>
Article snippet: TAORMINA, Sicily — President Trump should enjoy some respite from the rigors of his recent travels on Friday when he gazes out of his luxury suite and takes in the view of Taormina, an iridescent pearl of the Ionian Sea. Despite the town’s temporary transformation into a police state in paradise for the Group of 7 summit meeting attended by Mr. Trump and other world leaders, Taormina’s postcard panoramas, its exaggerated Epcot Italian-ness and its reputation as the sun-drenched pleasure dome for reality TV stars, aging playboys and affluent Russians remain intact. It is a spot that is both exclusive and a little hokey, where those with jet-setter schedules, gilded tastes and an appreciation for luxury, models and discretion come together. “That’s the room Trump will stay in,” said Dino Papale, a 69-year-old Sicilian lawyer, promoter and all around bon vivant, as he leaned around his courtyard’s wall and pointed at the adjacent Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo. Mr. Papale, who pulled a red “Make America Great Again” cap over his wavy gray hair, said he met Mr. Trump several years ago and was invited to his inauguration. “I’m the president of Trump’s Sicilian fan club,” said Mr. Papale, who is also first among the many Taormina types for whom the president is a kindred spirit. Days after Mr. Trump’s election in November, Mr. Papale was quoted at length in the local paper, La Sicilia, recounting that Mr. Trump had visited Taormina at his invitation in June 2013 and secretl... Link to the full article to read more