Sicily. It’s not quite Tuscany

Reviewed By  Janet Mawdesley       November 26, 2014

 

Author  Shamus Sillar

Distributor:     
ISBN:                 978-1-74237-679-0
Publisher:         Allen & Unwin
Release Date:    

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Shamus and new bride Gill set sail for Italy: Place of dreams, great food, better wine, fabulous fashion and as far as Shamus is concerned the place is awash in ancient history. Gill is to teach in a Private language school and Shamus to be house husband for a year.

Although Catania was not Tuscany they had great hopes the lifestyle would be that of the grape stomping, food loving romantic Italy of poets, writers and Roman Gods. Reading up on their soon to be new home they became a little concerned when all they could come across was negative but still had high hopes all would be well once they arrived and settled in.

Met at the airport by Palmia’ owner of the language school’ they are deposited at their new home, a tiny “L” shaped upstairs apartment owned by a Nun, located opposite a XXX Cinema and a coffin makers shop. No ocean view, no gentle wafting breeze and no double bed – bad news as they considered they were still on their “honeymoon”.

So began their Catania idle. Over their year they learned to be able to cope with the unexpected: from Mount Etna erupting, to figuring out the locals and how to survive: being totally “ripped off” by the hire company after a massive Vespa crash on one of their escapes, all the while hopelessly trying to juggle their often limited finances.

In many ways this is more than just a travel book or book on travel as it details the miniature that goes to make up the everyday lifestyle of the people who live on Sicily and make up the legends that go with the Sicilians: It is a very deliberate rendition of what it takes to move to somewhere completely off the beaten track and learn to fit in, make the most of the everyday challenges and still be able to laugh when at times all you want to do is cry.

And as in so many cases once the year was up and it came time to leave, on looking back over their very trying year, they discovered the richness found among the local characters and that many of the days which at the time seemed bleak perhaps weren’t after all: that most days were good days.

Readable but a bit lengthy in some areas as some of the real gems located within the pages are overshadowed by perhaps a bit too much information!