Catania

We left Lipari, caught the Ali scarf to Milazo port, which was a much nicer boat trip! Then we got a cab transfer from Milazo to Catania! (Thanks to our family connections in Lipari! Otherwise the leg from Milazo to Catania would have been slightly uncomfortable for the ladies!)



We stayed four nights in Catania. Probably could have done with three. It was a beautiful city, with some great places to eat, and once again a shit load of Patacerias. Sicilians LOVE their sweets, and boy can you tell! Their slightly larger people on this ball of Italy compared to the boot main land!



Once we wandered around Catania, we spent a day in Taormina, Sicily's glitzy resort town. It looked slightly like the Amalfi Coast, and the large throng of tourists kinda wrecked it for me. They came in bus loads! It was full of Americans and Russians so it was nice to return to Catania in the evening. We've adjusted to european eating times of 10pm dinners and waking up bloated! No wonder all they eat for breakfast is a brioche and a coffee! Everyones still digesting dinner!



The next day we had planed to do a tour of Etna Volcano. We were going to get a private Jeep to take us up there, though the company called to say the jeep had a flat battery and that they'll be running late. An hour later, a very flustered english lady arrives at our hotel and apologies for the vehicle difficulties. We hoped in the jeepand began our trip up the single lined street. While filling out three waver forms for the anticipated excursion, it became obvious that our english guide was having problems with the clutch and stalls it in the middle of the street! Hot and bothered and now extremely flustered she begins to dial base while a man from the traffic behind jumps in the car and throttles the gears to park on the side walk! He explains the obvious, that the gears are stuffed, and go directly to the mechanic! Then our english guide relays her phone call of which her company informed her to simply open the glove box, and use the bottle of oil for the gear stick and keep going! How italian is that! Mum said thankyou, and got out of the jeep and we all walked back to the hotel for a sleep!



The nap did everyone good, as the hour delay for the tour was spent waiting in the hotel Lobby with the owner of the hotel exhibiting her newly discovered opera voice! (i got up and went for a nap and left Nonna and Mum stroking the owners ego! Bravismo! )

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