We had another great guide today for our panoramic tour of
Palermo, Sicily, Italy. She explained that Sicily is the largest region in
Italy and has its own parliament as well as being subject to the main
parliament in Rome.
She has a great education and spent five years in college
studying, only to become a guide because jobs are so hard to get. She said they
have a 45% unemployment rate on the island. Part of the problem is the
worldwide downturn in 2008. They lost many industries including a Fiat factory.
Fiat didn’t move the factory. It just shut it down.
The other problem is the heavy influence of the mafia. They
take off the top of every business. They expect a gift of 2000 Euros at Easter
and 3000 Euros at Christmas for protecting a business. As a result, the small
businesses have all shut down. She said there is no more middle class, just
rich and poor.
They pay heavy taxes as well. She said we pay heavy taxes
but then we receive services in exchange. They don’t get services. There is trash and garbage all over. During
the last garbage strike, the mafia offered to remove the garbage which was
piled high around the monuments. They moved it all right but just away from the
city center.
During the 1950’s, the mafia took over the housing industry
and built huge tracts of houses. Only they used ALL the land for houses and
neglected to leave any room for parks or schools.
In spite of the fact that Palermo has lost industry and
jobs, there are still high end shops that are full and busy all the time. Gucci
just opened a brand new store downtown. She pointed it out as we drove in the
downtown area.
I asked her if it is dangerous to talk about the Mafia. She
said everyone is talking about it all the time in person and on social media.
They can’t do anything about it. Honest judges who oppose them have been
murdered. Besides, the mafia is just the low level, local thugs. The real thugs
are in power in Rome and have the ability to win elections when nobody votes
for them.
We have our own problems in the USA. Utah is probably one of
the most corrupt states in the USA but we never pay a bribe to politicians or
local thugs.
Some cruise passengers signed up for a tour of places where the Godfather were filmed. There are some gorgeous buildings in Palermo. Also, there is beautiful scenery. Bill's mother talked about Palermo. She really wanted to see it but she never got a chance.
Here is a close up view of some Doric columns.
I took Bill's picture in front of Charleston Restaurant on Mondello Beach near Palermo.
There are some spectacular views in Sicily.
