Canvassing in Milazzo
Back in Milazzo there’s a big screen in the piazza showing the inauguration of the teatro – which has been closed for twenty years. Part of the sindaco’s (mayor) final showdown for votes, the castle next to our house – which has been under restoration for the last two years – should be reopening this week too. Palm trees and flowerbeds are sprouting up everywhere. The historic Chiesa di San Francesco di Paolo – Milazzo’s adopted patron saint of seafarers – was opened a couple of Sundays ago with much civic and military aplomb and a fire and brimstone bishop giving hell to his sinful flock. Piazza Roma at last is opened, with its shining new slabs of concrete and indigenous (not) palm trees and strategically placed benches which a few pensioners have already laid claim to – and all because the sindaco is a partner in the soon to open bar of the piazza. This is also the motivation behind the newly paved pedestrian street in the centre and the cute shiny new bar with nice benches right ou...