Year of Len: "When in Rome........"

If i had posted this the day of, or day after i arrived at Villa Sant'Andrea it would had given you the wrong impression and I am so glad I waited to post.

Friends, relatives, countrymen, lend me your ears, I have come here to .........ohh...wrong speech.

I am in European mode now. "When in Rome,,do as the Romans do."

Suffice to say it is a marvelous journey, stupendous, and once in a life time experience, to be remembered for the beautiful memories and not the negative ones, and of course I never ever, ever dwell on the negative, as my friends know all too well. As my nose starts to grow to record length i am experiencing a Pinocchio Moment.

"What have you learned Dorothy?" I have learned, besides, there is no place but home, i have learned to listen more and be more patient. Two virtues hugely underestimated. For whatever you feel is going wrong or what seems to be going against your expectations, there is always, always "it could have been worse".

Having said that I only have one comment, "you get what you pay for".

Where the Journals of the "Year of Len " originate from. The terrace outside our room.

Air travel has never been a favourite of mine. My recommendation to use Air Transat is only for its pricing, and not for its roomy seats and especially the Club Seats. Suffice to say, you get what you pay for. Seats that have only one recline position almost straight up and a bit more leg room and not more in seat room. Staff are friendly and accommodating, but behind every smile is the implied and silent (you got what you paid for) As i found out after, and as luck would have it, we rode on one of the last older planes that has not undergone a retro fit for overnite travel and entertainment. How lucky we are. It could have been worse.

"When in Rome"

Entrance to Lobby of Villa Sant'Andrea. Notice the fig tree on left, sighs, no fruit.

A Lovely side street of Taormina.

Be European and do not think nor act as a tourist. Don't walk scared down a narrow
street where two tiny cars barely fit and the side mirrors of the passing cars brush near your clothes. Butt in front of a line and smile and scusa. Be aggressive yet polite and respectful.

Apon arriving at Rome airport we line up at Passport Check and Security. Busy, as many planes are now coming in now. I get into wrong line that appears to be moving and for good reason. It is for Italian passport holders and I think for Libyians. Anyways, realizing my mistake we are about to head to the back of line of others waiting. I turn to the girl behind the booth, smile and wave our Canadian Passports to her. She smiles and waves me to the booth, stamps our Passports and we are now in European mode.

If you act a tourist, you shall be treated as tourist. For example. Land In Rome International and we must now find the Alitalia desk for our flight to Catania Sicily. Lucky us, it is in another Terminal. Approximately 300 meters down and to the left. Translation: the first half mile down that way. We arrive at the desk and one girl and one customer. Wonderful. We are lugging three bags with us by the way. Another girl shows and sits there and ignores us. A native Italian woman arrives with her husband and says in Italian, "she is free....go for goodness sake, you tourist". The translation is somewhat different, but it is correct by my view. Happily she arranges our tickets and we give her our bags. No, you are early for bags and must return in one hour to check bags at another counter.

Rome is huge huge airport and quite busy with many terminals, the good thing is, it has excellent food. The bad thing is, we have to lug three bags for another hour.