19th to 27th March. Busman's Holiday.

At last. After six years, much deliberation about what to do with it. I decided back in January to book flights to Catania, Sicily. To finally collect my 1996 BMW 328i convertible. Which had been sitting in a dry garage since I left Sicily in 2019 after residing in Siracusa. Between 2017 to 2019The car had been driven there in 2019 from the UK . Giving me one of the best driving experiences ever. Taking me through France, quickly as possible after an overnight ferry from Portsmouth. Driving to Turin first. Then via San Marino to see the Senna memorial. Naples and onward towards Sicily.. that's how the car got there. Now we were flying there to bring her home.

Bringing the car home was fraught with apprehension. . It had been sitting all this time for one. Obviously no MOT. But I had booked it in for one on my return

The owner of the property it was stored in . A small hotel I'm keeping to myself as it is an amazing place to get the Sicily or rather Carlentini experience.

We arrived and said hello to our now friend Sabino. Who helped me organise over the next few days. A trip to various garages he knew to get the car checked and tyres looked at.

First the car had been serviced at BMW Catania the year before. When we visited to organise a key for it. .

But I knew it hadn't had spark plugs for a while. If at all.

After we exchanged greetings and coffee. Sabino called the local garage who asked us to bring the car in.

After a quick drive. The car started first time! On the drive I did notice the rumbling of the wheels at speed.. So a tyre check was needed quickly.

The local mechanic. Checked her over. Ordered the spark plugs €9.00 each!! We went back later and he fitted them. Only charging us for the plugs themselves.

Something struck me about this smallish town and it's businesses. Apart from a few large supermarkets all the businesses are generally run by people who have had the business for a very long time. Often by generations of the same family. Bakers, (panetteria) butchers, (macelleria) Ice cream shop (gelateria) and this car repair shop (officina riparazioni auto) was one of these places. Run by a father and son. These men knew cars and what they were doing. They were not here for a fast profit. And guess what. Like all or most businesses in this town. Making more profit every year and cutting costs to make that happen. Wasn't part of the business plan. They were happy with the same level of profit every year. As long as they did enough work and paid their people and themselves and gave a good service to their customers. Who always come back. Life's good.

La vita è bella!!

We could learn a lot... businesses are not supposed to be run by accountants or shareholders. Sorry I'm off again.

So £89 euros later the BMW s 2798cc straight six was running as sweet as I ever felt it . On to the tyre place. Sabino went in explained what was required. (My Italian is good, but Sicilian?)

He looked at the tyres and very sympathetically told us In no way could he let us drive the car back 1000 miles to the UK on the tyres. Plenty of tread, condition not too bad. But they were 29 years old.

Yes the tyres had been on the car since new. I bought it in 2011 from it's first owner. He obviously hadn't changed them and to my mbarrassment, neither had I.

So a new set was ordered and we went back a few hours later and they rapidly fitted four new tyres and balanced all wheels.

On a quick shake down drive it was like driving a new car. Amazing.

We spent the next few days in and around Carlentini. Eating amazing food. Being treated to daily food discoveries from Sabino. Eating and learning where each piece of food came from . From black oven baked local Olives. To amazing locally produced Mortadella, bread, cheese, wine. All with a story that Sabino and this town. Were proud of. We really were blessed knowing this man. His small hotel is actually closed to other guests when people stay here.

The best part was his own families Olive oil.

He told us that the hotel and a small farm locally was owned by his mother. When she passed. He inherited the hotel. His brother the farm. Sabino liked to travel, liked women from other countries and had actually visited Fortaleza. My wife's home city in Brazil . So the farm was not for him. But his brother, who he didn't get on with. Still provided him with a few things from the farm. One of them being a supply of olive oil that you just cannot, by law, buy. This is because its completely unrefined pure oil. Sabino produced a bottle.

Put some tuna on a plate covered it will some olive oil and lemon juice. Presented it to us while telling the story of how it's grown and produced and these bottles of gold are kept sacred. He said the secret of good digestion is a small spoon of this gold liquid before bed. We tried. He was right. Next day we were cleared of any gut rot from previous meals and felt good.

Alda, being Alda. Demanded he give her a bottle of this to take home. Being a ladies man. He couldn't refuse.

So we have this liquid gold for special occasions at home.

I follow cooking professionals and I have never heard mention of this oil. But I can tell you. It's not like any olive oil I have tried. It's amazing.

We planned to leave Sicily on the Saturday morning and as ever. It hurts to leave. It's a wonderful place which I love and will always visit. Despite the Sicilian snakes who took a business away from me a few years ago. Karma will visit you.

So next I will take you on our amazing drive through Italy in the BMW.