Last Day in Sicily

On our last evening in Italy, I watched as the sun slipped slowly below the horizon with a pale afterglow. Here over the bay the lingering light is a cyan blue with just a touch of pink. Soon a string of lights from houses and road lamps along the coast will start to twinkle in the haze.

For the past three days, Steve and I have been in Taormina; a small town clinging to the side of a mountain, not far from Mt. Etna, Sicily‘s active volcano. I hadn’t known what to expect two days ago as the bus started climbing, switchback after switchback.

No doubt we were headed toward the houses and verdant gardens that we could see above our heads as we looked out the bus window. Our hotel was near the bus terminal (Steve’s preference) and we did not have to walk far to reach it. Later we followed the winding road higher to get to the “level” main street lined with shops and other businesses. Taormina is known for the remnants of an ancient Greek Theater. The ruins have been stabilized with brick to withstand tourist traffic, but you’re able scramble up the crumbling tiers. Looking down you see a plank stage built below a few remaining pillars.

Before lunch, we visited a well-maintained public garden overlooking the bay which is a memorial to Sicily’s war dead. The view was stunning, especially in the afternoon. We had lunch at Vecchio Taormina (our third visit, recommended by Lonely Planet for its authentic food and reasonable prices)(Photo: Chef).

 

 

Afterward in late afternoon, we rode a funicular down to the coast to get a closer look at the shore. The ride was very short and not as frightening as we thought it might be. We walked along one of the available small beaches; apparently quite busy during the summer. The stroll was rough going over the large surf-smoothed stones. (Along the way, one restaurant had trucked in real sand that annoying clogged up my sandals.) The highlight of the stroll was the roaring, thunderous sound of the surf surging over the stones. The cool breeze was appreciated after the exertion of taking a hundred or so steps down from the road to reach this beach.

Back at the hotel, we sit on our room’s balcony. It has a pleasant, restful view of the surrounding mountain tops, the shoreline below and the bay off to our right. We’re facing northeast, so the sun is setting behind us as the night comes on before us.