I'm staying at the LOL Hostel in Siracusa, 50m from the train station. It is so nice & clean. The staff is very helpful and friendly, and they have four computers, a kitchen and bar, and an outdoor garden patio. I need a key to get into my shared dorm, and I have a locker for the first time. This place is fabulous. I just wish the name was less cheesy (LOL as in "laughing out loud"). Written on the chalk board at the entrance is "29th in the world!". I assume that references some sort of rating as the 29th best hostel. Anyways, enough about the hostel.
I got here pretty late last night, because it seems to take super long to get anywhere in Sicily via the trains or buses. Most of the guide books do warn about that. My original plan was to stay here for two nights, then head to Agrigento for two nights, and then up to Palermo. However, since it takes so long to get anywhere I don't want to spend two full days on the train. SO I decided to stay put and booked two more nights at this hostel. While I am bummed not to get to those other spots, I like the thought of relaxing here by the beach. There are also plenty of sights to see in Siracusa and on Ortygia Island. Walked around Ortygia today (it's an island just over the bridge, you don't have to take a ferry which is nice). I parked myself on a platform full of other sunbathers. There was a stairwell to get into the water. No apparent beaches here, so am going to hop on a bus tomorrow to go to a sandy beach a bit south of here.
Very few people speak English which has been a nice change. It's more of a struggle, but a bit fun to try and communicate in Italian and using my Portuguese. All the others in my dorm are from other parts of Europe, mainly France.
Off to find something to eat and sit outside with my latest novel. It's such a nice feeling that I don't have to pack up and leave in the morning.
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