Siracusa and Catania

Salve mi amico,

MOLTO CALDA IL GIORNO, (very hot today - 40+)

You went in 2 different directions today.  With me, we were up early to catch a bus to Catania (no mean feat!!) about 20 minutes ride and then another to Siracusa another 1 hour.  With Frances and Rosy, after a good healthy breakfast at the hotel you went to Catania for a look.  It got a bit scary for the girls in Catania and the comfort and confidence of staying safe and knowing your way around Acireale, meant you didn't stay long.  Back on the bus and head for home asap!

Catching buses in Scicily is very difficult.  You get given wrong directions by everyone you ask where is the bus stop, you spend time waiting at the wrong stop only to be told by the bus driver when the bus arrives that you have to walk another 2kms to get to the right bus stop. You arrive just after the bus leaves and have to wait another 30 mins, 1 hour or like you did today 2 hours in 40deg heat for the next one. OMG!!! 

But you're not alone, because the locals are doing the same as you. YES, just like on the Italian mainland the bus drivers here don't really want anybody to get on their bus. They would rather spend the day on their cellphones talking to their girlfriends all day while they drive around the city.

An early start tomorrow 6.15am drive to the airport in Catania then a 1hour flight to Pisa and bus to Cinque Terre.  Four nights in Cinque Terre coming up.  Cinque means 5 and terre means terraces.  There are 5 villages on 5 terraces from the seaside to the top of hill.  We'll be walking between all of them over the next few days, so bring you're walking shoes, water bottles, sunscreen and hat.  It's going to get rough!!!
Pics for today.

Yep, it's as hot as it looks. The Greek theatre in Siracusa built in the 5th century BC.  The tomb of Archimedes is amongst the trees in the background.

This is the neocropolis in downtown Siracusa (For Kahurangi and spatial design studies. I couldn't get in to show what's inside)  

For just a few euros you can hire a floating bed and sunbathe while floating.  No danger of going to sleep and drifting out to sea, you're roped to your neighbours and the shore.

The horse drawn carriage ride home from a night on the town.  Singing up a storm. 

Waiata Māori of course!

The building on the top of the hill is something special.  In Napoli.  People were taking photo's of it so we did too.  So there it is!

The bridge leading to Hadrian's Castle.

Rosy's first Italian kiss.

Our waiter was especially friendly to Rosy. She ended up with a kiss .............. on her hand!!!

A real Italian gentleman!!!

P.S. Acireale, Catania and Siracusa all sit only a few kms from Mt Etna that is billowing smoke and is very active at the moment.  Given what happened in Pompei (just up the road) I'll confess to being happy to be leaving the region despite it's beauty and the friendly people. Many cars and some buildings in Catania are covered in volcanic ash.

Ciao for now blog followers. 

Sorry for the tourist shots. Camera disk was fulll and missed some classic shot today.  I'll be sure to keep it shorter next time, in case it's beginning to bore you.