“Dumped” literally! I was shoved off the dinghy luggage and all in a matter of moments. Walking along with a backpack, a carryon, my laptop, 2 shopping bags and a daypack I must have looked like a hobo! I wandered to the closest street where street vendors were touting business for a cruise around the Ancient Caves of Syracuse. I wasn’t in the mood for a cruise at that stage I said but could they point me in the direction of a car rental or hotel. I had no idea what I was going to do? I didn’t speak any Italian and luckily Alleese, spoke quite good English. (Required for her touting I am sure!) Sweet though they directed me to just across the street to a car rental. It of course was closed, in fact it was never open on the three occasions I went there although the clocks on the door indicated they should be! I desperately needed a cigarette! I was out from the night before and not a Tabacchi in sight. A coffee shop across the street, also two sweet girls allowed me to leave my hoard of luggage there while I went on the hunt for cigarettes. Voila! At last I found some, bought two packs, I needed them and returned for my first Sicilian coffee experience. Something I have gotten to know very well I might add. Refreshed and definitely calmed I started to peruse my Lonely Planet for ideas on where the hell I was. It seemed the coffee shop was also a hotel. I asked at reception and found out the nightly charge was 65euros, tempting but I thought I would venture away from the ritzy Marina area. I returned to the “touters” stand and yet another cigarette, ha the freedom was exhilarating! I asked them, now more than 5 of them “touting” to every susceptive tourismo that came their way. It was a slow day, week, month, season they went on to say. Davido said he knew of a apartment I could rent, at that stage I was thinking for at least a week. 30 euros a night, but hey thats 210 a week, 990 a month almost. Anyway it would do for the night as the guy was happy to pick me up in 10mins. Bravo Davido! And off touring again he went!
Alessandro picked me up and drove me though the tangle of oneway streets that make up the city of Syracuse. We pulled up in front of what seemed like an old shop, and it was converted into an apartment. Greeted by Lucia his wife and 2 children with little or no English. Fine by me! It was cosy but dark and on a main street literally. I was tired so I showered and had a kip before exploring the area.
Priority number #1 find an internet cafe and let my family know I am off the yacht albeit disappointed that it hadn’t worked out but I will make the most of my time, hey I have 5 months to find something to do! A kind man in a small computer shop had the internet and was fine abo9ut me being upset when I was talking to my mum about the horror story I had just encountered. I wanted to buy a internet stick and he pointed me in the direction of the 3 shop not too far way. Laptop in hand and after a lengthy (2hours) of getting it set up I was wired for the net.....demani.....tomorrow. My first Italian word of the day, used often as nothing seems to happen until domani!
I ambled along the dirty streets, one thing I really noticed it wasn’t the pristine Italian city like Rome or Venice or any other tourist location. I came across another hotel on my journey home, that also charged 40euros a night but had a kitchen, a cuccina. That will save me money, even just breakfasts.
I said I would return in the morning and I did after an exhausting and stressful few days I fell straight to sleep with just a yoghurt for dinner.
I spent the next day on my new internet connection, researching possibilities of what I could do. Lulu gave me the name of a site to crew on another yacht. Hmmmm not sure if I am ready to do that right now, I moved onto housecarers.com for a house sitting position, then onto helpx.net. There were a few in Sicily as it turned out and I contacted at least 3 of them. Some by phone the others by return email. Before lunch I had secured 2 positions and had one rejected because they didn’t have any need at the moment.
One was just north about 3 hours away in a place called Roccalemere, on the coast north of Taormina. The other in Palermo, still to be confirmed at that stage by return email. That sorted it was now time to start exploring this wonderful historic city.
Syracuse, quoting from my Lonely Planet Italy book.....
“A dense tapestry of overlapping cultures and civilisations, Syracuse is one of Sicily’s most visited cities. Settled by Corinth in 734BC, Syracuse was thought to be the most beautiful cities of the ancient world. As the sun set on Ancient Greece, Syracuse became a Roman Colony and was looted for its treasures.”
It is a fascinating mix of the numerous cultures that have inhabited it since its establishment. Mostly Baroque in architecture there is still a number of Greek architectural relics around the city.
I spent the next day on a boat tour around the caves and fortified castle on Syracuse harbour. These caves were used as refuges during WWII and some have caverns that go well under the city.
The Greek Theatre in Parco Archeological Della Neapolis was amazing. Its from the 5th century and still has most of the pearly white stones of the amphitheatre that saw the last of the “tragedies of Aeschylus” (including the Persians) which were performed there in his presence.
I went to one of the “tragedies” performances when I was there about Ajax and Odysseus. Incredible with the set on a stage in the middle of the outside amphitheatre, including a shallow lake and shipwreck. I was very impressed. It was of course performed totally in Italian, but reading the synopsis on the internet I could follow most of the story.
It was time to move on the next day by trains to my first helpx just north of Taormina on the east coast of Sicily. I would like to return to Syracuse someday, there is so much to see.
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