Finally in Syracuse – a place I’ve longed to visit, the city and place of work of Archimedes! I’ve been to Sicily many times, but this is my first time here.
While Pythagoras provided more theoretical insights and taught me how to live wisely, Archimedes embodies the inventor, the experimenter, the one who becomes smarter through trial and error: Eureka! – Even in Greece, there were Archimedes museums (which I visited) at tourist hubs, which use replicas to recreate the technical understanding of that time: creativity is literally within reach… Now here too, in Syracuse, where battles were fought and history was written. But modern Syracuse is a rather posh affair, at least on the spur, the small peninsula that juts out into the sea. So much hidden luxury, I marvel. At the harbour, the boats of the rich, including the sleek toy of a successful porn website operator, a brilliantly dignified speedboat over 20 metres long with six huge outboard motors, all in beguiling white!
I visit the archaeological sites, the museums, the markets, the whole sprawling city (on my scooter) and fill up the ArgoFram. I have a good relationship with the harbour master named Dino and his team, who are all very customer-oriented. The photo shows me with Gaetano, Dino’s deputy – we actually wanted to have a photo of the three of us together, but shortly before the appointment, Dino caught his hand while mooring a boat and had to go to the emergency centre. It didn’t look good. Everyone shows sympathy… life goes on. I also move on, get in, even though it’s windy and bumpy outside. I drive on, as far south in Sicily as possible, as close to Malta as possible, before I cross over.