Travel to Catania

"You know the land where the lemon trees bloom?
Foliage shine green in the golden orange
A slight wind blows from the sky blue
Myrtle is quiet, serene bay leaves
Well you know? "
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), Italianische Reise - Travel in Italy)

For family reasons, I'm spending a few weeks in Catania, it did not happen since almost three decades, just from the years of Mayor "ciuraru" (*) Enzo Bianco.

I feel a bit like Goethe, surprised by the beauty of the place and moved as a child. I feel a little sense of guilt, in light of the warm Sicilian winter, at the thought of my wife left in the 30 cm of snow in Milan.

My point of view is distorted by feelings, the infinite love for my city left with my heart in my throat, the carefree years when the most serious problem was to give an exam at the university and now I see the lost places of my childhood .

Unfortunately, Catania has worsened over the years and I do not understand how the center-left parties have managed to lose yet another round of elections, despite the disasters of the previous administration "sciampagnino" (*) are clear for all to see.

The left "lives" in Catania (not only) in a parallel universe, and so I'm not surprised it decides to emulate Barak Obama, on a virtual world: face book ...

What can I say ... good luck, but I know that without a concrete proposal and adding value to people life, they will be able to organize only a drink at Bar Europa!

Meanwhile today, on a local television, I heard one of its top executives, hoped the elimination of preferences even in local elections (as proposed at national level by the Italian premier Silvio Berlsuconi) ... then nobody wondering why people are no longer able to distinguish what is right or left ...

In my own small, infinitely loving my hometown, I can only support the new mayor Raffaele Stancanelli and hope that this nightmare will end soon and that Catania return to being the radiant city sung by Carmen Consoli.

(*) The people from Catania like to give a nickname to every thing, if the outgoing mayor was cleared with a derogatory nickname (sciampagnino - cheaper drink) no better fate had Enzo Bianco who was accused by his detractors to have only made cosmetic improvements to the city with plants spread over some main street ... from here ciuraro (florist)


Catania 1920 - The Marina

Tribute to Giuseppe Fava ...

I have already devoted a post to the disappearance of Giuseppe Fava in my Italian blog. Today is the 25th anniversary of his assassination, and I would mirror the thinking of his son Claudio.

THE MEMORY
January 5 after 25 years

by Claudio Fava

I weigh confess: Twenty-five years later the murder of my father as I have the suspicion and anger that he had written too many times for the same piece. In which, in essence, it always says that the memory should not be liturgy, that our dead have not died in vain and that evil would do to lower our guard, because the Mafia is a nasty beast especially when it does not need d ' kill. Here, things like this: all sacrosanct. Only now that I tired. Perhaps because in a few years I will have the age that my father had when he was killed and when I feel the risk that he remains the only collection of small papers, gentle things, a way of thinking. Perhaps because I have forgotten the sound of her laughter, and some skies, some flavors that belonged only to us, and are also finished in the meat grinder of time, mixed with honest public thoughts, with the politically correct considerations without that there was never granted a smudges or a curse.

So today I like to think of the living, not the dead. At a time that is not spent in vain and that but I think equally wasted. In short, or not know that in cities that do not kill my father were able even to publish the obituary on his death because the word mafia could not and should not mentioned? Do you know whether or not the publisher of the newspaper that prevented the obituary, Mario Ciancio, is still in its place, honored master of his newspaper and one hundred other newspapers? Do you know whether or not that is not one of the policemen, judges, journalists and ministers who protected Nitto Santapaola, namely the murderess of my father, he never paid the price?

Who moved sympathetically, who accompanied the board, who asked to teach at his wisdom ... "Todos caballeros", despite a quarter-century, their names have been offered to slash the story.

Do you know whether or not the letter of the Santapaola family, father and children inmates at 41bis (special laws for fighting mafia), are now published on the newspaper impunity of their city in order to understand who is to understand who commands still there?

Have you noticed, after a quarter-century of formal words, which in this country of anti-mafia no longer fucks almost nothing?

That my former party in parliament has sent our friends in the Mafia who then spend all else for Jacobins?

These and a hundred other things are now known by heart. But when we remember our dead, we put them simply in our pocket. So, if you let me keep in your pocket too, what I have inside today, thinking about my father killed by the Mafia in an infamous evening of twenty-five years ago.

Giuseppe Fava source: Fondazione Giuseppe Fava

You cannot miss Sicily ...

The first time I visited Helsinki I read in a tourist guide, available in my hotel room, a compelling tip: you cannot miss it ... let's visit Suomenlinna the 8th Wonder of the World !!

I did it and actually I liked very much. No doubts, the most exciting part of my tour was the return trip. In fact for reaching the small Island I took a ferry and for moving back to Helsinki, I walked on the frozen sea just in front the harbour.

Some weeks later I went to Sicily and I decided to visit a quite unknown archaeological site placed on the southwest coast of the island - Selinunte.

Hoping do not offend my Finnish friends, Suomenlinna is simply nothing compared. It's a shame that Selinunte is still almost ignored by the local tourist offices. Sometimes I image what my Finns either British friends could do having at their disposal an heaven like Sicily.

If you plan to visit Sicily don't forget of course to visit Selinunte but definitely don't miss to arrange a tour of the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, a visit of the magnificent mosaics placed in Roman Villa del Casale, a walk trough the magic barocco style in Noto and Modica alta and plan in advance some quality time to be spent in Syracuse where, being lucky enough, is possible watching a Greek Tragedy seated on a real wonderful ancient amphitheater.

To complete ideally your trip, be sure to have a Sicilian summer breakfast based on "Granita and briosche" in Acitrezza 10 km. northern Catania, plan a climb on Etna Volcano (there is a service that arrange trips in both Etna South - Nicolosi or Etna North site - Linguaglossa) that is still erupting in these days and last but not least a romantic dinner in Taormina the pearl of Mediterranean sea.

Have fun and contact me if you wish more info !!