INTRODUCTION
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I had come to Sicily before, so I didn't travel much especially with my dogs so I won't write about my trip giving day by day details. I will write it as a long essay.
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DEPARTURE
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Well things started going wrong Monday night, the eve of my departure. First of all, I could not find my credit card. Then I remembered, I had used it at Reno Depot but the person behind me at the cash counter was in a hurry, so in the rush I had probably left it in the machine. Secondly, as I was cleaning up in the kitchen, all the kitchen light bulbs blew and I dropped a box of blueberries. It was too dark to pick them up or finish washing the dishes.
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Tuesday morning woke up to see that my car was walled in on three sides with a wall of ice from the snow clearing equipment from the road, the sidewalk, and the lane. Moreover, my car was encased in one inch of ice. It took me almost two hours to release my car. On the way to Reno Depot my windshield wiper broke (I had changed them the day before). However I was able to recover my credit card.
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Packing the car with the dogs, the huge dog crate, and my luggage was hazardous as the city had not yet laid down grit. The sidewalk was a sheet of ice and I had no purchase and could not hold onto anything as my hands were full. I did finally pack the car but in my rush (I was now late) I forgot my coat at home. I think I locked the door. On my way to my brother’s on the 20, a large block of ice flew of a truck and hit my car less than an inch above my windshield. In my panic, I almost went off the road. My brother and my nephew rearranged the car, and my brother drove me to the airport. Another block of ice came flying off a SUV, hit the windshield and chipped it. At least it didn’t shatter. By this time, I was a total wreck as I was late (I was supposed to be at the airport three hours before my flight to check the dogs). However, everyone at the airport was relaxed. Many flights had been cancelled so there were not many people there. Both Gizmo and Dreidel were great. They enjoyed being the center of attention both from the airport staff and children travelling. No one asked to see the required papers I had gotten (with difficulty) from the vet and from the Canada Food Inspection Agency. Both dogs went into the crate easily and were taken onto the airplane. My wheelchair arrived, and I was whisked through security and brought to the gate. I began relaxing.
However, the departure was delayed because the plane had to be deiced twice. They used so much glycol that the pilot told us to ignore the smell, that it would dissipate when we got off the ground. However, we finally took off and I was so exhausted I fell asleep almost immediately.
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We arrived on time at Frankfurt, which was extremely gloomy. It did not get light until after 8:00 AM. Lufthansa texted me that the dogs had been transferred to my connecting flight so I could relax and have some breakfast. The flight to Catania was over the Dolomites, over Venice and along the Adriatic coast. We went around Etna and landed easily in Catania. It was bright, and green and I felt I was coming home.
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Both Gizmo and Dreidel were calm, did not bark. When I opened the door, they ran to me eagerly. I brought them outside the terminal, where they were happy to sniff the fresh grass and relieve themselves. ​
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​The agent met me at the gate with a wheelchair, picked up my luggage, and wheeled me where the dogs were getting off. We only waited a few minutes until a porter brought the kennel. You can see Dreidel and Gizmo looking out the window. Both Gizmo and Dreidel were calm, did not bark. When I opened the door, they ran to me eagerly. I brought them outside the terminal, where they were happy to sniff the fresh grass and relieve themselves.
Then, I started having problems. We (the agent and myself) could not find the rental agency. It was a broker, so I had to find the rental company they had dealt with. We tried to call the number I was given but it was an internet company and no one answered the phone. The telephone for TD Expedia did not work in Italy. Finally, I called my bank and they connected me to TD Expedia so I could find the rental agreement with Budget. By this time I had lost two hours and I was in a hurry to get to my destination before dark. I had reserved a small car with a big trunk (for the kennel) – A Smartfor4. However, Budget insisted on giving me an upgrade to a much bigger car (a Renault ELF) because it had all these new intelligent features. No manual. Boy I hate a car that is smarter than me (more later).
I had rented 2 houses, one outside Noto for a month and one in for an additional month Collesano near Campofelice di Roccella (nearest beach). The first house is the house outside of Noto and the second house is in an organic olive orchard . I then left for Noto.
I did not have a map on how to leave the airport and get on the highway to Noto. So I lost another hour, going around and around the industrial park. By this time it was beginning to get dark. The GPS kept on losing the signal in the mountains. The host had not sent me the address of the house (there isn’t one); but, he had sent me very detailed and confusing directions in Italian. Needlessly, I got completely lost. I finally stopped at a church and showed a group of men, the Italian directions. They argued for about 5 minutes and then told me the house was in the hills above Noto and gave me very general directions-keep om going up until I found Contrada di Fiori. I found it and phoned my host who came and got me. I was about 5 minutes away.
Settling in at Noto
The hosts told me to leave all my luggage at the foot of the stone spiral outside staircase and they would bring it up to me. I find the stone staircase very scary. I make sure that I hold on and don’t have anything in my hands. I am especially careful because Angela told me their former tenant fell down the stairs and died. I go up and down at least 6-8 times a day. It is good exercise for my leg muscles. They also brought me bread, cheese, bread and wine for a quick supper. I eagerly went to bed with the pellet stove in full blast. However, I have to pay for the pellets. It is warm outside but cold in the house. The pellet stove helps but it is very expensive to run (5 Euros every 3 days).
My hosts, Dario and Angela are a young couple with one child. He is a local policeman and she is a stay-a-home mom. They have a huge property with 5 dogs, 10 cats, 8 chickens and a rooster, and an orchard of citrus and olive trees. In the spring they plant a garden that supplies them with all their vegetables. Angela also takes care of her mother who is a retired seamstress and spends her days in the solarium making beautiful baskets, straw animals, and other decorations. I have to be very careful of what I say because they are extremely generous and if I admire something, they give it to me. I admired a natural wool blanket that was on the bed. I saw similar natural wool blankets in Nova Scotia for $500. They immediately gave it to me and told me to keep it. They also told me to help myself to the oranges and eggs in the hen house. I have fresh orange juice and fresh eggs every morning. Dreidel and Gizmo love the property and being able to run free. However, they discovered the chicken coop and went ballistic. So now I have to keep them on the leash until I get on the road.
My Routine in Noto
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My schedule is to bring the dogs for a walk through the walled fields. Gizmo is extremely fastidious; but, Dreidel loves to roll in the sheep/horse/cow dung. I have already had to hose her down before letting her in the house. I then have breakfast and tour local beaches, archaeological sites, and small villages with Gizmo and Dreidel. They love strutting their stuff and running free along the beaches.It is sunny from about 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and quite warm in the sun. I spend my days, exploring the small roads near the property and getting used to the car. The roads are very narrow with stone walls everywhere. When a car or truck comes in the opposite direction you have to back up where there is room to pass. I am finding the driving very stressful in such a large car. It was so much easier in the small SMART car I had last time. Perhaps I am also older. I also put a large scratch in the front bumper when I did not see fallen rocks from a dilapidated wall. The walls all are piled rocks with no mortar so always require fixing. As you can see the spring flowers are beginning to bloom and the almond and other fruit trees are also in full flower. I get home about 2:00 for a lunch and a nap. I then go into town for about 4:00 to do some shopping. Guess what they have Dollar Stores here with the same merchandise. ​
I then go home for around 6:00 make supper, ignite the pellet stove, and read, knit (Angela gave me masses of natural wool), or watch Italian TV. Around 10:00 I take the dogs for a last walk, but I am careful, because Dario told me there are packs of wild dogs roaming the country side. So I stick to the walled property around the house. This is what 8:00 PM looks like from the walls. It is extremely quiet, with only the murmuring of birds and dogs barking in the distance.
Buying a SIM card in Sicily
I decided to get an Italian SIM card from Vodafone. It is 15 Euros a month for 500 minutes of local calls, 300 minutes of international calls, and 8 gigs of data. All incoming calls are free. The closest Vodafone was in a shopping center (Il Giardino) in Avola. Only 9 km away, but half an hour through mountain roads and through the Baroque city of Noto (with narrow, twisted roads). When I got there, they were closing for their 3 hour siesta. So I waited, doing my shopping for the week. When I spoke to the Vodafone agent, I ran into a typical Italian beurocratic problem. I had to show my passport, but the agent said that since I was born in Italy, I had to give them my codice fiscale (social insurance number). I tried to explain that in 1944, I was not considered an Italian citizen since my father was Canadian. But he insisted that I needed to get this number. So I went home and asked Dario for help. Apparently the codice fiscale can be generated automatically, so he generated one for me. The next day (Saturday) I went in and bought a SIM card and the agent said it would be activated in 2 hours. I eagerly waited so that I could phone home. However, no activation. Everything closes down Saturday at 5:00 until Monday morning at 9:00; so I had to wait. Monday, I went back, and the agent said that I needed to charge the SIM card with 5 Euros, towards the next month’s payment. Again, I would have to wait 2 hours for the activation and they were closing for the siesta until 5:00. So I went with the dogs to the Lido di Avola while I waited four hours for them to open again. When I returned, the SIM card was still not activated. The Voddafone agent told me that the card was defective and changed it. However, she forgot to transfer the money (25 Euros) I had on the card. So I can get calls but cannot call or text out. Tomorrow morning, I will go back and have her transfer the plan.
PROBLEMS WITH RENTAL CAR
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Well as much as I loved the SMART car I had last time I was in Sicily, I hate the Renault Megane Elf. It definitely is not elfish. It is way too big for the small Sicilian streets. It is too high; I have to get on a stool to shut the trunk. It is too long; I cannot turn easily in most streets. It is too wide; I have difficulty not scraping the mirrors on the house walls in many streets.
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Moreover, it makes many strange sounds that I have to interpret: When the back windows are open, it makes a swooshing sound; but not when the front windows are open. It makes the sound of raindrops when the windshield wipers are on, faster as the speed of the wipers is increased. When I open the door it gives a greeting melody. When I back up, it gives warning “bongs” that change in pitch as I approach an obstacle closer; but no signal when I approach an object on the side. If I have the remote in my pocket, the side mirrors close when I walk away from the car and open when I walk towards the car. And what nightmare if I misplace the remote, especially in the car. There is no key and anyone can start the car by just pushing a button. I discovered that I did not have the remote when I got to the shopping center and had to turn around and go back home; because, I was afraid to leave the car. It probably would not have locked with the remote inside; but I was not sure. When I got back home, Angela got a flashlight and found the remote jammed between the front seats. And yesterday, the front tire blew while I was in Ferla, a small mountain town. I lost control of the car when the tire blew with a loud bang and scrapped the driver side badly along the side of a stone house that was jutting out at the corner. Needlessly, I blocked all traffic. However, the locals were very understanding (it must happen fairly often). One of them called a mechanic who changed the tire for 10 Euros. I then drove back to Noto before nightfall (I had expected to have to spend the night in Ferla) with warning lights flashing the whole way. It seems that the spare tire does not have a pressure sensor, and the car objects. I will have the tire fixed on Monday and call the insurance to put in a claim for the damages. I will be returning the car on Friday and insist on the compact car I had reserved.
Countryside Flora and Fauna
The best part of Sicily in my view is the beautiful countryside with the abundance of wild flowers. Since I arrived, there has been a steady progression of both wild and cultivated flowers. And the best thing, that unlike in Canada, they are at their peak for weeks, not days. When I first arrived, the fields were full of graceful yellow flowers that smelled like freesias.
Settling in Collesano
I left mid-morning for the long drive along the ocean to Collesano. It should have taken me 6 hours for the drive bit it took me eight hours because it was raining. Alvise Pucci di Benisichi (the host) had told me to stop at Campofelice di Roccella at the gas station and to phone him. He would come and pick me up and show me the way to his organic olive orchard so I would not get lost in the mountains. I had trouble finding the gas station because it was dark and on a narrow road on the mountain side. I am glad that he picked me up because the
Beaches
I have been going to the local beaches to run the dogs almost every day for a few hours. While they are chasing birds and each other, I also walk and beachcomb. Needless to say, we cart much fine sand into the car and into the house. The beaches are mostly deserted at this time of year.
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Nido di Avola​
This is the first beach I went to because it was near the shopping center. It is 14 km from the house I am staying in Noto and takes about 20 minutes. It is a public beach with a restaurant and other services (closed for the winter). You can park along the houses and there are stairs on the other side of the road down to a wide sandy beach.
The dogs loved it especially Dreidel who had probably never seen a sandy beach before. Gizmo was not so sure after trying to drink the water. I then drove along the villas facing the ocean. There are side roads which you can take that lead to ocean access. There is no problem parking now; but there would be in the summer. The houses, or should I say villas, have beautiful gardens and the beaches are much more interesting, with rock ledges and interesting planters, etc. Perhaps the beaches here were private but no one objected my exploration with the dogs.
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Lido di Noto
This is the closest public beach (12 km from the house). It is a very long beach along the lungomare which is a cement walk above the beach with much parking, coffee bars, restaurants etc. Because it is in town, the bars and restaurants were open with many young men hanging around during the 3 hour siesta. The bars were even selling ice cream. I took the stairs down to the beach, which is protected by the cement walkway. So you can sit down with your back along the wall and enjoy the sunshine. Not the day I was there; it was very stormy but I enjoyed sitting and watching the surfers (in wet suits). Gizmo and Dreidel thought that it was hilarious how they first practiced stretching before going in the water.
So you can sit down with your back along the wall and enjoy the sunshine. Not the day I was there; it was very stormy but I enjoyed sitting and watching the surfers (in wet suits). Gizmo and Dreidel thought that it was hilarious how they first practiced stretching before going in the water.
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Lido di Portopalo di Capo Passero
On a beautiful sunny morning (January 31st) I decided to drive down to Portopalo, where I had stayed last time I was in Sicily. It is about 39 km from the house and in the southern-most tip of Sicily. It is further south than Tunisia. The drive was through fields awakening to spring. They were full of these yellow flowers that smelt like freesias. You find these everywhere along the road as well as the largest honey alyssum I have seen. One is surrounded by the sound of birds and the smells of honey and lemon.
I went directly to a stone lined path that follows the sea shore for miles. It is meant for walking, cycling, and enjoying the view of the island sanctuary. It is now only inhabited by sea birds but has the remains of an old tuna factory. You can get a fisherman to row you over to explore the island. Perhaps I will try it one nice day. You can jump down from the wall (Gizmo and Dreidel did) and get directly onto the beach. There are tidal pools and a wide sandy beach at the end. Or you can just sit on the ground against the wall and enjoy a lunch, a nap, or a read.
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On the other side of the path, there are small farm houses, with front gardens stretching to the path. I will try to contact a real estate agent to see if any come up for sale. They may be protected or exorbitant in price. Portopalo is a resort town (in summer) so I cannot believe that speculators have not bought up the land overlooking the ocean.
