MT. ETNA, I’M GLAD I MET YA!

Messina, Sicily

At Sea
Aboard Regal Princess
Stateroom C512
Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Sunny, 65F

   Port of Messina--our view this morning

We arrived in the port of Messina, Sicily about 7:30 a.m.  this morning and were prepared to take off with our group by 8:30.   We all tromped onto the bus this morning, some more tired than others.  Because of turning the clock back an hour, we did have extra sleep. Our Sicilian guide today explained that the toe of Italy was just across the sea. The narrowest point is two miles, the widest five miles.  She said there was controversy because some citizens want a bridge constructed between Sicily and Italy, the other half do not.  The ferry only takes about 15 minutes.

A bus load of tourists

According to our guide, Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the Strait of Messina divides it from the region of Calabria in Southern Italy. There are about 5 million inhabitants.  Human activity was evident dating back to 12,000 BC and it has had Phoenician, Greek, and Roman inhabitants, as well as many others.  Because of its location it is very militarily strategic and was bombed in World War II—most of the buildings today are “new.”

As we rode out of the town of Messina and on our way to Mt. Etna, we saw orange and lemon trees, olive trees, lots of cactus, palm trees, blue and purple flowers, lots of jagged mountains, dry rivers, goats, grape vineyards, and wonderful black soil.

We stopped briefly for a photo of Mt. Etna the best angle according to our guide, then rode along on windy switchbacks to get to 6000 feet elevation. Mt. Etna’s summit is about 12000 ft.  Vegetation was changing and what looked like an oat like plant grew sparsely from the ashen soil. There were trees, she said pines, but I am not sure what pine tree has yellow flowers. There were deciduous trees with yellow leaves too, poplar like.

On the way to the volcano!

Mt. Etna and yes that is snow!

Mt. Etna

Another view of Mt. Etna--I could not pick the best photo

Getting to 6000 ft above sea level

Lava River from the 1892 eruption--in the middle

This was an unbelievable sight to me

 About an hour after that, we reached the Sylvestri craters, located on the southern side. These craters were formed with the eruption of 1892. I have never been on the moon, but some say it is a moon-like landscape. You decide!!

Crater

The other side of the crater

There are many craters

Mt. Etna is still active and summit eruptions can be highly explosive, but rarely threaten the inhabited areas around the volcano. Since the year 1600 AD 60 flank eruptions and countless summit eruptions have occurred—since 2000 Etna has had four flank eruptions, 2001-2009. Summit eruptions occurred in 2006, 2007-2008, 2012, 2018, and 2021.

 

The restaurant, Crateri Sylvestri, where we stopped provided a refreshment, cannoli and blood orange juice. The fresh cannoli was the best I have ever had. The juice was very tasty too and did not taste like orange juice from Florida.  We had time to make purchases of lava if we wanted, and to walk the crater.  I did not want to go too close to the edge-it was deep.  TK was able to pick up a few extra pieces of lava—the whole island is full of it! 

 

Cannoli--the BEST!

It was very very cold here.  We saw hikers walking to the summit of this side of the volcano, two steps forward and one step back. The landscape if sort like very coarse black sand, but denser.  It was steep.

 When everyone returned to the bus, we headed for the town of Giarre and the jewelry factory, Gival. (https://www.gival.com/) It is housed in a beautiful mansion which we toured as well as the area where the goldsmiths were.  I thought I was going to do some damage to my finances here but ended up not buying anything---the jewelry was stunning, but very expensive. Coral, pearls, cameos, and lava, all from the area, as well as precious stones. I thought I would gravitate toward something, but nothing called my name.   I am very lucky to have a dear brother who makes special necklaces (lapis, garnet, Montana agate, and more!) for me, and then there is St. Thomas.

House Gival

 

In front of House Gival

Tour introduction

Ceiling

I could not resist this photo of the "toilette"

Everything one needs, sink, bidet, toilet, foot washer (?)

Goldsmiths at work

The people at Gival were very gracious and provided a refreshment for us – and the veranda was fabulous!

 

Tomato with mozzarella, a little sandwich of prosciutto and cheese,

grapes, a plum, and a cannoli (again!!).

The rectangle item was delicious, why didn't I ask what it was??

Back to the ship we went.   Goodbye, Sicily!

The town of Messina, Sicily

3 churches

Messina, and in this view you can see another church and duomo

 Tonight I hope to see Stromboli, which is another volcano that is called the “Lighthouse of the Mediterranean.”  Actually, this was the one I was supposed to see the other night but could not find.

 Epilogue:

We did see the volcano and it was putting a show--TK got a photo but it did not come to my email yet. In the meantime----

Jill Reilly's photo of the volcano, Stromboli, a few days ago!

Tonight’s realization:  We have Pompeii, Rome, Florence/Pisa, Genoa, and Corsica all in a row the next 5 days, until another sea day. So, six ports in a row.  Good thing this cruise is making us younger, hahaha. Somebody has to do this!

 Pompeii, here we come!

TK’s Takes:  He said this is the first time he was this close to an active volcano, although he has seen Mt. St. Helen and Mt. Rainier in the distance in Washington.   Plus, he knows many of the islands in the Caribbean are volcanic and some may be active.

 

 TK:  7500 steps

Janie: 6500 steps