FUN-travel: Taormina, Sicily – Full Day
November 8, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Taormina, Sicily – Full Day
Day 39 – Thursday, October 24 –Taormina, Sicily – Full Day – full sun – high 75 – low 59
Teatro Grecp
What I LIKE
- 8:30 – wake up (pill worked Chris slept in!)
- big, hot cappuccino
- 2nd one – double shot espresso even better!
- 11:00 – head out for walk down to town
- steep rock path w/switch backs down
- 11:20 – arrive & JTC!
- 11:50 – arrive Teatro Greco – Greek/Roman amphitheatre – $8 Euro pp
- 12:10 – navigate medieval city main street & shops
- side alleys w/steep steps1:45 – lunch Osteria da Rita – order etna pizza – onion, garlic, chili peppers, fresh cherry tomatoes, oregano, mozzarella (like bruschetta) VG! – 2 glasses house wine (not good) – $20.50 Euro – has TA 4.5* rating & locals eat here! – server Alessandra excellent!
- 3:30 – shuttle back
- room R & R
- *5:45 – happy hour
- 7:30 dinner on patio – ordered eggplant parmesan (had a taste at breakfast & asked if I could have it for dinner) & pasta arrabiata (spicy & good) – 2010 Firriato, Harmonium, Nero d’Avola, $23 Euro
- 10:30 – night night
JTC – just too cute!
What I DON’T LIKE
- internet & email still a problem!
- *no sunset – clouds moved in
FUN-fact – During the early 20th century the town became a colony of expatriate artists, writers, and intellectuals.
More FF – Teatro Greco is one of the most celebrated ruins in Sicily, on account of its remarkable preservation and its beautiful location.
FUN-travel: Taormina, Sicily – Half Day
November 4, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Taormina, Sicily – Half Day
Day 38 – Wednesday, October 23 – Taormina, Sicily – Half Day – blue sky, hazy filtered sun – high 78 – low 59
What I LIKE
View From Hotel
Clock Tower
- *1:00 – arrive Villa Ducale in Taormina
- Paolo (manager) checks us in – sees my frazzled state &
- immediately takes us to patio/bar/dining area – perched high atop the hill
- fabulous view overlooking town & sea w/Mt. Etna to the west
- brings us 2 cold Messina beers w/bruscetta & cheese/olive plate
- Rosaria (owner) & dog Nico sit with us & welcome us to her childhood home
- insists we have lunch – brings pasta w/zucchini & mixed grill fish/gambas platter
- upgrades us to suite – JLT!
- Mauro from Rimini emailed them & said we were coming (connections are a good thing)
- **room R & R
- ***6:30 – happy hour – free appetizers (4:00 tea w/free desserts too)
- 7:00 – free shuttle down to town
- nice stroll down & back main street
- 8:00 – ramble down side street for dinner
- +opt for Gambero Rosso – Angheli 2009 Donna Fugata $27 Euro – diavola pizza w/mixed salad – hot chili oil, garlic oil & oregano on side – $71 – just so so
- 10:00 – shuttle back
- beautiful orange almost full moon hangs over sea
- give Chris sleeping pill
JLT – just love that
Mt. Etna
What I DON’T LIKE
- *frazzled from drive – more tiny, not clearly marked streets – GPS recalculating
- **internet & email not working 100% – can’t post
- Hot Spot is same provider I had in Trieste – my computer doesn’t like it
- ***missed the sunset – skies full of varying shades of orange streaks
- +should have got recommendation from Paolo – WWIT!
WWIT – What Was I Thinking!
FUN-travel: Zambrone/Tropea, Italy to Taormina, Sicily
October 30, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Zambrone/Tropea, Italy to Taormina, Sicily
Day 38 – Wednesday, October 23 – Zambrone, Italy to Taormina, Sicily – Full Day – full sun – high 75 – low 59
Pompeii
What I LIKE
Pompeii
- *7:30 – walk down to restaurant –sandwich to go & hard boiled eggs
- huge resort w/beautiful gardens – bushes, trees & flowers on way to breakfast next to pool & beach
- 8:30 – ready to go on next adventure
- **check out & room is free – thank you MAX!
- program GPS
- 8:40 – take off
- ***9:55 – only drove 50 kms & need a break
- more good cappuccino @ auto/truck stop on A3 – cheapest yet @ $1.30 ea
- +more tunnels & switchback roads
- ++11:00 – arrive Villa San Giovanni port for ferry to Messina
- 11:20 – depart
- 11:50 – arrive
- 12:00 – drive off fairy
- GPS knows where we’re going!
- 78 degrees w/blue skies!
- +++arrive toll booth for ticket
- 10:45 – arrive Taoramina – nice police woman & taxi driver direct us
- #1:00 – arrive Villa Ducale in Taoramina
- can see plumes of smoke coming from top of crater
Pompeii Ceiling
What I DON’T LIKE
Pompeii
- 7:00 – Chris wakes me up trying to be quiet – then comes back (as breakfast starts 7:30)
- *machine cappuccino not good – tastes funny
- machine coffee not much better
- no fresh fruit
- **Max has business & not available to meet
- GPS takes us the shortest distance
- ***roads in desperate need of repair
- washed out in some stretches
- +more road work – only 1 lane & really slow
- ++GPS recalculating again! drive in circles & figure it out ourselves
- +++say we owe them $2 Euro & Chris gives it to them! (you pay at the end)
- # GPS recalculating again! – road signs (or lack thereof) very confusing or non existent
- internet & email not working 100% – can’t post
- Hot Spot is same provider I had in Trieste – my computer doesn’t like it
FUN-fact – First time we saw a hotel with 5 stars and an L added at end. Means 5 star Luxury.
Taormina – View From Hotel