Dubious after reading history of Sicily .... (1 Viewer)

Feb 19, 2015
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Not because I am scared about our safety (though husband is worried about what i will say haha with my big mouth ) but because i am so shocked that a culture can be so decimated by a band of thugs and don't fancy my.money ending up.in their pockets. A history of Sicily i am reading (listening on Audible ) had me awake half the night in disbelief. Apparently no-one can be bothered to try anything enterprising because of the mafia's corrosive influence and a lot of people move away or more commonly just try to have an easy life . The historian said the most common aspiration is simply rest.
Tourism suffers because they (mafia) dont like change and refuse to improve the infrastructure of systems such as public transport etc. Libraries have among the most ancient manuscripts in the world but can't be accessed due to to an appalling outdated disintegrating filing system where they never even bothered to use the typewriter when it was invented and a lot of the indexing is on fading handwritten cards... EU money is not being spent on the improvements for which they are granted but siphoned off into their pockets to the extent that people on the ground can't be bothered to request the grants anymore but see that their taxes are being spent improving cities in other countries.....
Call.me naive but I was shocked to the core and felt so grateful I'd been raised in a system with inherent values I could believe in. Even though it sucks sometimes I do believe in our justice system.
I've always known the popular image of the mafia through the films etc but had always presumed it was improving which it doesn't seem to be.....I can't find anything in Google to suggest it is - though I'm sure there's another story to be had somewhere.....
Has anyone else felt this way ? I'm supposed to be visiting in a few days and I have gone right off the idea. Help!!
 
Nov 3, 2013
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Hi.
They say the rabbit with a burrow nearest a foxes den is safe.its sort of "In the bank"(y).... So,get in among them,what have you got to lose? At worst,they can only kill you.
Tea Bag
 
Feb 22, 2011
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I think that is overstating things rather.
It is a beautiful island with wonderful people who don't like to be reminded of their infamous past which is largely just that, in the past.
Go and enjoy, you'll love it !
 

hilldweller

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I remember a program on Italy saying that only Mussolini was ever able to defeat the Mafia.

And other on Naples saying they were well in charge there.
 
Aug 27, 2009
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Not because I am scared about our safety (though husband is worried about what i will say haha with my big mouth ) but because i am so shocked that a culture can be so decimated by a band of thugs and don't fancy my.money ending up.in their pockets. A history of Sicily i am reading (listening on Audible ) had me awake half the night in disbelief. Apparently no-one can be bothered to try anything enterprising because of the mafia's corrosive influence and a lot of people move away or more commonly just try to have an easy life . The historian said the most common aspiration is simply rest.
Tourism suffers because they (mafia) dont like change and refuse to improve the infrastructure of systems such as public transport etc. Libraries have among the most ancient manuscripts in the world but can't be accessed due to to an appalling outdated disintegrating filing system where they never even bothered to use the typewriter when it was invented and a lot of the indexing is on fading handwritten cards... EU money is not being spent on the improvements for which they are granted but siphoned off into their pockets to the extent that people on the ground can't be bothered to request the grants anymore but see that their taxes are being spent improving cities in other countries.....
Call.me naive but I was shocked to the core and felt so grateful I'd been raised in a system with inherent values I could believe in. Even though it sucks sometimes I do believe in our justice system.
I've always known the popular image of the mafia through the films etc but had always presumed it was improving which it doesn't seem to be.....I can't find anything in Google to suggest it is - though I'm sure there's another story to be had somewhere.....
Has anyone else felt this way ? I'm supposed to be visiting in a few days and I have gone right off the idea. Help!!
Rick Stine during filming a program on local food they had their land rover and all filming equipment stolen from a hotel car park. The police were no help until adverse publicity was causing some bad publicity for the mayor that the land rover reappeared untouched.

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Forestboy

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We were there for a month back in September / October and loved it a fabulous beautiful place to visit. It's typical crazy Italy (our favourite country) only more so. Mafia does have a strong grip on all business there even the smallest of market stalls have to pay up. Should that stop you going? Only you can answer that but a lot of folks totally rely on tourism to survive and the Mafia will have no direct impact on you as a tourist.
Personally I love the place and wouldn't hesitate to return.
Did a thread on here about our trip if you're interested.
 
Feb 22, 2011
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If your near Taomina, go to Forzza Gradda, sleepy village in the hills above, spectacular drive to it and it was where Godfather was filmed. Also chocolate museum there with Godfather museum inside, don't ask. Lots of recognisable buildings from the film's.
 
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Jac Sprat
Feb 19, 2015
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Haha yes @Tea Bag I'm not worried about my safety.
Tourist attack record is indeed zero.
Just shocked and upset that young people have to grow up in a country like this.

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Jac Sprat
Feb 19, 2015
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Thanks everyone. I'm surprised at how much this has upset me (grumpy from sleeping badly
note to self- don't listen to upsetting histories when you're trying to sleep)
Am I just naive or what?
Thought we lived in a better world than this....
 

sdc77

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I think most countries have some disturbing elements to their history ... go and soak up the atmosphere.

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Aug 18, 2014
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I remember a program on Italy saying that only Mussolini was ever able to defeat the Mafia.

And other on Naples saying they were well in charge there.
In Naples it is the Camorra a loose confederation of different, independent groups & families.Any who weren't interested in joining usually ended up emigrating to Scotland.
Good book on it is "Gommorah", Roberto Saviano.
Am I just naive or what?
Thought we lived in a better world than this....
Yes & No we don't. Don't read the book above :)
 

sedge

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Hell's teeth - do you seriously think there isn't corruption in the UK - although OK not exactly at knifepoint in the main - it does come with threats of violence delivered by persons you wouldn't wish to meet in a dark place - and was one of the many reasons my sister and brother in law moved to Australia years ago.

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magicsurfbus

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You'll probably find that leading city banks and financial institutions have taken more of your money than the mafia ever will, but I imagine you still have a bank or building society account :)
 

Dognewf

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north east coastal area is fantastic, a lot of fairly new development and obviously lots of money spent.

there is an old saying that people don't make trouble in their own back yard.
 
Oct 12, 2011
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Sicily is a wonderful place, we spent 21days travelling around the island a couple of years ago and still did not see all of it!

Well worth going - go for it!

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Aug 18, 2011
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Not because I am scared about our safety (though husband is worried about what i will say haha with my big mouth ) but because i am so shocked that a culture can be so decimated by a band of thugs and don't fancy my.money ending up.in their pockets. A history of Sicily i am reading (listening on Audible ) had me awake half the night in disbelief. Apparently no-one can be bothered to try anything enterprising because of the mafia's corrosive influence and a lot of people move away or more commonly just try to have an easy life . The historian said the most common aspiration is simply rest.
Tourism suffers because they (mafia) dont like change and refuse to improve the infrastructure of systems such as public transport etc. Libraries have among the most ancient manuscripts in the world but can't be accessed due to to an appalling outdated disintegrating filing system where they never even bothered to use the typewriter when it was invented and a lot of the indexing is on fading handwritten cards... EU money is not being spent on the improvements for which they are granted but siphoned off into their pockets to the extent that people on the ground can't be bothered to request the grants anymore but see that their taxes are being spent improving cities in other countries.....
Call.me naive but I was shocked to the core and felt so grateful I'd been raised in a system with inherent values I could believe in. Even though it sucks sometimes I do believe in our justice system.
I've always known the popular image of the mafia through the films etc but had always presumed it was improving which it doesn't seem to be.....I can't find anything in Google to suggest it is - though I'm sure there's another story to be had somewhere.....
Has anyone else felt this way ? I'm supposed to be visiting in a few days and I have gone right off the idea. Help!!

Where was this system inherent values,,,BUSBY:D:D
 

DBK

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You can blame the mafia on the Romans. :)
Specifically their creation of the "latifundia: those vast landed estates, owned by absentee Roman landlords, setting a pattern of land tenure which was to ruin Sicilian agriculture for the next two thousand years."
That's according to John Julius Norwich in his book on the history of Sicily. "From the Greeks to the Cosa Nostra". It was out of this poverty and unequal share of land and wealth the mafia grew.
 

Teuchter

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Thanks everyone. I'm surprised at how much this has upset me (grumpy from sleeping badly
note to self- don't listen to upsetting histories when you're trying to sleep)
Am I just naive or what?
Thought we lived in a better world than this....

Don't feel bad about feeling upset! - it shows you have decent feelings & standards! (y)

I have been to Sicily once in 1974 to a place called Agrigento (a courtesy visit on a ship when I was in the Royal Navy) and our (the ships crew) impression was that what wasn't controlled by the Mafia was controlled by the Church resulting in Rich Mafiosa, churches full of gold & silver and a people ground down by apathy and poverty! :cry:

I would never go back and spend money there knowing that the only real beneficiaries of it would be the Mafia! - same applies to Naples - once there was enough too!

Just my opinion of course and nothing against anyone choosing to go there! :)

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pollensabob

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Saw some unpleasant sights whilst on trip to Sorrento, best place we visited were the Aeolian islands including off Sicily beautiful.
 
Aug 18, 2011
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Hell's teeth - do you seriously think there isn't corruption in the UK - although OK not exactly at knifepoint in the main - it does come with threats of violence delivered by persons you wouldn't wish to meet in a dark place - and was one of the many reasons my sister and brother in law moved to Australia years ago.

And i would imagine its just the same in every country in the world,,,,Thats life..BUSBY.
 

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