Day Seven - Catania

I was awake very early this morning.  I think it is that feeling of you know you need to be somewhere at a specific time so you never sleep that well.  Beautiful sunrise and the birds were in full tune. I packed my case and spent the morning just hanging around (as you do) waiting to go.  Taormina really is a beautiful location and I would thoroughly recommend a visit, but not if you do not like hills or steps!  I have also become a smorgasbord for the local wildlife who, regardless of spraying goodness knows what chemicals on myself every day, are still deciding I am sweet meat.  I remember as a child always this happening and here we are all these years later and once again I am tasty ........... well to insects at least.

                                                         One of the little side streets

My taxi arrived early which put a spanner in the works as I was half way through a phone call. The driver took me to the bus station and then when I gave him €10 (the fee I paid for the inward journey) he said no it was €15!  I snapped.  I am feeling like an ATM machine at the moment. I said it was only €10 six days ago, I mean that increase is bigger than the cost of living back at home!  He went to the office to check and I thought you can mate, I am not in the mood for this today. He returned and was not happy and said ok and waved me away.  He was not happy.  I think when you travel on your own and when you are a woman as well you have to really be on your guard.  Ironically, the driver who collected me from the bus station six days earlier (for €10) was a woman.  This point was cemented again when I arrived at the bus station in Catania.  I got off the coach got my bags and before you knew it there were men all around me asking if I wanted a taxi.  No do not get me wrong, I am all for people earning a living.  However, these 'taxis' had no indication on them they were taxis and there was no way I was going to get into a car with some bloke saying he is a taxi driver and then charging me whatever he thinks he can rip me off for when he drops me off.  I was not feeling the love by now and also it was a mild 34 degrees.  Little did I know that this was going to be a day when I was viewed by the world as a walking, talking ATM machine.

 

Finally, via Google maps doing its thing, I found my accommodation which was still being cleaned. I dumped my bags and went out to try and get my shopping.  To give you some idea: Taormina is like the Kensington of London.  Suave, sophisticated and slightly up market.  Catania on the other hand is like being back in South East London with an emphasis on Peckham.  I feel as if I have to have my wits about me here and I certainly will not be relaxing here that is for sure.  I could not find a supermarket for love or money.  I actually am mourning the little Coop and my new found friends who worked there.  There are a few very, very small mini markets that sell mainly vegetables aimed at the African community.  Again, this reminds me of my time at Elephant and Castle.  I mean I was not asking for a lot, just a couple of bananas and some peaches or something similar.  I ended up managing to grab a few tomatoes (says the woman who has been spoilt for choice for tomatoes), a can of sweetcorn and an onion.  Eat your heart out Rylan I would be a great contestant for Ready, Steady, Cook.  Also, by now, just to add insult to injury, my dear old friend prickly heat has decided to pay me a visit on both legs and one arm!  Such a good look .......... not.  I found a chemist and got some antihistamine gel.  The one thing they are not short of in Catania are chemists.  There is one on every corner.  You cannot get a banana but you can get your medical fix alright.  It was interesting as the woman who served me was wearing an HIV/AIDS red ribbon badge.  I explained to her that I normally wear on on my coat too.  We shared a 'moment' of solidarity which was rather lovely.  Unlike my prickly heat which by now was driving me mad.

Back at the apartment I had a shower and applied the antihistamine gel (to no avail thus far).  What I have seen of Catania I am not impressed.  Hopefully, when I venture out later my opinion will change.  I guess it depends on whether I find a banana or not!  Well I went out again and have decided I will have to make the most of a bad thing and try to salvage some of the time I am here. I went to find out about a trip to a place called Siracusa as I have heard good things about it.  Slightly cautious after the trip to Etna and again this day out works out around £78.  You imagine if you were a family of four paying for these trips.  The guy was really helpful and I said I would think about it.  I did ask him where could I get some fruit and he said very much as I had already worked out, not easy.  He did tell me about the local market that is on every day from 8.00am so I may check that out.  I went for a little walk then found another mini market and when I walked in there they were, the holy grail of the fruit world .......... bananas!  I actually said YES out loud which did make the owner look.  I did manage to get some other provisions in this shop to so did start to feel a little bit happier.  The thing about having a food plan is I have to hit the ground running and it turns in to something like Challenge Anneka!  It is such a sense of achievement when you kindly find what you need.  Albeit at a cost (remember the walking ATM).  

I got back to my apartment only to find an email from my energy supplier informing me that they had tripped my monthly direct debit to cover my energy costs!  I was livid. Livid. I am £150 in credit and are on a fixed term rate until August next year!  They got an email. I then took a phone call from a service provider I have booked in the next few weeks asking me if I wish to secure the service for a small fee.  I told them, in not so many words that if they did not provide the service I have contacted them to do I will be seeking compensation from them and that I did not like being blackmailed into parting with more money for a service they are in the market to provide. I was livid once more!!!!

After my evening meal I went for another walk into the main square and was asked twice for money from people begging.  There seems to be a great deal of poverty in Catania.  Not only can you feel it, you can see it too.  People in the square were trying to sell you all kinds of rubbish.  I had my wits about me all the time and noticed this young couple.  I have been round so many drug users in my time I can normally spot someone a mile off. I was not wrong.  His story was that his car had run out of money and if I could spare a euro.  I mean a euro as if that is going to get you far with petrol.  I cannot even get a banana for that lol.  I just looked at him, as he was rattling and scratching his face.  I did not have to say anything.  His 'girlfriend' got the picture (she must have been 5 stone wet) and walked off.  No matter were you go in the world there are always people suffering.  I often wonder, as there is only me, what would happen if I could not cope.  I would probably be on the street begging too, so I cannot judge but I cannot help everyone.  I made a Go Fund Me Donation today for a guy called Nige who has been to so many Glastonburys but found out in May that his cancer has spread and he only has a few weeks but is determined to get to Glastonbury this year.  They are trying to fund enough money to get him there by air ambulance.  So sad as they guy (Nige) is younger than me.  So if you want to do something good and can afford to help, please take a look at his Go Fund Me Page:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/get-nige-to-glasto

So I may be covered in insect bites, which are now covered with prickly heat and people may be trying to fleece me for my last euro, but my life is paradise compared to Nige's future.

As always, with my love.

Karen x