Jill and Neil - interrailing for seniors: Summer 2024

  Friday 7th June The last day of the first half of our interrail trip. So far, we’ve used 6 of our 15 travel days. Unfortunately, I was given an unpleasant parting gift which didn’t help with the long day travelling back, via plane from Catania to Gatwick, as planned. Jill has me on the BRAT diet (no comments necessary) and I’m now recuperating. We’ll be back with Part 2 on 1st July. 

Thursday 6th June Siracusa has existed as a city for two and a half millennia. Archimedes lived here. Plato visited and commented on the temple of Athena, now within the cathedral. The Romans, of course, worked their magic too. So after a wonderful breakfast we headed out to the archeological park two miles away, via the market.  A fish stall was selling a tonne of tuna  The fishmonger was singing. We saw a statue of Archimedes inside what we thought was a museum; it turned out to be a secondary school. The students were giving sweets they had just made to the security guards. By the time we reached the archaeological park it was very hot. Each May and June plays are performed at the Greek theatre, which dates from 300bc. Today, there is a performance of Sophocles’ Ajax. It’s incredible to think the same play may have been performed there 2300 years ago. I was reminded of the first time I did an interrail trip, to Athens with Aled Jones 50 years ago. The longest altar in the a...

Wednesday 5th June Taormina to Syracuse We had a quick breakfast and made our way along to the Greco Romano amphitheatre. Perched high, it has superb views down the coast and Etna. The setting of the place is what is most impressive. We were glad to be ahead of the coach loads of tourists that throng the place.  Mid morning we transferred by bus to the station for our trip to Syracuse.  In two hours we arrived at one of the best preserved cities on the south east coast of  Sicily.   We walked through streets of high terraced houses most be with intricate balconies. Our b and b was down one of the narrow alleys that weave through Ortigia Island which is approached by bridges.  We were welcomed into a large courtyard behind a heavy wooden door and into a lift to the fifth floor.  The series of rooms here have a theme . The owners are publishers and there are collections of books and typewriters everywhere.  A shared kitchen and library lead through to ou...

Our original plan had been to go to Taormina for the day and return to Aci Castello before departing for Siracusa tomorrow. However, after having looked at the travel logistics we decided to stay the night in Taormina. So, farewell Aci Castello. Cannizzaro station was deserted. Literally. There were no staff. Mick Lynch would do his nut.  Still, we managed to get on the train and in 45 minutes were in Taormina. Taormina station was not deserted. Neither was the area outside where people were waiting for the shuttle bus up to the town. The throng surrounded the young woman selling tickets like a crowd around someone offering spare tickets on match day. She refused to sell any more until the bus arrived. The bus arrived and then there were two intermingled throngs: the one to get the bus and the one to buy tickets to get on the bus. We were the last ones on the bus. Taormina is Sicily chic. It’s where we needed to be seen.  It’s gorgeous. It was crowded. We needed canolli. ...