EUROPE

One memorable moment in Taormina will be Saturday, November 23rd, 2013, the sunny day when I experienced a larger than normal Mount Etna eruption. Returning from my walk to the Madonna della Rocca and entering the main street and Piazza IX Aprile, I heard a strange noise that sounded like hail. With the sun up and people around the sound did not seem to make sense at first. What was it? It was from the eruption of Mount Etna, raining down chunks of rock and ash. Looking at the pieces on the ground and taking pictures of them, people were just curious at first. I joined the crowd and soon our hair was getting full of ash and the pieces were becoming too big for comfort. Most people began walking around with their jackets pulled over their heads. The crunch-crunch under people’s steps became louder and soon most were walking around under umbrellas. The guys selling them on the street must have thanked Allah for the ash that was falling from the sky. I also seen an improviser, having a brand named paper bag over her head with holes cut out for eyes. What a spectacle! The sun was still up but a big cloud of ash was extending from the top of Mount Etna all the way here, to Taormina. A lot of people took refuge under patio covers while employees and restaurant owners were hitting the awning fabric with broom sticks from underneath to remove the weight of accumulated ash, dropping more onto the streets. With ash on my head and in my ears I pulled my hat out of my backpack. At times I could hear and feel a bigger chunk of ash landing on my covered head, while smaller pieces would find their way down my neck and under my T-shirt. About half an hour later, sitting down in the sun on an ash covered bench by a church, small pieces of ash were still dropping onto my notebook. A local guy of 52 years in Taormina told me that the fine ash from Mount Etna eruptions is normal for the place, but not big pieces like this. Just this year he had seen it this way. While store keepers were sweeping away the ash in front of their stores and lovers were writing their names in it, I crunch-crunched my way to the fantastic Teatro Greco. Back at Gianni House it would take us two hours to clean the ash from the terrazza, and the following day we helped to clean up the streets. Much of the ash is bagged and will be used in construction while other will be picked up by the city. I fell in love with Taormina, Sicily the first time I visited. Taormina was an unforgettable place I had been waiting to return to for an extended stay, to work on my Italian and immerse myself in the local culture. I have enjoyed my stay, I still love Taormina, and I think I can “safely” say now that I have truly experienced some of the local Sicilian culture 🙂 A Few Photos: Taken from Taormina, Sicily during and after the Mount Etna eruption November 23, 2013. For a closer look at the ash on the streets and embers in the sky, click an image once and it will enlarge on the photo comment page. Click the image a second time to view in full screen on your computer.

Viale Apollo Archegeta in Giardini, Sicily becomes alive with vendors and buyers every Saturday. From early morning to 1:00 PM the street is lined with wide tables on both sides. New clothes, shoes, home and kitchen items as well as second hand items are coloring the view and give a variety of options with regard to quality and prices. This area becomes a magnet not just for locals looking for a good deal but for tourists on a budget as well. At the end of the street are the food vendors and last Saturday I came back loaded with bags of fresh fruits and vegetables. A variety of cheeses and olives, as well as potted plants, are all on display. There is a bigger market like this in Catania but for Giardini this is good enough. So if you forgot to pack your winter clothes or your hat, or if your socks are too old and your toes are showing through after too much walking, come here and you can find just about anything.  You can even have a view of Taormina, right from this street full of vendors. I enjoyed competing with the locals for the fresh vegetables last week. The two guys serving them were doing a strange dance around the boxes of fresh produce. They served all the customers what they want in an order only they could tell and their dance was interesting to watch. The Saturday market in Giardini is a good place to go and experience another flavor of local Sicilian life.

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.     Click photo to enlarge / comment. Click image again to view full screen:    

Taormina made me fall in love with Sicily a long time ago. Finally, this time around I have more time in the area and the time to explore is my favorite time of all. Taking the bus from Giardini the ride to Castelmola was just 15 minutes away. Reaching Taormina at an early morning hour, some stores still closed, I decided to first walk up to Castelmola, a place I had never explored before. The road taking me up to it was made of old cobblestones. Zigzagging up the mountain on this path I began second guessing my sense of direction but decided to continue up to wherever it would take me. Finally, I saw a couple ahead of me, and since they stopped to breath and admire the view, I approached them and asked if I was on the right track. From them I found out that this road is over 2,000 years old, built by Siculians (or Siculans), a population that lived on these lands during prehistoric times (“said by ancient sources to be connected with the Ausons, who settled …. c.1000BC.” –Castelmola.com). The couple I encountered was Norwegian. We talked and walked, with lots of stops to admire the view (not because we could no longer breath …LOL). Reaching Castelmola we parted ways only to run into each other again in Taormina. Like the women in the joke, we talked for another hour or two. I totally enjoyed their company. In case you do not know the joke I am referring to, it is about these two women that, after being together for a few years in a jail, they get released and then spend another two years at the jail’s gate talking, as they had apparently not finished all they had to say. But back to Castelmola, which is a small town with a beautiful piazza near the church and the Bar Turrisi. The bar itself is another tourist magnet for the view, the almond wine and the objects throughout the bar. The other piazza, at the bottom of the Castelmola Castle is a delight for the picture perfect view and relaxing atmosphere. The castle is now closed for renovation so I found my way back to Taormina on another road, a newer one. On this path I knew I had to find a church built in the rock. Asking for it I got to talk and visit a charming small old house by the road, the house and shop of an artist. Tilted, small and old, the front decorated with cactus made of stone, this house was another picturesque point on this road with gorgeous view. Finally, behind the Madonna della Rocca Church I engaged in another long talk, to an older Italian who was sitting on a bench reading a French book. We covered a diverse array of subjects as old Italian music groups, the story of Al Bano and Romina Power, a bit of politics, the houses he owns, with the view that changes every second and the lion figures he sees in all the rocks. When I finally got to the church entrance the feeling I had can best be described as one of awe. I did not expect this small, detailed, enchanting apparition. From the outside, the church is just like any other. However the inside is anything but usual. It’s ceiling is still the mountain’s rock and the support columns are painted in pastel colors with small detailed pasterns. I loved this church and I plan to return to it, as now I know its legend as well. It seems like a long time ago, a young shepherd entered this cave with his sheep. On the shine of the lamp he saw a woman with a baby in her arms. Scared, he runs away, leaving his sheep behind. Returning with his parents they find a crack in the rock, and in it they see a painting of the lady with the child. The church was built in the 12th century and restored in the 1600’s. And still to this day, on the 3rd Sunday of September, believers flood the church and it’s patio to celebrate the Madonna with the child. The view of the Greek Theatre in Taormina is also fantastic from here. Check it out!          

Famous for the special almond wine, the location, the view and the objects (mostly penises) throughout the bar, Turrisi Bar is a must if you get to Castelmola. Located about 3.3 km on foot or about 5.5 km by car up from Taormina, Castelmola is a small but nice place to visit. The Turrisi Bar is located in the central piazza, Piazza Duomo, near the church, and it has a fantastic view as it vertically expands on four floors. Like a ….. Hee! Hee! As for what makes it more famous these days, the wine or the penises… well … opinions can be subjective. From the Turrisi Bar web site.“The almond wine is made from a dry white wine infused with almonds, citric essences and aromatic herbs. It is a family specialty and it was experimented with by Cavalier Turrisi, the original owner of the bar. Since then, his son Peppino took over. He remodeled the bar and as his life was “happy and prolific”, he decided to use the penis as a symbol in the bar. The penis is not a vulgar symbol and finds his roots in Greek culture, where the god Priapous represented fertility, freedom, fortune, life and beauty. Greek culture has influenced our own for centuries”.  Throughout the Turrisi Bar you will find the penis in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials. Even the menu has its shape. At first it was a hard thing to be accepted by locals, specially by the priest, but eventually it became a known and accepted symbol. The bar is famous now for the almond wine and the penis symbol, one generation after another having a unique signature of fame and market ingenuity. Curious which attracts more customers …????  

The small island of Isola Bella is also called “The Pearl of the Ionian Sea” and my hope is that these pictures will tell why. Until 1990, the island was privately owned. The Region of Sicily purchased it after the owner went bankrupt. Located at the bottom of the mountain that is home to Castelmola and Taormina, this “pearl” is the perfect place for a nice day in the sun. Yes, the beach is made of stones, not sand, but the water is clear and refreshing and the view truly stunning. November is ideal here for days on the beach as the sun is warm and friendly, not burning like it would be in the summer. Relaxing by Isola Bella and refreshing my tired feet in the cool water was a blessing. The walk from Gianni House all the way here was a good 5km and it took me over an hour. Considering all the gelato I have eaten at the Ice Go-Go, the cannoli at the Pasticceria Casablanca (just in front of our place), the pasta Gianni cooks, and the bread I can not turn down,  I should go on these kind of walks daily. The day at Isola Bella was a great day. All together I walked about 11km and this made me feel like I finally earned my gelato and maybe even one cannolo. As for the beauty of Isola Bella and for the beauty of the way there, you be the judge, by seeing the pictures. Click photo to enlarge and comment,  or view full screen by clicking the photo once more.    

Secret Paradise in Sicily recently discovered! Yosette and myself, the lucky volunteers at Gianni House, were not too busy this past Sunday, as the guests were out visiting Taormina. Being a nice boss, Gianni decided to take us out with the car and show us around other places in Sicily. From the road we had a nice view of a castle on top of a rock by the water side. Wanting to take photos we asked Gianni to stop the car in a safe spot, as all roads are very narrow here. Not having a good view for pictures there, we walked back and spotted a wooden path zig-zagging down the mountain, towards the beach. Always on the lookout for the best picture, we walked towards it, only to discover a chained iron gate. Yosette and I are the same sign, only seven days apart, both monkeys in the Chinese calendar, so we think alike. As fences do not stop monkeys we climbed, jumped and loved the adventure and even the illegality. So we got our pictures and enjoyed the topaz color of the sea from this spot. Later we approached the castle and another gate was on the way. Gianni did not come with us so we found our way around that gate, too. We got some great pictures of the coast from above, but the gate mounted in the following stone wall could not be bypassed. When we returned to the car we found out that this castle is now private property so…. well…. we would not have passed through any gates had we known. Not far from here, driving further on the narrow zig-zaging road with a breath taking view of the Ionian Sea coast, we arrived at our destination. Gianni did not tell us in advance where we are going, and it would have not made a difference as we had never heard of this place before. He wanted this to be a surprise. At many street corners he carefully watched our reaction and pleasant surprise at the view of the streets, with postcard like old homes and flowers. Some of the houses looked like a canvas painting and we “wee”, “aahhh” and “wow”-ed like little children discovering a new and enchanting world. One of the homes, on top of the hill, the best looking and the cutest one, of course, Gianni jokingly said was his. We decided right on the spot that we would marry him for it. Since he did not tell us that he was accepting the proposal, we later found a few other old nice and neglected homes that we were ready and willing to make our own. Envisioning and dreaming how to remodel them in a rustic style, we inquired how much might they cost. We are still dreaming to possibly buy one together, remodel, move in, live like artists (maybe paint, sew, write) and for sure eat or daily dose of healthy Sicilian food. What a dream! What a corner of Paradise! I will not give the name of the village here but if you love the pictures and truly die to know, just ask me. I might just love to tell the secret. 🙂

Zafferana Etnea is a nice small town on Mount Etna. Walking the streets of Zafferana Etnea makes you wonder how far below the bubbling lava is, and how these cute streets and houses are doing during those times when Etna gets mad. Last weekend the town had a big festival called “Ottobrata Zafferanese”. Gianni, the owner of Gianni House near Taormina, where I contribute as a work-away these days, took my colleague and I there with he and his friend. The streets were filled with people, there was live Sicilian music and distinctly Sicilian  foods. The beautifully decorated variety of cheeses for sale, as well as many kinds of olives, jars of flavored honey, liquors, pastry and bread products, rich meat and potato meals and other colorful things were a real feast for all of the senses. The smell of baked goods and fried sweet chestnuts in particular, was way too tempting. We enjoyed walking around and tasting new things, listening to the Sicilian entertainment and energizing (watch the video here to see what I mean) live music, eating cannolo and brioche with cheese, etc. I was pleased to observe that the young generation here, as well as the adults, did not get drunk and obnoxious. In fact I hardly saw any alcohol bottles or glasses around. They had mostly bottles of water or Coca-Cola in their hands and/or on tables.Look the pictures below to get a better idea of the temptations around. Click if you want to enlarge, so you can salivate better. LOL

When coming to Sicily, many people have Taormina as a destination, as it is an amazing town, with a beautiful view of the Ionic Sea and a wonderful Greek Theatre. Yet, Taormina is an expensive place, as it is full of tourists and priced accordingly. Lying just 3 km away, at the bottom of the mountain, by the beach, sits Giardini-Naxos. A less expensive option, Giardini is an enchanting town with many bars, restaurants, pastry and gelato places. A small, old and cute train station makes you think of a museum. This train station serves both Taormina, which is up the mountain from here, and Giardini, the town near-by. The old iron work and wood furniture in this station are detailed and picturesque,  and the view of the sea, with it’s arriving and departing vessels, is unique and pleasant. Walk downtown by the beach and you will find many colorful buildings right across from the water, and fisherman’s colorful boats lining the beach. Gelato places will make your walk fresher and sweeter. Try the locally grown flavors like pistachio and lemon gelato. One other specific thing you should try as well is the Granita Con Brioche, the right breakfast for the hot months, as the granita is made with shaved ice. Try the Ice Go-Go place, where the flavors are delicious, as part of an old local tradition. Walking the street by the water, one funny thing I did was walking in someone’s house! They had the door open towards the street and some people were sitting on a couch facing the open upstairs balcony. I mistakenly believed this place might be a B&B and it was so small and charming that I wanted to see it inside. The kitchen was just to the left of the entrance door and it was all decorated and furnished with the yellow lemon motives specific to the region. After I walked in and realized my mistake I was, unfortunately, too embarrassed to ask for a picture in their house. I wish I had asked. It was too cute to be forgotten. Yet, I still have hope, as I was told that Gianni, the owner of Gianni House, and my new friend, knows the owner of the place. Maybe I can talk him into taking me back there for a better view and picture. Hmm…