We have had marvelous weather (albeit, a bit too warm for us) so far until today!  But today we were faced with clouds, clouds, and more clouds with a threat of rain. And today we are slated to travel to Mt. Etna and explore its upper region. It is obvious we will not be seeing a lot of the surrounding landscape while there. No problem, it will still be an adventure. They say you should visit Mt. Etna for two reasons:  to see the volcanic landscape and visit the wonderful wine country that exists because of it. We will be doing both. Rick Steves calls this itinerary “The Whole Shebang”. Bring it on!

Geography lesson for the day:  Mt. Etna stands 10,924 feet above sea level and obviously dominates the Sicily landscape. It is still an active volcano, but it is referred to as a “gentle volcano” because it usually spews only ash and occasionally slow moving lava rather than having massive eruptions like other volcanoes such as Mt. Saint Helens, located in our backyard. However, several hundred tons of vapor spew from the top crater each day. Etna is not a single volcano; there are hundreds of craters scattered on its flanks. It presents a Mars-like landscape for all who visit. End of lesson.

When we left Taormina it was not raining; however when we stopped for a break about one hour later in the town of Zafferana Etnea, it was now raining pretty good. In this town Rick Steves said to seek out a small bakery (Donna Peppina) on the main square ( where we happened to park) and seek out a local delicacy sweet, called “sciatore” which he described as “a sugar-bomb chocolate covered-cookie that resembles a pair of skis”. I found the place and purchased a couple of what looked like large chocolate covered logs, which I then tried to share with my fellow travelers. I had few takers and I had to admit I was not impressed. They looked freshly made sitting on the counter but they were not soft and fresh. Not unsure if that is the way they should taste or were they simply old! One “no” vote for the Rick Steves suggestion.

By the time we climbed to our destination, Refugio Sapenza, at 6,300 feet we were completely enveloped in clouds, which limited our visibility drastically. This is the area where a tram can take you further up the volcano and other excursions are also available. Needless to say nothing was operating because of the weather conditions.

We were given free time to wander around, after being warned about not falling into one of the many small craters in the area. Most people, after a quick look at the surrounding bleak landscape, beat a hasty retreat to the warmth of the coffee and souvenir shop. That included our party of 4. I guess we simply will have to return someday if we want the real Mt. Etna experience.

Heading back down the slopes of Mt. Etna the rain had stopped as we headed to one of the many vineyards/ wineries in the area. The volcanic soil offer wonderful growing conditions for wines and the wine industry is emerging big time here I was impressed at how modern and elegant the winery that we visited (Gambino) was. The vineyards were neatly arranged, the main building was large and modern and most important, the wines we tasted were quite good (and inexpensive compared to US wines). We were told we would have a “light lunch” to accompany the wine tasting and I should have known by now what a Sicilian “light lunch”.  What it is not is a light lunch-an appetizer plate that could be a meal in itself, a main course and dessert- all served with 4 different wine pairings in an elegant room overlooking their vineyards. The wines were good enough to have me see if they can be bought in the US. Yes, they are available at prices not mich higher than in Sicily. I did purchase a jar of a great lemon sea salt (and other spices) spice blend that they mixed with our olive oil for bread dipping.

Leaving on full stomachs most of us probably snoozed as we worked our way back to our hotel in Taormina. We said goodbye to our excellent driver, Andrea, as he was no longer needed as our last day will be spent in Taormina itself.

We met up again with the Austgens for dinner but everyone simply wanted pizza tonight so we wandered the streets until we found a place that could take the 6 of us.

Steps today:  5,753.  Obviously a goof off day!