Sicily; filthy city's, phenominal icecream,spectaular eruptions!

Day 500 !!!!(24/8/09)
After a hearty Italian breaky (concious of the potential for addiction to Italian coffee) we set off on foot to the Caputchin Catacombs. Home to 8000 Palmerians bodies. The catacomb was initially filled with Caputchin Monks in 1599 and soon became burial choice for professionals, priests, men, woman and children. The body's were preserved by one of three methods, 1) Injection (which is believed to be the technique used for the best preserved and most famous 'Sofia" little girl), 2) Dipping in Arsnic or Lime or 3) most commonly straining for eight months in a cell and then washed in vinegar before being exposed to the air. Dressed in their Sunday best it is an amazing and unforgetable sight!
From here we got the bus to Monreale, home to the 12th century Duome Cathedral, with an astonishing 6400sq metres of mosaics depicting Gods creation in seven days, Noah's arc and Adam and Eve.
After lunch (pizza of course) we jumped back on the bus to Palermo, back on foot we past the Cappella Palatina (Palace), the Palazzo Reale and famous Teatro Massimo (theatre).
The heat wearing us down we stopped for some essential Gelati retreated to aircon of our room for a siesta. We ventured back out into the slightly cooler climate and down to the port for a beer and some antipasto. We had dinner at Bellini restaurant over a bottle of wine as we practiced our Italian with a point and hope approach for dinner.

Day 501
Up early, we were disappointed to miss breaky as we left for the bus to San Vito. Feeling the effects of too little sleep and too much wine we napped on the bus arriving two hours later. We made our way to the nearest camp site (Camping Fata) and set up (only to move it an hour later in search of the breeze passing between the campervans). We stopped at the Tourist Info for some info and maps, booked a cruise for that evening along Zingaro's Reserve and got lunch (starving!).. more pizza. Then headed to the beach to cool off. Alicante's title of the perfect sea temperature was then destroyed with the near tepid ocean perfect for swimming in for hours. Our time was limited however as we made out way to the port for out cruise aboard 'Maria'. We were immediately welcomed by our enthusiastic host, who was utterly shattered when he was imformed we didn't speak Italian. But it didn't stop him for entertaining us as he sang, danced around the boat and pointed everything out ensuring we didn't miss a thing.
A few of our fellow passengers disembarked with the news of some rough sea, and even with a Kwell each we were kinda nervous. We set off on the beautiful turquoise ocean, along the coast line of the Zingaro national park. We stopped at for a swim and then continued to Spacculo for another swim with the fish. Back on board we had a wine and nibble as we cruised back to port, spotting a couple dolphins along the way.
That evening we had dinner were Carly mistakenly tried the local speciality Fish Cous cous and Jez a lovely risotto.

Day502
After a long hot night in the tent, we walked into town for some breaky and waited for our bus to Palermo. Once we arrived in Palermo we made the 20minute walk to the central bus station with 20kg packs in 35degree heat and got the next bus to Catlina. We arrived two and a half hours later and were pointed in the direction of the bus station to purchase our tickets to Taormina. Much to our surprise the next bus for Taormina left in 15minutes. Less than an hour and half later of spectacular views along the coast line we arrive in Taormina. Having not booked ahead we searched for the tourist office, after some directions from a kind Italian gentleman we arrived at presumably his friends B &B with only the 'dungeon' room left a single with just enough room to fit foam mattress on the floor. Convinced we could do better we found some extremely expensive internet and soon discovered the hostel was our best option. We rang ahead and were informed that the owner would be there in a hour. After some blatently poor directions from the taxi driver offering 10 euros for a ten minute walk (should have known) we made it to the Taormina Odessey hostel. The owner eventually arrived a couple hours later and we had a bed for the night. The hostel was kinda clean, had a tiny kitchen and warnings regarding bed bugs on the bedroom door! We walked back into town (20kg lighter) but exhausted and settled in for a couple pastas for dinner at Gambetta Rosso.

Day 503
Taormina is a small village, 200m above sea level on the east coast of Sicily. With stunning views, the ocean, typically it becomes packed in summer.
First stop for the sights of Taormina; the Greco Theatre, positioned on the edge of the cliff, with impressive views of the ocean and Mt Etna (the volcano). The theatre is still in use (or parts of it) and was under preparation for that nights show. We then got the bus up to Castemola (a smaller village over looking Taormina) with the remains of a castle. We were also under the impression from the posters that a falconry show was performed at twelve. With plenty of time we made our way to the top of whats left of the castle (not much) and empty bird enclosures (clearly there wasn't going to be show today). We continued through the tiny village stumbling across Gallo Cedrone restaurant. A lovely family restaurant, where we were treated like royalty (it was too early for the locals to eat and we were there only customers) complimently bruschetta, quick and delicious pastas and local almond wine to finish (not for Jez of course). We missed our bus back to Taormina by minutes and with not another one due for a couple hours we headed back on foot, through the windy maze of cobblestone steps.
Back in town we set off for the beach, we opted for the cable car down to the crystal clear waters of Isole Bella. We found some space amongst the hoards of tourists, enjoyed the warm sea water and walked across to the small island of Island Beautiful (but its blocked off from visitors). With the sun starting to fade stopped at the supermarket for some suppliers for dinner and enjoyed a couple local beers on leafy patio of the hostel with our fellow roomy's.

Day 504 Steps 17171
After breaky at the hostel we walked into town, wandered amongst the boutique shops, designer clothes stores and ceramic shops. We took the long way down to the beach on foot. After a couple hours at the beach, we picked up our gear and headed for the bus station this time bound for Messina. From the bus station in was only a short walk to out the Jolly Hotel and even shorter walk to the port to pick up our tickets for the ferry to Stromboli for the next morning.
We had a huge antipesto feast for dinner and bottle of wine.

Day 505 29/8/09 Carly's 26th Birthday Steps 27200
We had an early start as we caught the 7am ferry to Stromboli one the the seven Arglion Islands off the coast of Sicily. Stromboli is an active volcano, its most recent major eruption was in 2002 and was followed by a massive tsunami in 2003. But its safe or so they say!
After an hour and half hydrofoil we landed and dropped off our stuff at Hotel Ossidianna (too early to check in) and wandered around the island. We checked in at Magmatrek (our volcanic treking guide for that evening... highly recommended), hired some boots from Totum trekking and picked up some supplies for lunch. After lunch, we endured the crankiest internet lady (apparently drivers licence is not an acceptable form of identification) and checked in. After an afternoon siesta to escape the scorching heat outside. We planned on having a bite to eat before our trek.. mistake as it was still siesta time for the rest of the island. We checked in to Magmatrek fitted with helmet and guide Lorenzo, a lovely guy. We set off just after five and with some doubts about our lack of fitness we were quickly reassured by the sights of a six year old girl and two 8 year old boys. Surely if they could do it some could we (even an old 26 years). The first half an hour was hard yakka and we were soon sweating more than we had in our entire lives. The pace slowed, not because of the kids but there parents who were struggling and we enjoyed a leisurely climb to the top over the next two hours.
Upon reaching the peak of the volcano we welcomed the drop in temperature. A quick change and we walked the final 100m to the viewing point. Miraculously the cloud cover dispersed allowing us to see the glowing lava below. Within minutes the show begun, with eruptions simultaneously lighting up the sky... a truly amazing and unforgettable experience, the best way to spend your 26th Birthday!.
Having far exceded our expectations we cruised back down, with Carly's boot more filled with more sand then feet we arrived back to the village filthy and exhausted.
We got a pizza to go and retreated back to the airconditioned motel room for a shower and put our feet up.

Day 506 Steps 4053
After some extended birthday wishes we loaded up on the buffet breakfast. Carly battled with the washing soon realising that the eligible Italian label must have said 'bleach' as our clothes began to change colour in seconds. With the drama's of hand washing over we headed down to the beach with the frisbee for a couple hours.
We made a reservation for dinner at La locande del Barbablu for 8.30pm. We had a beer and watched the local buskers perform in the town square.
Dinner was a 'taster' five course menu, Antipesto was two fish salads, followed by two first plates (pasta's) a delicious seafood risotto and a ?tunu carbonara spaghetti, second plates consisted of crumbed mackrell and Eggplant salad and fantastic king prawns, for dessert Jez had the very sour lemon sorbert and Carly the chocolate cake all washed down with Franc Cabernet.

Day 507 Steps 8014
Travel Day; fill stomachs and pockets (sshhhh) at the buffet breaky, boarded the ferry to Naples. After a quick stop at Naples, we tucked into a huge pizza it is the home of pizza after all and boarded the next ferry to Sorrento. We bypassed the 200 stair climb to the town opting for the bus instead and made our way to Linda's Hotel owned by a lovely Italian family.

---

---