Our first view of Etna with one of the recent lava flows in the foreground

To Etna

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May 7th 2008
7 May 2008 We gave the van a much needed thorough cleanout and then said goodbye to Maria who gave us a leaving present of 2 lemons, 2 limes and 4 oranges from her orchard. A pleasant lunch overlooking the sea at Noto Marina followed only slightly marred by the amount of rubbish on the beach. We then made tracks for Etna in readiness for our planned expedition up the mountain the following ... read more

Europe » Italy

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Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI establis... ... read more