 Gabriella, Our Guide for Palermo | |
Sunday, March 19, St. Joseph’s Day
No one in my realm seems to get excited about St. Joseph’s Feast Day like we do for St Patrick’s. However, this is an important Sunday in Sicily where St. Joseph is the patron saint of all Italians. So, my hat is off to St. Joseph and to Guiseppe, our guide and the Saint’s namesake.
After breakfast, we all gathered on a minivan for our 90 minute ride to Castelbuono, east of Palermo. The ride took us along the north coast of Sicily with great views of the Mediterranean. In addition, the landscape is flooded with high peaks and valleys where apparently the Marshall Plan after World War II sprung for a number of tunnels through the high hills and almost mountains. It reminded me of driving through Pennsylvania, only the there are many more tunnels and superior engineering accomplishments here in Sicily. Several of the tunnels were quite long. We turned south about 10 minutes from our destination in Castelbuono. We followed a very windy road with terrific scenery in all directions until we came to this town of almost 9000 people high in the hills. After three days of dealing with cars going every which way on the streets of Palermo, it was great to be in the countryside and able to walk without much fear of getting run down by a car or a scooter. However, the streets were very narrow and we did have to make way for the an occasional car going by.
We learned about the donkey plan to pick up garbage for the town under the guidance of rehabilitated social outcasts. It is a cool idea for a small town that has been in place for 20 years and has cut way down on crime in the town. We heard all of this from the mayor who was gracious enough to open his council chambers on a Sunday and give us a history of the town. Castelbuono has many retired people living within its boundaries and many have two homes, one in town and another in the country hillside two or three miles away. It sounds like a very unusual community. They produce an abundance of grain for the country and use it to make delicious sweet tasting breads. There is also a tree that produces a sweet tasting substance that they use for sweetening candy and other tasty morsels. We had a chance to sample some of the various products made with this substance and they were delicious. The company has a retail store across from their confectionary headquarters that sells all of these products. I bought some orange marmalade for the family that would host us for lunch.
Guiseppe took us on a walking tour of the town, including a climb to the top of the castle where we saw the chapel and the marvelous views of the surrounding countryside. The building is now a museum and is home to many works of art from the region. When we visited the main square of the town, we were given a lesson in embroidery stitching by two marvelous young women. I failed the needle and thread test badly, but it was still a pleasant experience.
Our visit concluded with a chance to meet a local family who asked us to help prepare lunch both for us and for members of their family. I decorated a marzipan dessert. Others made a croquet appetizer, which was quite tasty. The meal was enhanced with an excellent pasta and red sauce. There was also plenty of wine to help wash everything down. It was not only a very filling meal, but a very fulfilling experience with this family. They were extremely gracious and we spent a couple of hours relaxing and having a very good time. One of the joys of an OAT trip is the home visits that occur several times during a tour. This will go down in my memory as a very favorable experience. It was nice, because our whole group stayed together with the single family for the luncheon.
In the mid afternoon, we said goodbye to the family and to Castelbuono and headed back to Palermo. It was another good day, quite different from the previous one, but most enjoyable.
I was able to make it to Mass at the church just up the street from our hotel at 6:30 PM and then stopped for a quick couple of pieces of pizza and a beer at the Pizza Factory, my favorite little place just down the street. I wrapped up the evening with my ambitious effort to keep up with this journal.
 On the Way to Castelbuono  The Trash Removal System of CB | |
Monday, March 20
We left our hotel in Palermo this morning and went immediately to a nearby suburb high up in the hills. The name of the town was Monreale. We had to climb a significant number of steps to get to the village at the top of the hill, but I was able to do it without the aide of a taxi. My trusty walking stick was all the help I needed and by taking my time, I found the climb to be manageable. Our local guide led the way and like Gabriella in Palermo, she was excellent in her speaking and in her knowledge of the history of the town. After leading us up the steps and through some narrow streets where cars were not allowed, we gathered in the town square where the beautiful old church was located. Our guide talked largely about the beautiful mosaics provided by both Arab and Byzantine designers. The church was built quite rapidly in around 10 years. She spent a great deal of time explaining the biblical and religious images portrayed so beautifully in the mosaics. I have provided a number of photos that give a much clearer description of these images than my words. Her explanations, however, added a great deal to our appreciation of the church enjoyed by both the king and the bishop.
We were given some free time to wander the streets and take in the panoramic views from the high elevation of the city over Palermo. The photos help to tell that story. I then headed back down the same stairs were I ascended to join my group of travelers for the next phase of the day’s journey, which was for lunch at a impressive restaurant farm along our route to our final destination Mazara del Vallo on the south western shore of Sicily. The farm/restaurant was located in rolling hillside slopes and valleys. Because the road was somewhat primitive, we had to take a smaller shuttle into the restaurant about 2-3 miles inland. The scenery of the agricultural fields, vineyards, and the isolated historical structure of a Greek temple, pictured in the photos below. We enjoyed local wines and foods along with great bread and olive oil, all produced by the farm. It was one more very special experience where are group enjoyed the fruits of this marvelous agriculture setting.
After lunch, we were given the option of walking back or waiting for awhile and taking the shuttle back to our bus. I knew that making it all the way back would be a challenge for me, but I chose to walk, because the shuttle could eventually pick me up along the way. My goal was to make it back to the place where the shuttle had stopped on its way in to let us take photos of the Greek Temple perched on a hill in the distance. The photos of the landscape below tell the story of the hills and valleys, the lush fields with vines and colorful spring flowers. My trusty walking stick, together with my slow steady pace kept me moving onward until I reached my goal and the shuttle took me the rest of the way. Other walkers were well out in front of me, but I was fine and thrilled that my long habit of walking prepared for this significant challenge. The whole luncheon and hiking experience were again a very special part of the engaging trip.
We had about an hour’s ride to our hotel, the Mahara in Mazara del Vallo just across the street from the beautiful Mediterranean Sea on the southwestern coast of Sicily. My hotel room is of a smaller size, but quite comfortable. Unlike our first hotel, the Mahara has a bar where I enjoyed a glass of wine with Jay and Pam before meeting others from our group for a walk along the shore line with Guiseppe to dinner a short walk away. I tried to eat light at dinner with a salad and a tasty piece of swordfish. The conversation at the table was delightful and we laughed a lot about anecdotes of humor in our various lives. We were the only ones in the restaurant at 7:30 on a Monday night and the staff treated us very well along with the delicious food and wine.
We were back at the hotel at 9:00 and I fell into bed. I did sleep for almost five hours straight, but once I woke up, I was unable to return to my slumbering ways. It was an incredibly busy day with many physical challenges to my walking abilities, but I was able to weather the brief rain showers and the ups and downs of the steps and the hills, capturing wonderful photographic memories along the way.
 Our Guide explains the Church with its Islamic touches | |
Tuesday, March 21
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 Mazaro del Vallo on the Mediterranean  Walking Mazara with Guiseppe  Islamic and Christian Influences | |
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 Mazara del Vallo Beach in AM  Our Guide at The Sea Salt Beds  Sea Salt Production Process | |
Thursday, March 23
We left Mazara del Vallo at 8:30 this morning for a long day on the road. Our destination was a quaint sort of B&B in the agricultural district of east central Sicily. However, on the way we stopped at Agrigento, the location of very famous UNESCO designated ruins of Greek and Roman temples. Our guide Salvatore led us on the mile long walk along the ridge where the temples reside. The Temple of Juneau was in depleted condition, but the second temple that resembled the Acropolis in Athens was in excellent shape for being 2500 years old. Salvatore, and archeologist by education gave us complete an thorough histories of the three temples that stretched along the ridge that protected the city. The Carthaginians were the destructors, but it was the Romans that attempted to restore these ancient buildings. As usual, I took many photos on our hike and they do a better job of showing the history and the beauty of these marvelous ancient structures.
We stopped for lunch at the beautiful home of Marcelo and Rita who served us a delicious vegetarian lunch and gave us the descriptions of their organic gardens and the process of food preparation, particularly for the dried tomatoes and the olives. Olive oil with various herbs from the garden added adventurous tastes and textures to their luncheon offerings. As usual, the wine flowed and the conversation continued to flow right along with the wine. After lunch, Marcello shared with us his family’s passion for Sicilian cart making. The photos help to tell the story as he explained the art of his father that was passed on to him. He demonstrated the various steps in carving and engineering the carts. They designed the carts to be perfectly balanced, so as not to put too much strain on the horse. The carts were used to bring products into town. Marcello used members of the group to demonstrate various steps in the manufacturing and driving process. OAT prides itself on finding local people who share the magnificent culture with we, the travelers. This was one more surprise that was very special.
We left Marcello and Rita and continued onward to our final destination here the rural village of Piazza America and the quaint Villa Trigona where we are spending a single night in this very special accommodation. I am providing some photos of the Villa. The proprietor, Mimmo, and his staff served us an excellent meal of starters, bow tie pasta with pesto sauce, and pork, roasted potatoes, and a mixed garden salad. He topped it off with a choice of creamy desserts topped with delicious sauces or you could choose a a piece of tiramisu. In this villa, there are beautiful small sitting rooms, places to walk to view the countryside. This place is just one more surprise that makes every day on this trip a brand new adventure. As our group begins to get to know each other better, we carry on a banter and a lovingly teasing conversation that brings smiles to our faces. All of this is joined with delicious glasses of Sicilian red and white wine. At 9 PM, we rose from the table and retired to our rooms. I was bothered at first by a barking dog that would not stop somewhere in the rolling hills and valleys of the rural setting, but eventually, by closing the window, I lost the noise. This an authentic old villa that emits culture in its architecture and appointed artifacts, furniture, and beautiful wall hangings through out the villa. As Guiseppe says often, “ What a country.”
Friday, March 24
I had the good fortune to begin my day with the sun rising behind the trees during a stroll outside the Villa in the early morning coolness. I walked to parts of the property where I did not walk before and shot a number of photos of the early morning brilliance of this rural countryside. After breakfast, we left at 9:00 AM to travel to our destination in Ragusa where we will stay for the next three nights into Monday morning.
A few miles down the road from the Villa Trigona, we stopped at the Villa Romana del Casale, and ancient excavation (fourth century AD) in the nearby countryside of an huge Roman hunting lodge where the family had commissioned many rooms of mosaic floors that took 10 years to install. The lodge had been covered by a landslide in the 12th Century and then discovered in the 20th century. Our guide was Katya and she spent a couple of hours explaining all of the images to us and the purpose of each room in the huge lodge, the accompanying apartments of the owners, and the basilica where celebrations occurred. These types of visits do not always thrill me and I became a bit bored with this. Our guide knew her stuff and did a good job of explaining the beauty of the mosaics, while keeping us moving along. I am not sure why museum type visits do not capture my imagination, but unfortunately they do not. The photos will help to tell this story about the lushness of this country Roman estate.
We finished about 11:30 and continued on our way to Ragusa with a stop at a local winery where the owners, two sisters-Angela and Valentina, provided us with a wine tasting and a delicious assortment of tapa type plates of appetizers, followed by a chicken dish and a small dessert. The wine, two very pleasant reds, one light, one heavier, were most enjoyable. Somewhere in the middle of the meal, I remembered it was a Lenten Friday and I did not eat the chicken, even though I had consumed a piece of ham and sausage at breakfast and at the beginning of lunch due to my forgetfulness. As usual on this trip, we enjoyed wonderful conversation during lunch while learning about the history of the winery and the involvement of the two sisters. After lunch we took a short walk where Angela explained the vineyards and the process of the wine production. These wines are DOC wines, which means that they are recognized for their quality. After lunch, we proceeded in mid afternoon to Ragusa about 45 minutes away.
Ragusa is an ancient town built on hillsides. The lower town was destroyed by an earthquake a couple of hundred years ago and the community rebuilt the town on the upper level of the hills. Our modern hotel, however, was built into the hillside cliff of the lower town which houses the main piazza and several churches. My room is about medium size with a beautiful view of the countryside and the upper part of the town. I am on the second floor, but we take the elevator to the fifth floor to walk the main piazza. We went with Guiseppe to watch a local ceramics artisan demonstrate her craft in the beautiful little store that she and her husband own on the piazza. I hope to return and purchase some gifts on Saturday. After the visit to the ceramic tile shop, Guiseppe led us on a brief walk along the main piazza pointing out shops, restaurants, and other areas of interest. We stopped at a local restaurant on the piazza for a buffet meal of various small appetizers. This time, I avoided the meat options and enjoyed a bit of fish, vegetable lasagna, salad, and egg plant. I washed it all down with a tasty local beer that was a nice variation on all the wine we have been having on this trip. It was a cool evening, so we did not waste time returning our hotel, just a 10 minute walk away. I was in bed by 9. The TV is a little more accessible here than at other points of our trip to date, but after watching only a few minutes of the news, I turned off the lights and fell asleep after another incredible day in Sicily.
 Villa Romano Estate w Mosaics | |
Saturday, March 25
We began our first full day in Ragusa with a walk around the town with a local guide, Elenora.
She basically took us on a route around the lower city of Ragusa. She foreshadowed our walk with a discussion of the map and then just led us on a walk around the city with historical anecdotes and explanations for the various Baroque architecture that permeates the town. It was a spirited walk, but one that was easy to keep up with. The key element in Ragusa was the complete destruction of the lower town in the earthquake of 1693. From that point on the town needed to be rebuilt and restored. The Cathedral of San Georgia is the center piece of the square.
Guiseppe had given us a preview of part of the town the night before when he led the walk to the restaurant, but this morning we saw the other side of the town. As usual, I took many photos of the narrow streets, cliff side dwellings, and beautiful landscape scenery beyond the walls of the town. We ended our walk around 11:30 AM and then Guiseppe took us to the home of his friend, the Maestro, a musician who played in support of several famous opera singers in Italy, including Pavarotti. The Maestro, Salvatore by name, had lived in his small home for many years and over that time period has collected many beautiful art objects, including paintings, ceramics, and a myriad of other treasures. His home is filled with these objects and has been recognized by the major of Ragusa as a very special place to visit in Ragusa. His home appears quite ordinary outside, but its anything but ordinary when you step inside as the photos in the slide program below attest. He performed several pieces of Italian music on his piano and was a most gracious host.
We had from noon to five to find our own way. I stopped and had some gelato at a well known shop on the plaza before returning to my hotel for a little rest. I worked on my photos from the morning for a bit, but about 3:30 went back to the ceramics store we visited on Friday night. I purchased to medium sized hot plates. They are a bit heavy and I am concerned about how to get them back to the states. They are gifts for Lou my neighbor and cousin Barbara. I also bought a gift for our home visit host tomorrow at the embroidery shop of a very talented woman. I am finding that is quite fun to buy gifts that our original and handmade by local artisans. While sipping a glass of wine, on the Piazza, I wrote my first poem about the trip. It needs some additional work, but I may have begun to meet my small goal of writing a poem summarizing the joys of this trip.
At 5:00 PM, we jumped on the bus for a ride to the neighboring town to Modica, a town not unlike Ragusa, built into the impressive hillsides and country landscapes in this area of Sicily. Our great treat was to ride in eight vintage Fiat 500s, little cars built in the last century that have been preserved by the local Fiat club of some 60 members in Modica. It was great fun as I rode with Myriam and our driver, Vincento, through the incredibly narrow streets of Modica. It was like being on a rollercoaster, except the tracks were the very narrow streets up and down hills that left room for very little else as the eight Fiats rallied their way through the streets. It was great fun and a just one more exceptionally unique experience on this trip.
We stopped at a local chocolate making shop where Valeria demonstrated how this company makes delicious chocolates mostly by hand. We saw the process of how the chocolate bars are made and we were able to sample many different types of their packaged chocolates, including a a sip or two of chocolate Liqueur.
At around 7:30, we walked to a nearby restaurant where we enjoyed red wine, homemade bean soup, chicken and roasted potatoes, and a cannoli. Myriam gave me her cannoli has a special little gift for our ride in the yellow Fiat earlier. After dinner and another adventure packed day, Enzio, our loyal bus driver, drove us back to the hotel in our trusty bus. Italy goes on daylight savings time tonight, so we will lose an hour sleep and now be 6 hours behind the east coast of the U.S. as opposed to the five hour difference since our trip began.
Here is the very rough draft of the poem that I wrote earlier in the day:
Travels to Sicily
Jay Voss, March 25, 2023
Why do I travel
To far away lands?
To discover the hidden,
To form new relationships,
To enjoy nature’s bounty
In new ways, with new friends.
I find a sense of freedom
Not found in other actions.
This time I am in Sicily
Terry’s place of ancestry.
I think she would have enjoyed it.
We have drunk much wine
Tasted native foods
Met local families
Artisans, musicians,
Wine growers, auto clobbers,
Discoverers, and talented tour leaders.
Our guide,Guiseppe, is special,
Kind, attentive,creative, funny,
Possessing great knowledge
With experience as a capstone.
Every day has been new
My legs ache at the end
But my stomach is full.
My pallet receptive to the wine
White and red,
And my brain eager to
Record the joys of the day.
We have another six days here
In the land of many peoples.
What new surprises await
Here in Regusa and then Catania?
Guiseppe knows, we discover.
And still more to come.
In Guiseppe’s words
“What a country.”
Sunday, March 26
Each day here in Sicily is a new adventure. Our guide, Guiseppe, has been a master at keeping us on our toes with exceptional experiences with the local people in the various areas of Sicily that we have visited. Today was no exception. My expectations for today were not all that high. We were scheduled to spend the morning and and early afternoon on a farm not far from Ragusa. It sounded like we we would be doing some work with the host family and enjoying a meal with them. We rode through the beautiful hilly countryside in this southeastern corner of the island, up and down hills, around constant curves, with exciting scenery everywhere. When we arrived at our rural destination, we had a little trouble meeting up with our hosts, but eventually we connected. Most of the group walked into the farm house. I chose to ride in rather that walk the uneven unpaved road. The group picked some vegetables along the way while the five of us who rode in with the hosts waited. My expectations were still at the moderate level. Every experience to date on this trip has been rewarding and this visit to the farm was no exception. While we waited for the others to arrive, I shot some photos of the surrounding farmland, the beautiful flowers blooming in the vicinity of the farm house, had some chats with my four traveling companions, and sat quietly taking in the quiet surroundings on this sunny day in the country.
When the rest of the group arrived, we settled into a beautiful stone walled dining hall to listen to the tale of Valeria and Domenico who decided to move to the country from the nearby village awhile back. There was their friend, Salvatore, who was the chef for the meal yet to come and Valeria’s Mom who helped with the luncheon and would later demonstrate her ability with the embroidery needles. While Guiseppe translated, we heard their story about moving to the farm, raising calves for selling to the markets as eventual cuts of veal. This was a part of their income. They showed us how they bake their bread from scratch with flower, yeast, water, and salt. They form the bread into interesting shapes. We would later have chance to try the group’s efforts at bread making.
While we waited for the bread to rise, we went outside and watched Domenico demonstrate his talents with splitting rock for the walls that he was commissioned to build in the area, a source of much of their current income. Domenico is a strong muscular man who wields a powerful hammer and carving tool to shape the rocks for installation. He showed us how he splits the large rocks into smaller ones with the hammer and then demonstrated how he uses the sharp axe tool to chip away and shape the rock into useable pieces for the potential walls.
The raising of the calves produces some income, but the cost of the process does not result in great profits. The eating of veal by many Americans is not a welcome situation. However, these calves are raised in an open environment and sold to the processing companies for slaughter. Perhaps, this is another controversial topic, but the calves are not raised in the type of environments that are found in the U.S.
After about 40 minutes of watching Domenico display his wall construction talents, we regathered in the dining space for our lunch. The starters were amazing. We had small pieces of lasagna, delicious bits of pork sausage, artichokes, a small sandwich of cheese and sun dried tomatoes, and several other tasty morsels of appetizers. All of which, we washed down with excellent red wine. This was followed with an excellent pasta in red sauce with a tasty sausage link on top. We then had the main course of chicken and roasted potatoes, followed with an after dinner choice of liqueur. What a meal, prepared by Salvatore and the family. We asked questions and Guiseppe translated the answers.
After the meal, we have our hosts the small gifts that we brought with us. I had purchased a small embroidered doily the day before in Ragusa and Valeria seemed to appreciate the gift. She had several beautiful embroidered pieces in her cupboard, made by her Mom.
This has turned into a much longer memory of the event than I originally thought I would write because this experience with the sharing of the cooking and rock wall talents of our hosts, I felt this was one of the best experiences we have had among many on this trip. As I said at the beginning of this daily reflection, this experience more than met my expectations and reinforced for me the generous sharing of the Sicilian people across the island.
We arrived back in Ragusa around 3:30. I rested for awhile and then headed off to Mass at San Thomassina Church located near the gardens at the end of the Piazza. I found the church, which was about a third full for the 6 PM Mass. I did not understand a word, but the priest, and older Sicilian padre gave an impassioned homily that caused me to conclude that those who still attend are rewarded with inspired thoughts. The congregation was largely older women and a few older men. However, there were younger adults in attendance and a few children. I have enjoyed how easy it has been to find services to attend in Sicily. I am grateful that OAT has built in the time for travelers to make these types of choices.
After Mass, I wandered back up the Piazza to the Gelato place where I sat with Myriam and Andrea for a time. I chose not to get a Gelato, because I was a bit chilly. I enjoyed my chat with the two women and decided not to eat anything and headed back to the hotel. While sipping a cup of green tea in the common sitting area on our floor, ran into Carl and Amy where having a glass of wine and playing “Hearts.” I joined them for awhile in the Breakfast room and shared a glass of wine with them. On my way back to my room, I ran into Harriet and Carol in the sitting area and sat and talked with them some more. We were joined briefly my a traveler, Ilsa from Greenwich, CT, a member of another OAT group in the hotel. I share all of this because this was a perfect ending to an exceptional day of interacting with Sicilian people in the countryside, taking many photos to document our visit, continuing to enjoy the ambiance of Ragusa, and ending the day having pleasant conversations with several members of our group. Tomorrow we head to Catania with a stop in Syracusa along the way.
 Visit to the Farm Outside Ragusa | |
Monday, March 27
We left Ragusa at 8:45 AM and headed toward Syracusa, an hour and a half down the road. It was a different sort of ride from the last several days in that we were largely on flatter terrain, although Mt. Etna was in the distance. It is clear to me that some fatigue is beginning to set in as my feet and legs are rebelling against all of the walking that we are doing. I am doubling my steps over what I usually walk at home which is good because of the increased amount of food intake with the excellent meals we have had on this trip. Today was not exception in that I logged close to 12,000 steps, but consumed a Margarita Pizza for lunch and a piece of lasagna for dinner.
We stopped in Syracusa for a walking tour of the city with Elenora, the same guide we had in Ragusa. She took us along the narrow streets on the island of Ortigia, which is just across the bridge from the Syracusa main city. You can not drive cars on the island, so we walked from one end to another as our Elenora explained the history, gave us a tour of the main church, and led us by the many shops that dot the area. Our walking tour lasted about an hour and a half. We were then given about two hours of our own time to explore the island, have lunch, and shop. I stopped for the pizza at a place recommended by Guiseppe and enjoyed an excellent pie with a local beer to wash it down. I stopped into a store on the way back and bought 3 tee shirts for Jacob, Stella, and Landon. I also looked for a gift for Gina, but without luck. There were a lot of souvenir shops, but I was looking for something originally created by locals. There were some options, but I passed them up. We met back with Guiseppe at 2:30 and proceeded back to the bus. It was interesting that there was an OAT Mediterranean Cruise ship in the harbor that I was able to capture on my camera.
The other interesting point about our stop is how close we were to Canicattini Bagnie, the village of about 7000 where Terry’s grand parents were born and raised. We were just 20 minutes away. Guiseppe said they could not drive through the village for technical reasons related to OAT’s itinerary for this trip. However, Elenora gave me some information about the town, one where she has thought about buying a residence for herself. She talked about the appeal of the town and how it has become more popular recently. She also invited me to participate with their ancestry group on zoom. I will check with Pat Melluzzo when I get back to see if she has any interest.
We arrived in Catania around 3:30 and had to walk several blocks to our hotel because tour buses are not allowed into the central city. More walking and more stress on my feet, but I made it. Our luggage was delivered soon after and I settled into my hotel home, the Romano House, for the next four days. Our hotel is super modern in style and sort of sterile with all kinds of light and curtain switches that have taken a little time to master.
I wandered down to the bar for a beer and relaxation. Except for the bartender, I was the only person there. At 6:15, we met Guiseppe in the lobby and he led us on an initial walk of the center city areas, ending at a Restaurant called FAB where we had one more fine Sicilian meal. Harriet, Carol, and I decided that we will forgo the military museum visit tomorrow morning to recuperate some of our energy from this exhausting, but fulfilling trip to Sicily. Unfortunately, my feet are beginning to rebel against all of the walking and I want to preserve the the enthusiasm I have for shooting the beautiful sites of the Amalfi Coast beginning on Friday. I found that on my last OAT trip, I began to lose my edge when I went to Sante Fe. I do not want that to happen this time.
So here I am at 2:00 AM, writing today’s journal entry after 3 hours of sleep. I hope this interlude will entice my body to renter the sleep mode. I need a couple of more hours at least. We have three full days left on this main trip before we head to the Amalfi Coast on Friday. I hope that my feet and legs hold out and that my weight stays somewhat in balance with all the good food and wine we are enjoying.
Tuesday, March 28
This was a lighter day, giving me a little break from the torrid pace we have set on this trip. I had decided the night before that I would not go on the first activity of the day to a museum tour describing the invasion by the Allies of Sicily in the Second World War II that began the turn around that would lead to Normandy and the winning of the war against Hitler and Mussolini. No one was raving about the experience when they returned, so I figured it had been a good time to take a brief break from the pace.
I had time to put some laundry together to send out and also to take a walk along the main way to check out the post office and the formal garden park next door. It was about a 3/4 mile walk and gave me a nice little start to the day. I met Harriet and Carol in the lounge downstairs in the hotel around 10:45 to wait for Guiseppe to come to get us for a guided walk to the city square and to the fish market where we would have lunch.
Joosie was our guide and she talked about the architecture and history of Catania for the first hour, including an in depth explanation of the main square where we observed the cathedral and the city’s mascot, the elephant. It was a pleasant walk and we heard about the damage caused by earthquakes and eruptions on Mt. Etna over the past several centuries. She then led us into a bustling fish market where the photos will demonstrate the great variety of creatures from the sea that are on sale on a daily basis. In addition, there were cheeses, meats, and vegetables. It was much like the market that we saw in Ragusa, but perhaps even bigger. We stopped for lunch at a nearby restaurant and had an excellent meal of sword fish. The restaurant was rustic and provided a wonderful ambiance for conversation.
After lunch, we headed back to the hotel for some down time before another presentation later in the afternoon by a government vulcanologist and a woman who actually lives in close proximity of Mt. Etna. He talked about the history of the volcano and all of the technical analysis that goes into trying to anticipate the next eruption and how serious a lava flow might result. It was interesting to hear about the different fissures that have opened up and the potential dangers that they cause. Our woman presenter who was a transplant from Prague spoke of why she enjoyed the challenge of living close to the mountain. She talked about the managing of the volcano dust that can cause damage to the roofs of homes and also damage to the lungs. She was more than willing to put up with the challenges in order for her and her boy friend to observe the beauty of the somewhat frequent eruptions that occur every several years. It was an interesting presentation, given in the cool basement of an old restaurant structure that even housed an underground water flow related to Mt. Etna.
My sinus issues have begun to bother me again and I was coughing during the presentation. I decided to not out to dinner with several others because of the disruptive coughing. Instead, I settled in at the hotel bar and spent a couple of drinks talking to Kathy, Jean, and Hildie about the trip and what some of our concerns were about the current hotel and Catania. We talked about the parts of the trip we liked the best and the least, but we all agreed that it was a great trip that would soon end. They left for dinner at an Irish Pub, and I wandered over to a table to talk with Carl and Amy. We spent the next couple of hours talking about various aspects of our lives, which made the time pass, but with rich conversation. I was still coughing, but they tolerated me and we left the bar around 8:30. My sinus issues created some sleeping problems. It is 4 AM and I am recording this entry, so what else is new. I hope that I weather the sinus storm as we travel to Taomina today. Note, that is the name of my favorite Italian restaurant back in New Fairfield, CT.
 Joosie, Our Guide in Catania | |
Wednesday, March 29
We traveled an hour or so up the road to Taormina, located height above the Mediterranean with beautiful views of the water, shoreline, architecture, and countryside. The photos will hopefully tell more of the story than these words about what we saw and learned. Our guide, Florina, a high school friend of Guiseppe’s, led us up the main passage way of the town between the Gates of Messina where we began our hike and the Gate of Catania where we would explore later in the visit. We walked past shops in this town that attracts many tourists even early in the season. We viewed beautiful scenes of the sea, Mt. Etna in the distance, the Italian mainland across the straights, and the blending of sea, shore, commercial and residential structures.
Florina led us to the famous Roman theater that sits high in the city and explained its history, the destruction by earthquakes, and the current use of the theater that is still in use today for plays, concerts, and other gatherings. I climbed the steps to the very top of the viewing stands, which provided even more dramatic scenes for my camera. The climb was a bit taxing, but I am glad that I did it because the whole experience of visiting the theater brought back memories of the Roman Coliseum that I had visited back in 2011 on a short visit to Rome. The viewing of the the theater took most of the time that Florina spent with us, but it was a worth while experience just for the sheer beauty and wonder of the place. The seating sits in the sun, so performances in the summer daylight can be brutally hot, but they mostly take place in the evening with cooler breezes blowing into the open theater from the sea. Our guide attends one or two performances a year at the theater and so is a credible source for the value it brings to the community of Taormina.
I would see photos of Taormina in Gina’s restaurant back in New Fairfield, CT and was in awe of the beauty of those scenes. Now, I was here, and could take my own photos and the experience was breathtaking.
Florina left us after the visit to the theater and we were on our own for the next two hours. However, for 20 minutes, we joined Guiseppe at small shop where we learned about the various uses of NUTS in a pesto spread, cannoli, pastry filling, and gelato. The owner shared his products with us and they were quite tasty. This was one more discovery provided by Guiseppe that added to our total visit, but also to our particular experience in Taormina. I was temped to buy some products as gifts, but decided not to.
For the rest of the time, I wandered the Main Street of Taormina passed many shops, restaurants, and a couple of very pleasant plazas with beautiful views. In one of the plazas, there were two musicians playing music while some young people danced along with an older man in demonstration of joy and just plain fun.
As I wandered back to the bus, I purchased gifts for Gina, Cousin Barb and husband, Don.
I am done with my purchasing, but I am concerned that I am going to have a luggage weight problem flying home. I hope I can get away with my carry on and a back pack to carry on the plane. Perhaps I should just bite the bullet and pay for an extra bag.
We were back in Catania by late afternoon. I am fighting this chronic sinus induced cough of mine, but somehow it did not stop from enjoying the day. I went to a local pharmacy to buy an antihistamine, which I am reluctant to take, but at least have with me for the remainder of the trip. At 5:15, we had a wonderful musical presentation from Georgio in the hotel lounge. He played some classic Sicilian instruments that are no longer in fashion, like wooden flutes-once played by shepherds, a tambourine drum, two flat wooden pieces, a vibrating instrument that he played in his mouth, and the mandolin. It was a great presentation, some of which I captured on video that I hope I can share below.
We then walked to a nearby restaurant for our final dinner as Sicilian travelers. It was a very pleasant meal with a photo enhanced cake provided by Guiseppe for dessert. I spent a few minutes with a Jack Daniel’s and several of my fellow travelers back at the hotel before calling it a day. Just one more full day left on this incredible journey, which has been such fun. Our last day is a visit to Mt. Etna, which has been a visual presence to us throughout the last half of the trip.
Thursday, March 30
This was our last full day in Catania and in Sicily. It was to be spent exploring Mt. Etna, the massive volcano only an hour away from Catania. We heard the presentation by the vulcanologist and mountainside resident earlier in the week, so we new the history of the eruptions, and heard about the seismic and other data clues that can suggest that an eruption is imminent. We drove to the mountain in SUV vehicles, an interesting change from the van we have had for most of the trip. I sat in the front seat with the driver and was amazed at how quietly aggressive he had to be in moving through intersections with oncoming cars almost playing chicken, scooters shooting in and out, and pedestrians expecting cars to stop so they could walk across the street. It would drive me crazy driving here as an outsider. I suppose they are used to it and think nothing of the minor competitions that occur at each intersection as they drive through town. We made. it to the outskirts and to the main roads that would take us to Mt. Etna. It was a clear, sunny, beautiful day. The top of the mountain was quite visible and we saw a cloud of steam coming from one of the vents. This is normal for the pressure to be released consistently and did not signal an eruption.
We arrived at the lodge where the hike would begin. We had already met Nick, our guide, who was also in charge of the drivers. They were in constant contact by walkie talkie communication the entire drive. Nick had prepared us for the hike on the drive to Mt. Etna.
Twelve of us went on the hike, three stayed at the lodge for the 90 minutes or so that the hike would take. NIck led us down the lava trail that was composed of loose volcanic ash, almost like the loose sand on the beach near my home in South Carolina. We were given ski poles to help us traverse the tricky volcanic material. The hike had some slightly up hill and down hill climbs to it. Nick explained the vegetation that was there and the eco system that supports it. There beautiful white birches and pine trees that could survive the dry earth, animals were they vehicles for spread seed that would encourage tree growth. The squirrels and related animals release the seeds from the pine cones and they work and play with them. Occasionally a seed finds fertile ground and grows. However, there is plenty of empty volcanic ash surface with just a smattering of vegetation. Eight people from our group climbed the steep hill to view one of the volcanic vents about 115 feet up a steep slope. I did not. I was concerned that my breath would be an issue. I hate it when I cannot do an activity that others of a similar age can do, but knowing my limitations is better than the alternative. I took many photos, including of those who trekked up the hill.
After the eight returned, we all went back to the beginning of the trail to meet up with SUVs and drive a couple of miles down the road for lunch. We ate a full lunch that was quite good at a rustic restaurant that caters to hikers. I had the rolled swordfish while others had a pork based meat ball or veal on a stick. We drove back to the hotel around 3. I started packing to leave tomorrow for phase 2 of the trip to the Amalfi Coast. My sinus issue is still with me, but I feel OK, and except for the coughing, I am getting through it.
We met at 6 in the bar for a fair well toast and good byes to Harriet, Carol, Andrea, and Hildi who are leaving the trip at this point to go home. They decided to forgo the post trip to the Amalfi Coast. Guiseppe said his farewell words, since he will leave us at this point. We thanked him. He gave us a gift of a glass pine cone, a common ceramic piece in Sicily. Harriet did a magic trick, I read my poem, several others made very positive comments about the trip. It is time to leave Sicily. It has been a wonderful experience as I hope these words and photos convey. Onward to the Amalfi Coast.
 Venting to Let Off Pressure  Looking Out from Mt. Etna | |
Friday, March 31: Travel Day to Naples.
Our trip to Sicily concluded, we said goodbye to Guiseppe and flew to Naples for a visit to the Amalfi coast. It seems counterintuitive, but we flew two hours north to Milan and then an hour south to Naples. The flights were smooth and on time. We arrived in Naples at 10:45 in the morning. We met our drivers at the airport who then drove another hour south to Maiori, a village on the Amalfi Coast. We drove high up into the hills on a very windy road and then down the other side. I was in the far back of the SUV, but was not bothered by car sickness. Others were.
We arrived around 12:30 and checked into our rooms. We met our new guide for the next five days, Anna Zito. She is new to the OAT stable of guides and has a supervisor along with her to assist her development as a guide. She has a heavier accent than Guiseppe does, which for me makes her a bit harder to understand. It is not always easy for us to adjust to a new guide after spending two weeks with a seasoned pro like Guiseppe, but it is also not easy for Anna, who is learning the OAT way as a sequel to the exceptional trip to Sicily we experienced. She took us to a nice restaurant for lunch just across the street from the hotel. I had penne and red sauce with chunks of egg plant and a glass of wine. Our waiter was a bit of a grouch, but he turned out OK and the lunch went well. I forgot my hat, but the waiter chased after Myriam and gave it to her. One more save for the Wisconsin hat.
I am still suffering from my post nasal cough and the fact that I did not sleep well the last night in Catania. I caught an hour’s nap before joining the group for an introductory meeting with Anna. She introduced her colleague, Pietro, who seems like a supportive mentor for her. After we heard a little bit about the next five days, Anna led us on a walk through the coastal street in Maiori that borders the beach in the town. The waves break somewhat gently toward the shore and presents its clear, blue, Mediterranean Sea. We found shops and places to buy groceries. We had a little discovery at a Gelato shop where the owner talked about the family ownership over four generations, showed us how to make gelato, and then Anna bought us a cup of gelato with a choice of flavor(s), an opening gift from Anna. We walked back to the hotel and I decided that this was going to be the extent of my day. I had consumed a good lunch, had a great dish of gelato, and needed some rest to try and lick this sinus problem. I walked back to the hotel with Myriam and Anna and then had a nice 15 minute chat with Anna on the couch in the lobby of the hotel. In her early forties, she is a cat lover and I believe is eager to give us the typical OAT experience for the next five days. We had the benefit of having one of the most experienced and professional guides in Guiseppe. Now, we have the opportunity to help a new guide become proficient. That is a nice goal for the next give days.
So, my hotel room is quite modern and overlooks the beach front of Maiori. The bed sits too low and is causing me some leg cramping issues. I am also struggling with my sinus situation. My hearing was affected for much of the day because of head congestion, and the pressure on my ears caused by the plane flights. I experienced some significant hearing loss, but it seems to be clearing up. This old body is struggling to live its way through this three week trip, but I want to persevere and will keep moving forward. However, here it is, almost 1:30 AM and I am up writing this journal. I have had close to five hours sleep already and hope to get more. The bed, however, has its challenges and I am trying to find ways to adjust. Tomorrow, we explore the Amalfi Coast. The weather is the most questionable on this trip so far, so that is an unknown factor. More on this saga of traveling discovery tomorrow.
 Hotel in Maori and First Day | |
Saturday, April 1
First of all, this allergy related head and throat thing is not going well. I am coughing way too much and I am just not all there. I have energy to do the walks. I am eating well, and able to tolerate the bumpy van rides. However, my condition is getting to me and I am beginning to worry that the trip may be affected.
We went to Amalfi today, which like Maori sits on the east bank of the Mediterranean. It is just a few miles from Māori, so after some more hair turns through the hills above the sea we were there. Alessio, our guide took us through the central shopping area, bringing us to the plaza and eventually leaving us at the boat docks ready for a 30 minute ride to view the beautiful sights of Amalfi from the water. It was the highlight of the visit to this city. The seas were relatively calm an I was able to take many photos of the rock formations, hillside terraces of lemon trees, and and ancient and newer structures built into the side of the deeply sloped hills. It reminded me of Cinque Terra.where there are five villages, one after another built into cliffs high above the sea. Those villages are connected by rail while the winding roads up and down connect the Amalfi Coast villages. Tomorrow we see more towns and other famous villages in the area.
There has been much opportunity for hiking along the streets and pathways. I have done some, but sat out on others due to this head and throat problem. I decided not to go on a trek up a hill to a lemon garden this afternoon. Apparently, the group met someone who was willing to share his agricultural craft with them.
We had our opening night dinner tonight at a local restaurant across from the beach in Maiori. It was a pleasant fish dinner with a great dessert and the usual glasses of wine. Anna’s personality as a guide began to shine today and even though she is new to OAT, she will be a great guide with a little more experience. Her enthusiasm is infectious and that is her secret ingredient for success. Her colleague Pietro sat next to me. He and I had a nice talk at dinner about the whole OAT process and how Pietro came to be involved as a program manager at OAT and a trainer of new guides. He has the same OAT enthusiasm for the job and clearly loves the work that he does.
We walked back to the hotel after dinner around 9 PM and I made an effort to get some sleep, but I am writing this in the wee hours of the morning and I may struggle getting sleep. I am considering taking the whole day off tomorrow and just resting. I will miss some of the beautiful sights, but it may be the wise thing to do. I am hoping that this problem I am having is not too serious. I really want to finish the trip and there are only four more days to go.
This is a shorter entry tonight because of my medical issues, but I took plenty of photos that should enhance what happened during the day.
 Alessio, Our Guide in Amalfi | |
Sunday, April 2
I am tired. My body is rebelling against the quick pace of this long trip. I decided to take the morning off today and not go with the group to another couple of villages on the Amalfi Coast. I was not even sure if I would go to Poisitano later in the day. Instead, I wandered down the street to Santa Maria dI Mare Church and attended the Palm Sunday Mass. The congregation, one of the largest I have seen In Italy, went outside to bless the palms and then followed the priest as he Marched back into the church. I did not understand a word of the service, but I was glad that I chose to attend this third Sunday Mass on my trip to Italy. It is unusual that I am able to attend Sunday Mass because of the tour schedule, but this time it worked out.
I rested for awhile and then went to lunch at the restaurant across the street from the hotel. I had spaghetti with ragu meat sauce, which contained a chunk of well done roast beef. It was a different approach to eating a meat sauce. The group returned from their morning visit at 2 PM and then I joined them for the trip to Positano. It is difficult to know why this happens, but at some point on these trips I become saturated with high cliffs, cliff side architecture, and views of the sea. It can be different for each trip, but it happened on this one yesterday. It is not the fault of Anna the guide. She has a tour to lead and although there are choices she has, she is limited to the published itinerary. Positano is cliff dwelling village with homes built into the rock everywhere. Yes, it is beautiful, but we have seen plenty of views like this on this trip. The shopping in Positano looked to be the best yet, but as the trip comes to a close, my shopping is done, my suitcases filled to the brim, and I have no need to continue.
The other problem is the extensive walking we have to do to and from the bus. In the case of Positano, we walked down hill to the water below when we arrived. We were given some free time to wander in the narrow, shop filled streets. I shot some photos and.then went with the group for wine and appetizers. It was a pleasant interlude, but at the end, we had to walk all the way back up the hill to find our bus. I had assumed the bus would be at the bottom of the hill to pick us up. It was a grueling walk for me at the end of the day. Anna could have warned us bout the walk before hand and given us a choice to stay closer to the bus, eat at another point and then join the group for the ride back to Maiori at a designated time. She did not. Anna, I believe, will become a very good guide, but the key for her is anticipation. She needs to know her group and what they can handle and then provide choices. By giving us the choice to not walk down to the bottom of Positano, she shifts the responsibility to us. She needs to give us more information about what lies ahead on the difficult walks and visits. Guiseppe did that very well, but he is a long time OAT guide with significant experience. Anna should reach that point of professional experience after a few more trips. Anna, just remember, anticipate, anticipate, anticipate. This is delivered as constructive criticism to potentially a very good guide.
The walk from the restaurant to the bus was long, uphill, and taxing on the old ticker. However, we all made it. The ride back to Maiori was quicker than rite going to Positano. The curves were the same, but the darkness of nightfall made it difficult to see all of the potential drop offs into oblivion. I went to to bed immediately. I will pack for our final destination, Naples, tomorrow morning. I had another restless night sleep with my sinus cough and red eye conjunctivitis creating some problems. It is clear that I am willing and ready to head home to South Carolina.
Tuesday, April 4
I decided to take a day off and address my congestion issues. Anna recommend that I not go on the trip to the Herculean ruins. I did not go. Myriam had suggested the use of her eye drops to address my red eyes. I did and it appears that it is helping. I rested in the morning. When the group returned, they said it was an interesting trip, but it was cold and that helped to alleviate some of my disappointment. I went out to get some Euros from the nearby AMT and then I walked down to the pier across the street from my hotel to find lunch. I wandered into a very Italian restaurant where it was difficult to communicate with the waiter because of language, After a few false starts I was able to get a lunch I could eat. The first one had shrimp in it and that was going to be a problem. I ran into Myriam at the restaurant, so we ate together and talked. I ordered linguini with a variety of shell fish, not shrimp. It was good and I enjoyed the meal. If i had known better, I would have chosen a more user friendly place for lunch, but having Myriam there was a plus.
Around 4 PM, Anna and I went to the local pharmacy to try and prepare for my plane flight home. I needed more antihistamine, some cough medicine, and some gum for traveling on flights that I hope will help with the air pressure. My ear canals are plugged and I am concerned about the flight home. Anna and I had a nice chat on our walk to the pharmacy.
I had a glass of red wine in the evening. My lunch was enough to get me through until breakfast. I went back to my room about 9:00PM and got ready for bed in the hopes that some of these congestion issues would begin to clear up. Only one more day. I am ready to go home.
Wednesday, April 5
My typical worry on these trips is getting home. This may be no exception. I fly through Paris tomorrow on Air France and the French people have called for a national strike tomorrow. That could mean that my flight from here is canceled to Paris or if not, my flight from Paris to Atlanta could be cancelled. Every glowing word I said about this trip has been called into question during the last few days as I have fought my congestion issues, which include watery eyes, plugged ear canals, and my usual post nasal drip cough. No real nose congestion at this time, but one can only hope that stays the case. I have not ventured out with the group the last two days.
Anna has been helpful in translating for me at the pharmacy and making suggestions as to what I should do, including talking to my doctor at home. This sort of thing has become a constant on these sort of trips that are incredibly interesting, sometimes exhausting, but subject to my body going into various forms of rejection. It is not the guide’s fault. It is not OAT’ fault. It is my fault for continuing to challenge myself with these fascinating trips. So, the question becomes, should I modify these challenges? Should I quit traveling to far off places and stay closer to home. There is a danger in slowing down, but the stress of discomfort and problems are affecting me.
Tonight is our farewell dinner for the Amalfi portion of the trip. I will have more to write later. We had a talk on the Mafia organizations peculiar to the Naples area. Since my hearing is way off due to this congestion, I could only take in the slide program that accompanied the speaker’s presentation. There was a good deal of repetition about the characters in the Sicilian Mafia, so that was helpful in understanding the comparisons.
Anna led us on another long walk to the restaurant. It was almost all uphill. She could be a bit more sensitive to some of us older folks who struggle with meeting some of her expectations. We had wine and enough pizza to last for a year. Myriam asked for a cab to ride back to the hotel. Four of our group lucked out with the cab. Walking back, however, was not so bad because it was downhill.
With all of this allergy stuff going on with me, I am dreading the flight home, but 3:30 AM will come soon and the “fun” will begin.
Note: The last two days of this trip did not go well for me because my sinus and ear issues. Therefore there is only one set of photos to align with these last two days.
 Mt. Vesuvius in the Distance | |
Thursday, April 6
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Going through customs was long and time consuming, but I made it through without incident. I retrieved my luggage and then proceeded to have it rechecked and to go once again through security, which went well. I made it to the next flight on time, but ran into a problem with my seat assignment. However, after some stress filled moments, that problem got resolved. I got on the plane for the short flight from Atlanta to Charleston. I arrived around12:30 AM on Friday April 7, which was 7:30 AM Naples time. As usual, my troubles were not over. My luggage on the transfer did not make the flight, but at least they had it and said I would get it the next afternoon, which I did.
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It was the travel day from hell, but I was home and seriously considering never traveling long distances again. That means the trip to France in the fall is at stake. I will take some time for the dust to settle before I cancel, but cancelling is a strong possibility.
I need some time to write a final reflection on this trip. All of these allergy issues truly marred a marvelous trip. I did get to enjoy Sicily very much and am glad I went, but in retrospect, perhaps I should have come over at the end of that phase. The Amalfi Coast is beautiful, but gets repetitious after a few days. I enjoyed the trip to Pompeii and the ruins from the volcanic eruption of Vesuvius. It was a cool day and I was having trouble with my hearing, but it was worth while. I particularly liked the villages of Maiori and Amalfi on the coast. The scenery was exceptional, but looking at homes built into the seaside cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean just got old. The walking was quite challenging for me and we had an inexperienced guide whose passion for her job was real, but sense of awareness quite thin. She was very helpful to me in getting medication for my allergies. Anna’s heart was in the right place, but the sense of knowing her audience and what to do about that knowledge needs some work.
PostScript:
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