My first response: "Ma scherzi! You have GOT to be KIDDING me!" It's the single word that strikes fear in all Italians: Sciopero, or what we Americans call 'Strike.' Yes, my dear readers, the public transportation system is going on strike the very DAY that I am supposed to go on vacay to Sicily (and on your birthday, dear Jenna!) So far, it seems that only local public transportation will be affected, i.e. all buses, trams, and the metro. Horrible, actually, but at least the airport should be open and all flights (including mine, from Rome to Catania) should be operating. Take a taxi? Yes, that's what I'll probably be reduced to doing, and it doesn't come cheap: about 60 euors to the airport from my digs in Trastevere. This is quickly becoming a very expensive 4-day break! The problem with a strike in Italy, especially this one, which affects public transit, is that it means it's going to affect EVERYBODY. With the sciopero comes mass confusion and chaos. The major arteries around the city are going to be gridlocked. (I once read about a guy trying to fly out of Rome around the time of a scheduled airport strike. Actually, his flight was scheduled to leave 10 minutes before the sciopero was to begin. The Lufthansa staff was so frantic to get the flight off the ground, that the plane took off with people still standing in the aisle. Can you even imagine???) All I care about at this point is making it to my destination of Syracuse. Then, I can finally relax and get some much needed time off from this crazy summer!
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