East Coast Sicily Day 19 - Noto

The next day starts with a splendid sunrise and the weather forecast is excellent too, after our usual trip to Ortigia market to stock up for the evening we set off on foot to the train station. 

We are in good time and our destination is Noto. The only thing is, we realize as departure time gets closer, that the train is supposed to leave from Siracusa but isn't sitting there waiting as it ought to be. There seems to be some confusion but there is no information on the notice boards. We're just about to go and ask when an English lady comes along and says in English that she has discovered that the train has been cancelled because of problems on the line and there will be a replacement coach leaving from the front of the station. There is a general rush to the front of the station, where a few people are already waiting, including the unfortunate guard who expected to get on the train and check tickets but who has to put up with the following 50 minutes of grumbles and complaints and annoyed passengers generally getting annoyed with him when his only fault is to work the Ferrovie. As is often the case in these situations, nobody is absolutely sure of what is actually happening or going to happen in any language,including the guard. Someone casts doubt on the existence of a replacement bus. Someone is tempted to give up and go to Noto (or further) another day but are unable to get a refund for their ticket because the replacement coach has been promised. Someone else decides to take the official coach to Noto but have to buy a coach ticket because it's a totally different company. The guard looks more and more depressed since he knows as much as anyone else and his lunch is probably receding into the very far distance. Nevertheless he seems convinced the coach exists and we decide to wait it out. Eventually, after nearly an hour, the coach arrives. Only it is immediately evident that all the people who expected to get on the train can't possibly fit on the coach. Mention is made of a second coach but no-one believes that and so everyone tries to pile onto the coach. Pure luck dictates that the coach pulls up just where we are standing, also we have no luggage to bother about so we are able to get on the coach and sit at the front. Likewise the guard who almost immediately has to give up his seat. More and more people squash on. Somebody notes that we are way over the legal number and someone else gets off in protest or due to claustrophobia, to be immediately replaced by someone else who intends to get to their destination even if squashed. The guard, evermore depressed, is once  again standing near us, so I ask if uhm err there aren't too many people on the coach.......? He shakes his head sadly and asks me with what authority and who he should ask to leave........ The coach edges cautiously out of the station car park and on its way. Fortunately, some people get off at the first stops and nobody gets on because, probably wisely if totally illogically, the coach keeps well away from the stations (where presumably other trainless passengers may be waiting, although to be fair the coach is past full anyway ........)

The station in Noto is a ten or fifteen minute walk down the hill from the centre of Noto but the coach kindly and probably illegally takes us right up to the coach stop at the top. We stayed in a campsite near Noto on our second visit to Sicily  about fifteen years ago so we got to know it quite well. At the time a lot of restoration work was going on and  so we are curious to see it in its clean and present glory. Noto is part of the Sicilian Baroque Unesco World Heritage area and is splendid. There are some tourists about, but not too many to be bothersome and we spend a very pleasant day strolling around.

The Cathedral is especially beautiful. Completed in 1776, it was damaged by the earthquake of 1990, and actually partially collapsed in 1996. Restoration work was completed in 2007 and it is the opposite side of the magnificante square from Ducezio Palace or the Town Hall, where we sit for quite a while on the steps to admire the cathedral and watch people walking by. We have a "Rosticceria" lunch  of arancini and calzoni in the square  by the Church of San Domenico with the Fountain of Hercules, there are just a few tables but we are early eaters and manage to find a place. It's very pleasant (eating!) sitting outside and watching people. We also wander up and down the old streets, in particular Via Nicolaci and Via Cavour, to admire the sculptures beneath the balconies, 

and is our wont, head upwards for views over Noto and the Asinaro valley.

After out train adventure we had arrived in Noto quite late so by the time we have thoroughly explored and also had a coffee sitting outside a small bar in Corso Vittorio Emanuele we realise we should be starting to worry about getting back to Siracusa, we have no idea if the trains are running again. So we walk back along Corso Vittorio Emanuele and through Porta Reale and linger a while to buy some dried cherry tomatoes at one of the stalls in the park area and then head for the coach stop to see if we can find out whether or not it's worth walking down to the train station, if the trains are running and if not, whether, (seeing the morning experience) we should hope for the coach at the station or at the coach stop.

A number of other people are sharing the same dilemma, followed at a discrete distance by a few smiling taxi drivers. In an effort to find out what's going on we strike up conversation with an Italian couple about our age. It seems that the trains still aren't running, the replacement coaches remain elusive and the scheduled coaches are overloaded due to train passengers. At this point one of the taxi drivers who had probably been observing us comes up to us and suggests a taxi to Siracusa for the four of us. We look at each other, most tempted, the price, divided by four, works out only about 5 or 6 euros more per person than the train ticket (which fortunately we hadn't bought). It's really very reasonable and the taxi driver, considering the time involved  and kilometers is absolutely not taking advantage of the 'stranded tourist' opportunity. Wisely, for once we succumb to this unheard of luxury and are safely and quickly (the trip is spent chatting about Sicily to our fellow passengers and kindly taxi driver) deposited back at Siracusa. Noto was beautiful and surprisingly our travel difficulties made the day even more interesting!

We get back to Siracusa in time for a dramatic sunset behind the Marina area

 and are even able to watch the full moon rise over the sea from the windows of our apartment... A fantastic day!