But it wasn't the right bus anyway. We ignored the old man and started heading where the ticket seller told us to go. And we actually saw a bus that said 'airport' on it. But when we waved at it, the driver shook his finger and kept going. Thoroughly frustrated now, a woman nearby came over and directed us somewhere completely different. What choice did we have? So we went as instructed and found...a bus depot! And there we got a bus to the airport.
Of course, that wasn't the end of our adventure. At the airport, we got the keys to our car only to find it was a manual, which neither of us know how to drive. Then the guys at the counter said that's what I reserved, which I know was not the case. Nonetheless, they relented and gave us an automatic at no extra charge. I thought that was very nice until I saw it was a SMART car. If you haven't seen one, here's a picture I took later on compared to normal cars.
It was a feat of modern engineering to get our luggage in at all, and then I couldn't see out the back. But hey, we just went with the flow. At least finding parking was a breeze.Our first day in Sicily took us up the east coast to Acicastello, known for it's ancient castle built on lava rock jutting into the sea.
There we had a delicious seafood lunch and explored the lava rocks around the base of the castle.
Then it was on to Acitrezza, where a series of rocks jutting out of the sea are said to be the stones that the Cyclops threw at Odysseus when he made his escape.
By now we were had become something of experts at navigating in Italy, so we reached our B&B in Puntalazzo with no trouble, despite its remote location. It was a beautiful place, built on an old farm that was still in production, probably the nicest place we stayed the whole trip. We settled in and took an afternoon jaunt to the nearby town of St. Alfio where we visited the local church -
- and from where we were able to see the oldest tree in Europe (estimated as old as 4,000 years), and the largest girth in the world (190 feet). It's trunk has split into three parts, but it's still impressive.
Stephanie and I also found a see-saw nearby and had some fun with that.
I had read that the B&B we were staying at had very good food, so we ate dinner there and were well rewarded. We had fresh ricotta cheese with our bread, a delicious antipasto appetizer, and I had a wonderful rabbit, while Steph ate homemade pasta with a pistachio and panna cotta cream sauce. I'm still drooling. Needless to say, we slept very well. The only bad thing about dinner was how long it took to get the bill - Italians like to linger over dinner. I still say it was worth it.
The next morning, we headed out for a trek on Mt. Etna, an active volcano, and the highest in Europe. We got some great views driving up -
- and when we got there it was a classic volcanic landscape. We were told that the chairlift to the summit was closed due to high wind, so we decided to explore the craters nearby (they weren't active). One in particular was very high and very steep.
Stephanie opted out and that was a good thing. The wind was so strong I thought I was going to get blown of the top. You can see how high it was. There's Stephanie at the bottom...
The only good thing was that it supported me on my way down so I didn't worry about sliding. Fortunately, there were some more manageable craters for both of us to climb.
By the time we were done exploring, I noticed the chairlift had started up again. Stephanie was still a bit apprehensive, so we agreed that I would go.
The chair was definitely swaying a bit, but the trip was worth it. At the top of the lift, it was like being on another planet.
Stephanie and I also found a see-saw nearby and had some fun with that.I had read that the B&B we were staying at had very good food, so we ate dinner there and were well rewarded. We had fresh ricotta cheese with our bread, a delicious antipasto appetizer, and I had a wonderful rabbit, while Steph ate homemade pasta with a pistachio and panna cotta cream sauce. I'm still drooling. Needless to say, we slept very well. The only bad thing about dinner was how long it took to get the bill - Italians like to linger over dinner. I still say it was worth it.
The next morning, we headed out for a trek on Mt. Etna, an active volcano, and the highest in Europe. We got some great views driving up -
- and when we got there it was a classic volcanic landscape. We were told that the chairlift to the summit was closed due to high wind, so we decided to explore the craters nearby (they weren't active). One in particular was very high and very steep. Stephanie opted out and that was a good thing. The wind was so strong I thought I was going to get blown of the top. You can see how high it was. There's Stephanie at the bottom... The only good thing was that it supported me on my way down so I didn't worry about sliding. Fortunately, there were some more manageable craters for both of us to climb. By the time we were done exploring, I noticed the chairlift had started up again. Stephanie was still a bit apprehensive, so we agreed that I would go.The chair was definitely swaying a bit, but the trip was worth it. At the top of the lift, it was like being on another planet.
Clouds were blowing by, sometimes obscuring everything.
I was well above the snowline and all of the rocks were growing little ice flowers.
Then there were times that the clouds would lift just enough that I could make out the coast below. It was like being on the moon and looking down at the earth.
Incredible. The bad part was when they closed the lift again and I had no way to get down. I was also worried about Stephanie because I didn't have a way to contact her. Of course, when she went to the office to inquire about me, they just shrugged and didn't tell her they weren't putting people on the lift, so of course she worried.
After that little adventure, we decided to head back to the B&B and relax (one of the few things we hadn't done much of on the trip. On the way, we stopped in a small town for an authentic Sicilian meal with homemade pasta. We could tell by the way people stared at us that this was a local joint that didn't see many tourists. It was great! We spent that afternoon reading, exploring the grounds, and taking in the views.
What a life! After another wonderful dinner at the B&B we settled down for another good nights' sleep.
From there, we set off on our cross country tour of Sicily. We drove right to the center of the island to visit the sky-high town of Enna. Actually, it's the same height as Dushanbe, but since it's on a cliff, much higher above the surrounding area, it's very impressive.
There wasn't too much to see in Enna besides the view, so we had some pizza and gelato and kept on trucking.
It was a good thing we didn't linger too long in Enna because as we approached our final destination in Agrigento, we were taken on a detour that took us completely off our planned route. Fortunately, the main attraction there is well marked so we skipped the B&B and went straight to the Valley of the Temples, figuring we could get directions from there.
The Valley of the Temples is a collection of Greek Temples that pre-date the Roman empire. They are also some of the best preserved Greek ruins anywhere in the world. It was truly amazing. The only annoying thing was that UNESCO was sponsoring some modern art show in the midst of some of the temples and they were charging extra admission to see those temples. I didn't come all this way to see ancient ruins to have bizarre sculptures in the way. Luckily, I was able to circumvent the offending pieces in my pictures.
We got great directions from the temples to our B&B, which was on a farm at the end of a long dirt road and overrun with peacocks and great views of the valley of the temples.
The owner was happy to direct us to a restaurant on the coast, but before we left, Stephanie was traumatized by the sight of one of the ducks being carried off for dinner. On that note, we drove down to the coast and whiled away the time watching the wind-driven waves crash on the shore until 7:30 rolled around.
The recommendation was great and we had some more wonderful seafood. Back at the B&B, we took advantage of the views to get some night shots of the temples.
In the morning, the peacocks on the farm gave us our wake up call, so I chased them around for pictures while Stephanie was getting ready.
Right after breakfast we hit the road to head back to Catania. Once again, the detour threw a kink in our plans and we got lost a little bit before finding our way to the airport in Catania.
Just like that, we found ourselves at our last day in Italy. Catania is a nice town with a great collection of baroque architecture. We were also reminded of Italy's crack problem. Everywhere we went, we saw people who's pants were riding a bit too low when they bent over. Our host at the B&B was no exception, and, in fact, had a rather severe case.
Trying not to "crack up", we settled in and headed out for a day of what became a culinary oddysey. Of course we saw sights like the Roman amphitheater -
the fish market -
- and the duomo -
- as well as other sights, but mostly we ate. It was wonderful. We had fried rice balls, which is the fast food of Sicily, and cannoli, and pizza, and gelato (at least twice), and buffalo mozzarella, and well, you get the picture.
The guy from the B&B recommended a restaurant where the owner makes all the food herself - even the pasta. We took his advice and were very pleased with the results.
It was a homey place off the beaten path and the food was wonderful. A perfect way to close out our trip. We walked off dinner a little, taking pictures of the city at night, and turned in one last time.
Our cab to the airport was right on time and we had no issues with the flight from Catania to Rome. In Rome we decided to spend what was left of our money and found a chocolate store that offered 70% dark chocolate gelato. We were amazed not only by the price - which was less than most places on the street, but by the gelato itself. Amazingly, it was the best gelato we had on the entire trip. What a finale!
So that's it. Our trip was everything we hoped and more. Looking at the pictures and writing down the stories, I can't believe how much we did. Stephanie and I both agree, it was well worth the wait.
Venice: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/venice.html
Cinque Terre: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/cinque-terre.html
Pisa: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/pisa.html
Florence: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/florence.html
Tuscany: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/tuscany.html
Rome: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/rome.html
Naples: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/naples.html
1-151: Venice
152-224: Cinque Terre
225-286: Pisa
287-384: Florence
385-606: Tuscany (Gropina, Siena, Massa Maritima, Chiusure, Montepulciano)
607-960: Rome
Part 2
962-1040: Pompei
1041-1054: Naples
1055-1106: Capri
1107-1129: Naples
1130-1168: Amalfi Coast
1169-1186: Naples
1187-1233: Sicily (From Catania to Puntalazzo)
1234-1282: Sicily (Mt.Etna and Puntalazzo)
1293-1354: Sicily (Enna and Agrigento)
1355-1391: Sicily (Catania)
I was well above the snowline and all of the rocks were growing little ice flowers. Then there were times that the clouds would lift just enough that I could make out the coast below. It was like being on the moon and looking down at the earth. Incredible. The bad part was when they closed the lift again and I had no way to get down. I was also worried about Stephanie because I didn't have a way to contact her. Of course, when she went to the office to inquire about me, they just shrugged and didn't tell her they weren't putting people on the lift, so of course she worried.After that little adventure, we decided to head back to the B&B and relax (one of the few things we hadn't done much of on the trip. On the way, we stopped in a small town for an authentic Sicilian meal with homemade pasta. We could tell by the way people stared at us that this was a local joint that didn't see many tourists. It was great! We spent that afternoon reading, exploring the grounds, and taking in the views.
What a life! After another wonderful dinner at the B&B we settled down for another good nights' sleep.From there, we set off on our cross country tour of Sicily. We drove right to the center of the island to visit the sky-high town of Enna. Actually, it's the same height as Dushanbe, but since it's on a cliff, much higher above the surrounding area, it's very impressive.
There wasn't too much to see in Enna besides the view, so we had some pizza and gelato and kept on trucking.The Valley of the Temples is a collection of Greek Temples that pre-date the Roman empire. They are also some of the best preserved Greek ruins anywhere in the world. It was truly amazing. The only annoying thing was that UNESCO was sponsoring some modern art show in the midst of some of the temples and they were charging extra admission to see those temples. I didn't come all this way to see ancient ruins to have bizarre sculptures in the way. Luckily, I was able to circumvent the offending pieces in my pictures.
We got great directions from the temples to our B&B, which was on a farm at the end of a long dirt road and overrun with peacocks and great views of the valley of the temples.
The owner was happy to direct us to a restaurant on the coast, but before we left, Stephanie was traumatized by the sight of one of the ducks being carried off for dinner. On that note, we drove down to the coast and whiled away the time watching the wind-driven waves crash on the shore until 7:30 rolled around. The recommendation was great and we had some more wonderful seafood. Back at the B&B, we took advantage of the views to get some night shots of the temples.In the morning, the peacocks on the farm gave us our wake up call, so I chased them around for pictures while Stephanie was getting ready.
Right after breakfast we hit the road to head back to Catania. Once again, the detour threw a kink in our plans and we got lost a little bit before finding our way to the airport in Catania.Just like that, we found ourselves at our last day in Italy. Catania is a nice town with a great collection of baroque architecture. We were also reminded of Italy's crack problem. Everywhere we went, we saw people who's pants were riding a bit too low when they bent over. Our host at the B&B was no exception, and, in fact, had a rather severe case.
Trying not to "crack up", we settled in and headed out for a day of what became a culinary oddysey. Of course we saw sights like the Roman amphitheater -
the fish market - - and the duomo - - as well as other sights, but mostly we ate. It was wonderful. We had fried rice balls, which is the fast food of Sicily, and cannoli, and pizza, and gelato (at least twice), and buffalo mozzarella, and well, you get the picture.It was a homey place off the beaten path and the food was wonderful. A perfect way to close out our trip. We walked off dinner a little, taking pictures of the city at night, and turned in one last time.
Our cab to the airport was right on time and we had no issues with the flight from Catania to Rome. In Rome we decided to spend what was left of our money and found a chocolate store that offered 70% dark chocolate gelato. We were amazed not only by the price - which was less than most places on the street, but by the gelato itself. Amazingly, it was the best gelato we had on the entire trip. What a finale!So that's it. Our trip was everything we hoped and more. Looking at the pictures and writing down the stories, I can't believe how much we did. Stephanie and I both agree, it was well worth the wait.
Venice: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/venice.html
Cinque Terre: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/cinque-terre.html
Pisa: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/pisa.html
Florence: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/florence.html
Tuscany: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/tuscany.html
Rome: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/rome.html
Naples: http://theroadmoretraveled-nicksblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/naples.html
Pictures:
Part 1
 |
| Italy 2010 JPGS |
1-151: Venice
152-224: Cinque Terre
225-286: Pisa
287-384: Florence
385-606: Tuscany (Gropina, Siena, Massa Maritima, Chiusure, Montepulciano)
607-960: Rome
Part 2
 |
| Italy 2010Part 2 JPGS |
962-1040: Pompei
1041-1054: Naples
1055-1106: Capri
1107-1129: Naples
1130-1168: Amalfi Coast
1169-1186: Naples
1187-1233: Sicily (From Catania to Puntalazzo)
1234-1282: Sicily (Mt.Etna and Puntalazzo)
1293-1354: Sicily (Enna and Agrigento)
1355-1391: Sicily (Catania)
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