CATANIA- MOUNT ETNA

Day 79
Catania, Sicilly
Hotel Savona

We left gorgeous Capo D'Orlando to head off to Catania to see Mt Etna...

First our train was 'retardo' at the station by about 40 minutes...so we waited and messaged and then caught our train to Palermo...we spent time there on one of those whizbang hop on hop off buses that enable you to see the whole place in 2 hours. I love the audios on these...and found out Palermo is named after a port. We went to the port after that to check it all out..

We debated whether to stay there the night, or to continue onto Catania....and Catania won out. We caught a bus there...because the trains were on strike (again!)

Not a good idea.

Arriving at midnight....with no accomodation was a nightmare. We scoured the streets for somewhere to stay...and all the places close to the bus station were full! As we went up and down lanes we heard rats, saw washing appear flapping in front of us..and generally just felt scared!

Finally we came across a few people hanging out at a ristorante and asked them...and understood trying hard to understand italian (or more like, Sicillian dialect) and finally headed off where they motioned. Still no luck. We asked people at a place that was full, Kings Hotel, and they directed us to Hotel Savona after ringing to confirm they had space. At 90 Euros a night. 20 metres away.

We searched high and low for this place, asking taxi drivers who said it's just over there. We looked and thought we must have been either pathetically tired or just naive or just plain blind. Finally a group of guys tried to direct us...and as we looked up there it was, in front of us. Musthave been 5km's from Kings. Some 20 metres! (We've realised that distance means nothing in Italy!)

WHat a night. At least everyone tried to help. Sicilians are just so helpful, happy lovely people. Of anywhere we've been, it's definately here that is most hospitable. From the extra's they serve at dinner at no charge, to just looking at you and saying bonjourno or bonasera. Friendly, gorgeous people.

And we really saw this at the Savona.

We enquried about going to Mt Etna..at almost 1am in the morning, and he organised a landrover to pick us up first thing in the morning!

Hotel was great, definatly 4 star and a lovely night sleep...and had great brioche and fruit for breakfast!

We headed out to Mt Etna after breakfast. First to Taomina, 2 hours from Catania, to pick up some other people (and met a great lady of 77 called Lilly, from Manchester UK who gave us her number, and told us to visit her when we're there!) Mt Etna was spectacular. We went into one of the old craters, adorned with hard hat and mini headlights...and saw all the once lava flows....Afterwards when we got to the freezing top we were so glad we made the effort to see this volcano..

The vegetation in the area is so rich. Anywhere kissed by lava takes 400 years to revegetate but when it does..its amazingly green and lush. The view was incredible.

We ate lunch there..Sicillian dishes...rice stuffed with fetta and tomato..pacareno, aronchinni..yum.

Travelling home in the landrover....we ate honey lollies and nut caramel from a place that had bee hives, and where we stopped on the way back...took pics for Pa here!

Also heard Dockers lost to the Cats! But...were consoled (thanks Bob) when we heard the Eagles lost to them last week too!!!!

It's goodbye to Sicilly. A place we've loved. And goodbye to Italy.

We'll be back one day..