We arrived in Sicily this afternoon from Rome. Our excitement was dampened when we discovered a two-hour delay in people waiting at Hertz to rent cars. The scene was a madhouse, including two men who came close to blows after one picked up a low-numbered ticket off the ground to skip ahead in line. Hertz left dozens of travelers in total chaos with only two people working the desk for much of the time. Once we got our car from Hertz, we discovered that Auto Europe had sent us a GPS with only North American maps. I kid you not. I spent an hour on the phone only to get Auto Europe to confirm what I already knew: their GPS would only take us to locations in North America because no one at Auto Europe loaded European maps. We ended up having to rent a GPS at the Catania airport and set out almost 4 hours late.
The problem is that the delay meant crossing Sicily in the dark. Cianciana (where my grandparents were born) is in the mountains. The final stretch is a harrowing 17 mile road with sharp curves along the side of a steep market in the total darkness. The road was built for carts so there is not enough room for two cars. However, the added space is found over a cliff on a Sicilian mountainside. Suffice it to say, we were in great need of a meal and a bottle of wine.
We pulled in the Villa Platani and set out to find a place to eat. We ended up in the Canadian Pizzeria run by Maddalena Chiazza (a name close to my family name, Piazza). Maddalena was born in Canada but returned to the town of her family’s roots in Cianciana. Her father, Vincenzo, was a barber in Canada and named the restaurant in honor of the country that welcomed him as a young man. I was able to speak to Maddalena and, despite two delicious pizzas, two beers, and a bottle of wine, she would not allow us to pay for dinner. I was a paisan returning to the village of my family.
We sat outside of the church in the center of this town of roughly 3000. It is the same church that baptized both of my grandparents and we sat next to the fountain where my grandmother would get water as a little girl. At ten, the families of Cianciana ended into the streets, strolling and greeting each other. Teenagers sat and talked on the steps of the church while men gathered on door stoops and corners. It is an evening like most in this town going back hundreds of years. As I sat by the fountain in front of the church, I could easily see my grandparents running around much like the children of Cianciana today. It was a genuine and a true moment in a world that has become far to artificial and affected.
Tonight I will got to sleep in Cianciana, the village of my grandparents. Or, as Maddalena made so clear to me, my village.
Paul, I guess we have different ways of doing things. I use google maps when my computer is handy. I use a paper atlas when it isn’t. Both of these identify toll roads which I try to avoid.
My new-to-me car has a compass in it so even if the sun isn’t visible, I know what direction I’m heading. I sure could have used it when I went from Carlsbad NM to Dallas TX by way of El Paso on the hottest day of the year without AC. This happened b/c I didn’t do my own trip planning.
Paul, I’m in the process of upgrading my personal technology to include texting. My consultant (a young nephew) recommends that I get an iphone because it’s easy to use. It has gps but lotsa luck on my using it. I’ll be busy trying to figure out how to make calls and maybe doing some texting. My 14 year old tutor lives 45 minutes away so the going will be slow.
bettykath – the new smartphones do well but can eat up your data plan. A dedicated GPS does just that and is perfect on the road when you want to find the nearest gas station you have a credit card for or find the nearest restroom, etc.. Mine has a pedestrian mode to help find places when you are on foot and being a tourist.
Last year I took a trip and had set the GPS to avoid toll roads from a previous trip to California. I took a lovely trip though the backwoods of the Midwest, including one section on a dirt road. It was an adventure. 🙂
I have used my smartphone as a GPS but I am not comfortable doing it. If I were 14 I would probably be far more comfortable with it. 🙂
I’ve never had a good experience with gps. I actually bought one and took it back. I borrowed one when in Florida where I didn’t really know my way around. Damn thing kept telling me to turn around. I couldn’t turn it off so I buried it under “stuff”. My internal map was better. I continued in the same direction and made my destination. I try to bury bad memories that are insignificant so I don’t remember the other instances.
Cross country travel is usually key highways on a 1″ post-it. Backup is a paper atlas in the pocket behind my seat. The key to getting there is trip planning before getting in the car.
bettykath – if you decide to get a gps again. Get it at least 2 weeks before a big trip. Update it first. Then use it around town so you are used to how it gives directions. You have to get a sense for it. My wife hates mine but this weekend kept getting lost using her internal gps which is supposed to be perfect.
What a marvelous time in the village of your grandparents! An emotional visit to be treasured and a great gift to your children.
Dewie: Priests do a lot more than just Baptize humans. The Pedophile Priests go through a lot of the same motions and then add some quirks of their own. Alll in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit.
That being said, this dog has been in Sicily and it is a wonderful place. Palermo is one of the finest towns on Earth.
“same church that baptized both of my grandparents”
churches cannot baptize anybody. Priests can and do
Gionata, immergere in ogni momento dell’esperienza di tornare indietro nel tempo e catturare la vostra eredità . Che dono meraviglioso!
Jonathan, soak in every moment of the experience to go back in time and capture your heritage. What a wonderful gift!
What an awesome experience. Move over Ancestry.com, this is much more interesting! The streets of Cianciana look so quaint and typical of a small Italian village. Looking forward to more posts!
Nick- guess you were right about things getting more “animated” and “hot-tempered” as you head south in Italy. But that may just apply to the Sicilians, and certainly not to all the Calabrians I’ve ever known. Paul- I go in for the rhinoplasty next week.
Enchanting description. Enjoy. (Well, maybe the Hertz counter wasn’t so very enchanting, but your village-yes!)
Beautiful
Have a great time in Sicily. Watch out for the kid on the bike who will grab the bag out of the car and ride off full speed. As I say to boaters who rely on GPS and all these electronic charts, get a paper map. Avoid Hertz. Enjoy Sicily. Great place.
Wow, sounds like it was a hair raising drive, but worth it. What a lovely scene, families mingling and strolling together in the evening. Great sense of community and roots.
I’ve used Europcar and Avis in Europe….both were good, Europcar perhaps better. We picked up a car in Rome the day after the Iceland volcano erupted, and the rental car area was total chaos, with everyone trying to rent a caar to get home. Europcar kept our reservation – there were only 2 cars left in the garage, and one was ours! Well done…
There are no people more generous than Italians, particularly w/ food.
Wonderful report. Sounds like quite an adventure made more enjoyable by Maddalena Chiazza.
I probably am stepping out of line here, but they probably still sell maps of Sicily. And there is the fun of arguing over the map. Besides, with a map there is the opportunity for side trips. 🙂 Oh look, there’s this cute windy road coming up on the left, let’s take it and see where it goes. 😉 Adds a sense of adventure to the trip.
Heartwarming post. I’ve dealt w/ Hertz in Italy. Not as organized as US Hertz.
Enjoy the ride Mr. Turley.
Just don’t mention Ebola on the flight home…
http://youtu.be/LJhWVsx1U8c
So Auto Europe only has maps of N. America…
… That means Auto America has maps of China and Auto China has maps of Australia and Auto Aussie only has maps of Auto Africa who, surprisingly enough has the maps of Europe?