19th May - To Siracusa

We have our final breakfast with Rosanna, lug our cases down stairs and into the taxi - we are to collect a hire car at the airport. 

We are at the airport in a flash. "There is Mt Etna" says Bernie

We find Viagagaire quickly - then we wait in line and we wait in line and we wait in line! - surely rental car companies can do better than this! - our turn comes - we fill out a form that seems identical to the one we filled out online - we wait while all the information is typed in again - eventually out comes the debit card - we successfully pay the rental charge - out it comes again to pay the security deposit - a debit card is not acceptable! - what the hell do we do? - "I think there is one in one of our cases" says Bernie - we depart the desk - we open our cases beside the queue - we feel like we are exposing our underwear! - we find a card - we return to the desk - that is also a debit card says she - no it's not says I - I surprise myself - I am assertive but not aggressive - she is not convinced but accepts it anyway - we eventually get our car! - 30 minutes per customer is just too much! 

We head off toward Augusta along good roads - through tunnel after tunnel and over bridge after bridge through green, rugged, fertile country side.

We turn into Augusta - it has a reputation for being a former Mafia town - it is neat - tidy!

 We head on amongst the Italian traffic - we realize that the indicator lights are just for ornamentation and not for actual use!

We head on towards Siracusa the country side looks rich, green and rugged - we pass patches of industry - patches of housing estates.

Into new town Siracusa - a typical Siscilian city - we leave the car at Paradise Parking ajacent to Parco Archeologico della Neapolis - we are worried about leaving it here overnight - the attendant tells us to park around the back - when we do we realize there are a number of motorhomes intent on staying the night - we are relieved.

We enter Parco Archeologico della Neapolis and lunch in the cafe - Bernie sits - Mike buys a ticket and walks - he is unimpressed! - he writes.

Dear People of Siracusa,

By dint of you residence of Siracusa, you are custodians of one of the most famous cities in the history of the world. As a result you have some responsibility to oversee those who you place in charge of the maintenance and preservation of the relics and remnants of your ancient predecessors! 

As a visitor to the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, it appears to me that you are failing in that duty of oversight.

I visited the site today intending to begin my exploration with the Anfiteatro Romano before moving to other parts of the historical park. I left the entire site after visiting the Anfiteatro Romano feeling disappointed, demoralized and just a little bit angry.

How the citizens of a proud city like Siracusa can allow the Anfiteatro Romano to lie suffering a slow and undignified death is beyond me! - is because you don't visit it yourself that you don't realize how overgrown and unkempt it has become? - don't you realize that your agents gather 17 euros from every tourist but leave those visitors with the impression that your agent, Parco

Archeologico di Siracusa, doesn't really give a damn about the very thing that they are charging visitors to see!

I am sure that the management of Parco Archeologico di Siracusa will claim they have a management plan - that they are seeking community engagement - that they lack funds - but common on! - restricted mowing and weed control in the immediate area of colosseum would do much to show that they at least care about it's appearance. 

Furthermore if they were genuinely interested in trying to show the public the environment that would have existed in the colosseum's prime, they would immediately cull the imported Australian gum trees around the site - after all the Romans would not even known such trees existed!

People of Siracusa - it is up to you!!! 

Disgusted from Australia.

We use the Uber app to connect to IT Taxis - we get a conventional cab - "Lucha" says he - a lovely man! 

We are early at the Apollo Suites - we coffee and wait.

We enter our code - we are in the front door - we look at the stairs before us - we are on the second floor - we look at the stairs again - there is dread across both our faces - off we go - flight after flight - we reach the first floor - flight after flight we reach the second floor - another flight to go - we are exhausted - we pause to recover - we turn around - that is a funny looking slot in the wall! - there is a button on the wall - I press it - a door slides open - a tiny lift - we smile - I jump in and use it to recover the second of our cases left behind at the foot of the stairs - we are very happy little campers!

We rest awhile before stepping out - we are delighted with what we see - we walk not 50 meters past tuk-tuks waiting to convey tourists around the little island that is Ortigia - past cafes and bars - past the temple of Apollo - to restaurants and juice stalls.

We drink and we eat - gin and tonic - Siscilian wine - Pizza - an aranchini ball like no other aranchini ball Bernie has ever tasted.

We retire to reconsider out plans for tomorrow!