I got up early to finish my packing then I sat on the French balcony for one last time, enjoying the view of Etna in the early morning sunshine. It was heavenly; birds, bees and the occasional butterfly flew around me. A damsel fly landed and sunbathed on a nearby post.

As soon as Mr C had finished his packing, we enjoyed one last Sicilian breakfast. Afterwards Mr C went to the local shop to buy biscuits (as is the custom) for his work colleagues.   While he was doing this, I had time to watch Etna as it started to belch out frequent ash plumes into the sky. The mountain had been obscured by clouds for a few days. When Mr C returned it was time for us to check out of the hotel and walk along the hotel terrace to pick up our taxi to the airport. We arrived in good time, our taxi had already arrived and the driver Francesco, walked down to meet us and helped me with my luggage. Then we were off on our way to Catania airport.

We traveled in luxury, he drove a Mercedes. His driving style was smooth and steady and we arrived at the airport in super quick time. The temperature was 79°F as we arrived and joined the easyJet queue to check in our baggage. As we were queuing someone next to us in the queue informed us that our flight had been delayed due to Volcanic ash from Etna. We learned later that the wind direction had changed blowing ash towards the airport leading to some of the runways being out of action. The fascinating ash plumes I had been watching earlier were now delivering an entirely different experience for me.

Catania airport was in chaos, people all over the place and not enough seats for everyone to sit on. I had a cappuccino and a marmalade croissant whilst we awaited our flight, delayed by 1 hour 10 minutes. Even getting to the food counter to purchase food was difficult with people milling about in the way.

Although no further announcements had been made about our flight, we decided to go through the boarding gate where we found it to be less chaotic. There was a further flight delay but eventually we boarded our plane where the captain announced that we were third in the queue for takeoff, he was just awaiting the go ahead from traffic control. A little while later a ‘rather fed up’ captain made a further announcement; easyJet had changed the flight plans, the doors and boarding steps would have to be re-opened whilst awaiting the new paperwork to be delivered. The captain quipped that we might see someone rushing across the tarmac with papers in hand. Eventually the doors were re-closed and we were on our way 2 hours later than scheduled.

We arrived at Manchester around 17.45, thankfully our luggage came through quickly. Luggage retrieved we proceeded to the ‘meet and greet’ parking to pick up our car for our homeward journey. The delays meant we had to find somewhere to dine on our way home. Our first choice could fit us in but we would have to wait nearly an hour for food. Mr C perused TripAdvisor for nearby eateries and found the ‘Rifleman Inn’. He phoned to see if they could accommodate us and thankfully they could. The pub was quite hidden away but when we eventually found it, the food was delicious and the waitress was a delight. We got into conversation about her upcoming holidays to Gdansk and a November holiday in Cyprus along with reminiscences about previous holidays.

We eventually got home around 22.00, put the heating on and unpacked…

We arrived at breakfast bright and early I opted for the Sicilian breakfast option of Granita and Brioche which I found refreshing. Suitably replete we walked to the bus station to catch a bus to Giordanno-Naxos. When we arrived in Giordanno-Naxos I suggested to Mr C that we checked the location of our return pick up point for the bus. He rushed off ahead across a busy road leaving me to catch up whilst I chose the safer walking option via zebra Crossings. I caught up just as he identified the bus office. When I caught up with him he pointed out the bus office to me.

We then started to walk along the bay in glorious 75f sunshine stopping off for a cappuccino along the way. As we walked along, in places the sea was crashing over the road.

We continued our walk along the bay eventually arriving in the harbour where we found a lovely restaurant called ‘La Lanterna’; it provided pizzas at lunch time.

We ordered a four seasons pizza; ham, egg, fennel and tomato, to share, it was delicious. We accompanied this with a glass of wine for me and a beer for Mr C. The sea view from the restaurant was spectacular. We lingered over our drinks as we were mesmerised by the breaking waves.

We retraced our steps along the bay and visited the archaeological park that we had noticed earlier. The museum was excellent and the park extensive, the latter we were not able to explore fully due because of the mid afternoon heat. Afterwards we visited a nearby cafe for a refreshing, hydrating drink before making our way to the nearest bus stop; the opposite end of the bay to where we arrived earlier in the day. We noticed that the buses stopped here less frequently so we walked along the bay towards the main bus stop, passing many bus stops along the way noticing the arrival time increments at each bus stop. The bus should have been behind us as we walked but in reality there was not a bus in sight!

Mr C decided to deviate from this route and back to the road where the bus had dropped us off. Back at that road happy that he knew where he was, we returned to the bus route past the bus office, which was not a the stop after all. As we turned the corner towards the bay we saw two buses at the bus stop, both about to leave. We had missed them!

The next bus was due in 30 minutes. We waited, and waited, and waited a bit longer, by this time two buses were overdue. A bus turned up 15 minutes later than the first bus was scheduled to arrive. The bus was full with very few seats left, we ended up on two seats near the back of the bus. Unfortunately they were in the reclined position and the lever was broken causing a problem for the couple that sat behind us.

Eventually back in Taormina, we purchased some bottled water; we had become dehydrated again. As we walked back along Corso Umberto, I visited a shop that Mr C had pointed out to me earlier in the week; a shop selling Italian leather bags where a particular range had caught my eye. I had a particular colour in mind and Mr C helped me find just the right bag. I tried the bag for size and shape, it was perfect. As I made my purchase I was told that there was a 30% discount off the ticket price and that the bag had been hand painted meaning that all the designs were unique.

Back at the hotel we had to rush to get refreshed for dinner at 7.30 rather than the more normal time 8.00. It was our last night and Mr C had his eye on packing before we went to bed.

We dined in ‘La Lanterna’, although the same name not the same restaurant where we had lunch. We were greeted with a complimentary glass of prosecco to enjoy whilst we considered our menu choices. The restaurant was in a lovely setting but sadly we were the only couple dining there until we had almost finished our meal. The food was delicious and the dessert was served with a complimentary liqueur. The host was attentive but for some reason only topped up Mr C’s glass with wine. This was quite blatant at the end of the meal when, my glass empty, the remainder of the wine was poured into Mr C’s glass!

Back at the hotel we sat on the terrace to enjoy the view for one last time. There was a bit of confusion when my drink arrived… Mr C had gone to the bar to order drinks and had not returned before the drinks arrived. I had requested a glass of wine and was surprised when the waiter delivered a glass of prosecco, leading both me and the waiter to be confused. It transpired that Mr C had ordered me a prosecco to make up for the wine experience in the restaurant.

After a while another couple arrived. They ordered cocktails and were served with a smile and complimentary nibbles. A few minutes later the cushions were being removed from unoccupied chairs. I noticed the porter flicked his eyes to the seat next to me, where I had placed my handbag and camera and by sleight of hand the cushion next to Mr C was removed. How rude!

The other couple were left with their row of cushions intact, leaving us with the uncomfortable feeling that we were not welcome. The bartender was on a day off so once again we were attended to by the pool bartender. We were sorry to miss the usual bartender and not have the opportunity to thank him for his hospitality, informative conversations and advice.

Back in the room, after packing my case I peeped out of the window towards the hotel terrace. The other couple had left but their row of cushions was still in place with their empty drink glasses were still on the table…

Our alarm was set for 6.30 to enable us to arrive for breakfast at 7.30 (as the doors opened). As we arrived we were surprised to find that the room was quickly filling up with a large number of Americans. We couldn’t help but overhear their loud conversations; they were joining a trip to Etna. We wondered if they were going to be travelling on the same trip as us.

Breakfast was a bit of a rush; we had a taxi booked at 7.55 to take us to Taormina bus station, the joining point for our trip to Etna.

The coach arrived on time and we were surprised that it was a double decker. We found a good seat on the top deck. The tour guide pointed out interesting places and features as we traveled, also sharing the history of the area. As we entered the Alcantara Gorge (unlike our previous trip to the gorge) she explained all the things that we could do in our one hour visit to the gorge.

We chose not to go down to the gorge, instead we set off on a walk to enjoy the parkland and viewpoints looking down on the gorge from above.

Next we continued on our journey to Etna where we had (a rather rushed) lunch before enjoying the Etna experience. Mr C decided to go further up the volcano, via cable cars and jeeps so that he could experience a walk around one of the live craters. I chose to stay lower down the mountain and enjoy a walk in the Silvestri Crater area,  which are extinct but fascinating to see.

I walked to the top of the crater where I encountered strong winds followed by mist and rain. It was all I could do to stay on my feet. As I walked down off the crater the rain had stopped and the mist had lifted.

I considered walking another nearby route to see the effects of  lava flow. Looking up at the walkway the mist came down and completely obliterated the area, a noticed a lone figure at the top of the hill disappearing into the fog. I decided that with a deadline to meet, walking up alone was not a good idea. As I made my way back towards the cafes and souvenir shops I could hardly see where I was walking.

By the time I got back to the cafes the rain had stopped and the fog had lifted. I purchased a book on Etna and had a cappacino in one of the cafes. As I was leaving Mr C popped into view, the cable car had arrived sooner than expected.

Driving back from Etna we had a brief (not advertised) stop at a honey farm where we were able to taste mini samples of their produce. To my palate the honey was not as good as the honey we got from Chain Bridge Honey farm on our frequent visits to Northumberland.

Back at the hotel we chilled out before dining in Casa Nicolodi restaurant. We sat in a rooftop garden area with rustic walls, leafy trees, lemons and pomegranates. The food was lovely and the service so attentive that we felt we had been welcomed into a family home. On this occasion I chose sea bass coated in almonds with fennel and almond salad followed by Sicilian citrus mouse. Just as we were finishing our wine the heavens opened and everyone dashed inside,  seating themselves at the available indoor tables. The hosts were duly attentive in making sure that everyone was comfortably relocated.

As on the previous day I enjoyed chilling (with a book) out on the French balcony in the early morning sunshine whilst Mr C snoozed for a while. Our plan for the day was to visit the Alacantara Gorge on the CityBySee bus but, once again, the trip set off at lunch time leaving the morning free.

Photo taken by Mr C

As we were leaving the hotel to visit the municipal gardens, the hotel’s  resident dog took a fancy to me. He came running past Mr C and jumped up at me with a waggy tail, putting his paws on my legs. At one point the gorgeous dog put his paws on my hands.

After this delightful encounter we revisited the municipal gardens to enjoy a relaxing and tranquil morning. Shortly after we arrived Mr C realised that he had left his hat in the hotel room. While he walked back to the hotel  to retrieve his hat, I stayed in the gardens to explore them at my leisure. I enjoyed my slow paced walk around the garden, seeing things that I had missed on our previous visit.

When Mr C returned, hat in hand, we left the gardens and headed in the direction of the bus station. Our walk took us past what was described on our previous days tour as a Romantic Ruin and also the Necropolis, which is the remains of an old Byzantine cemetery, before finding a viewing platform looking out over the Isolla Bella bay.

Next to the viewing platform there was a convenient cafe, L’Oblio, it was a cafe with a view. As we were being served with drinks before our food order of aranchini arrived, the waiter somehow managed to unbalance the drinks on the tray causing mine, a fresh orange drink to be spilt. Luckily he missed me.

After enjoying lunch and the views, it was time to walk the short distance to the bus station to board the bus to the Alcantara Gorge. We were treated to amazing views and driven along many narrow almost un-navigable streets whilst listening to the interesting commentary of the various things we were seeing. The Gorge itself was beautiful and, on this brief trip, the focus was using the lift to get down to the gorge and the free wine tasting available in the shop area.

We descended to the gorge but due to time constraints we were unable to explore much more than that. We had just enough time to see the 3D video experience and to find out that the free wine tasting was only mini morsels of food and liquors. The tasting session was rushed and designed to lure tourists into buying the local produce. After the previous days experience we made sure we were back at the bus in plenty of time.

Back in Taormina, we stopped for refreshments in a cafe bar before indulging in an Italian ice cream. In the hotel I had a relaxing soak in the bath which was briefly interrupted by Mr C providing me with an unexpected glass of Prosecco!

Shortly after this  ‘room service’ provided us with biscuits after two days absence…

We dined in Le Quattro Fontane where the food and service were excellent. I chose seabass, it was served in a butterfly style and was delicious. I followed this with Cassata; all I can say is WOW!

We made our way back to the hotel for an early night to be ready for an early morning start for our visit to Etna.

We arrived in the breakfast room earlier than the previous day and to our relief it was a lot less chaotic. It being the weekend, we indulged in a glass of Prosecco with our breakfast. In my case I paired it with fruit; sadly strawberries were not on the menu.

Suitably replete, we walked to the main bus station in order to catch a bus to Taormina-Giordani station to check out the train availability to Syracuse, where we planned to visit later in the week. We also inquired if there was a scheduled bus to Syracuse and were told that there were no scheduled buses there but later in the week we found that this advice was incorrect!

Unfortunately we found that the the train station ticket office was closed and we were unable to inquire about about our proposed journey. There were no physical train timetables available to peruse at our leisure so Mr C photographed the wall-displayed timetable to allow him to figure it out at his leisure. Our journey was not wasted, the station with its fine ceiling and architecture was well worth a visit.

After our brief but unproductive visit we hopped back on a bus to Taormina where we enjoyed a mid morning cappuccino in a cafe opposite the tourist information office where we hoped to get advice about a visit to Syracuse by public transport. Unfortunately it was shut; we had forgotten that it was Sunday.

We investigated some of the Taormina alleyways and found ‘The Odeon’, a small Roman Theatre nestling between more modern buildings, we stopped off for lunch in a cafe where, on a previous day, we had enjoyed a refreshing drink overlooking Piazza Duomo. On this occasion I chose to indulge in a strawberry pancake which was delicious.

We headed back to the hotel where we intended to linger over a bottle of Prosecco by the hotel pool, chilling out in the afternoon sunshine. Our requirement seemed to have been lost in translation so we ended up with a couple of glasses. The bar attendant seemed to be rushing us…

Later we dined in  Rosso De Vino (mentioned in my previous p0st). The food, staff, service and venue were wonderful. We were provided with the menu and shortly afterwards a member of staff arrived to explain the specials board and the catch of the day platter.

The platter was a dish of whole fish presented for us to choose from. The waitress advised that all the fish could be cooked to our exact requirements using fresh, authentic Sicilian ingredients. She further advised us that we could choose a fish to be cooked in two different ways for sharing. Mr C chose the ‘Big Eye’ fish which is local to the area and we opted for two different cooking options (pistachio coated and Sicilian style with olives and caper) so that we could enjoy different tastes of Taormina fish cuisine.

Mr C added a starter of dish of Carpaccio fish which we shared and both of our dessert options were delicious

Whilst we were dining Mr C decided against going on his planned visit to Syracuse. The journey would take up to much time (four hours return journey) and would not be relaxing. We had a plan B…

I do not think I shall ever forget the sight of Etna at sunset; the mountain almost invisible in a blur of pastel grey, glowing on the top and repeating its shape, as though reflected, in a wisp of grey smoke with the whole horizon behind radiant with pink light, fading gently into a grey pastel sky. Nothing I have seen in Art or Nature was quite so sublime.

Paul Theroux

The wanderer returns from a wonderful summer (late autumn) break in Sicily. The weather and views were perfect. I love this fascinating view from my hotel room in Taormina.