Catania, Sicily

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Catania, Sicily

Our seas this morning were calm and smooth as we cruised into the port in Catania, Sicily.  Not a pretty port at all, very commercial with containers and equipment and very industrial looking.

Where we were this morning.

 

After breakfast we got on our bus and headed out of Catania.  First we headed to Mt. Etna which is an active volcano.  The last eruption was 2002 but there was some activity last year sometime I just don’t remember exactly when.  We saw many earlier lava flows and even a house that was swallowed up.  We went to a side crater that hasn’t erupted since 1995 and they have not ever had a side crater erupt a second time.  It was very interesting seeing the different colors…. The newest being very black and by newest I mean 2002 and earlier.  A funny thing they told us was that we could pick up and take any stones with us because the mountain would always make more.  It was so interesting to be that close to an active volcano.  By active I mean that it still puffs smoke but no real eruptions.

Our first stop for pictures with Mt. Etna.

 Other views of Mt. Etna

The green poles are for the tram and the white for the ski lift.

Me on Mt. Etna

Jim in front of lava rock.

The old crater we visited.

 

Larry, Denise, Bob and Jim

It was chilly up there.

Tracy, Kathy and Denise

 

Back on the bus and we headed down the mountain to a little town called Taormina, a lovely little town and very picturesque.  It has beautiful views of the sea, cute little shops with lovely Italian pottery and lots of balconies with flowers hanging off of them, just like you would think Sicily would be.  We didn’t have near enough time there and it is definitely a place we’d like to visit again.

Taormina, Sicily

One of the beautiful balconies

A view of the water.

 

Back to the ship for a snack and then dinner.  We left port early today, at 5:00 pm and we’ve cruised between Sicily and the tip of the boot of Italy.  It was neat to see land on both sides of the ship and so close as well.

Our favorite waiter is always giving us things to figure out.  This is his latest challenge for us.  We didn't get it, he had to show us.  Amazing!

Dessert tonight!

 

Believe it or not.... he used the forks for balancing the tooth pick.

Then it was four forks and two tooth picks.

Outside on the deck.

This is where we are... going at 21Kts.  We're moving!

 

Tomorrow we dock in Naples, Italy where we’ll  go to Mt. Vesuvius and then Pompeii.  It will be a long day but very interesting. 

Unfortunately tomorrow night we’ll have to pack up and put our suitcases out for disembarking.  We head to Pisa and then Rome for a few days.

Well it seems that the government is back in business and my office is back to work.  At least I’m now on vacation rather than furloughed. 

We’re having a fabulous time.  More tomorrow.