Buona note,
I’ve written about our road trip, not how it happened, but writing first about my favorites. Enna, then S. Stefano di Camastra, Villa Romana and Piazza Armerina and finally Mt. Etna. Of them all my least favorite destination was Mt. Etna. If you want to see Etna you have to plan at least a full day to do some hiking. Or better go at night with a guide to see what apparently can be quite a show. You can also spend a bunch of money for the cable car to avoid half of the hike. We didn’t really want or have the time to do any of those things. So we drove to Etna, walked around a bit, collected a rock souvenir, bought a 2 Euro bottle of water ( a small bottle) and drove off. The drive each way was quite worth it taking us from the south coast, over the mountains, and then down through some valleys on our way to the north coast and S. Stefano di Camastra. Here are a few photos from that day.
Our final excursion here on Sicily was to Palermo for 2 nights with newest cruising pals Linda and Frank on SV Interlude. Much more sensibly we took the public bus. I hope to write that up before we leave Monday for Tunisia. At least that’s the plan as of today. The wind is howling outside this evening, but is supposed to calm down by Monday.
Ru
“Mount Etna is Europe’s tallest active volcano and is located in Sicily, Italy. Like many other dangerous volcanoes such as Mount St Helens and Mount Vesuvius, Etna is a composite volcano. It has been created by the Earth’s active tectonic plate system – the African plate is moving below the Eurasian plate. As the Eurasian plate moves down into the Earth, it melts. Rising magma erupts at the surface as lava and ash and builds Etna in the process.
Etna has erupted many times during recorded history and is still very active.
There are towns and villages surrounding the mountain, including Catania. In the past, the Italian authorities have used explosives, concrete dams, and ditches to divert lava flows away from these settlements”. http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/earth/collections/mount_etna
Our first night was spent in Acireale on the south coast rather than in Enna, but you already know that story. And you saw this photo of us at the lovely waterfront restaurant with “brother John.”
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The dinner brother…John
The hotel brother, Giuseppe We arrived at the Park Square hotel about 6:30 pm the first night of our road trip. Giuseppe had checked us into the hotel. The hotel restaurant wouldn’t open until 8 pm and we wanted a walk and an earlier dinner so Giuseppe showed us where to walk out from the pool side of the hotel to get to the waterfront and the many restaurants. We didn’t ask for nor did he offer a recommendation. It was quite the coincidence that we picked the restaurant of his brother! Maybe one day they will have a hotel with a wonderful restaurant. |
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The brown sign points to Etna sud (south rim.) Leaving Acireale and following the signs through small towns along the way was a challenge, as it was when we were driving away from Etna through small towns with narrow roads and confusing signs. Finally at one point there is only one road, though a choice either north Etna or south Etna. We went south. |
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Our little red Fiat with the top of Etna in the distance. It was a great car; comfortable and roomy for two people with not too much luggage. |
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Just a short walk from the parking area near the visitor center |
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We did walk over to this crater but took a pass on the cable car. Neither one of us wanted to spend the time it would take to really hike so we just walked around a bit, got back into the car and drove back down to our next destination, S. Stefano di Camastra. |
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My Mt. Etna rock which smells quite different from all of the other rocks I’ve collected. |
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Sundial at the visitor center. |
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Another view of Etna |
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Sicily has lots of graffiti; we passed this example on the Etna road. |
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Rest stop on the autostrada looking back at Etna shrouded in clouds. |
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There was a town mid way to S.Stafano that Randal chose as the place he’d like to eat. Only one place on the main street sold any prepared food but it was more pastry like than real food. I asked a woman passing by for suggestions as she understood a bit of English. She asked a man in the shop we were near and he gave me a lengthy set of directions in Sicilian. I guess we must have found the place he meant because we did find a place. It was cute with not such great food. Finding lunch in smaller towns can be problematic unless you want gelato and coffee and more pastry. Apparently the big meal is dinner so folks don’t really pay much attention to lunch. We were so spoiled in Marmaris with our favorite Aciktim doner place. |
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Windmill repair. There is a very very tiny person in the basket of the crane looking as if to be repairing the tip of the windmill. Those things are huge. And the windmills really are everywhere. As well has fields of solar panels. |
