restaurant so I hope she is right about this as well as the monastery.

[Baz Faz]

Last night I went to a restaurant recommended by the girl at reception. Normally these recommendation are to be avoided as they are only for the benefit of cousins. But this was great. Four tables of Sicilians and me. Front of house was the owner plus 2 waiters, all men in late middle age with white moustaches and aprons over well filled bellies. Nobody spoke English. Pasta Norma and stuffed sardines and a salad of fennel and orange slices. Great.

The weather forecast for today is showers but at the moment the sun is shining. I am off to see the famous fish market and then do some tourist sites.

[Voy]

so glad this is all sounding cheerier! hope the sun stays out while you stray around and find cool things to tell us about !

[Baz Faz]

I saw the pescheria which is part of a larger street market with stalls of veg and frui, cheeses, charcuterie etc. The actual fish market was a chaotic wet wonder. There were dozens of stalls of fish, shellfish and various seafoods I have never encountered. There was a lot of shouting and waving of cleavers which I think were for chopping up fish and not threatening gaping foreigners.

Tomorrow I meet Mrs Faz at the airport and we take the bus to Siracusa where we have rented a little flat. Siracusa also has a good market so I'll soon be shopping. Some of the sea beasts I saw today are absolutely new to me so cooking will be a challenge.

[sophie]

Looks like the holiday and the food and other related activities are improving rapidly! Have a few more of those roasted sardines for me.. They sounded delicious.

[Baz Faz]

Sophie, I went back to the same restaurant tonight and there was just one table with a couple of men. It is hell running a restaurant. Our son who owns a wildly successful pub-cum-restaurant says he makes no money out of the food, only the drinks.

I had what was called (I translate roughly) a country starter: a plate with 9 different veggie things. Then I had involtini of swordfish: very thin slices of swordfish laid with breadcrumbs, almonds and parsley, rolled up, dipped in light batter and fried; plus a vast mixed salad.

[OnlyMark]

I'm trying to work out if there is a connection between Mrs Faz arriving in Sicily and a tiger being seen on the streets.

[Baz Faz]

Mark, Mrs Faz has just said that she is a pussy cat. Some of us would doubt that but self=preservation makes us hold back.

We met at Catania airport around lunchtime. I have been persuaded that I ought to have a mobile phone so I was alert for texts. I HAVE LANDED I read. Great, I replied. WHERE ARE YOU she wanted to know. Ground flour, I told her. Now you may think this was scant directions but Catania is really a pretty small airport. Little did I know it seemed to have 2 ground floors. In fact I could have a lengthy rant about the airport. For instance, I positioned myself opposite the gate for non-Schengen arrivals because those are the doors I came through only 4 days ago. It was only as I sat and waited and waited that I looked round from the doors marked Non-Schengen arrivals that I saw a sign pointing to the right that also said Non-Schengen arrival. Then I looked further and saw an arrow pointing up an escalator saying - you've got it - Non-Schengen arrivals. So there were three places I could wait and no arrival board saying which one the flight would arrive at.

Mrs Faz arrived at what she insisted was the ground floor but in fact was several metres above ground level. They had simply constructed a ramp and a generous put-down and pick-up area to give the impression that you were at ground level. However, as you would expect, we eventually met up and I was able to take Mrs Faz to show her the ATM that swallowed my card.

We had a pizza and went outside to catch our bus. Now Catania is a big city and most long distance buses choose not to go into the chaos of the city itself but use the airport. But there is no fancy bus station. There are just three kiosks for the bus companies and some benches where you wait for your bus. This is fine providing the weather is fine. Which it was until our bus arrived when there was a deluge - the first rain I have had. Mrs Faz climbed aboard while I stowed our packs in the compartments at the side. Oh well, clothes dry.

Off we went for an uneventful journey. In fact was so lacking in events that Mrs Faz got out the crossword she had been doing on the plane and made good progress. The suburbs of Siracusa are not its best feature. But when we got a taxi and crossed the bridge to Ortygia where our little apartment is - wow.

Enough for now. Mrs Faz has already gone to bed. To be continued.

[Baz Faz]

It has all been a bit confusing but good. Our taxi took us to Ortygia which is gorgeous. I think the mainland part of Siracusa must have been destroyed at the end of the war because all we saw were modern blocks. But cross over the bridge and Ortygia is different. Nothing but old houses, narrow alleys and some grand churches and palaces. Indeed I believe our small apartment is in an old palace. We were shown round by Massimo who, as is always the case, rattled off the information at a furious speed so we took little in.

The apartment is at the top of the building and is on two floors (or two and a half): bedroom below, bathroom up a few steps, then a few more steps to the kitchen, then one step to the dining/sitting room with a tiny terrace leading off. We actually had breakfast on our little terrace in the sun though by lunchtime it was cool and therev were a few spots of rain. It is lovely to be able to look over old tiled roofs, balconies with flower pots, palm trees, blue sky (don't mention the clouds).

We have done little exploring yet just essential shopping. Tomorrow the market will be open so let's see what that has. Last night we ate at a restaurant just round the corner. The food was delicious and different but we can't eat there often as there seem to be only six dishes on the menu and we have had the most interesting.

[Baz Faz]

Canoli which we are having for dinner tonight



Our first meal together at a restaurant round the corner in Siracusa.

[Baz Faz]

We think Siracusa is wonderful but at the moment we are a little exhausted. We have to interrupt our holiday to fly back to England for the funeral of our son-in-law. Buying EasyJet tickets this close ( about a fortnight away) is expensive. And it is a terrible disruption. The only positive is that I have had to change the dates of one of bookings I made (in Noto) and have mysteriously not had to pay extra. Indeed 20 minutes ago I received an email saying I was getting a 10 euro refund.

[Baz Faz]

Our holiday continues serenely (for the present) though I estimate that our son-in-law's death will have cost us about £1000.

But let us put that behind us (if we can put the future funeral behind us). It is gloriously sunny here. We had to be up and breakfasted by 9 when Massimo came to collect the month's rent. Nice helpful man (he will print our boarding passes for us as we don't travel with a printer nor do we have an iPhone to download them). On Sunday evening we witnessed a procession complete with a holy statue, a marching band and fireworks - all very Sicilian. We asked Massimo what this had all been about but he didn't know. It must have been some important event as we witnessed several parked cars being hoisted onto a low-loader and whisked out of the way.

Busy day ahead. First there is the food shopping. Then there is lunch. Then there is lazing on benches that look westward over the sea and enjoying la dolce far niente in the sun.

[auntieannie]

Alas, catholic online let me down, but the article linked might give you some ideas...

[auntieannie]

what's the verdict on the canoli?

[Baz Faz]

We were out for a stroll before sunset yesterday when Mrs Faz spotted this cloud formation. Is it a wolf? is it a fox? is it a...?

[Baz Faz]

Annie, the canolo was delicious. You will have noticed I put it in the singular. We bought two but my mistake was to ask for grande. In the end we shared one large one and put the other in the ice compartment of the fridge. It won't be as crisp of course but nor will our waistlines bulge so much.

[auntieannie]

hehe!

[Voy]

my friend, Mario, the Sicilian, says should you gain inspiration for a book, can he be in it ? even if only as a corpse?!!

[Baz Faz]

Feb 1, 2017 2:23:29 GMT 2 Voy said:

my friend, Mario, the Sicilian, says should you gain inspiration for a book, can he be in it ? even if only as a corpse?!!

I think your friend Mario should be the capo de capi.

[Voy]

Heh. I'll tell him!

[Baz Faz]

Dinner last night:


Prawns with courgette slices and senape.


Cedro with mozzarella and rocket.