It's actually not as bad as anticipated, although challenges abound. I've been the designated driver for the trip, and our trusty rented Mercedes has negotiated with aplomb the curves of each narrow, twisting town street and inhumanly tight parking garage we've confronted. Other folks on the road, however, function under the assertion that defensive driving means you take the preemptive strike, then move on as quickly as your diesel engine will carry you. This is particularly true of the hoards of scooters and small motorcycles that appear from nowhere, commandeer any space available and consider each traffic sign, light and pedestrian crossing as an antiquated illusion. OK. Venting over. And I feel a lot better.
Our track has motored us counterclockwise around the perimeter of Sicily, from Agrigento in the southwest, through Gela (nice panini, and I'm not being fresh), around Ragusa, then for overnights in Siracusa (Syracuse) and a couple of days in the beautiful sloping seaside community of Taormina, at the foot of Mt. Etna. We're near the northeastern corner of the island, on the Ionian Sea facing the toe of Italy's Boot.
Mt. Etna dominates the horizon for many miles. At its snow-topped crest is a constant white cloud, the probable result of either ongoing geologic activity at this active volcano or some Messianic event the Vatican is attempting to influence. Its proximity to the blue Mediterranean is striking, as these two bounties of nature compete for eye-catching wonderment.
LOTS OF WANDERING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
As the score from Rodgers and Hart's "The Boys From Syracuse" kept replaying in my addled brain, I meandered around Siracusa. We stayed on its island of Ortigia, another picturesque community, with views of the sea accessible from every alleyway. Greek ruins, in excellent repair, dominate. But the highlight of Siracusa is its duomo piazza. If I were to design a movie set of what a pristine baroque church square should look like, this would be it. The plaza is ringed with tall, white marble buildings in perfect condition. At night, each is lit dramatically. Quite a sight. A bus ride across to the mainland side of Siracusa afforded a visit to one of the more interesting archeological museums, where 18,000 artifacts, from Sicily's prehistoric habitation through the Greek period, are on display with descriptions in two languages, one of which I can speak.
The next day, in Taormina, was spent casually strolling through its busy shopping streets, Greco-Roman theater (still in use) and lovely gardens. Driving to the city center was an experience. Our GPS system had a hard time interpreting the constantly-renovated streets (nicknamed Sophia, her Italian pronunciations are a kick) and we found ourselves going up and down more than one long circuitous hillside path. It did give us the chance to get a panoramic sight of Mt. Etna, well-worth the detours. An unexpectedly humorous turn found me driving up a steep city hill, only to be accosted by two motorcycle cops (Italian variety), waving anxiously and shouting something to me in a foreign language. I was relatively confident I wasn't driving the wrong way on a one-way street (easy to do, trust me), but soon realized that we were facing the oncoming herd of Taormina's annual marathon race. As hundreds of runners, in various states of amusement and amazement, passed our car, all we could do was wave and wish them well. I'm sure they all were wishing us the same, but some of this might have been lost in the translation.
LOTS OF FRESH FOOD
Tomorrow, we head back to Palermo for our final day in Sicily. We've had a good draw of accommodations throughout Italy, mostly three to four star hotels or charming B&Bs, such as tonight's location overlooking the Med. We're splurging for our final night in Palermo at a resort about an hour out of town, with balcony rooms on the water. Then back to Paris for a final three days. As mentioned previously, our meals have been delectable. Happily, there's been so much exercise, the pasta has not taken permanent residence. But after all the activity, a good menu takes heightened significance. Here's a view of some of the fare, as displayed at one of the outdoor markets in Siracusa.
Bon appetit! Next: Paris Encore.
Location:Taormina, Italy
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