Wednesday 5th May 2010
How the Mafia and I conquered Mount Etna by Ann Chance
The island's highest point is Mount Etna, an active volcano that rises 11,122 feet on the east coast.
Sicily is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea. The Strait of Messina separates Sicily from the mainland of Italy. Sicily covers over 9,926 square miles and is the largest island in the Mediterranean.
Sicily is one of Italy's 20 governmental units called region Palermo, a centre of industry and trade, is the capital, largest city, and chief seaport of Sicily. Messina, on the north-eastern coast, serves as a gateway to the island. Workers commute daily by ferry across the strait between Messina and the Italian mainland.
Sicily's location made it a crossroads for many civilizations. A number of peoples invaded and settled on the island, including Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Muslims from North Africa, and Normans. Today, Sicily has a mixture of these civilizations. For example, the people speak local dialects that have traces of Arabic, Greek and other languages.
The population of Sicily have strong bonds of family and friendship. The hundreds of years of invasion and foreign rule discouraged the people's trust in government and encouraged a code of conduct. According to the code, a person who cooperates with the government is dishonourable. This code and the island's tradition of private justice provide support for the Mafia, a network of groups engaging in illegal activities that range from animal rustling to drug dealing. Protection for Mafia activities also had come from politicians who owe their positions to Mafia support. However, many Sicilian people are becoming increasingly opposed to Mafia activities. During the 1980s, the Italian government waged a campaign to fight organized crime, and convicted hundreds of people associated with the Mafia.
Mountains and hills cover more than 85 per cent of Sicily.
The island's highest point is Mount Etna, an active volcano that rises 11,122 feet on the east coast. Mount Etna erupts periodically. Catania had to be rebuilt entirely after an eruption destroyed it in 1669. But the area around Mount Etna is heavily populated because volcanic ash makes the soil fertile. Earthquakes also hit Sicily. Messina had to be rebuilt after an earthquake.
The actual Sicilian name of the region is Sicilia, this is a beautiful island and is also considered the largest one in the Mediterranean Sea, it has over five million habitants and several small islands surround the main territory. Improvements in Sicily's road system have helped to promote industrial development. The chief ports of the island are Palermo, Catania, Augusta and Messina.
Ann Chance (left) continued by givening a brief background because the following will make more sense, we hope, my husband and I owned seven Hardware retail outlets in Surrey, an Intel-flora Florist, a Lawnmower engineering workshop, plus our own wholesale company which was started in the loft of our bungalow.
All good quality Ironmongers belonged to an association called The London and Southern Counties Ironmongers Association. As we obviously met these criteria we belonged to the above association which had 5,000 mainly men members.
Every year the committee organised a week long conference, sometimes in England but mostly in foreign parts. This would consist of a day and a half of business plus five and a half days of whooping it up with your fellow traders. This was known as a business expense as far as the accountant was concerned.
On one particular occasion we attempted to book a conference in Sicily. Unfortunately, I think it had something to do with the fact that we did not cross the palm of the Godfather with enough of the 'readies'. All the hotels seemed to be booked, there were no planes flying during the week we wanted and no coaches available for tours around the island.
The committee in their wisdom booked us into the Isle of Wight instead. Something that was highly enjoyable was sitting around the swimming pool with your mates, sipping cocktails, basking in the sun and discussing the price of creosote.
A few years later, I was given the honour of being the first and only ever Lady President of the London and Southern Counties Ironmongers Association. At the same time, I was also voted the first ever Lady on to the Board of Management of the British Hardware Federation. Not a lot of people have ever heard of these two organisations, so you can see what an important individual I am.
In this exalted capacity, I was given the opportunity to decide where to hold my conference. I had never been to Sicily before and I had never seen a live volcano, so this had to be my choice.
Through the travel agents, we tried to get this in motion. To make sure this would be possible, I suggested to my secretary that both he and I and the tour operator should go to Sicily for a weekend. The object being to not only meet the Godfather but also to ascertain that the hotels and the coaches would be available at our disposal. I also suggested that the tour operator, who was part Sicilian and spoke the language, should let it be known to the Mafia that his island wished to be visited by the London and Southern Counties Ironmongers Association. I also felt it was imperative, that if possible, we should cross the Godfather's palm with silver as often as possible during the weekend.
On arrival at the airport who should meet us but the Godfather himself to welcome this important V.I.P. from England and welcomed me to his island. He said, "Follow me I have a Mafia staff car waiting outside". I thanked him profusely and immediately crossed his palm with silver. It's surprising how money talks. I felt at this moment how important it was to be on the right side and not the left side of the Godfather.
In the staff car we were taken to a fabulous five star hotel with all the conference facilities needed. After being treated to lunch we boarded the staff car again and were given a private tour of the island taking in sights, vineyards and many places of interest. Every time we stopped I crossed his palm once more. By the end of the day we were quite good friends, I think he fancied the President of the London and Southern Counties Ironmongers Association.
Suddenly, any hotel we liked the look of was ours for the asking, which ever date we wanted to fly was available to us and whichever tour we decided upon, all we had to do (according to the Godfather) was whistle.
On arrival back in England we started taking bookings for the Sicily conference. It proved to be very popular and upon reaching two hundred we decided to close the bookings as the plane and the hotel could only take that amount.
Ann continued to give a hilarious account of the conference final “show” and the problems presented at Customs for clearance of the rather unusual items, all solved by the Mafia, but if you wish to follow these accounts which are more than we normally report on this web, then buy her booked which is called “Chance of a Lifetime” available from TUCANN design & print at sales@tucann.co.uk or ISBN 13 9781873257715.
The hairy and very cold ascent of Etna with the help or was it hindrance of the Mafia is best left to your reading or going to hear Ann put the story into her dramatic rendering, but was enjoyed by the 80 members and friends who had delighted in the excellent meal provided and served by the Kingswood Golf Club.
Our President Frank Rae presided over an excellent day well and superbly arranged by Eric Hussey, thanks Eric it was then left for Joan Rae (above left) to give a vote of thanks from the Ladies for the Club’s invitation and John Mills to give Ann a very warm vote of thanks.
Mount Etna at night, erupts periodically
Palermo, a centre of industry and trade, is the capital, largest city, and chief seaport of Sicily.
Messina, on the north-eastern coast, serves as a gateway to the island from the mainland.
A selection of the Ladies Lunch photographs........here
