NO THERMOMETERS BUT STICK AROUND FOR THE PASTA

    Last summer, cousin Leonardo was very sick while vacationing in Sicily. His illness seemed very serious and Rocco said, "I'm convinced that if he stays here he may not make it." I chatted with Rocco, who spent many nights by Leonardo's side in a beach chair, along with other patients who shared the room with no privacy dividers. Quoting Rocco: "this place is primitive." Aside from the awful treatment and no answers on Leo's condition, the hospital was lacking in basic essentials, like thermometers! But (and this is a big fat hilarious Sicilian but), when dinner time came, the hospital had no shortage of meals and passed out pasta to everyone, not only the patients but also the visitors! No thermometers, but plenty of pasta to go around. And, "it was pretty good," Rocco said. Only in Sicily.