Sicilia

Beach on last day in Syracusa

Beach we 'escaped' to with our friends Ryan and Jackson

Catacombs in Syracusa

Seafood market in Syracusa

World's largest Greek ampitheatre in Syracusa

Kelsi and I after jumping in the Mediterreanean Sea!

On bus leaving Taoramina

Francesco!

In town square in Taoramina

Holy Cannoli!

Italian men surrounded by American students...classic :)

View from piazza in Taoramina

View from Taoramina

View up from piazza in Taoramina

Mary Shannon : Ok, must be honest that a certain feeling of fatigue has begun to set in against all wishes. The constant adventures of travel, the new flocks of tourists to Florence, warm weather, and then the dark silence of our apartment has begun to let the small light of driving, friends, family, and the new movies and music releasing in the USA seep into our minds... However, do not take this to mean we have admitted defeat! We are not quite ready to head home yet! We have just realized that we have four weekends left only-time has flown right by. (I'm just saying we will be ready to rest our high-flying, tough-travelling, backpacking-bodies on American soil on May 13...)
The last week in March, on the 28th, was my 21st birthday! Yes, I am an adult now with Kelsi! I was even lucky enough to have Kelsi's family here to take me out. It made my birthday so much more special to have the comfort of home in the midst of one of the greatest cities in the world on MY birthday!
The next day, Kelsi and I packed and waved goodbye to the Konecny family as we raced to the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence. Here, we 'last minute' jumped on a train to the next station where we met up with my psychology teacher, Francesco Sominevera and about 60 other students from our program. Then we boarded our overnight train for SICILY!
Francesco is a short older Italian man with a look that could stop you in a stride. I have to admit that though there isnt much to him in stature, I am always intimidated to even ask him a question! If I know I need to tell him I was late, or didnt here my name called, I shudder -- he tilts his head to the side, looks me in the eye, remains silent, makes a sigh........THEN answers me... Its like when someone else's sweet old grandpa looks at you like he is very disappointed. And though you didnt do anything wrong, the point is you feel utterly guilty and defeated. However, the rumors spread about this man quickly on the trip: He speaks and writes seven languages (true), he is a part of the Italian mafia (?), he has lived in over 6 countries (true), he was the overall European sales manager for Fiat and is loaded (?), he once had 4 different 'lovers' in 4 different countries (?), he kept a 36-yr old bottle of scotch at a bar we went to in Sicily for ten years and just finished it off the weekend we were there (true)....and so they go on... Needless to say, he seems like one intelligent, accomplished dude.
I had no expectations or prior knowledge of Sicily before going; I was just so relieved to travel one weekend with someone else worrying about our itenerary... In the morning I crawled out of our three person cabin and opened the small door into the train hallway, covered in length by windows. The view caught me completely off guard. It was so sunny, and there right on the side of the train was ocean-vast ocean! The waves were coming straight towards us, but then would crash against the dark rocks and fall back. There were tall, strong palm trees with thick trunks. There were lemon and orange tree groves along every crevice of land. It was beautiful.
We got off the train still fairly early in the morning. Thinking we were going first to the hotel, Kelsi and I had not had showers or shaved our legs for a day planned with walking and beaches. To our dismay, we discovered checking in at the hotel was the LAST thing planned for the day. We hopped on two charter buses and headed straight up the mountains to a town called Taormina. With blue skies and a slight breeze, walking through these small cobblestone streets in flip flops and a tshirt was a treat. There were nice little stores that led to a large piazza overlooking the coast below. Here we also got to eat a famous cannoli with cream and chocolate chips!! mmm...
After catching the small buses down (that are specifically made to climb up the steepest part of the mountain instead of the charter buses) back to the charter buses, Kelsi and I had to RUN into the parking garage bathrooms with our big packs. We threw on our bathing suits and took turns speedily yanking out our razors to give a good rough leg shave, and then had to run back to the bus before being left!
At the beach, Kelsi and I were the only girls to ignore the newly arrived wind and overcast sky and dive head-first into the Mediterranean Sea!
The next morning, the warm weather and bright sunlight helped us convince ourselves that though the beach was not in the plan for our tours that day - the beach was a MUST. So throughout our tours before lunch that day we contemplated along with our newly made rebel friends, an escape! First, however, we did walk across the town of Syracusa. We walked through old caves and ruins. We sat in the world's largest Greek ampitheatre! We walked to an old church, and into its secret underground tunnels of catacombs (getting lost in the dark more than once)! It really was fascinating! We also got to eat some fresh Sicilian oranges, where I learned how to stick an orange seed between my fingers and shoot them at people :). We walked along the seafood markets, and finally sat down to eat lunch at a small trattoria.
When everyone met up after our lunch break, 1\3 of the students had disappeared! As we began to follow Francesco once again through this town-in the heat-with long jeans on-sunburned faces-no sign of beach-dehydrated, looking for a boat...we decided the time for escape had come! We snuck to the back of the group then grabbed a taxi with my friend from class Bria (who couldnt walk anymore since she had stepped on a sea urchin the day before!), Kellen, and Kelsi, and headed back to the hotel. We changed, met up with some fellow stragglers, and found a beautiful beach in the middle of some of most amazing countryside I have ever seen! We laid out all day until the wind harshly reminded us that summer isnt quite here yet...
That night we went back to Francesco's 'scotch bottle' bar and made more friends in our group. Back at the hotel everyone played music and joked-it was one of most fun and social weekends we have had since being here! (quick inside jokes so I'll remember when reading this years from now: OKKK,bald,bushes,chickenhead,jean skirt,package lady,knee pop,dirty laundry,Nick Lachey,pirates,good scrubbin',stick in the mud,polo,Holly,stalker photos,ipod speakers,peroni, BOO!)
The next day we took another bus to the town of Noto. Our group of 60 very American students walked into this town right behind a Palm Sunday procession through the streets! We stood out like soar thumbs. This wasnt really a 'tourist town' and it was definately recognized by both us, and the natives. Thankfully, we then headed to another new beach! We laid out for three hours here - with everyone. Kelsi and I put on our ipod plugged into a set of portable speakers for everyone to hear haha. (IJ: Kelsi-behind the toilette!)
After the beach, we drove to Cotonia to see the lava rocks below its volcano. This was also the location of the Greek myth of Eulyess and the Cyclopse! At the train station, our group of us followed Francesco to a place where he said were the 'best sandwiches ever'! (And remember, I do not question Francesco-if he said it was the best, than by god I'm sure it's the best)! So, Kelsi and I ordered and ate or sandwich made with what you ask?? HORSE MEAT! Thats right, Kelsi and I ate chewy, dark HORSE MEAT!!! O god, I am still cringing...
On the train back to Florence, Kelsi and I, and our new cabin roommates Ashley and Taylor decided we wanted to stay awake to see the train dock on the ferry to carry us across the Med. Sea to the mainland of Italy. On the ferry, we jumped off and ran up the stairs to the huge metal boat deck. It was dark out, with lights lit up all along harbor-it was thrilling to see! We went as high up on the boat we could, where we stumbled onto a ladder leading to the roof of the ferry. Scandelously looking around and at each other-we decided to climb! 'Hurry, hurry,' we whispered forcefully to each other! We were then on top! We felt like Charlie's Angels or 007, in complete darkness sneaking on top of boats! It was one of the most enchanting yet adrenaling rushed moments I have experienced. The ferry at that moment had begun turning to face the exit of the harbor, while I stood in the middle, in the dark, twirling... wow. Then! We heard Italian shouting and our small silent stolen moment was over and our small group split, laughing in every direction. Back down the ladder, Taylor and I ducked into a door as non-chalantly as possible...only to find we had ducked into the CREW's QUARTERS! A man walked up, 'What are doing here?? Where are you from?' and after standing there for a moment in fear, didn't answer and took off out the door again!

Things I noticed in Sicily: Lots of Italians with blue eyes! The sgragliest, dirtiest, most diseased looking pets I have ever seen! Again, a massive amount of orange and lemon trees-lots of green, not really kept up with though. Beaches not kept up that well either-very public, not many tourist resorts that I saw. A lot more families, older people, kids, babies, etc. Except for Taormina, there wasnt much to any city- alot of empty buildings. (Wouldnt have ever gone there on own or in small group). Every beach we were at, every day, IF there were Sicilians there, they were wearing scarves, jackets, gloves, and hats. They would play with their children on the beach, and the kids would be bundled up so tightly they could barely move their arms! Italians have said Sicilians are the 'rednecks' of Italy, the only observations I can clearly make regarding this are that yes, they definately have more of a farming economy-not as much money maybe as Rome, Florence, etc. Much more rocky, mountainous than Tuscany. Palm tree leaves folded in all different ways being sold on the street...guess for that Palm Sunday.