Category: 2017

Nicolosi lies in the shadow of Mt Etna and has come close to lava flows in the past so taking the thought that eruptions don’t occur in the same place twice, we considered it a safe bet to stay there for a couple of nights. 

We followed the signs of the Giro riders on the road up the mountain past the black, gravelly mountainside dotted with tufts of green, round, flowering plants.

We ignored previous advice and only packed light clothing but the warning of 4℃ had us in hired jackets.

Up the chairlift, into the Jeeps as they were called, along a winding road, in and out of the clouds to a park near where eruptions occurred in 2001. 

When I saw how the guide shed was secured to the ground, I had some concerns for the wind chill factor at this 2900 m level. It was cold.

Led up the path by the guide, we were told the smoke from the crater was just steam and that there will never be an eruption from this site again. We were pleased on both counts as the steam escaped from everywhere on the path and freezing hands need some way of being warmed. Scratch the ground with a shoe, steam escapes and just warm the hands on the campfire.

We were mildly disappointed not to see the bubbling red stuff but the BBC crew visiting in March still have burns that are healing so we were happy to escape with many photographs and a couple of pebbles in our pocket. I hope it keeps erupting, just a little for Nicolosi’s sake, as there were many who took souvenirs. Soon it’ll be as flat as the Nullabor.

Just a side note on a slip of the tongue:

Someone was heard to say in Pompeii.

“These ruins are amazing. Just look at how well they are preserved. And Mt Vesusius is so close. Just imagine if there was a volcanic erection while we slept tonight in Pompeii!”

That moment should be preserved in stone for thousands of years.

9 June, 2017

The Vatican Museum held some treasures so we wondered what natural delights Capo Vaticano might hold. The dreadful state of the country roads in this part of the world lead us to believe we are often on the road to nowhere but Tom Tom gets us there. The Cape was grand and even the graffiti self-destructs over time.

The ferry for Sicily leaves from Villa San Giovanni. You drive to the port, find the large signs that say, “Imbarchi per Sicilia” and buy the ticket at the office that says in large lettering, “BIGLIETTO”. I assumed the man directing people was the ticket office assistant but he turned out to be a man earning his living from the gullibility of foreign tourists.  I thought I was in Morocco again. He directed me to a sign as large as the ferry itself and then asked for a, “Leetle some theeng for mee!” I had one of those laughs that don’t carry a lot of joy, the one that means he got me. As I tossed him a coin, he joined in my laughter, the type that means he got another one.

The ferry over the Straits of Messina was just a twenty minute ride over an azure sea then we were on the road to Milazzo.

We still had lots of time in the afternoon to tour the very impressive Castello.

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We made it home for the sunset over the Aeolian Islands, of which Stomboli is one. It managed two puffs of smoke while we were enjoying a cold one on the balcony.

Before heading south into the mountains, we had time to swim at the famous local rock pool on the Cape. 

8 June, 2017

A long day in the car got us to Tropea, a lovely town perched on the cliffs high above its white sandy beaches.

We strolled around the three storey buildings of the old town. It was quite lively and many buildings were being tidied up to take advantage of increased visitor numbers. This building showed a good contrast between the old and the new.

The specialty of the region is red onions and the shops sold them in great numbers. Some were as long as sweet potatoes.

We ate pizza and drank beer and wine in a cafe.

We wandered around the streets waiting for the sunset. I chatted to the street vendors. This man offered a trip on his  boat but we were heading off in the morning.

Some lanes were made for donkeys but cars and bikes squeezed down them all the same. Earlier I decided not to attempt this street in the car. Others had no concerns.

With tell tale plumes of smoke rising from its crater, Stomboli, the volcano appeared on the horizon as the sun set. But a 10-16mm lens does not cut the mustard for volcanic craters 60 kilometres away so views of the beach will have to do.