We decided to visit CIDMA ( Center of International Documentation on the Mafia and the Anti Mafia Movement ).CIDMA is an international documentation center dedicated to the Mafia and the anti Mafia  movement. CIDMA is dedicated to perserving material regarding the Maxi Trial and the struggle against organized crime . This is fitting with Sicily and with the name of the town , Corleone  ( remember, the film the Godfather ). It is actually suprising to find that Corleone as a small Sicilian town was involved with the Mafia at one time. The Mafia did not originate from Corleone but some of its notorious bosses did. The museum had a guided walk around with many photographs .

Omerta isnt simply minding your own business . Its a culture of silence and non-cooperation often enforced by fear , intimidation and loyalty to the Mafia.

How did the Mafia begin ? It started when Sicily had a feudal system and aristocratic families owned huge acres of land and poor peasants worked the land . There was weak government , private protection (local strong men , criminal groups offering protection ,) and control through fear . It is ironic because initially these local strong men offered protection to the peasants which then turn into protection through extortion & intimidation .

The Maxi Trials were trials that lasted from 1986 -1992 that took place in Palermo . There were 372 convictions and the 2 judges; Falcone and Borsellino were murdered by the Mafia. The mafia planted bombs that went off that killed not only the judges but their bodyguards. There were photographs of these incidents but I found it too horrific to take a picture.

It just so unlikely that a small , inland and rural Sicilian town could rise to dominate the Sicilian mafia.

Narrow streets and harrowing to drive in. Its an old town on slopes. The topography of Sicily is pretty much mountanous so many of the towns that we drove past are on slopes. Much of the highways are elavated and through tunnels . However, I do think Italian drivers are worse than Malaysian drivers; drives too fast ( does not care for speed limits ), very impatient, do not put indicator lights and park everywhere !!