Stop For Beauty

By Scott Dodgson

There are two great aspects about sailing: Sailing and enjoying the destination you sailed too. Personally I find going out into the bay and sailing around for an afternoon boring. I love sailing, but I need a destination. Sicily is the ultimate destination. Forget about their reputation for crime. Most of the stories along with the movies mask the warm and generous people of Sicily. Don’t get me wrong, there is petty crime and until recently a war between the people and the mafia which seems to have settled down, Sicily is wonderful and should be at the top of your list for vacations. I found the fuel dock and settled in for a two day stay. Carlos, the owner of the fuel dock, went beyond simply helpful and invited me into his family. I bought five hundred dollars of fuel and paid in dollars. This is pre-Euro when every merchant seems to have his finger on the currency exchange. If played right Carlos could make an extra five to ten percent on the dollars. With this unspoken advantage to Carlos, he generously let me stay on his dock for free. I wanted to check in with the Port Captain and get my papers stamped making me legal. Carlos insisted I didn’t have to anything, but as I explained I would get into trouble down the road if I didn’t have the necessary stamps. We piled into his Mercedes and sped around the port. He pointed out all the important sites of Palermo, both new and old. At the Port Captain’s office Carlos introduced me to his cousin, the Port Captain. We shared a coffee. When I asked about the papers his cousin said, “Why? Everyone in Sicily has a brother, uncle, aunt, cousin, sister in America. We even celebrate thanksgiving! Sicily is the fifty first state of America!” He stamped my documents reluctantly but with a smile. Carlos took me by the train station a few blocks from my yacht to show me where I would meet Laura and her friends. There is a grand circle around a huge ornate fountain. The traffic is chaotic, aggressive and loud; lots of horns, arm waving and screaming. I saw an old woman attempting to cross the street. The racing cars nearly killed her several times within seconds. Carlos nearly hit her. Then I saw one of the most amazing events I’ve ever seen. A beautiful statuesque, Sophia Loren look alike, wearing a large hat sunglasses and high heels stood into the street without looking causing the traffic to skid to a halt as if Moses were parting the Red Sea or in the case the traffic of Palermo. The tones of the horns turned from aggravated to adoring. Carlos stopped and said, “Bella. Bella. We stop for beauty in Italy.” Welcome to Sicily.