FYI, this is page 68 out of the 131 I wrote. Yes I have cut some parts out, as I rewrite it, but I haven't left anything important out.
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My neighbors (the birds) and the bells woke me up at 7 again. The trees outside my window are host to what seems like 5,000 very talkative, vocal birds. I took my time getting ready, and repacking my bag. Once the camera store was open I went to pay my bill. It cost me 90 euro for a two night stay, which was a good deal, for the room and the location. I made my way towards the train station, and stopped for another doughnut and a beverage. I remembered it was about a 20 min walk, mostly uphill back, so I didn't waste too much time. This would be my first attempt at buying tickets without Ciro there as a crutch.
When I got there, I saw the ticket counter was closed. (uh-oh). I saw a sign that said 'Biglieti' on the door to the newsstand next door. I knew that meant ticket, so I went inside and got in line.The station, and the newsstand was packed with teenagers, not sure why (I find out on the return trip). When it was my turn at the counter, I asked for one ticket to Messina, in the best Italian I could muster. The next question was how would I know which train to get on. I went outside onto the platform and sat down. By my calculation I had about 45 min. As I sat there I listened to the announcements over the intercom, but it was too loud to hear, and in Italian. I thought I made out my train would pull in on track #2, so when it arrived, I boarded, and said in a questioning voice, 'Messina?'. I got a head nod, I hoped was yes, so I took a seat.
I am not too worried about once I get to Taormina, since I have been there. Even though I never came via train. Messina might be interesting though, since it is a major hub, per Ciro. I will have to figure out how to get into Taormina, but in Messina, I shouldn't have to leave the station. T took a window seat on the train so I could enjoy the scenery, and I didn't regret it. Even though the window was dirty.
Yes, that was a dirty window! When we arrived in Messina, I saw there were 12 train tracks, so I exited, and found a train schedule posted to figure out what next. I got in what I thought was the ticket line, but something made me think it was the line for tickets on the ferry boat to the mainland (I was wrong). So I left that line, and saw that familiar Biglieti sign on the door to another news stand. I heard them announce the Taormina train was leaving, and I was still in line, so I missed it. I still bought a ticket for Taormina when it was my turn, and went back to the schedule board. Crap!!! It would be four hours before the next train. I figured I had plenty of time, so I sat down in the cafe, for a coke and a sandwich. Then, on a hunch, I checked the board again. There was a train to Catania in 30 minutes. My guess was that the train to Catania, since it was south of Taormina, it should stop there on the way.
It was a estimated guess, so I jumped on the next train to Catania. I took my seat, and when we left I panicked a little, because we were heading North. I had a map of Sicily so I figured I would wait til we got to another town, and see if I had messed up or not. A few minutes later, the sea was on my left, so that meant we were indeed going south. It had started raining. By the time we got close to Taormina, according to the map, which I was following our route on, there were only a handful of us left on the train.
This leg of the ride took for....e......v.....e..........r! I think we stopped in every town there was along the way. Before leaving Messina, I saw trains that said 'directo' to Palermo, so I am hoping when I finally head back, I can catch one those express trains, and avoid all the stops in between. It was 40 min to Cefalu, about 2.5 hrs to Messina, and its been about an hour to Taormina, but we have at least 2 more stops.
Once we arrived, I walked out of the train station to look UP at Taormina. I had been told there was a shuttle bus into town, but as I watched it drive right past me at the bus stop, without slowing down, I decided I deserved a Taxi. I asked if any of them spoke English, and one sort of did, so I asked how much for a ride to my hotel. I had the piece of paper Ciro had written it on. He told me 15 euro, so I figured why not. After a long windy drive, we stopped right in front of my hotel, Success!!
What a dive this place was! It was above a restaurant, and I must have stood there 10 minutes before anyone came and helped me. It wasn't that they ignored me, just that nobody was home. When they did see him, and come help, I got checked in, and they pointed what direction to go in to find my room. It was a side staircase, with a ceiling so low I had to duck, and the whole time dragging my bag up a steep set of stairs. The key to the door, was a skeleton key, and it was not easy getting it to unlock the door. It took me like 10 minutes to get it positioned the right way.
Wow, this room is tiny. I could stand with my arms out and touch both sides. The bathroom was a closet. 
I know my way around Taormina pretty well, so after I dropped off my luggage, I walked the main street to the other end of town, where we stayed last year. The entire street is lined with shops, so this is where I will buy souvenirs. My goal was to find the bar I got a little tipsy in last time drinking Irish Coffee's in, with my friends Paul and Ro. When I found it, I was sad to see they were closed, so I headed back to my hotel.
I stopped for some Tiramisu flavored gelato. Then across from the hotel I went into a bar for a drink and a panini. I sat outside and enjoyed the night air. Once I finished eating, I sat there for awhile, and watched people walk by. Along comes an older lady, with her dog, who was unleashed. The dog stops at the doorway into the bar and looks around. Then I hear the owner say hello to the dog. He (the dog) looks over at the right side of the entrance, at the case of assorted cookies. So the owner chuckles and asks the dog if he wants a biscotti, to which the dog politely wagged his tail faster. Another laugh from the store owner, and the lady this time too, heck I even smiled. So the store owner picked out a cookie, and gave it to the dog, who quietly munched it down. They all said their goodbyes and I headed back to the room after that.
Another 10 minutes to unlock my door, and I was ready for bed, after a long day of new things. Tomorrow should be good, since I know where I am.
ciao!
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