Shave and Driving Part II

 I went for my second shave today.  I walked about 5 minutes from our door to a place Vincenzo goes to,  Barbiera D'Agostino.  Salvatore D'Agostino greeted me as he was finishing up with another client.  He told me I  could wait, so I took a chair.  After about 10 minutes, he ushered me to the chair.  I believe he's a sole proprietor and it's a small shop.  He had his price list posted.  A shave is 5 euro, and for the works (haircut, shampoo, and shave), it will set you back 18 euro. (about $20). I hadn't shaved since Saturday, just to get my money's worth.  Actually I'd planned on going Monday, forgetting they were closed then. 

 I can easily get used to someone shaving me.  Those razors must be super sharp, as you really don't even feel them.  He even clipped out some stray nose hairs for no extra charge.  We talked in Italian, and once I said a few words in Italian, he assumed we were good conversing that way.  Not really a choice as he spoke no english, other than making a point of proudly saying "Thank you!" as I departed.  He complimented me on my Italian, (not deserved, but appreciated.)  I learned he had relatives in Buenos Aires.  My Sicilian grandpa emigrated to the US as a teenager, and one of his sisters went to Argentina.  They were apart forever, and then he tracked her down many years later and paid a visit to her.  I forget all the details, and one of my cousins, or Aunt Mary will have to refresh my memory on this.  A very pleasant way to start the morning, (not really start as this was about 10:00 am.)

As to travel, being here 3 months, I sort of forgot how many places we visited.  Biancavilla is very nice, but not a place you'd set out to for a vacation .  Several locals have said some derogatory things about the city.  I'm happy here, but I think I've always been more a big city kid.  The best part of Biancavilla is it is very close to many great places.  Also, Mt. Etna is always within sight from here.  As a new friend here said, we are already on Mt. Etna when we are here.  I just jotted down all the places we've driven to over the last several weeks.  They are in no particular order: Adrano, Catania, Taormina, Bronte, Siracusa, Piazza Armerina, Acireale, Aci Castello, Aci Trezza, Belpasso, Misterbianco, Paterno, Centuripe, Nicolosi, and Santa Maria Licodia. They are all probably within two or two and a half hours from here.  All were fun to see,

We have a good friend , Giuseppe, from Matera, close to Bari, who now lives in Minneapolis.  He is there visiting his family, and invited us to visit.  We planned on driving there this Thursday, and back on Sunday.  We checked flights, and there were no direct ones as you have to go through Rome.  So, that would take about 7 hours when you factor in getting to airport and the layover.  You can drive in about 6 and a half hours.  I was up for the drive, but  not without trepidations.  Pretty much all my Italy driving has been in Sicily, not the mainland.  To get to Matera, you need to drive onto a ferry boat to get across the straits of Messina, only about a 30 minute ride.  On the mainland, we'd have to traverse some mountains.  When, we talked to Giuseppe this week, he was concerned with our plan to drive.  It is winter, and they had some snow flakes a couple days ago.  He said some roads are steep and narrow.  Also, if weather turned bad, we could get stuck waiting for a ferry across the straits.  Also, covid is now running rampant where he is, and schools here shut down for a few days as a precaution.  With all that, we decided to cancel this excursion.  Disappointing, but I also breathed a sigh of relief.  Some other day, preferably spring or summer.  

Time here is winding down as we leave for Rome on the 25th and then fly home on the 30th.  A few days there, then hit the road to Phoenix, and deal with some US mountains.