Siracusa/Ortigia

It is hard to believe that our 5 nights here in Ortigia has come to an end.  The evening walks, passeggiata, have been the best so far.  Ortigia is a lovely island just off of Siracusa, and has been inhabited for around 12000 years.  There are two natural harbors, plenty of fresh water and therefore this place has been sought after for a long time.  If you study your ancient history, and I'm not a scholar in that regard by any standard, you'll read about the absolute prestige that Siracusa held in the ancient Greek time, at one point around 2500 years ago, it was the most powerful Greek city.  Now Siracusa has wonderful ruins, both a Roman and Greek (still in use) theater, as well as the connection to Ortigia.  The island "city" is chocked full of amazing architecture, lovely restaurants and warm people.  Our stay at the Terra e Mare B&B was nice, a great staff, absolutely wonderful breakfasts, a cozy room that was kept immaculate, and a good location to walk the island and see the sights.

So 5 nights in Ortigia, what did we do?  Relax, eat, drink and be merry.  

We spent a nice day driving south, to the "Southest point" in Italy.  Ok its not but the translation is classic and I didn't hang the sign.  It is the southern most of Sicily.

 

Got some beach time in, it was nice.

 

We also went to the Archeological Museum and park.  We saw more 5th century BC ceramics than you can imagine.  It was very interesting to see how man has evolved and how life using bones as tools was carried out.  Our trip to the outdoor archeological park was a bit rushed as we were very hot and had done plenty of walking.  I did get a few shots of the Roman theater, the Greek one was being set up for a performance in the next coulpe weeks.  This modification to the theater, wood benches where needed, the floor covered and other things really detracted from the experience for me.

I hope you like my new mustache, its a theater afterall.

 

We explored Ortigia for day, getting into the cathedral was great.  The original temple was repurposed in the 1400's, adding some structual dethails, even rooms, however leaving the remaining columns.

If you look very closely at the last building on the left side of this first picture, about 2/3 up, you can see the top of the old Doric columns.  Those were just surrounded and filled in when religious leadership of the city changed.

 

 

The main piazza on Ortigia, piazza Minerva:

We checked out the Castle Mainace, built about 1250.

 

 

On Ortigia is the Temple di Apollo, the oldest Doric Temple in Sicily, dating to the 6th century BC:

Temple di Apollo

 

 

 

The final one for today is a little creepy.  This picture is of an active dig in Ortigia and looks like a community toilet.  However it was used as a catch basin when people died, they set their bodies above the holes to let it decompose until deemed appropriate for burial. 

 

So much more we saw, the camera guy is slacking a little, its vacation afterall.

We spent our final day in Sicily on Mt Etna, that will have to wait for the next entry.

-Ciao a tutti!

Sciacca-->Siracusa

We departed Guiseppe's Porta Bagni B&B on Friday mixing in a little Murphy's Law, the card reader at his place wasn't working.  He offered me the opportunity to pay him later via PayPal or bank transfer but he was so nice, and the place so comfortable, I told him I'd go to the bankomat to get some cash.  Down the 4 flights and a nice walk to in town, while Kathie sat double parked waiting, and then back up to the B&B; naturally his machine worked when I returned, slightly perspiring.  All is well and when we get to our write ups for our stays his will receive high quality marks.

We drove east, through Agrigento and actually saw some of the temples and ruins near the road.......they looked pretty much like the other Greek temples and some rocks; we made the right call the day prior.  We then headed north to Sicily's navel, Enna, a city on top of a hill that for centuries was the most difficult place to capture by an invading army.  At an elevation of about 3000m and a straight cliff up this place has remarkable views across the Sicilian landscape.

Looks like the navel of Sicily from this Goolge map screenshot:

 

 

A cool story from Enna's history:  The Syrian born slave Eunus led a revolt from 135-132 BC in Enna.  The city was so easily defended, as you can see from the dramatic cliff sides, that the Roman army had to surround the town and starve them out as they couldn't recapture it.  

Here is Eunus' statue, the breaker of chains behind a maintenance fence near the Enna castle which is just left and off the above picture.

 

 

Naturally I flew the drone, it was really windy:  Enna

We arrived in Siracusa, the island of Ortigia, around 5pm and checked into our B&B for the evening.  Looks like a great choice for the next several days.

Ciao

Scali dei Turchi & Sciacca

We started east on SS115 from Sciacca to Agrigento, following all the guide books telling us that the Valley of the Temples was the best this, must see that, etc.  But as we discussed our desires on the drive, avoiding all the tour buses, and having seen Sellinunte, Segesta and plans for Paesteum we decided that our Greek temples and ruins were satisfied.  So we excitedly pulled into Scali dei Turchi, the Turkish Steps, as this was a can't miss place on our list.

Let me tell you it did not disappoint.  I have never seen a place that was so far removed from what I think of as real/of this world as Scali dei Turchi.  Its just incredible; the bright white contrasting with the sea, the ripples in the rock worn by countless years of waves lapping at them, the beauty of the water, it was remarkable.  We parked down the hill for free, always a bonus, and once we got our first glimpse after about a 5 minute walk it looked like something out of a movie set.

Here's some drone footage, pretty awesome I think:  https://youtu.be/sBC0FG0-3O4

 

The enoromity of the steps and the ease of their access is just awesome.  We walked right up and had a seat with a large group of others in the general area.  After a few minutes of chatting I ventured further down the cliffs to fly my drone and find a way down what is the backside of the cliffs from the above picture.  I found a decent spot to descend and made it down to the water for a swim and what turned out to be my own little rock.

 

Where there is beach then I will be swimming, just went in with the shorts I was wearing.  Here's a little video from the GoPro: https://youtu.be/jQJ2kVG0Zjs

My little rock

 

From the drone

 

From the road above when we departed.

We then took a drive to Ribera to get some of the tastiest spreads, think Nutella only better.  Scyavuru, pick some up if you find it; pistacchio is my favorite, but also almond or hazelnut; they also make jellies that are so good.  We've been amazed and now realize why every conquering army in history wanted this magnificient place: not only is it beautiful with abundant fresh water, it is a breadbasket of wheat, fruit, nuts and olives among other things.  Here's a good view from the drone:  rural SW Sicily

We finished the night in Sciacca, our final night there, with a delicious meal of pasta that was too large to finish, along with complimentary appertivo and digestivo (think pre-dinner open the stomach and post meal help digestion----both are alcoholic of course.). The Italians do it right!

Ciao!

June 8th, slow & Selinunte

June 7th ended with a splash, a splash of too much red wine.  Ahhh, the beauty of this trip is not trying to cram everything into a few short days.  I finally got rolling and we headed to nearby Selinunte to view the 2600 year old ruins.  Our drive was total backroads, Strada Provinciale (SP) as opposed to the Superstrada (SS) or Autostrade (A) roads, checking out the countryside and vineyards around SW Sicily.  We stopped for a minute and took in a great view overlooking a valley off SP79 and it just so happened there were about 2 dozen oranges on the ground, looked to have spilled from a truck or perhaps intentionally discarded as most were brown.  But not the one I picked up and ate, it was good; however it was so juicy I wouldn't recommend eating road refuse in the car.

We arrived in Selinunte, bought the full 6 Euro tix to see both the Temple and Acropolis, which required transport to a second location about 1k away.  We did not opt for the optional/additional cost golf cart transportation and walked to the Temple, a couple hundred meters.  It is huge, one of the largest Greek temples remaining, and its completely wide open to walk though.  While the Temple is now standing again, the surrounding area has a large number of unearthed ruins that are literally just piles of rocks.

 

If you look closely on the horizon left of the temple you can see the Acropolis. 

 

We hiked back to the car, enjoyed a granita di limone, think lemon slushee only much better, and took the car to the Acropolis.  The views from these spots make it very apparent why the Greeks, and later Arabs and Romans, coveted this area for not only beauty but security and the fertility of the land.

Acropolis drone video

 

 

The ruins were great but the Mediterranean was calling.  We hit up a beach on the way back to Sciacca, Lido Fiori, Via degli Oleandri, 19, 92013 Contrada Fiori Sud AG, Italy.  I really needed to get in the ocean.

 

The night ended with pizza and wine, trust me the wine is happening everyday whether mentioned here or not.  I had a Vulcano (spicy sausage and eggplant), Kathie a caprese pizza, from Pizzeria Arco Antica.  Tasty!

Ciao

Erice & Segesta - 7 June

Buon giorno a tutti!

We had a long drive into Sciacca, "Shocka", as we stopped at US Navy Base Sigonella to do laundry and pick up some things.  Finding the base was a challenge as we maneuvered near Catania.  At one point we stopped at a gas station to review our maps and a nice guy came over to help.  After a minute his buddy joined him at the car window and asked if we had a Tom-Tom, GPS.  We said no and he looked at us, shook his head and waved his hand as if we were total knuckleheads and deserved to be lost, he quickly walked away.  I suppose it is easier with a GPS but between the cost for our length of stay and the fun in getting lost, seeing things you wouldn't otherwise and interacting with people it just isn't the way we roll.  Needless to say we made it after about a 30 minute exercise of trying to figure out where to go next; we now have our bucket and detergent for a small load to be washed via bouncing as we drive around the countryside, ala "Travels with Charlie", let's hope it works.

We found a nice place near the port, B&B Porta Bagni and Guiseppi our host has made it very comfortable.  From here we're about an hour's drive from several desired spots, including Erice and Segesta.  Once out of town, which in a relatively big city is a challenge itself, we sped toward Erice, I got that little cinquecento (Fiat 500) up to 160k/100mph on the autostrade, and then we enjoyed a nice walk around the town.  The cobblestone streets and corridors were very cool, however the views were the draw for me.  Erice is on top of a hill just outside of Trapani on the west coast of Sicily, we're told on a clear day you can not only see Mt Etna but also Tunisia (Africa).  I couldn't see either yet the beauty of the island is amazing.

Here's some drone footage, Parrot Bebop 2 and I'm super glad I bought it.  

Some still shots below:

 

From the castle atop Erice looking at the NW corner of Sicily.

 

 

 

We rode the cable car up and back from Trapani to Erice, very convenient.

We then headed to Segesta, one of the most dramatic and wonderful ancient ruins I've seen. The temple is about 2700 years old and built on a hill next to a cliff and valley, difficult to capture the sheer beauty of the location and temple itself.  

 

Still shot from the drone

 

 

Several repairs have been made to keep it standing, it really is remarkable.

Here's some video from the drone:  Segesta

We didn't go to the theater ruins, it was a mile hike up another hill or a fee to take a bus, we were ready to head back and will see plenty more on our trip.

Chalk up another lovely day in Sicily.

Ciao!

Stromboli-Bronte

Here's a couple short videos of our hike up the 3000ft active volcano:

Hiking

Stromboli

The day after our hike was a nice, relaxing vacation day.  Absolutely nothing, yep, that's what we did.  I walked the main part of the island, flying the drone up and down the beach, video, we did some shopping, had a magnificent nap and an evening meal from Bar Ingrid.  Bar Ingrid is named after Ingrid Bernstein who starred in the 1950 movie Stormboli.  We had a great sunset meal of pizza and wine, and some good fun with our waiter.  After the bill he brought us complementary dessert sweet wine and the best almond cookies money could buy, at least as far as myself and Giorgio Armani are concerned.   

We departed the following moring on the hydrofoil back to Milazzo, picked up the car and headed to Bronte to spend the night.  Driving over here is fun, but the challenge of it after dark is just too much so we had to sleep at the foot of Mt Etna before proceeding on, tough right?

 

The hydrofoil was really cool.

 

Mt Etna in the background......we'll see it again in about a week.

Honestly though we didn't sleep much at the La Fucina di Vulcano, there was a teenager birthday party that rented out the small hotel that evening.  They danced and had music going until 12:30am, on a Sunday no less, good thing we didn't need to be anywhere.  We slept in and had a nice big breakfast, including a piece of cake made with the most famous item in Bronte, pistacchio.  Ok, I had 2 pieces, it was that good.

Bought me a bottle of pistachhio digestivo as well, like limoncello only with Bronte pistachhios.

Ciao a tutti! 

Stomboli, hiking the volcano

If there was ever a place I'd recommend for a honeymoon its the Aeolian Islands.  While our stay was brief and limited to Stromboli, the ports we saw, the relative ease of reaching and traversing the islands, even daily on the Ustica hydrofoil, enables one to see some of the most remarkable natural treasures imaginable.  Do your research and visit, you will not be disappointed.

We arrived on Stomboli about 11am on Friday, slipping into the Hotel Ossidiana with ease.  Our room was the basic European style one would expect, however out our bedroom window was the volcano and out the bathroom window was a sunrise view of the Med.

 

Stromboli @ sunrise

 

As requested (via email) the hotel had booked us on the volcano trek that evening, so after a nice pasta lunch at Pizza Da Giovanni we took riposso to rest up for the hike.  Riposso is basically a loose timeframe from 1-4pm daily that the country of Italy naps, fits right into my perfect day!!!  Rested and ready we proceeded to Stromboli Adventures, met our guide Hugo, an Italian guide who routinely hikes the Alps yet took a special interest in us.  We then started the slow but steady climb up 918 meters, 3011 feet, at 5:10pm with a group of 16 people, us the only American couple.

The views on the way up were spectacular, the climb not so much for a guy that isn't in as good of physical shape as I slowly strive to attain.  Steep, the sun blazing as it began to set, and the volcanic sand so deep that many times it literally covered over the top of my hiking boots.  Yes, I bet 20% of the climb and 50% of the descent (a different route without the multiple switchbacks) was through soft, black sand.  Needless to say I was perspiring just a little, however the discomfort is easily forgotten when you reach the first ridge at sunset and watch Stromboli erupt before your eyes!  We did take multiple breaks on the ascent, short and up to 10 minutes; when we reached the ridge to see the first crater and sunset we had a nice 30 minute break to view the activity, watch the sunset, and allow the groups already at the summit to view and exit prior to our arrival.  The trekking leaders did a great job ensuring we all made it safely, timing departures and grouping like hikers, to ensure pace and maximum viewing time.  

Here's a few shots from the ascent, the first crater with a spectular sunset, and the sad/sorry couple of shots I got at the summit.  It was so much better in person, especially as my camera work was poor on this particular event, so I put the camera away and just enjoyed the magnificent natural display of a volcano erupting 5 different times in about 75 minutes of total crater/summit time.  Stromboli is continuously active, belching small amounts of lava from the crater which lies about 150 meters below and 200 meters away from the summit.  At this distance we were deemed safe, though in America there would have been a rail or something around the top; however Italians and Europeans in general figure if you're dumb enough to fall into a volcano then you deserve that fate.

 

In the piazza getting ready

 

Before the hard hiking began

 

We made the first crater to watch the sunset and 3 separate eruptions

 

Final push to the summit

 

Usie at the summit

 

 The summit

The descent was not rigorous but challenging mentally.  Hiking down a volcano in the dark (with a headlamp), soft sand covering your foot with nearly every step down a steep decline, causing so much dust we had to wear dust masks and creating difficulty seeing the groud, it was quite a unique exprerience.  

 

I specifically told myself prior to departing on our vacation that I would not be drinking any beer, wine only as this is Italy.  Let me tell you beer is the only thing I desired after that climb;  Kathie and I each smashed a large Messina lager as soon as we returned at 11:10pm.  We slept well that evening, so well we missed breakfast the next day.  Not to fear, Daniela & Grazea from Hotel Ossidiana prepared us a feast of salami, proscuitto, cheese, yogurt, tomatoes, fruit, juice, cappucccino, brioche, scrambled eggs----it was all so good and so appreciated.  They served it with smiles and bent over backwards to ensure we were happy, just couldn't ask for more from those ladies.

Ciao.