from Sicily to Sydney

From Taormina, we took two excursions up Mt. Etna.  One to see the volcano, the other to taste the wine. Il vulcano Our first trip was to see the volcano that continues to erupt and occasionally disrupt flights all over Europe when it spews smoke and ash into the atmosphere.  We boarded a bus in the morning and made the trip from seaside up to the Silvestri craters.  From there we boarded the gondola used for skiing in the winter and then into 4x4 minibuses to get to the summit. Some brave and hearty souls walked from the Silvestri craters but we weren't quite up to that.  As you can see, the minibuses were impressive vehicles and they had no trouble with the gravelly lava.  From the top they look so small weaving their way up and down the summit. It was cold up top, but after some hot days in Taormina the brisk air was quite welcome.  Here we followed a guide around one of the two big craters at the top.  These were active in 2001 a...

Taormina -- view from Madonna della Rocca From Catania we took a bus to Taormina, a touristy town in the northeast corner of Sicily.  It's touristy for a reason -- it's a gorgeous little town, perfectly positioned on the side of Mount Tauro with great views of Mount Etna and surrounded by rugged coastline. mulberry & pistachio granita - breakfast of champions! In Taormina, we discovered the joys of granita for breakfast!  Granita is an icy, slushy beverage served with or without whipped cream.  It can be eaten with a spoon, through a straw, or as the Sicilians like it best -- with a brioche bun.   I guess that makes it more breakfasty??  Unlike a Mister Misty, granita is just slightly sweet, and flavored with natural ingredients like nuts, fruit and coffee.   So far, my favorite flavors are mulberry, pistachio, peach and lemon.  Eric especially liked coffee (of course) and almond granita. Our 6 days in Taormina ...

That's a direct quote from Eric and it's so true!  To us, Sicily is like the rest of Italy at max volume -- crustier (in a good way), more colorful and more energetic than other regions we've visited.  We are excited to spend the next month here, exploring this fascinating island! Here's how it all began... waiting for the bus to MSP airport with 43 pounds of 'stuff' in my backpacks Eric trying to stay awake for dinner After a long journey from Minneapolis to eastern Sicily by way of Amsterdam and Milan, we arrived in Catania -- a gritty city at the foot of Mount Etna.  A feast of meatballs including one made with horse meat (which is tastier than it sounds), and a glass of Etna red wine helped us recover from the trip.  We ended the evening with amaro and a Bellini on the rooftop of our hotel (thank you, Mike & Marsha!). Bellini lived in Catania, so it seemed only right to honor him in this way. a Bellini in Bellini's hometown ...