Today we visited another island – Vulcano. As its name implies, it has an active volcano. You can climb to the edge of the crater and see the lava bubbling up. We decided to take the ferry over and give it a try. However, after our last experience – climbing to the pizzeria on Stromboli through the ankle-deep volcanic ash, we lost our enthusiasm the closer we got. Did we really need to climb the volcano?

As we were walking toward the trail and giving each other pep talks – “we can do this, we WANT to do this” – we saw a roadside stand renting out hiking boots and walking sticks. Not a good sign. Then we saw a group trudge into town – with their hiking boots and walking sticks – and NO smiles. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. As we walked further, we saw another roadside stand – Paolo’s – that featured dune buggies. We looked at each other, smiled, and knew we’d found our afternoon’s entertainment.

And we had a fabulous time! We rented a little red two-seater that was very loud (Frank says it had a lawnmower engine) and very jerky, but it took us where we needed to go. Our first stop was to fill up with fuel – it runs on benzene, believe it or not. Paolo had given us a rudimentary map, so we took off and explored the island. We drove around the volcanic crater and up and around to the other side before spying a trattoria literally in the middle of nowhere that Paolo had recommended. We stopped for lunch and met a wonderful couple who were born on Vulcano but live part of the year in Australia – they come back in summer to open the restaurant. We had the place to ourselves – with breathtaking sea views and very fresh fish.

We also ventured past the mud baths, where sulphur bubbles up from the earth (part of the volcano) – people flock to them to wallow in the mud and rinse off in the sea. However, it is slightly radioactive, so there are lots of warnings – I decided I had had enough radiation for one year, so we skipped that part.

We ended at a spot that overlooked all the islands – an incredible view. Wow.

The longer we stay in Sicily, the more we have learned – Don’t try to “do” Sicily – let Sicily “do” you. Be open to new experiences. It is ok not check off all the “must do” items in the guidebook – sometimes you just have to go off the grid and have a little fun.

Well, we haven’t just been climbing volcanos and eating in fancy restaurants. We also have to live our everyday lives – even in the islands.

I have set up my home office in the galley of the boat. I have a huge desk, WIFI, and all of my regulations. If I have a conference call, I move to the v-berth so it’s quiet. No one seems to care that I am calling in from Sicily.

While I am working, my husband is equally industrious in his endeavors – fishing! There are huge fish under the dock, so Frank is on a quest to catch one (which he will throw back – IF he is successful). To achieve this goal, he sought out the local fishermen for advice, looked up on the Internet how to say “bait” in Italian (“esca”) and practiced it over and over, walked into town to buy “esca”, and, when stymied, had further debates with the local fishermen as to the reasons why. It takes all day – he says these Sicilian fish are particularly clever.

We also have done laundry (alas, in the sink, not in a washer) – but it dries very quickly when clothes-pinned to the lifelines.

And have done some marketing, thanks to a local man who comes by the dock with fresh fruits and vegetables (see our latest haul at the top). We even have bought a basil plant so we can have fresh basilico on our pasta. We feel like true Sicilians!

We had another adventure – to the Island of Stomboli, which is famous for its volcano that erupts every 20 minutes! We saw and heard it.

Door-to-Door Service

We were incredibly lucky to be docked next to an excursion boat that takes tourists to various islands. The boat usually picks up ticket-holders at the town marina, but we got to know the captain, who invited us to just hop on board right from our boat. We could ride with him to the town marina to pick up the tourists. We would spend the day visiting the Islands of Panarea and Stromboli – all for just 35 Euro each. Wow!

So we climbed over the lifelines and onto the tour boat and set off. We got to town and went for coffee while we waited for the tourists, feeling very “yachtie.” I had my sail dress, boat shoes, and pink Lily Pulitzer bag.

Well, we got back to the tour boat and everyone aboard had boots, backpacks, and walking sticks. We were on a tour to CLIMB the volcano! Needless to say, we felt a little overdressed. (We did make sure that it was ok to just hang out in Stromboli – we didn’t actually have to climb – whew.)

Panarea

That boat sped off and about 45 minutes later, we were approaching a beautiful cove with rock formations and a beach. The captain flung a rope over a rock, and we enjoyed the view, while some people swam. (It was pretty cold, so we just stayed onboard.)

Then we headed to the Island of Panarea. This is the most exclusive of the Aeoilian Islands and where the celebrities all come in the summer. They say the mega-yachts line up, and there is a heli-port for those without a yacht. Our captain announced we had 2 hours to explore. There were only about 20 of us on our little boat, so a perfect shore excursion.

It was lunchtime, so Frank and I spied a restaurant overlooking the water that looked just the place. We had mussels with limone and fritte misto (mixed fried calamari, alice, and shrimp), washed down with Sicilian white wine. With a breathtaking view. It was very romantic.

Stromboli

But we were still waiting for the highlight – the big volcano. Our hikers were getting serious now – changing into other gear, eating their Power Bars, and checking their bags. We blissfully basked in the sunlight.

We docked, and the hikers set out with their guide, who distributed hard hats and flashlights – we were VERY happy we had opted out of the hike. The captain said to meet him back in 4 hours. I had read about a pizzeria that was supposedly a short, easy walk from town but overlooked the volcano. It seemed a good solution – all the view without the work – and pizza too!

We set out and walked. And walked. And walked. We walked past a beach with black sand from the lava and by signs that showed the evacuation route in case of a tsunami (which apparently can happen after an bad eruption).

Soon the road ended and we were on a black road made out of volcanic ash. We climbed up. And up. And up. By this time, Frank was so exasperated that he wasn’t speaking, except to ask me if this really was the right road. I kept thinking (hoping) the pizzeria was around the next corner, but it never was. Finally, a tiny van hurdled up the hill, and we flagged it down to ask. It turns out it was from the restaurant, so we hopped in for the rest of the way.

I have to say, even thought the road was quite a climb (and a messy climb at that since we were in boat shoes ankle deep in volcanic ash) – the restaurant did have a view right up to the volcano. We could hear the rumble and then see the smoke pour out. I think even Frank would admit it was worth our troubles – but we did get the van to take us back down.

Our Own Private Fireworks Show

We returned to the boat, and our captain had a special outing planned, since we were not hiking. He took us around to the other side of the island, turned off the lights, and then poured us a glass of the favorite local wine – Malvasia – a sweet dessert wine. We were the only boat in sight. Then we waited. About 10 minutes later, we heard the rumble and then saw the most spectacular red fireworks display as the volcano erupted right in front of us. Incredible!  (Unfortunately, we were so mesmerized that we didn’t take any pictures.)

It took us almost two hours to get home, since we had to pick up the hikers and then drop everyone off at the town dock before going back to our home port. It was midnight before we got back to the boat. We were tired, but couldn’t believe our amazing day.

Today was our first sail in Sicily. Our destination was the Island of Lipari, one of the Aeolian Islands off the Northeast coast of Sicily – about 30 nautical miles from the boat base, partly in open water.

We had seen a windy weather forecast early in the week, but the revised forecast had the winds more manageable. So we set out and immediately noticed lumpy seas of about 3 feet. OK – we could handle. Then the seas built a little more – 5 feet. Not as fun, but still ok. Soon, we were in 6-8 feet waves with the wind climbing to the lower 20s. We were experiencing the famous “Aeolian Triangle.” There really is such a thing – apparently the weather here is notorious for being wrong and wind comes out of nowhere. After all – these islands are named for Aeolus – the God of Winds, who was first recorded in Homer’s Odyssey for giving Odysseus the contrary winds tied up in a bag. Odysseus’ curious crew opened the bag, which released the winds and blew their boat off course.

Well, we hunkered down and plowed through. We put up a tiny bit of mainsail to try to steady ourselves and both felt a little seasick at times (which has never happened). We munched on rice cakes and apples.

Eventually we made our way to the lee of the Island of Vulcano to get away from the swells, but then had to turn north directly into the wind, which at this time was gusting to 30. Later, we read a (non-sailing) guidebook that said “seeing Vulcano by boat is both dramatic and exhilarating.” We certainly agree! (The pictures of Frank above and below are around Vulcano.)

But eventually we spied our destination – yay! We called the marina who sent a guy out in a pushboat to greet us and lead us in – whew.

Med Moor

In Europe, they do not have pilings or finger piers. Instead, boats back up to the dock or quay and either drop an anchor or pick up a “laid line” for the bow that is connected to the sea floor and then secure stern lines to the dock. That way the boats end up “cheek to cheek” with only their fenders between them. There is not a lot of room for error. We have done this many times while sailing with groups, but this would be our first time by ourselves. It is a lot to handle with just 2 so we were a little nervous.

I was at the helm. The first challenge is backing in. Carolina Girl is a dream to back, but this was a new boat that was much heavier – and in big winds. I flipped her around and started backing toward the slip. The pushboat helped a little, but I managed to get in straight, right next to a boat with two people onboard worriedly holding fenders for us. But we were fine and never came close to touching. I threw my first stern line, while Frank grabbed the laid line from the dock and hurried to the bow to secure it. Then we did the same with the second line. We made it!

We took stock of our surroundings. We are in a very sheltered spot – Porto Pignataro – about a half-mile from the main town of Lipari. There is a bus that runs every 15 minutes, or it’s a nice walk along the sea. There is no bathhouse, but there is a bar literally on the rocks by the water. We are happy and too tired to care. And there are lots of folks like us – sailors from all over the world to trade stories with about that infamous Aeolian Triangle. We feel right at home.

We are embarking on our biggest adventure yet – renting a sailboat in Sicily!

Frank and I hatched this plan over a year ago and started researching charter companies. We met a group – Kiriacoulis Yacht Charters – at the Annapolis boat show that had a few boats in Sicily and seemed just what we wanted. We chose a 40-foot Bavaria cruiser, which actually was one of their smaller boats. We knew it could be a bit of a challenge – Carolina Girl is 33 feet – but felt like we could handle if we talked through everything , even the tricky Mediterranean Mooring, where you back in to the dock with literally an inch between you and the boat next to you (more on that in the next blog).

Sant’Agata di Millitello

We ditched the rental car (whew) and hired a car service to take us to the boat base. The driver, who takes Americans all over Sicily, had never taken anyone to Porto Sant’Agata di Militello. We drove around a little before spying masts in the distance. We then nervously drove out onto a concrete pier lined with fishing boats (some looking a little derelict). There was a barricade with white tents beyond it and a mobile home-office. Frank got out to check and confirmed this was the place. Our driver looked a little worried about leaving us there, but I told her we would call if there was a problem.

We pulled our luggage through the barricade and under the tent (which had the bathhouse next to it, consisting of 2 port-o-potties). But the people were very nice. Frank and his wife Enrica help run the base and were welcoming and gracious.

Pranzo (Lunch)

Our boat wasn’t ready, so they arranged a local restaurant to pick us up for lunch – Pino’s. Soon a black Alfa Romeo drove down the long concrete pier, picked us up, and brought us to a chic restaurant right on the water. Pino himself said he would take care of us and brought out dish after dish of fresh fish, with an Asian flair. It was absolutely delicious. This was followed by a creamy lemon sorbet to cleanse our palates – it was so good that I suspect it may have contained a little limoncello as well.

Back at the Boat Base

When we returned to the boat base, we had been joined by a large group of Polish men also waiting for their boats – 18 of them on two catamarans. (You really can’t make these stories up.) We learned that the group has sailed together all over the world on their annual “guy’s weekend.” They were all ages and included (if we understood correctly) Poland’s Supreme Court Chief Justice and Attorney General, several lawyers, and a few doctors, one of whom is required to travel with the Chief Justice. They were a very merry bunch.

Finally, we boarded our boat and are getting checked out and provisioned. Thankfully, I had ordered water, wine, beer, bread, cheese, fruit, and a few supplies ahead of time because there is NO market (or anything else) nearby. So we will have to make do until we get somewhere to replenish.

So our adventure has begun! Next stop: The Island of Lipari

Well, we didn’t JUST sit on the beach all week. On our last day in Cefalu, we climbed the famous La Rocca that overlooks the town (really, it is more like a mountain).

The rock has a long and storied history. At various points, whole civilizations lived up there to escape pirates or conquering enemies. The earliest known site is a cistern from the 9th – 10th century BC (which is kind of mind-boggling). It is near a Temple to Diana from the 4th-5th century BC. We got our picture taken in the doorway – it is pretty well-preserved for being 2500 years old!

La Rocca was even more developed around the 11th century AD, when a race a “giant Arabs” (according to the guidebook) moved there to escape their enemy. They built a castle, look-out posts, storage buildings, and even a sophisticated water collection system so they could withstand a long siege. They ultimately were forced down the mountain by Norman conquerors in 1061.

The Climb

Today, visitors can hike up to the top and see the various ruins along the way. Frank and I brought along bottles of water and were ready to go. At first, the paths were wide and paved, if a little steep. But we stopped and rested. We did keep noticing younger people with hiking shoes and backpacks passing us by, but didn’t think much of it.

Until we hit the trail to the castello (castle). I use the work “trail” generously – it was more like a rocky incline, where, in a few places, we actually debated what was the trail and what was a path just straight up the mountain. If someone was coming the other way, you both had to plan carefully because the “trail” wasn’t big enough for two, and there was a drop-off on one side. But once we were there, we were committed. So we kept picking our way up, up, up the mountain. (We do not have any pictures of this part because we had to concentrate so hard not to fall of the mountain!)

When we got to the top, we did have an amazing view – they say 22 miles. Frank estimates we climbed the equivalent of 90 stories! We felt very proud of ourselves.

And then we had to go down. Which is MUCH harder than climbing up. It took all our concentration to pick our way down, down, down 90 stories of a narrow, rocky trail. At one point, I turned to Frank and declared that I was having not just one glass of wine at lunch, but two. He said, “OK – just pay attention.”

Lunch

We made it down the mountain and stiffly strolled through town – proud of our accomplishment. We rewarded ourselves with a nice lunch at a beautiful restaurant on the water – where I indeed had two glasses of wine.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at our apartment napping, taking Advil, and groaning each time we stood up. But we can say we conquered La Rocca.

Next Up:  The Biggest Adventure of All – Frank & I are renting a sailboat in Sicily!

This has been our week of relaxation. We are at the beach town of Cefalu, on the north coast of Sicily. I think it may be the most charming place I’ve ever been. Much of the old fishing village has been turned into restaurants and shops, with cobblestoned alleyways that are perfect for exploring.

We have a little one-bedroom apartment right on the water. In the picture above, it is the building sticking out – we are on the 2nd floor with green shutters. We have balconies on three sides and amazing views. Wow.

Our highlights for the week so far –

The Beach

We are here just before the high season so not very crowded – a great time! There are private beach clubs all along the beach where you can pay 10 Euro and have an umbrella, two chairs, and access to a bathroom and snack bar. We can leave our stuff there, and they will watch, while we stroll up to the lungomare (street along the sea) for lunch. There is also a man who walks around selling coconut for 1 Euro a slice (it hits the spot on a hot afternoon!).  This is our favorite place.

Apperitivo

Our other favorite spot is the Piazza del Duomo – the big square in front of the Duomo, where the whole town seems to gather each evening. We go there and sit outside with a Aperol Spritz watching children play and grown-ups taking their passeggiata. A very nice tradition.

Pesce (Fish)

At some point we get hungry and wander around looking at all the ristorantes. This is traditionally a French resort, so many of the restaurants have a French flair – last night we dined at Le Chat Noir (the black cat in French – in Italian it would be Gatto Nero). Every place has ridiculously fresh fish and my new favorite – pesce spada involtino – fresh swordfish rolled up (involtino) in breadcrumbs with eggplant and baked. Yum.

& Real Life

And of course, we have real life chores, too. I have set up my office on a table overlooking the water and had a slew of conference calls this week. And we have managed to do (for once) all of our laundry.

So we are having a most wonderful week just catching up and really, doing not much at all.

View from our Balcony  – We love Cefalu!

We have had a lot of fun over the last week traveling with Frank’s cousin, Enza. She does not speak very much English, and I don’t speak very much Italian – although I did improve quite a bit over the last week (Frank does much better than I do). We relied on charades, the Italian/English dictionary, and – if we were really in a bind – Google Translate. But we laughed a lot and had a great time. If something didn’t quite go as planned, I would tell Enza, “It’s an adventure” (or “avventura” in Italian).

Road Trip Home

Our biggest adventure came on the last day on our way home. While we were at our pizza dinner with cousin Evelina’s in-laws, a tiny little puppy bounded into their compound. Evelina and Claudia went through the neighborhood seeing if they could find the puppy’s home, but everyone thinks the owner probably dropped him off near the gate.

Well, Enza decided to keep him and give him as a “surprise” to her son. Which meant we added a 4th traveler, Kiko, to our entourage. They took him to the vet to make sure he was ok, and we picked him up on our way out of town. Fortunately, he is very small, so he fits inside a cute purse bag – can you find him below?

 Flowers

The first stop for our merry band of travelers was Noto, a baroque town that is famous internationally for its flower festival – the Infiorata. Groups spend all year designing and putting together works of art made of flowers. They display them in a carpet down one of the streets that ascends to a cathedral. Every item in the display has to be natural, so they get creative with not only flowers, but stems, beans, lentils, and even coffee grinds. It is amazing what they create.

Kiko liked it, too, but (smartly) stayed in the purse. There were so many people that could have gotten stepped on!

Down By the Sea

We next took a winding tour through the countryside and to the hill town of Modica, where we saw the cathedral, shops, and even wehere Enza’s father worked.

Our destingaion was along the sea at Scoglitti, which is a fishing village near Marina di Ragusa and lots of beach resorts. They are known for their seafood – and we were not disappointed.

There is no menu. They just bring what is fresh. First was crudo (raw) – including tuna carpaccio and raw shrimp (which tastes ok but is kind of wiggly). Next came piles of mussels and oysters, and even some type of big red – & alive! – clam. When I squirted lemon juice on it, it rose up and almost made me jump out of my chair. But I did eat it (and washed it down right away with white wine). Then a plate of fritte (fried) calamari – wonderful. And finally grilled fish, including freshly caught swordfish. We were stuffed. (Kiko was an angel during all this – sitting patiently in his little purse bag with only a few squeaks.)

Kastalia

After lunch, we drove around the coast and ventured to Athena Resort at Kastalia, which is where Enza’s daughter (Mirella) has a beachhouse. It is a beautiful gated resort, but since Enza is a member, we could go inside. There were huge pools, tennis courts, and a range of bungalows – all with a fabulous view of the Meditteranean. This was Kiko’s favorite, since it had big gardens to explore. We had an afternoon cafe and tea there before deciding to head for home.

Canicatti

The four of us finally made it back to Canicatti almost 12 hours after we had set out from Siracusa. Whew – were we tired.

But we weren’t finished yet. Enza called her son to come over for dinner so she could reveal her surprise. For the record, Frank and I did try to talk her into calling him BEFORE we took possession of Kiko, but she said it was a “sorprese.” When I looked worried about this plan, Enza reminded me of my own saying, “Avventura Christy!” (It’s an adventure, Christy!)

Well, Salvio was pretty surprised. But he was a good sport and by the next day, he and his girlfriend, Cettina, had fallen in love. He promised that, with their whole family in Canicatti, Kiko would have a good home. So it was a happy ending for all.

Next Stop: Frank and I are heading to the beach town of Cefalu to rest from all of these avventuras!

We have been so busy having fun that I haven’t had a chance to update the blog! Here’s what we’ve been up to:

Duomo & Santa Lucia

Our apartment is in the old section of Siracusa – Ortigia. One of Ortigia’s most famous piazzas – some say the prettiest in Italy – is the Piazza del Duomo. We agree! It is one of our favorite spots for gelato or apperitivo.

But yesterday we also toured the Duomo. It was built on the site of a Greek temple to Athena that dates back to the 5th century BC. When Saint Paul (from the Bible!) came to Siracusa, he helped convert the island of Ortigia to Christianity and build a new church. The pillars from the temple were still standing, so they built the church around them. So inside the church, you can see the frame of the Greek temple – very impressive.

The Duomo also has a chapel dedicated to Santa Lucia, the patron saint of Siracusa who was honored with a procession the other night. Her body lies in Venice (stolen by the doge, if you ask the Siracusans), but the city of Venice donated her arm back to Siracusa. So her chapel has a gold box containing her arm. It was actually very spiritual. Santa Lucia was a very independent woman and stood up for what she believed versus what culture dictated a woman’s role was at the time. So she is particularly meaningful for women. Enza and I took time to reflect and pray for all of our friends and family (especially women) back home.

& Pizza!

Another family dinner – this time with homemade pizza. Claudia and Ruggero (who made the snails the other night) invited us back for Claudia’s famous pizza. She has her very own pizza oven! Everyone here seems to have an indoor kitchen and outdoor kitchen. Claudia’s pizza oven is in her outdoor kitchen and comes with a long-handled spatula just like the real pizzeria. She made all kinds of pizzas – margherita, funghi (mushroom), riccola (rocket lettuce and cheese), potato, and spicy tomato. She even made apple strudel with pine nuts from the trees in their yard. Delicious!

Frank and I have visited duomos and basilicas all over Italy that are famous for their art, history, or architecture. Today we visited a church that was not on the “must see” list of our guidebook, but it was all the more meaningful.

Mary’s Tears

Enza selected our destination today – Sanctuario della Madonna delle Lacrime

It is well-known to the people of Sicily, but not often visited by others.

On this site in 1954, there was a house that contained a small statue of Mary. All of a sudden, the statue started weeping. It wept for 5 days, with hundreds coming to see it. Scientists collected samples and discovered the substance was human tears. Then, miracles started happening to those who came to the site – people healed or prayers answered.

In 1994, a church was built on the site, which is now considered sacred. The church is very modern and in the shape of a giant teardrop. Inside on the altar is the statute of Mary. Pilgrims come to this church to pray and ask for their own miracles. There is even a hotel across the street that caters to them – we had lunch there.

Below in the crypt are the original foundations of the little house. Also, testimony to all the miracles that have happened – braces and crutches no longer needed and many, many thank you messages. Some people have sent metal ornaments of a body part that has been healed, and there are pictures and notes about children who were born after much prayer. There even is a display of several wedding gowns – I’m not sure if their families thought it was a “miracle” the bride finally married, but they obviously were thankful.

So sometimes it pays to throw out the guidebooks and listen to a local.

More Family!

Last night, we met even more family! Evelina’s husband’s (Toto’s) sister, Claudia, invited us to their home in the nearby town of Floridia. Claudia’s husband, Ruggero, is an attorney by day and chef by evening (he practices criminal law, which he says is very interesting being in Sicily – I can imagine!).

Ruggero and Claudia had a feast waiting for us of cous cous with pesce (fish), seppie nero (squid served in its black ink), and even homemade wine and limoncello.

The highlight was escargot – from their own yard (they say they come out in droves when it rains).  We used toothpicks to pull them out of their shells.  Apparently Floridia is famous for its snails and even has a festival in honor of them. I can say they were delicious.

A good time was had by all.  I think Frank and I will have to sleep for a month (and go on a diet) after the last two weeks!