[Labyrinthos]

I am doubting the veracity of this as I cannot guess this is a good way to get repeat business.

Agreed. He may be a lib from Oregon, but he's not stupid.

Also, although I can't put my hands on it at the moment, I have read that all licensed tour guides in Italy adhere to a code of conduct that requires objectivity and respect for everyone regardless of where they come from. Indeed, the tour guide industry in Italy is highly regulated and very competitive, and while this guide could be guilty of the rant, as described, I have my doubts since it would have put him at risk of a large fine, suspension, or license revocation.

[miss marmelstein]

We're talking Catania here. I've never yet met an Italian or Sicilian tour guide who accepted (in the old days) lira over dollars. You had to pay in dollars or no tour. Today, in Sicily, just to visit a temple, you have to pay baksheesh to “minders” in the car lot. They carry clubs. Sicily is corrupt! Beautiful, some very nice people, great food, but totally corrupt.