1/9 - Climbing Mt. Etna (HA!)

When we first planned our trip to Sicily, one of the reasons for going was to climb Mt. Etna. We had this incredibly incorrect idea that we had seen most of Italy and that we would not have a spectacular time just walking around beautiful Italian cities. We later learned that we were incorrect, but that is another story.

We wanted to climb Mt. Etna, so we planned the trip to Sicily and traveled from Palermo to Catania. On the morning of the 9th, we got up early and took the bus to the base of Etna. Our plan was to take a cable car halfway up the mountain and then hike to the top. We were joined by two American girls from the hostel, Julia and Lydia who just wanted to hike the base of the mountain. Julia runs a small co-op farm in Boston and also has family in Padua. Well, on the way to the mountain, we were told that it was closed. Yes, it does seem odd that a mountain is closed, but the truth is that there was so much snow and fog that the cable car was not in operation and there would be no reason to continue the trip to the mountain. The bus driver pulled over to a stop and told us that he would know more in 30 minutes. But the outlook was bleak. In the end, we had to give up this idea. We caught another bus back to Catania and decided to spend the day walking around and taking in the city.

One of our first stops was the Piazza del Duomo. This square contains the Fontana dell'Elefante, a statue crowned by a naive black-lava elephant.


We also spent a good deal of time walking around the market. This place was spectacular. There were a large number of bread, cheese, meat, fish, fruit, and vegetable vendors. I will definitely miss the Italian food markets when I return home. We sampled different cheeses, some salads, and some great sweets. Later, in a bar, Jeremy sampled a Sicilian special, Arancina: deep fried rice balls filled with meat and vegetables.



Next, we visited the Anfiteatro Romano, a Roman theater in good condition. We also experienced more evidence that Sicilians seem to be great people. The woman behind the ticket counter told us the price of admission, and we were hesitant to pay to get in. Then, she winked and said that we could get in at student rates. Then, we were let in for free! The site was worth it. We could wonder around these ruins and really take in the theater. On the way out, we tried to pay the admission price, and she wouldn't let us!


For dinner that night, we went back to La Paglia's. I suppose that once we have found a restaurant with good food, service, and prices, we seem to stick to it. Anyhow, we ordered spaghetti instead, opting for a cheaper dinner. It was still delicious. And the owner was even more pleasant than before. She came out, and thanked us for eating there. She even shook our hands! She was so sweet.