2019 Amalfi Coast and Sicily

September 29-30, 2019 – STL to Atlanta to Rome to Naples: We left the house about 10:30, got to airport and I was checked in and at gate by just after 11:00 for 1:00 departure. About 11:30, I went over to Mike Shannon’s restaurant for lunch. Service was very slow, but the grilled club sandwich was okay. Back to gate, boarded, and nice flight to Atlanta. Took a little over an hour plus.

In Atlanta, took the shuttle train to Concourse F where my Rome plane was leaving. Went to Delta Sky Club and did people watching mostly. They stream in and out. There is a big buffet of food and free alcohol. There were folks who looked calm, stressed, engaged in business, meeting comrades. And platefuls of food. About 5:00, I read a book I have on Kindle until about 6:00. Went down to the gate and we boarded about 6:30, took off on time about 7:15, which is 1:15 AM in Rome. I had a glass of prosecco.

Lovely sunset as we took off and headed northeast. Supper started about 2:15 AM Rome time. Lots of good food. Crew has four pilots and ten attendants. The pilots fly two at a time and switch mid-flight. After supper, around 4:00AM Italy time, I got to sleep … for about 2-2.5 hours. When it was 7:00 Italy time, I stayed awake to try to get into this time zone. Nice breakfast and smooth landing in Rome.

Automated passport control where you scan your passport, have your picture taken, and are done. Then long walk and wait at baggage. I had to collect mine since I had a separate ticket on Alitalia from Rome to Naples. Went outside Terminal 3 where we came in and walked a couple of minutes to Terminal 1 for Alitalia internal flights. Stood in line to get checked in, stood in line for security check. Then it’s up one escalator and the down another and down another to ground level where I met up with Alice and Anthony. This is the same as when I was through Rome a few years ago … you get in line, board a bus, and are driven out on the tarmac to mount stairs onto the plane. Luckily I was one of the last into the bus and, therefore, near the door so I could be one of the first up the stairs to find room for my carryon. It was a 2:00 scheduled departure that didn’t leave the ground until 2:45. At this point, I am running on fumes. Did get a snack of a double espresso and croissant while waiting with Alice and Anthony.

While I was waiting on the stores/food floor where I thought I was supposed to meet Alice and Anthony, I sat near where people came up the escalator from security. Almost all stopped to look at the overhead screen with gate and time postings. It would have made a great photo essay with all those faces peering, squinting at the screen.

Was only in the air about 35 minutes. Met driver from hotel after we collected our luggage. He took us on a circuitous route down by the port. There are piles of shipping containers sometimes stacked 10 high. There is serious traffic. And it’s crowded and …. So we shall see how we like Naples.

I’m in Room 107 of the Caruso Place Boutique & Wellness Suites, a 10-room affair on second floor in sort of a hidden doorway on Via Toledo, a walking street. The driver dropped us off three blocks from hotel (no cars) and porter from hotel took our bags and led us to it. It’s really quite elegant and rooms very spacious. There is both a shower where one can vary the lighting colors playing on the water and a hot tub. My room looks out at an alleyway, so nothing to see.

Met Kathy, Alice, Anthony at 6:30 and walked about a block from hotel to little place around the corner, Trattoria Speanzella, where Kathy has eaten before. Had a lovely dinner and local wine and then walked through some of the side streets and along Via Toledo. Great night shots. And gelato, of course. And then back to room to finish downloading images and getting ready for bed. Need to be at breakfast at 7:30 since we leave for Pompeii at 8:15.

October 1, 2019 – Naples, Pompeii: Had a reasonable night’s sleep, which was pleasing for many reasons. Up at 7:00, wonderful breakfast at hotel at 7:30. Fresh fruit, meats, cheese, yogurt, eggs, pastries all available. And I had the equivalent of five espressos! Walked three blocks down Via Toledo to meet our driver, Gaitano, who drove us to and then picked us up at Pompeii.

Got there right before gates opened at 9:00 and walked around until 11:40 when we met driver at a gate other than the one where we started. First, Pompeii is huge. Second, it’s amazing all the excavation that has gone on and is still going on. Third, there are two gigantic cruise ships docked at the harbor and hordes of their passengers descended on Pompeii. We were lucky in where we started and about for the first half of our walk that there were not many people. But when we got to a certain place, there were hundreds, thousands, zillions of people. If we saw a group going right, we went left. Tried to avoid them as best we could.

Loved our time there. Loved the size and scope. Even has some views with Vesuvius in the background … very close and you can see how fast it all must have happened. Ah, and modernity since Pink Floyd is performing here soon! And we got lost all the time even with Anthony consulting his Ulmon CityMaps2Go app and Kathy looking at the paper map.

Zipped back to hotel weaving through horrid traffic. Stopped for a short break at the hotel and went across the alleyway from the hotel side door to Ristorante al Cucciolo, where we had a nice lunch all alone in the place.

We walked across Via Toledo to Galleria Umberto I, which is four spokes with a center and roof is all glass. It’s where we got gelato last night. Lots of restaurants, gift shops, a Sephora, etc. Fun to try to capture the place given its scope.

Kathy returned to the hotel and Alice, Anthony, and I walked up Via Toledo and did a bunch of street shooting. Passed several places for gelato and pastries. Seems to be very big here. And you have to watch out for motorcycles. Even though Via Toledo is a walking street, the cross streets aren’t and motorbikes whiz up and down those streets barely avoiding hitting pedestrians.

Back to the room for downloading images, keywording, etc. Will meet up with group for supper. Several others arrived today with balance coming tomorrow.

At 7:00, we all met and walked about a block and a half to ‘Ntretella for pizza. Wood-fired, soft crust. I had the porcini pizza … cheese and mushrooms. Then we walked down Via Toledo for gelato at Il Gelato Mennella, back through the galleria and to our hotel for the night. Tomorrow is Milk & Honey Jewish Heritage Tour that I won for free!

October 2, 2019 – Naples: Got up around 7:30. Another night with reasonable sleep. Had the lovely hotel breakfast. Met with Roberto Modiano, our guide from Milk & Honey Tours at 10:00. Vicki, Alice, and Anthony joined me. First we walked down toward the main square and stopped at Caffe Gambinus, one of the most famous coffee houses here. Had a cold espresso … different from Aroma in Israel, but good. The square across from the restaurant was filling up with school children and we saw lots more as we walked.

In about 15 minutes, we were at the only synagogue in this area of Italy, Napoli Ebraica. It’s one of the oldest in Europe. Now there are only about 80 Jews who live in Naples area due to emigration and old age. While there were more here earlier, almost none were sent to the Nazi camps. Roberto did a good job explaining Jewish traditions and ceremonies and what is in the synagogue.

We walked out and up a few blocks for Roberto to pick us up. We crammed into his small car and wove at breakneck speed through one-way streets where he avoided hitting people, motorcycles zipping around and by. He took us to a high point over the city where we got out and could see all of Naples and the bay below us.

More zipping up and down through very poor parts of the city ending up at a tufo quarry once used by the Romans. Tufo is a porous volcanic stone used through the ages in this area to build with since it is spongy and can withstand earthquakes and is light enough for multi-story buildings. Inside this huge quarry are the remains of 40,000 people among the 200,000 who died of the plague in the 1600s. The quarry is now Cimitaro delle Fontanella. It is huge. There are lines and lines of skulls, leg bones, all sorts of small and large shrines, a church space. Unique is all regards. And Roberto knows all the lore of the place and showed us certain skulls or bones or caskets. My images will tell quite a bit.

While Roberto wanted to go on and on with his tour, which was quite generous, we had to be back to hotel to leave at 3:00 with the group. By about 2:15 we were dropped off at the foot of Via Toledo near the hotel and got lunch at Caffe San Ferdinando. Then back to hotel to get ready for afternoon walk.

All of our group is now in. We met Barbara, our guide in Naples, and walked up Via Toledo, turned into La Pignasecca market. Lots of stalls with all sorts of things to sell from clothing to food. Walked to the funicular station nearby and went to the top near Castel Sant’Elmo where we had a great overlook of all of the old city beneath us. Took another funicular down to near the hotel, which was lucky since it started to rain. No sooner than when we got under cover at the hotel, the sky opened up with a deluge that lasted for several hours. Buckets of rain.

At 6:00, we gathered in the room where breakfast is served and the hotel had put together a really nice spread of sweet and savory things to eat and wine to drink. So we ate, drank, talked. Treat was when Alice and Anthony did FaceTime with Pam and Bruce, who we miss. Was so wonderful seeing them both. And we took pictures of people running through the rain and trying to avoid it!

Then back to the room for these trip notes and downloading, keywording…blah, blah, blah. Because the rain is supposed to continue overnight and into the AM, we’re not leaving for Herculaneum until 9:00.

October 3, 2019 – Herculaneum and Catacombs of Naples: Late morning, which was good since rest of day was long. Out at 9:00 for bus to Herculaneum. Had a bunch of light rain and was glad to have my waterproof camera along when it got bad. Very interesting and different in many respects than Pompeii. Much smaller. Different effect of when Vesuvius erupted in what came here vs. what came to Pompeii. And lots of skeletons here as compared to encased bodies at Pompeii. Went into many of the houses too see the frescos and decorations.

Got back to Naples around 1:00 and had lunch as a group at ‘Ntretella, where we had dinner before. Good food and I had something different than pizza. Alice, Anthony, and I went walking after lunch up Via Toledo quite a few blocks and went to Fantasia for gelato. Walked back to hotel and we all left via a bus for St. Genaro Catacombs at 4:00. Well, when we got there, the sky opened up with a deluge. We had to wait about an hour for our English tour to begin and had to walk quite a way and down many stairs in the pounding rain. We had not expected rain this afternoon, but rain it did. Natalie McCaskill loaned me an umbrella and Teddie Gould and I shared it and were only soaked on the side we did not share!

Some might find these catacombs interesting for many reasons. Many of us were underwhelmed. Got lots of history about the place, the saint after which it is named, etc. And, thank goodness, the rain had stopped by the time we finished the tour, which was good since we had to retrace our entrance route, but this time up and up the stairs.

Traffic was heavy and it took us until after 7:00. Met Alice, Anthony, Natalie, and John at 7:30 and went to the same place we had been to the first night, Trattoria Speranzella. Shared a huge dish with Alice. Close to 9:00 we headed back to our rooms where I am now downloading and writing this.

Tomorrow is a very early day with us leaving at 6:15 and doing island hopping until midday and hopefully a sunset shoot of Vesuvius in the evening.

October 4, 2019 – Island Hopping: I didn’t sleep well last night and was awake at about 5:00. We left here by foot to walk to the ferry terminal in the harbour to take the 7:15 ferry to Ischia. It took about 30 minutes to get there. Then a taxi to the end of the causeway leading to the castle. While the castle looks like it’s on an island, there is this land “bridge” that connects it to town. We walked along and took images of the town and went into the castle at 9:00. It’s the Castello Aragonese of Ischia and is wonderful both from an historical perspective and for great 360 degrees views of the island. Barbara talked to us and showed us parts of the castle, which is now in private hands and houses a hotel and restaurant.

This was once a convent, and one of the strangest parts, and a bit disgusting, was what happened to the nuns when they died. To quote from an Internet site: “Deceased nuns were placed on stone chairs to decompose, while the surviving nuns prayed near the lifeless bodies.” There are stone chairs with holes in the seats for …. well, you can imagine.

And we saw great art in and around the castle as well as the remnants of a church that was bombed in WWII. Walked back to the main part of the island, taxi to the port, and got aboard ferry to the next island, Procida.

It was a short ferry ride. Walked along the harbour with its shops and restaurants. Took a minibus way way up to the top of the island near an old prison. The idea was to take images from different viewpoints from the top all the way to the bottom as we walked downhill. And the views were great at every turn. Very narrow streets so you had to flatten yourself against a wall as vehicles came up from the harbour.

All of us stopped at a harbour-side restaurant for lunch, then back on a high-speed ferry back to Naples and walked to the hotel. Got back around 3:00.

At 5:45, we assembled in the lobby and walked to a waiting van for a ride uphill and a view over the city, Mt. Vesuvius, down the coast to Sorrento, etc. This was not a sunset shot since the sun was really behind us. Rather, it was to shoot the changing light on the mountains, coast, city as it went from sunset through the blue hour.

Left there about 7:30, drove back to hotel area, and Alice, Anthony, and I walked to a nearby restaurant where we had lunch previously for our pasta of the evening. This was followed by getting gelato, which brings me to another story. In the break between when we got back this afternoon and the evening shoot, I wandered out to get gelato and find an ATM. While I was eating my gelato and licking the rim where it was dripping, it slipped. Splat. Facedown on the pavement. Ah, que lastima. And I didn’t find an ATM either. But the evening gelato made up for it.

Tomorrow we are going for a morning walk to the main square to shoot around 7:00, back for breakfast, and leave for Sorrento about 10:30.

October 5, 2019 – Naples to Sorrento: Got up for a 7:00 shoot in the main square, but not much happening so did not stay too long. Breakfast at hotel about 8:00. Were not leaving hotel until 10:30, so had time to get things together. And it was raining, so I stood on a hotel balcony and shot images of lots of people with lots of umbrellas. Carried and rolled our luggage about three blocks down to the van.

We drove south passing Pompeii and got off the highway at Castellammare di Stabia and went to Villa San Marco. It’s a huge Roman residential villa set on a hill over the city. Spent a couple of hours there marveling at how big it is and the lovely colors, frescos, columns. In the images I post, you will see a brick line on the wall in many of the. Everything below the brick is original and above is restoration, mostly from stones found on the site. Where there is brick for part of a wall or column, that is more modern restoration since materials there could not be found.

We then headed into the center of town, the harbour. Lots of weddings going on all around and we took many images of the wedding parties. Had lunch along the waterfront at Zembri with the group followed by gelato nearby. Next, we walked uphill to the Monte Faito cable car and took it to the top of the mountain. Best views of the Naples Bay and Mt. Vesuvius was on our way up … until we were covered in clouds. And it was cold up there as well.

Down we went, back in the van, and drove down the coast to Sorrento. Wove through town until we got to historical section where we walked to the hotel with a porter wheeling our bags. The hotel is Maison Tofani located in the heart of the old town on a walking street. It’s an old villa/castle lovingly restored. I’m in Room 101. Wandered around a bit before dinner.

At 7:00, we went into the main (and ornate) dining room for a multi-course Italian meal cooked by the mother of the ownership family and explained course by course by her son. The table was elegantly set. The wine, the food, the discussion were all outstanding. Much of the food on our plates was grown on the family farm or made by the chef/mother. It was a formal dining experience.

Took a walk through the shopping street by the hotel for about a half and hour then back to rooms. Late start tomorrow, thank goodness. 10:00 for guided walking tour with Barbara.

October 6, 2019 – Sorrento: Had a good night’s sleep. Got up about 7:30, dressed, and went into the lovely dining room where we had the huge dinner last night. The breakfast buffet was extensive and excellent. Talked with Maria Tofino, our hostess and chef.

Supposed to leave for walking tour at 10:00, but Barbara had troubles getting here from Naples, so it was 10:45 when we left. She took us around this old section of the city, the Cathedral of Sorrento with its beautiful cloister, and down to an overlook of the main marina. As part of our walk, went into a shop that specializes in a Sorrento craft, inlaid woodworking. Got a demonstration on how it’s done, bought some pieces.

Walked back to street where hotel is and went to La Lanterna, which is also owned by the Tofino family. Saw the son and his woman friend there and he treated us to pizza bread and other stuff. Food was excellent. Left there about 2:00.

I walked about 10 minutes away from this part of town to find a bank and went to an ATM. From there, back to hotel for downloading. Met with group at 4:30 for a surprise. Took taxis to a lemon farm, Il Pizzo. It’s over 100 years old, has a villa where the family lives, and a terrace overlooking the bay and Mt. Vesuvius.

These folks produce a huge amount of lemons, mostly for lemoncello. They graft young lemon trees onto bitter orange trunks to produce the variety of lemons for their lemoncello. Some of the trees are over 100 years old. And they intersperse the lemon trees with olive trees and grow organize vegetables between the trees.

We visited the family villa and were treated to a lemon drink and lemoncello sampling. Walked through the trees to a terrace that overlooks the harbour and Mt. Vesuvius in the distance. Took images of the changing light on the harbour, the cliffs, and houses.

Taxi back to center of old city. Stood on bridge with view of road to harbour below us and took time exposures showing headlights and taillights streaming. Walked to hotel to put our stuff in our rooms and the walked back to main square for dinner at Fauno Bar. Another excellent meal. Final stop of the night for gelato and then to our rooms.

Tomorrow does not look inviting with 100% chance of rain. Our scheduled early morning walk has ben cancelled. Were supposed to take ferry to Capri, but that seems doubtful as well.

October 7, 2019 – Sorrento and Capri: The early morning walk was cancelled due to rain. Got up around 7:30, had breakfast, talked to the resident cat, met group at 10:30 for walk way downhill to the harbour. We got on a ferry to Capri and zipped over there pretty quickly.

Forecast said there would be rain all day. While it did drizzle the first half hour or so on Capri, it then stopped and was just overcast the rest of the day. Took the funicular (this one on rails) from the harbour up to the town of Capri. This area at the top is chock full of high-priced stores – Gucci, Ferragamo, you name it.

Walked to the Giardini di Augusto for great views of the cliffs, water, towns. Then some of us walked around the town, up and down various side streets and ended up near the high-price shopping area. Had a light lunch and gelato at Gelateria Buonocore Capri and wended our way back to the piazza where the funicular entrance was … and down we went to the Marina Grande, the harbour. Walked around taking images and met Barbara about 2:40 to get o 3:15 ferry back to Sorrento. Luckily we took a bus uphill to the area of the hotel. Going downhill in the AM was really long and uphill would have been a killer.

Went to room. Did some downloading. Met group at 5:30 and got in mini-bus. The idea was to take sunset images of Sorrento. However, the first place that had been picked was not good. So we drove way over to the other side of the city and up for a view. It was as windy a place a you’d ever want to be, and cold. And we were sort of past the peak of the sun shining on Sorrento. About half of us got back on the bus because it was so cold and windy. Other half stayed out into blue hour, around 7:00.

Back at the hotel, we met in the courtyard at 7:30 and walked a couple of blocks to RistaranteTasso which had great food and service. Then back to the hotel to pack since we leave here tomorrow AM.

October 8, 2019 – Sorrento to Amalfi: It’s my birthday! Got up at 7:00, ate around 7:45, put my luggage outside my door by 8:30, and departed with group to the mini-bus (van) at 9:00. Wound our way out of Sorrento and headed for the Amalfi Coast.

Yes, the road is twisty and turning and hugs the cliffs and is choked with traffic going both ways. It’s like we’ve all been told but on steroids. Glad I’m not driving. We had gorgeous views the whole ride. Had a rest stop near Positano. Drove through there, other small towns, through Amalfi, through Atrani, and went way up the hillside to Ravello. Walked through town and up a long set of steps to Villa Cimbrone. It has extensive gardens and great views over the bay. Spent over an hour wandering around and taking images. Then downhill and back on the van for the ride downhill.

Went to Atrani. Driver took our luggage to Amalfi along with some of the group that were tired from the morning. Ate lunch at Bistrot il Birecto, nice place in the central square. Then climbed up stairs to the cathedral where Anthony’s grandfather had been baptized. Moving experience, for sure, for all of us.

Then we went down a series of stairs and up and up and up a whole set of stairs to walk from Atrani to Amalfi. My Apple Health app says with the Ravello walk this morning and Atrani to Amalfi this afternoon, it was over 4 miles and the equivalent of 30 flights of stairs. Lots of walking!

In Amalfi, walked along the seaside to our accommodations, Hotel Aurora. It faces the water. I am I Room 35 with our whole group arrayed on this floor (third) all with balconies facing the water. Went downstairs at 6:00 for a wine tasting reception on the terrace. Lots of wine and some food with each of the two whites and two reds we enjoyed. Went up to my room about 8:30 to download and write this.

Tomorrow we tour Amalfi in the AM and take a ferry to Positano to tour there in the afternoon. So my birthday day comes to an end. Was a nice day among friends, lots of walking, good food, good sights.

October 9, 2019 – Amalfi and Positano: Got up after 7:00 and went onto the terrace for breakfast. The hotel brought me two “cupcakes” with candles for my birthday. Met the group at 10:00 for a tour of Amalfi with Barbara. Besides going up and down the small streets, we spent quite a bit of time in the Dome of St. Andrew, the Amalfi Cathedral. There are cloisters, a crypt, an original basilica, and the main cathedral. All well worth the visit.

Walked around the narrow streets and up to a restaurant Barbara suggested, Taverna BuonVicino. Then we walked and shopped, put stuff back in hotel, and met Barbara at ferry landing. Took the 3:00 ferry along the Amalfi Coast to Positano. Great scenery all along with houses and hotels and monasteries all stacked up the mountain sides on terraces.

Spent an hour and a half in Positano wandering the streets. Lots of people on the beach, walking around. A couple on the beach had some interesting wedding pictures taken by their photographer. Back on the ferry at 5:00 to return to Amalfi.

Went out about 6:30 to Lo Smeraldino, which is almost right across from hotel. Other than the original service was slow since the staff was eating their own supper instead of attending to us, the food was excellent. Walked back to hotel about 8:30.

There is a 5:00 AM walk scheduled for tomorrow, but I am too tired to go. Alice, Anthony, and I along with some others are planning our day … last day before we fly to Sicily.

October 10, 2019 – Amalfi and Cetera: Had breakfast about 8:00. Later, Carol, Alice, and I went into center of town for some shopping. Met Anthony, Natalie, and John at the ferry landing at 11:00 and the four of us embarked for Cetera. Again, lovely views as we went into Minori and Maiori and then Cetera.

Wandered around the streets taking pictures. Found Ristorante al Convento for lunch. Very nice. Walked around some more. Got gelato. Then took 3:15 ferry back to Amalfi.

After checking on Sabrina, who is not feeling well, went out for a walk with Kathy way way up (500 steps) to a viewing point above Amalfi. Then back downhill and met group for dinner on the water at Marina Grande, a lovely place with excellent food. Walk back to hotel, computer stuff, packed up. Have to be in lobby with all our gear at 6:00 AM to head up to Naples Airport for flight to Sicily.

October 11, 2019 – Amalfi to Naples to Catania to Taormina: Got up at 5:15, down on the terrace for breakfast at 5:45, loaded into bus and off at 6:30. Got to Naples airport at 8:30, checked our baggage and waited for the 10:30 EasyJet to Catania, Sicily. Our takeoff was delayed about a half an hour since Mt. Etna was belching some smoke and ash. Nice flight. Good pix of Mt. Etna and the smoke from airplane.

Got to Sicily around 12:30. Met by Lucia, our guide here, and were driven for about an hour to the Eurostars Monte Tauro in Taormina. This place is elegant. Hangs off the mountain and is way high up. Lobby is on the 8th floor. My room is 104 on the first floor. Pool is on ground floor below and we had lunch on the pool terrace. Luggage was delivered to our room. Only here for one night.

Guess this is a good time to talk about the food. I’ve had more pasta/risotto and pizzas so far than I’ve had in a year’s time. And all good. Lots of fresh clams, mussels, cuttlefish, calamari, tuna, etc. Pasta all al dente with great sauces. Oh, and octopus. I’ve had octopus almost every day. Yum! And gelato, of course. Dinners have been pricey, but worth it. Breakfasts in hotels are included and extensive. Glad we’re walking 4 or 5 miles a day and climbing lots of steps.

About 4:30, Lucia met us in the lobby and we walked uphill (naturally) to the center of the city. While it was quiet and not too many people on the way up, at the top is the main shopping street and it was jammed with people. We went to a square to shoot first, then up to the cathedral, and back to the square as the sun was setting. About 7:30 we headed uphill to Malvasia for a set dinner. Was lovely. By that time, I was really tired and needed to head to the hotel, but we stopped for gelato and that perked me up a tad.

Back at the hotel I downloaded images, wrote this, and prepared to leave here tomorrow AM at 8:30 after breakfast.

October 12, 2019 – Taormina to Noto to Regusa Ibla: Been on conveyances too long over the last two days. Was over two hours to get from Amalfi to the Naples airport. Then wait there. Then hour’s flight to Catania. From there, drove north for over an hour to Taormina. And today, after a morning shoot at the Greek Amphitheatre there, two hours plus to get to Noto for lunch. After lunch and walking around Noto, over an hour to get to Ragusa. Too long to be cooped up like that.

Hotel in Ragusa is the Antico Convento. Since it was a convent, the rooms are small. I had to change room from 104 to 110 since the first room was so small there was no place to even open my suitcase. Even in 110, the space I found for the suitcase was in the bathroom.

At the hotel this morning, there was a big group of Chinese tourists who decimated the buffet. This would not have been a problem if the hotel staff had replenished the food. As it was, it took 15 minutes for anyone on the staff to recognize that there was no food, no coffee in the machine, etc. Not good for a “four star” hotel.

Upon leaving the hotel, we walked through the public gardens and saw some follies that had been erected in the 1800s by a British woman. “The villa was originally settled by Lady Florence Trevelyan, a Scottish noblewoman who left their country after having had an affair with the heir to the throne of England Edward VII. Arrived in Taormina in 1884 Lady Trevelyan married the mayor prof. Salvatore Cacciola.”

Morning at Greek Amphitheatre in Taormina was really nice. And you get a great view of Mt. Etna with its continuing smoke. Good view down to Naxos as well. Beautiful place and set up for concerts and all sorts of performances. At it was a hike to get to the amphitheater, lots of steps there, and another hike to get to the bus.

Two hours later, we were in Noto for lunch at an arancini place … street food you pick up in your hands. Good, though. And Noto is known for its architecture, Baroque. So we wandered its main streets having fun. There are some well-known balcony supports that are quite unusual. Hiked back to bus.

Another hour later, about 5:00, we were in Ragusa. Went to our rooms until 6:30. Walked through the public gardens outside the hotel and into town. Lots of activity since there is a Buskers festival this weekend. Mingled with the crowd and found a restaurant, Il Barocco, for a lovely dinner.

October 13, 2019 – Ragusa Ibla: http: Breakfast here, like the rooms, was minimal. Even, yuck, “American coffee.” Really? Followed Lucia into the city about 10:00. It was a slow walk. Went into the Duomo, the Church of St. George. Stayed briefly since noon mass was about to start. Two of our group stayed for the entire hour-long mass. And there were a few who were either tired or not feeling well that stayed back at the hotel. Continued to wander. Lots of interesting balcony supports. Saw many in Noto and more here. Around 1:00, we gathered and went to the same restaurant we ate at last night, Il Barocco, for lunch. Interesting fare. Then we scattered and walked around, returned to the hotel. Next is 5:00 ride to the upper part of town for twilight shooting and then a walk down to the lower part where the hotel is and have dinner.

Taxis took us up at 5:00. Started at the Church of St. Mary of the Stairs … yep, stairs. From there we walked down stopping at various viewpoints to take pictures. As we walked, more and more people, families joined the stream down to the lower part of the city for the Busker festival. We got to the main part of town by the Church of St. George around 6:30. Crowds? Crowds! Everywhere was thick with people. And while there were a few “performances” going on, nothing was really good or entertaining. So the crowd just moved one way and the other like giant waves. I think this was a thicker crowd that we saw in Venice during Carnival.

At 7:15 we all congregated at the same restaurant where we had lunch today and supper last night. Lovely meal and service. Lucia arranged for tables for us, which was smart given the crowds.

Tomorrow we leave here at 9:00 and head to Syracuse with a stop along the way for chocolate and then a farm lunch. This will be the last stop for the Strabo part of the trip. After Syracuse, four of us are heading north in a rental car. OMG! Driving in Italy!!!

October 14, 2019 – Ragusa to Modica to farm dinner to Siracusa: Breakfast and then on the bus at 9:00. Drove about an hour to Modica where we took images of the city, churches, had espresso, went to a chocolate tasting at Bonjuto.

Around 11:45 we left for a drive into the countryside for a farm lunch at Al Caseificio Farm. It was a feast consisting of everything grown or raised on the farm. All served on a long table. We had:

Bread, olives, caponata, peppers, ricotta, local cheeses, artichokes
Sciacciata with ricotta, with cheese/onion/parsley, with eggplant
Pastera with pork and veal
Boiled meat
Sausage with green salad
Melon, grapes, and “must”
Cannoli
Espresso

We waddled down the road and took landscapes. This whole area for miles and miles has white stone fences, some rough, some finished. Think of the centuries where the farmers had to take these rocks out of their fields in order to use them for livestock or agriculture.

By 4:45 we were at the Hotel Livingston in Ortigia (Siracusa) where I am in room 203. It’s an elegant hotel. At 5:15 we were met by a local guide and walked through the Jewish Quarter down to the waterfront. Passed by what was recently discovered 18 feet underground – an ancient mikvah. We will visit it tomorrow. Also saw the site of where the synagogue was until 1492 … then a church was built over it. They are just rediscovering their Jewish history. In the expulsion of 1492, one quarter of the citizens of Siracusa had to leave. As compared to places like Venice where the Jews were protected, Siracusa was ruled by Spain. Thus the expulsion.

Took images at twilight at the waterfront, saw a nice rise of the moon. Walked back to hotel and then out to a nearby restaurant. Clandestina, for food.

A very nice day with lots of wonderful sights.

October 15, 2019 – Siracusa-Ortigia: Last day of the Strabo Photo Tour. Except for the four of us that will continue on for four more days, others will leave tomorrow AM.

So, pizzas. The word was when we started in Naples that the pizza there was the “best in the world.” However, I think the best pizza I had was in Ragusa Ibla in Sicily. In Naples, they pile on the cheese. Lots of cheese. Yes, the crust is terrific from the wood-fired ovens. However, the best pizza I had was in Ragusa Ibla where the crust was thin and crisp, there was a thin layer of mozzarella, a layer of thinly sliced mortadella, and shaved pistachios on top. Yowie. It was good.

There are three favorite things I consumed as much as I could: espresso/macchiato, gelato of various flavors, and octopus. Mind you, lots of pasta and a few pizzas. But these are at the top of my list.

And I know when I get back that I’ll be asked what was the favorite place or thing on the trip. I’d have to say that it is sharing the experience with old and new friends. That is certainly the best.

At 10:00 we left the hotel and walked along the seaside promenade. Went to Jewish Quarter and went down to see the mikvah from about 700 AD – perhaps the oldest in Europe. Interesting and quite different in scope than the simpler one I saw in Girona. See the link for pictures since we were not allowed to photograph – not a religious thing … just the owners have copyrighted all the images.

Then went to Castello Maniace and spent an hour there. Interesting history over several centuries of different rulers of Siracusa. It’s a fort and was a military zone until a few years ago.

Nest stop was the Duomo of Siracusa which is a conglomeration of Greek, Roman, and Spanish influence with some original Greek columns. It’s a big place and an active church.

Walked across town to the open-air market. Walked down row of veggies, fish, goods. No meats. Lots of fish. At the end of the market, we got tables at a place where we were served platters of cheeses, meats, condiments and wine and cannoli. It was organized pandemonium but fun and way too much food.

Walked back to hotel with stop at pharmacy for some cold pills. Downloaded images. At 4:30, Teddie, Natalie, John, and I met in the lobby lounge with tour books and maps in hand to talk about plans for the next four days.

7:30 we all met in lobby and walked to nearby local restaurant, Mastrarua, for our farewell dinner. Was a full meal and lots of good times talked about as we said goodbye to our companions.

Onward!

October 16, 2019 – Siracusa to Catania Airport to Villa Romana del Casale to Cefalu’: Been an interesting and long day. Started off when porter and limo driver attempted to load all the luggage from Teddie, Natalie, John, and me into the trunk. It was a jigsaw puzzle that somehow got solved.

Took an hour to get to the airport at Catania. When I got out of the car and was putting my camera backpack on, I lost my balance and fell hard on my butt. The driver thought the Hertz booth would be inside the terminal and we floundered around and finally found it only to be told that since I was a Gold Member that we should go to the car park. Easier said than done. We found the car park after a long walk, but it took time to find the Hertz booth. Once we did, getting the car was a breeze … seven-seater Ford Galaxy minivan.

We set the car’s GPS for Villa Romana del Casale and off we went. All was good until we saw a truck heading in the opposite direction trying to get or attention with flashing his headlight. Right then, the GPS told us to make a hard right onto a dirt road. Seems as if the highway was blocked and we were being rerouted. That dirt road was one-lane an bumpy and went on for at least 10 km. And we went this way and that way on side roads until the GPS said we had reached our destination. Well, not really. It was there to our left, but way way down in the valley. We retraced our steps and found the correct road in, parked, and climbed the path to the villa.

You have to read about Villa Romana del Casale since it’s hard to describe the marvel that it is. It has perhaps the most extensive find of Roman mosaics. Rooms and rooms of intricate mosaics. Fascinating. Beautiful.

We got a light lunch at the Villa’s shop and set the GPS for our hotel in Cefalu’. First thing we heard from the GPS was “rerouting due to traffic.” Guess where that sent us? Yep. Dirt roads and back roads twisting through the countryside. On the plus side of this, we saw scenery we would not have seen on the major roads. Got on a freeway about 65 km from Cefalu’.

Now Cefalu’ has an old town and a new town. Hotel La Plumeria is in the old town. Single-lane streets filled with people who just stood as if we weren’t in a car heading down the street. Got to the hotel, unloaded our luggage, and John and I followed his GPS to the parking lot, which is so far away in the new part of town that the hotel sent a taxi to pick us up.

Nice hotel. I’m in Room 205. Met the others at 6:00 and walked down the narrow streets until we saw a way to get to a view of the sea right at sunset. Really spectacular. Then we wandered around, found a nice place to eat, L'Antica Corte, which was followed by gelato. Walked uphill to see the cathedral and night and back to our rooms.

I’m pooped from the difficult and long drive not to mention having a sore butt!

October 17, 2019 – Cefalu to Palermo: This was a day with wonderful things galore until we got to Palermo.

Got up and had breakfast about 8:00. We brought our luggage to the lobby to leave until we wanted to depart the city. At 9:00 we headed out onto the street to walk down to the water. Then walked along nearby streets to get farther down the beach/waterfront. Nice views all around. Next stop was Cefalu’ Cathedral. While plain on the outside, it is terrific inside. The windows are all modern stainglass patterns. After shooting interior pictures, Teddie and I climbed one of the towers for view both onto the nave of the cathedral and also of the city and water.

It was about Noon and we searched for a restaurant and found one with a terrace right on the open sea side of the city, Ristorante Lo Scoglio Ubriaco. Sat and had a nice lunch followed by gelato at the same place we had gotten some last night, Squagghio.

Hotel then gave us a taxi to take us and our luggage to where the car was parked. Loaded it into the Ford Galaxy and the taxi driver then took us to the waterfront for a photo place Teddie had identified that gave us a good panorama of the whole city.

About 2:30 we got in our car and headed to Palermo. Drive was uneventful. Being in the city was anything but that. Seems as if the GPS systems are all fouled up on finding the Grand Hotel Piazza Borsa … like sending us on streets that were blocked, that were pedestrian only, that were filled with open-air markets. We could get the hotel in our sights, but could not get to any entrance of it. The car GPS was wrong. Waze was wrong, Google Maps was wrong. After circling a few times and having some hairy driving in very narrow streets, we came to a place near the hotel and John, bless his heart, trotted around to find the front door (which is not in any obvious place) and to get us a route to it. And he did. And we went.

Natalie and John unloaded their luggage and took a taxi to where their hotel is, which is only a few blocks away. Teddie and I checked in. I’m in Room 323. On the way to our rooms, we misread what floor to leave the elevator … 3 was where we got off, 3A was where we should have. Thus, where we left the elevator presented us with three steps up, down a hall, and eight steps down to our rooms’ level. All this with dragging our luggage. Needless to say, with the harrowing driving and the luggage hauling, I was a tad worn out.

Got in touch with Natalie and John and we met in our lobby at 6:30 to walk to a nearby restaurant, Gagliostro for a lovely meal followed by our second gelato of the day. So ended our day. Tomorrow we shall venture forth in our car and hope to find our way back!

October 18, 2019 – Monreale, Segusta, Palermo: Elegant day altogether even with driving in Palermo. Had breakfast about 8:00. Natalie and John came over to our hotel about 9:00 and we ventured forth in our automobile. Needless to say, driving in Palermo is tough. Many intersections have neither traffic lights nor any clear right of way. Thus, cars, trucks, and motorcycles just poke in here and there and we all dodge one another as best we can.

Headed way up above the city to the cathedral at Monreale. It’s another place that defies verbal description. Wonderful mosaics cover all the walls. There is height, width, majesty. After about an hour absorbing its grandeur, we climbed the tower for views all around the cathedral and over Palermo. This took us until a bit before Noon.

Headed back downhill and through Palermo and onto the highways along the coast heading west. In about an hour and a half, we were at the Greek ruins at Segusta. Parked, waited for the shuttle bus to take us to the temple. Climbed the hill to the temple and viewed the great structure. While there are more ruins there like a Roman theatre, we did not have the time to visit more than the temple, but that was worth it.

Took us an hour and a half to go back into Palermo. We were headed for the Hertz main office to turn in our vehicle. Turns out that the “main office” is on a side street and that the entrance to the “garage” was blocked with six vehicles. John to the rescue got out and found that if we went around the block we could get into the garage from the other side. Turned in the Ford Galaxy. Really, really glad to not be doing any more driving in Palermo! Hertz guy told us that there was a penalty for a three-day rental instead of the four-day rental we had booked since this was a day earlier than planned. He worked it out for us!

Nice walk back to where our hotels are. Pedestrian street … lots of stuff going on. Visited Natalie and John’s hotel and shared a bottle of wine with them. Next walked up the street to I Cucci for dinner. Lovely outdoor restaurant. Lots of people out on the street. Musicians everywhere. Great walk back to our hotel with people and music all around.

We saw two unique things today with the Monreale Cathedral and the Temple at Segusta. And there were mountains and vineyards and views of the sea. Other than the stressful part of driving in Palermo, it was relaxing and full of wondrous sights and sounds.

October 19, 2019 – Palermo: Last full day of our trip. And it’s been a great one. After breakfast, Teddie and I walked up toward the McCaskills’ hotel. In walking down the street, we spied the side of the Fontana Pretoria. Wowzer! It has many layers, but the most fascinating is the layer with various animal heads spouting water. Yes, there are a whole bunch of nude statues, but the animals are the feature for me. Took videos as well as images.

From there, we walked (lots of long walks today) to the Ballero Market, a maze of streets and open-air markets with veggies, meat, fish, prepared food, and all sorts of things for sale. Crowded and wonderful. Sights and smells and lots of people.

Our next stop was the Cathedral of Palermo, but we wandered a circuitous path that led us onto streets where all sorts of used items, appliances, hardware, plumbing was sold. A flea market of sorts for the underclass of Palermo. We were a bit edgy going through this area. Finally emerged onto a park near the cathedral.

The Cathedral of Palermo is huge. Here is a second link. Teddie and I spent some time inside and then decided to walk up to the “roof.” Well, it’s 100 steps on a narrow circular staircase where it’s one-way going up for a group and then one-way going down. You have to grip hand rails both ways! The view at the top is great as all these views are.

Met Natalie and John back at ground level and went to a nearby outdoor café for lunch. This was followed by a walk down the street to get gelato. Then, while Natalie and John went back to their hotel to check in for tomorrow’s flights, Teddie and I walked down to the Marina to shoot pictures of the sailboats, fishing boats, dinghies, etc.

Our next stop was a nearby square where there is a park with amazing trees…multi-layered trunks, roots descending from branches into the ground. Reminded me of a huge tree in Maui, I think. But different species.

Back to the hotel to check in for flights, download, keyword, write this much of the log. I am inundated with experiences, places, people. At this point, I will have to go back into this trip log and my images with their keywords to sort out things that seem to meld into one another at this point about three weeks away!

The four of us meet at Carlos V for supper in about an hour. My travelling companions have been wonderful. Teddie has done a masterful job of reading, studying, and recommending where we have gone these past few days. John has been a prince in navigating as we weaved around city streets. Natalie is a gem with her sunny disposition. So the extension has been as good as anyone could have imagined. Oh, and I get a Merit Badge for driving!

Of course, our group of Kathy’s People are terrific. All meshed. Old and new. And walked and climbed and ate! Here are steps, miles, flights climbed according to my Apple Health app:

Steps Miles Floors Climbed

September 30 3,578 1.4 1 day I arrived

October 1 9,570 3.4 5

October 2 10,2913.6 5

October 3 13,0364.7 35

October 4` 13,9814.9 28

October 5 9,234 3.2 11

October 6 8,978 3.6 8

October 7 9,871 3.9 9

October 8 10,3464.3 29

October 9 9,922 3.5 17

October 10 10,6963.7 30