Insert "gas" joke here

(**Note: All of the pictures on the blog today are images from a Google search; they are not my pictures.)

The trucker strike seems to be over in Sicily.  The latest news I can find is that the movement headed to Rome for continued protests.  There also seemed to be a falling out between two of the leaders of the movement.  I'm not entirely sure if anything got accomplished.  If someone knows more (Maggie?), please fill us in.

All I know for sure is that gas stations have gas again, and my car is running.  It definitely took a few days.  The strike ran all last week, with practically every gas station in Sicily completely running out of gas.  I had a full tank at the beginning of the week, so my work and normal schedule wasn't particularly affected.  I ran my tank low on Friday, and stayed near the house over the weekend.  The strike officially ended at midnight on Friday, so gas trucks began making their way to stations on Saturday and Sunday.  But everyone in Sicily (we're talkin' one of those "everyone and their mothers" situations), flocked to the gas stations over the weekend. 

(This picture is actually from Greece.)  I couldn't find one of Sicily, but this is exactly what the lines looked like.

Lines were ridiculous.  Facebook was in an uproar with reports of, "So-and-so gas station has gas!" then 20 minutes later, "That station's out."  On Sunday, I ventured out early in the morning in hopes of beating the crowds.  I got a text tip from a friend and got in a long line at a station that for sure had gas.  The line slowly ticked forward...but I wasn't even close to the station when they ran out.  Later that evening, on another text tip, I hurried to a gas station where I actually saw the gas truck leave the station.  The line was long, but I knew, knew I'd get some this time.  Slowly we inched forward.  After about 45 minutes in line, I was three cars away from the pumps...when the attendants began shaking their heads and waving us away.

Dinosaur had to come rescue me with two gallons in a gas can that he filled up at an interstate gas station.  He took my car back to that same interstate station...but they were out by the time he reached it.

It was frustrating to witness scenes like this and not be able to go up and understand what the chatter was about.  Just another motivator to study up on Italian - understanding the civil unrest.

I stubbornly stuck to the house all day Monday, with no desire to repeat Sunday's failed attempts at a fill-up.  Finally on Tuesday, after four days of gas trucks madly trying to relieve the island's deficiency, I waited in line for about a half and hour and finally got to fill up.

I learned a few things.  I learned that my car can go an impressive distance after the gas light turns on.  Dinosaur explained to me that gas stations on the interstate most likely have much larger reserve tanks than back-roads stations (logical, but who knew?), so in case of another strike, it would be best to head straight to the interstate for a lesser chance of them running out while I'm still in line.  I learned that three days at the house won't kill me and actually motivates me to get some long-procrastinated cleaning done.  And I found it really neat to witness a substantial cultural event in another country.  Granted, it would not have been so neat if the protests weren't peaceful or the public at large had freaked out and turned to anarchy.  But those things did not happen.  I learned that Sicilians will stand their ground when they're upset, and that it's best for me to have a stocked freezer, a tolerant attitude, an open mind, and keep my American butt out of the way.

Protestors waving the Sicilian flag, blocking the way of trucks.