Mid-November and still sunny in Sicily, I want to see and explore more of what the area has to offer. During the day time the weather is perfect for wearing short sleeves but at night the temperature can drop quite a bit. It is then, during the day light, when I crawl out from under the many blankets a Floridian resident would require.
In November the sun will not burn like in August or July, and there will not be crowds of people bumping into each other on the streets of Taormina. Some might also have, as I did, the whole valley of Alcantara Gorge to enjoy for themselves.
The downside is that the bus to get to Alcantara Gorge might not arrive, which should not be a real problem for a tourist in Sicily. Hitch-hiking can be interesting. In my case, once I departed the main road of Giardini-Naxos and my destination was obvious, cars stopped to give me a lift without me lifting a finger (literally). True, since I shaved my head before I left home for this trip I wear all sorts of wigs and the one I chose today was blonde. I might conclude that Sicilians like blondes and I have no issue with that. Knowing that the bus might not arrive on a week-end outside of the tourist season, this probably was an intelligent choice of hair color. LOL
Once at the Alcantara Gorge (Gole dell’Alcantara) entrance, the person who had driven me there also gave me a good tip. He said that I have two choices: one is using the elevator and paying a fee, and the other is taking the stairs, past the ticketing gate. I already knew that to enter through the main gate would cost 9 Euro. Needless to say that since I like to walk and also I need to burn off all the gelato and cannoli I have been eating, I chose the second option. Just up the road from the main entrance is the communal entrance. No fee, just over 230 stairs to go down.
Once down by the water I walked through it to the elevator area. It must be really disappointing to pay 9 euros. Once out of the elevator most of the paths are blocked and you can not go too far during this time. Returning to where I came from I surveyed the area and my options. Summer might be great here for the possibility to get deeper into the water. November is too cold for it. Not wanting to freeze, I could not go explore up the valley, the part that seems to be one of the most interesting areas of the gorge. The rocks are abrupt there and the path through the water is deeper and narrow. Choosing the least freezing path, I crossed the river as fast as I could, the water still too cold for my feet.
Once on the other side I enjoyed the sun and a fair amount of walking and rock to rock jumping. I loved the view, the sounds of the cascading water and the chirping birds in the trees all around.
On the way back, before encountering the 230+ stair climb, I relaxed on a high rock with a beautiful view of the valley and the waters, in the shade, in a lotus position. Another big, smooth rock served as my bed later, in the sun alongside the river. The perfect position here was face down, practically hugging the huge smooth rock. Not having meditated in a while, this was my own peaceful and relaxing time. Soothing to the soul, embarrassing a rock millions of years old, I am but a mere passing second in its long life. Wig now in the light back pack I carry, I could enjoy the sun on my nearly bald head. Just before climbing the stairs back to the road the wig was neatly back on.
Walking down the street towards Giardini-Naxos I took more colorful pictures of bougainvilleas, orange, lemon and olive trees. Some of the houses I encountered were uninhabited and in bad shape, and I explored the inside of one of them as well. With the roof broken through, floor tiles partially missing, doors and windows out of place, and plants overgrowing the yard, one could still see that this home had once been a great shelter with a lot of charm and personality. Someone surely had enjoyed it and loved it a long time ago. I could only guess what might have happened. People say that a lot of houses shared this destiny in the area. Many owners left to work in other countries when life was too hard here. I took a ceramic roof tile as souvenir, to remind me of the old abandoned homes in a corner of Paradise.
I did not see a public bus in this area the throughout the entire day, yet the way back was easy as well. A car stopped and backed up to take me to my destination while I was walking on the other side of the road. On my day’s journey no driver behaved in any improper manner, so the day was a sunny one from all angles.
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