Catania to Siracuse

Friday 19th – Monday 22 February
Catania to Siracuse
In a way it was a good thing we mucked up yesterday because today we had the morning to take a quick look around the centre of Catania before catching the train to Siracuse. The old town centre, like every other town in this part of the world is full of baroque buildings. This is because in 1693 everywhere was flattened following a massive earthquake and they were all rebuilt at the same time using the same architect (Vaccarini). The outskirts of the town are pretty shabby but once you enter the old centre, it is in immaculate condition - well, apart from the odd ‘palazzos’ whose owners have clearly fallen upon hard times. In England they would have been hoovered up by developers, in Purbeck you’d be told to restore it or the council would do it for you at your expense!
I'm sure that once upon a time this must have been a very handsome family home. The beach is just the other side. The car presumably still has an engine in it too!



Alec took a quick look in the Duomo which he says was fairly impressive, while I guarded the bikes. I then got in at 11.59 am, lucky for me as they closed at midday sharp and certainly did not hang around for random tourists. There is a rather nice statue of an elephant made from lava and standing on a plinth in the main square in front of the Duomo. This had been taken from an ancient temple (somewhere no-one really seemed to know where) and the intention was that it would terrify and subdue the local population; it is now part of the Catania crest.






The little eli in front of the Duomo

I just can't get enough of the gilding and the sheer opulence!

Duomo with the elephants backside.

The train ride was fairly entertaining as it was only a couple of carriages long and stopped at all the little stations on the way south to Siracuse. As we seemed to be the only people on it who had tickets the ticket collector was fully employed trying to persuade people that to travel on the train you really did need to have one. He stopped the train and made 2 young girls get out at one station to buy theirs at the local bar. When his back was turned they immediately got back on without bothering to buy one and hid at the back. There was also a tramp who was using the train as a place to sleep and keep warm. Rather unfairly, when we finally arrived at Siracuse the police were waiting and arrested him and not the girls. But it did give them a bit of a fright and they looked very relieved to be let off with a caution. The tramp was presumably taken off for a hot bath and a good meal. There is a very high police presence, with lots of road blocks. No one seems to pay much attention to rules and regulations like seat belts, crash helmets and using mobiles whilst driving. We saw a young couple being pulled over for not wearing crash helmets and the police looked pretty sinister, scores of other riders screeched to a halt 20yds away and dutifully put on their helmets which are usually swinging from the handlebars! We have since been told that the only people who wear helmets are assassins so it is best not to!