Is that thunder or the sound of my teeth chattering?

October 24, 2016 at 4:13 am · Filed under Italy travel

Awoke to the sound of thunder rolling in the distance. I rolled over and went back to sleep. Bone tired. We had a mosquito in the room last night. A particularly angry one who divebombed me every moment I felt safe. After two hours cowering beneath the bedding I gave up and sacrificed my arm for the sake of some sleep. Then I awoke to the sound of really intense thunder and bright lightening. Then the room was filled with a bright light. My God. We had been hit! No it was this curious light I had Noticed in two of the rooms. A soft glow that didn’t respond to any switch that I could locate. My first thought was it was an evacuation light (the building had been hit by lightening and was on fire) , then, I realised it was emergency lighting for a power failure. When all the street lights are out it is pitch black and new apartments must have them fitted for such an emergency. What a grand idea. I managed to locate a gas flicker thingy so we could have a cup of honey sweetened tea and watch the fireworks. But how do the electric trains keep running?. In 2003 Italy had a serious power failure which turned off all of Italy, Switzerland and affected 56 million people. The railways shut down, people were trapped in buildings, a major SNAFU.
Three hours later and I am losing my faith in Italian ingenuity. Still no power and as the thin light of dawn starts to brighten up the apartment, I think of no hot water (gas heated but requires an electrical prompt), no internet, no supermarket as the doors will be closed and nothing open. This was our big day out. Shopping, a restaurant meal, and maybe a visit to a church. Yes! A church service! I have been to one other Roman Catholic service and it was fascinating.
Then a train flashes by and I think “that cant be right” , locate the switchboard and see that the main fuse has been tripped. Power on and the day resumes. We had spied a cool restaurant that has chairs out over the rocks and you dine while the waves kind of break all around you. Unfortunately, it being Sunday, its shut down but the one next door has a balcony for about 15 tables overlooking the same stretch of rockery so we settle into q fine meal. Me the antipasto and then pistachio encrusted entrecote, Alison, some fishy thing. The only fishy thing that tempted me was the anchovies in pasta but I was curious about the steak and it was a winner.
Then a stroll back along the promenade where the local police seemed to be having a blitz on beggars and thy were fleeing everywhere. I struck up a conversation with a French lady and suddenly realised she was asking me for money. Time to move on and as we sauntered along, infused with the lovely Sicilian lunch time wine, I spotted this sexy little Ford coupe with pinafornia styling. While was trying to focus my camera Alison had struck up a conversation with a short, burly Italian and, in broken English/Italian he was showing the even bigger prize parked in f4ont, a mint Fiat Abarth. Great conversation and the love of fine cars really breaks barriers. He proudly displayed his Alfa Romeo patch and we parted with much Ciao & Arriverderci.
The bedroom has been mosquito proofed, the night is drawing in, the vespas are rattling under the railway bridge and another day in glorious and surprising Sicily draws to a close.

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