My Big Fat Greek Cruise: Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy

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Our first excursion was a trip to visit Mt. Etna. Really very remarkable...I felt as if we stepped off the ship and took a bus to the moon! Mt. Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, with an eruption most recently in September. Apparently, although it erupts frequently, the lava flow is very slow, so it is not considered particularly dangerous to inhabitants,as they have plenty of notice to get out of the way. It does take out pretty much anything in it's path, and it was amazing how the locals just keep building right on top of the lava...making pretty little stone gardens and patios, etc. by chipping away the hardened aftermath (wouldn't you love to see their insurance premiums!).

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Photos

On the moon!
Totally looks like the moon! At the Sylvestri crater on Mt. Etna.

view of Mt. Etna
notice the absolute lack of vegetation on the lava flow in back. Apparently it takes decades for even moss or any sort of low level vegetation to push through the old lava flow.

looks like a bad sci-fi film
....oh, my gosh....it's the end of the world, where is everyone????

Baby Shrek on Mt. Etna
...don't ask

lava house
A house completely filled with Lava from the 2001 eruption....crazy!

Sophia Loren's breasts
....That is what the Sicilian\'s call these two old Etna craters, now looking just like 2 very lovely booby-shaped hills.