Ortigia, a tiny island about ten minutes walking distance from our hostel, was just gorgeous. The water was positively sparkling with blue hues and clear enough to see all the details of ocean life. And warm, so fantastically warm!
Everyone was extremely friendly and easy to talk to. Great coffee, gelato, arancini, pizza, wine. All the delicious things a person needs to be happy. The weather was really warm, but in the shade and with the breeze it was tolerable, even comfortable.
Despite the beauty of Syracuse, Italy was also the first time during our trip that we felt unsafe/in potential danger. Thanks to an airline change our flight to Prague was moved to 6:35am and save for taking an expensive taxi, there was just no way to get to the airport on time unless we left the day before and stayed in the airport overnight.
So we took the bus the night before and got off at the wrong stop, leaving us stranded in Catania at night. With no money. Looking like extreme tourists. Dark roads, darker alleys, no one spoke any English, and we couldn't find an ATM machine to get cash to catch a bus back to the airport. We were lucky to find a taxi driver who was really nice and got us to an ATM and to the airport in one piece.
As with Barcelona, film pictures will have to wait until after I return home and phone pics will simply have to suffice.
Beautiful, lovely Syracuse will be missed. But onwards and forwards to Prague!
Your Broad Abroad,
Dacy