Day Two/Wednesday: Sigonella Naval Air Station, Sicily

Directional signs near Sigonella Naval Air Station, Sicily

The air terminal at Sigonella Naval Air Station in Sicily is not very traveler-friendly.  But we were grateful for the help from a friendly official there.

We got in late Wednesday night.  It was dark.  We were tired, after about a 3-hour flight from Spain.  We had no idea where anything was.  The two hotels on base were full.  The nearby off-base hotels were also full.  The friendly official showed Bob to a nice room in the terminal, which had two couches, a TV and a computer, with a bathroom just outside the door, and said we could sleep there!  We were too tired to decline, and the (free) price was right!  Other hotels in the nearby city of Catania were at least a $40-$60 cab ride away, and we had no way to check if they had any rooms because none (or very few) phones at the terminal could be used to call off-base.  All the restaurants were closed, so we had some almonds from my bag, and some sodas from a machine for dinner!


Speaking of troops, we have run into some interesting ones.  On the flight last night, there was a group of about six that we suspect were Navy Seals.  They looked big, tough, athletic, muscular and smart!  They only talked among themselves.  Among their luggage were big heavy plastic bins, with double locks, that I'm sure were carrying their weapons.  And they were met at the airport by their own escort.  Possibly headed to Libya, which is about 200 miles across the Mediterranean Sea??

More about the interesting people we have met in the next blog!