September 2 - 11, 2014 Sicily

September 2 - 11, 2014  Sicily

So much for staying put the month of September and starting my study of the Italian language.  Off to Sicily!  I found out from Liliana that no teachers were available until school starts on Sept. 15th, therefore, I couldn't do much until then, so when Freda Good said she was needing to move her things from Sicily to Bari, and invited me to go to the Island with her to meet the friends there,  I jumped at the opportunity!  So many privileges and opportunities I have had!  I rented a car 

and off we headed south to Taranto, then on to Villa San Giovanni where we caught the ferry over to Messina on Sicily.  From there we drove up to Giarre where she had a flat these last three years.

 Heading south out of Bari

  Then heading Southeast all the way to the toe of Italy

This is where we caught the Ferry to go to Sicily.  Mainland Italy on the right and Sicily on the left and an cruise ship sailing along between them. 

Freda looking toward Sicily where she has been these last three years.   

First view if Messina, Sicily 

The flat here in Giarre is right at the base of Mt Etna.  Freda says it has small eruptions often and they have to deal with the black ash that falls.  Also, says you can see the lava flowing, glowing red at night.  Wish I could have seen that.  Quite often while we've been on the Island, it is completely under cloud and/or smoke cover.  

 This was my first views of Mt Etna as we were driving up the coast

From Wikipedia: Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of activity. The fertile volcanic soils support extensive agriculture, withvineyards and orchards spread across the lower slopes of the mountain and the broad Plain of Catania to the south. Due to its history of recent activity and nearby population, Mount Etna has been designated a Decade Volcano by the United Nations.^[4] In June 2013, it was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.^[5]   Mount Etna (Italian: Etna, Sicilian: Mungibeddu or a Muntagna, Latin: Aetna) is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Catania, between Messina and Catania. It lies above the convergent plate margin between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate. It is the tallest active volcano on theEuropean continent, currently 3,329 m (10,922 ft) high, though this varies with summit eruptions. It is the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps. Etna covers an area of 1,190 km² (459 sq mi) with a basal circumference of 140 km. This makes it by far the largest of the three active volcanoes in Italy, being about two and a half times the height of the next largest, Mount Vesuvius. Only Mount Teide in Tenerife surpasses it in the whole of the European–North-African region.^[2] 

Taken from her kitchen window the morning after we arrived.

Taken from her kitchen window this morning of the 10th, however, as I am typing this, this afternoon, it is completely hidden from view by clouds and there is a really big rainstorm happening right now. Dumping rain with thunder and lightening and hail...  I'm loving it!!  So reminds me of Illinos.

This is how the mountain looked after the hail and rain!  It changed right before my eyes almost, from barren to white!  What a difference a few hours can make.

Sept. 4, 2014.  Next morning we headed to Palermo on the Northwest side of the island where we stayed in Albergo (Hotel) Cavour near the train station.  This is the same place many have stayed through the years first located by Hans several years ago.  The proprietor is very nice and considerate in pricing and loves having them come.  After we checked in and dropped our bags, we went for a bite to eat,

 First course is ceci (garbanzo beans) dried, made into flour, then cakes and fried.  Drizzled with lime juice they are very good!  Then pasta.

Then headed over to Bagheria to Antonella and Rosario's home for a bible study and then stayed with them for an evening meal.  This lady is all alone here, but is so gracious as well as her husband and so glad to have us come see them.  The Island is very dry at this time of the year.  Also, harvest is done, so lots of stubble fields.  They plant and farm every inch here in Italy.

 Hundreds of tunnels on the roads in Italy

 This was my first view of Palermo, the capital of Sicily.

We both had been pushing ourselves and I had only been getting about 3 hours of sleep for the last three nights, so when we arrived back at the hotel, we just crashed and slept in a bit next morning.  I finally had WIFI again, so was able to check my emails there as well.  

Sept 5, 2014, we checked out of the hotel and headed to Maria and Enzo's at Scoglitti.  We got off the main roads and did the scenic tour.  What a wonderful day to travel and the scenery was so awesome.

 Vicari, a wonderful little mountain town.  What a view from it!

 Of course, we had to stop along the way a few times for an espresso ☺   Just why we stopped at this little place, I really don't know.  Little town called Lercara Friddi.  When the man serving us 'caffe' found out I was from America, he immediately started singing "New York, New York".  I said Frank Sinatra and he was very proud that I knew!  Wanted to make sure I knew this was the town of Frank Sinatra's roots.  Frank's father was from Lercara Friddi.  

  Here's some harvested fields for you James G.  How does this compare to WA?

Agrigento skyline and the Roman Ruins there

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrigento

 

 

We then arrived in Scogletti.  Maria has three homes and one is on the Mediterranean Sea, which is where they are currently staying for the summer.  First thing I wanted to do when we arrived in the early afternoon was head to the sea and take a swim.  It was a bit choppy that day, but the water was so warm and wonderful.  I spent at least 2 hours there... didn't have my watch on, then when I returned to the house, they were ready to take a walk, so we walked along the Sea for a while as well.  I never get tired of the Seas!  

  Maria's home by the sea

  After my swim, we had a walk along the sea

  Gorgeous sunset

 We had dinner and breakfast on this balcony. Lovely!!

 Lovely Maria preparing food for us to take on our journey

 Maria and Enzo

 and with Freda

 Freda, myself and Maria

The next morning the sea was a calm as could be.  People were out just floating around.  Wish we had been here one more day and I would have loved spending more time in the sea.

Sept. 6, 2014.  Around noon, we left Maria's and head toward Vittoria in the south of the Island, where we visited another lady, Ellena.  Her husband recently had hip surgery, so we didn't stay too long, then we headed on to Ragusa where Dimartino's live.  

and it was a gorgeous day to travel with more beautiful scenery along the way. 

Marble!!!  It is so inexpensive here in Italy and all the home use it.  Lots of marble yards here.

First we stopped at Anna and Massimo's home to get the key to Domenico and Salvina's home, as they wouldn't be home for a few hours yet.  After we arrived there we had time for a bit of a walk and a rest.  

  Anna and Massimo and their lovely home.  Almost all homes in Italy do not have extravagant outsides, but they are gorgeous inside!

We stayed with Anna's folks in Ragusa until Monday morning.  They are such a lovely family and I certainly enjoyed my time with them all immensely!  Family is a really important thing here in Italy, so all the children who live close spent most of the day Sunday with them.  

L-R.  Back: Freda, Massimo, Paula, Gianni, Nuccio, Gabriele, Domenico, Cristina,  Front: Anna, Salvina, Venerina, Daniela, Francesca.  (They have another son in Venice and daughter in England)

After church, Freda and I went to Dina and Giorgio's for lunch, then returned to Dimartino's just before three.  Hung around the home for a couple hours showing them USA pictures, then  Davide, Daniela and Cristina wanted to show me Ibla, so we took a drive down there, shown in the pictures next.

  

 built right on the face of the rock wall

 This is what the men do all over Italy... sit around in the afternoons

 Davide (also called Gianni) and his twin Cristina and Daniela

What a lovely afternoon spent with these young people.  They are all about the ages of my children.  We had a Gelato on the walk down, then a bit of drive around before returning back at their folks for supper.  What a wonderful lovely day.  

 Just a couple pictures taken close to where Domenico and Salvina live.  I liked the New architecture of this apartment complex and the one below is the new Mormon church in Ragusa.

Sept. 8, 2014, Monday morning, Freda and I headed back toward Giarre, but again took the scenic route and it was something to see all the rock fences and buildings made from rock in this part where it is basically a 'rock pile', yet they still farm it as best they can.  Even an old milk cow wandered out in the road, so I rolled down my window and had a few words with her ☺

Then a city on the horizon...  Carlentini

Arrived back at the flat in Giarre about 1pm.  We stopped at the market to get something to prepare for dinner, as Ralf Wendt (from Switzerland who speaks German, French, English, Italian & Dutch) and Danny Kamper (age 29 from Holland) brought May Chamber's things down from Rome where she had been last year.  She will be coming down on Thursday.  Field changes here are a BIG thing!!  
Danny was sent to labor one year in Ireland where he was required to learn English before he went to labor in Germany.  He has most recently been back in Holland and now Italy.  He will study this year to learn Italian now along with his Dutch, German & English.  Also, Crengutsa from Romania who will be with Freda in Bari this year will be learning Italian.  She and I are hoping it will work out that we can study together.  There are many who come to labor here in Italy and vice versa who must learn the language of the country.  It is amazing to think every time you change fields, you may be having to learn a new language!!  Almost everyone who comes to Italy also speaks English.

 Dinner at the flat in Giarre.  Ralf, Danny, Freda

Ralf and Danny arrived about 7:30.  We had roast chicken, garlic fried potatoes, Arancini (rice balls), salad, then fruit and almond cookies.  

Arancini is a specialty of Sicily. 

Sept. 9, 2014.  No rush to get an early start this morning, however, didn't keep me from waking up at 6:30!  Freda then heard me moving around in my room, so she knocked on my door and brought me a cup of coffee!  She has been doing that all week, everywhere we were.  I should be getting her coffee!!!

She started our laundry, before I dropped her off at the Doctor this morning, then I returned to the flat and hung the laundry outside off the balcony to dry.  The wind was so warm and the sun bright, that it was dry very quickly!

Ralf Wendt and Danny Kamper left about 10am to go see the Dimartino's.  Freda worked on her packing business, we stopped at some point for a bite of lunch and a long nap, and then I continued working on my blog until 5:30pm, at which time we went to visit some ladies she knew and wanted to say goodbye to

 Gratiella (not sure if correct name), Freda, Grandma, Marie, Me

We left there at 7:15, a bit later than intended, then still had to stop by the Supermercati to pick up a few things to make a pot of stew.  (Felt kind of nice to do some cooking, since I haven't really done any since I left US a month ago).  Also, was glad the boys had texted earlier and said they would be a little late, so we hurried inside and got started cooking  to at least make it smell like they were going to get something to eat.☺  Ended up not eating until almost 9pm, however, that is not so uncommon here in Italy.  Danny found a keyboard here in the flat and started playing it, then while the food was simmering, he and I sang a few hymns together.  

He is Dutch, but speaks German and English also and now studying Italian, so we sang in English...  the accents made it quite fun actually!!!  Ralf (Switzerland) was enjoying having a bit of time to get some computer work done.  Danny's brother (age 27) is laboring in Suriname in South America.  (Freda also has a neice and nephew in South America.)  After dinner, Danny washed the dishes and then we sang a bit more, before retiring.  All in all, it was a lovely day here at the bach in Giarre.  

This is just under the balcony here at the flat.

Sept. 10, 2014.  Arose fairly early and after breakfast, the boys left for Cosenza and other places, and Freda and I went to the La Rosa's (the landlady) to say goodbye.  She is a lovely lady and has a very very nice place!  She no longer wants to rent this flat, so will try to sell it after all get moved out. 

After I dropped Freda back at the flat, I then washed the car and headed for Taormina.  I have been wanting to make sure I get to see it before I left the Island and as we want to leave early in the morning and catch the Ferry back to the mainland, so as not to get back to Bari too late, there will not be time to do it tomorrow.  Freda was glad for the time to get her packing finished I'm sure and has been there many times, so off I headed to Taormina.  I am so glad I did... MAGNIFICO!  

Then I arrived back in Giarre about 1:30 and Freda and I had a bite to eat.  Only a few hours later, we were hungry again!  So guess what?  We ate some more ☺  Around 7pm we headed to the market to get some water and few supplies.  Off to bed now, as we want to get a very early start in the morning. 

Sept. 11, 2014, up at 5am.  Freda and I had breakfast and she made sure the flat was all in order for Esther and May when they arrived there this evening.  We then started moving all her things down (20 steps) to the car, got all loaded up and were on our way at 6:40am.  Off to catch the Ferry back to the mainland.

Goodbye Giarre, goodbye Sicily.. see you another time.

Cannoli's are also special to Sicily, so had to have one this morning just as we were leaving Sicily.

We did not have to wait for the Ferry, so were across back to the mainland in about 30 mintues.  A few more pictures as we returned to Bari.  I was on four different seas this week.  Started on the Adriatic, then the Tyrrhenian, Ionian and Mediterranean.

Everything shares the roads here in Italy

We arrived back in Bari about 1:30 and went immediately to the flat where Freda and Crengutsa will be staying.  No parking as usual, so I double parked (like so many others already there had) and started unloading Freda's things.  Just as I was taking the second load out of the car, who just arrived and walked across the street but AnnaMaria and Crengutsa, so the move went very quickly after that.  

Then I headed over to my apartment and got lucky.. parking right in front!  Brought my things up, spent about 30 minutes here, then back down to take the car to the Airport where I had rented it from. Caught the bus back downtown from the Airport and walked 30 minutes from there back to my apartment.  Stopped along the way and purchased something for dinner, so now sitting here all 'fed up' and relaxing... feels good to be 'home', but had a wonderful trip to Sicily and all went perfectly.  Early bed for me tonight and I have much to do tomorrow.   

I'm sure I've misspelled names (please forgive me), forgotten some things, mixed up some others, but here is the 'jist' of my time in Sicily.  

While I was there, I had a wonderful email from a very special Moses Lake friend this week and here is what she had to say:  Would it be wrong for you to let the dear Friends there know how much we (me) over here appreciate all the wonderful care they're showering our friend Carmen with?  Really, my heart is touched!

So Gail, now it has been shared!!!  Thank you for your wonderful email and can't wait for you to come see 'us' here in Italy.

Arrivederci e augurando a tutti potrebbe avere una tale esperienza!