Italy – Isle of Sicily 22/09/16 – 29/09/16
Arivaderchi Scilla and ciao Sicily. The ride from the mainland to the Isle was a pretty and perfect as all the other great train journeys across Italy. This time the cost was €25 pp and took around 3 ½ hours with 1 change. Once we made this change the whole 8 carriages were shifted onto the ferry! OMG I’ve never seen such a grand spectacle as this, it was intriguing and funny at the same time. Once on board you could either stay in your train seat or wander about on the ferry. We chose the latter so we could take photos. It was whilst we were on the top deck that we realized the only people aboard were the ones from the train and this ferry was owned by the train company Trensitalia. All staff had the railway uniforms on, it was bizarre, a mind blowing experience. However the 30 minute crossing soon past and once again we were aboard the train, chugging along its normal railway line. Just over 40 minutes later we arrived at Taormina- Gardiner Naxos train station, where we were picked up by a friend of our hosts and driven to our digs.0o The area of Gardiner Naxos looks very impressive, a large seaside town with a lovely large beach. However we watched in horror as our car sped through this lively town another 20 minutes or so to our destination. When we got out of the car we found ourselves at a very large resort complex, (pretty nice we thought), and we’re shown to our room. What we were actually in was a resort, which by every account had closed for the summer. All shops, bars and restaurants empty! With the exception of 1 small (corner shop style place) at its entrance. We had already been informed that it’s pool closes from end of August, and not surprised as when we looked at it, it was a bug infested green sludge pit, (even Shrek would turn his nose up at this), it was disgusting and smelly.
That evening we went in search of some life! Walked across the beach and came to another large resort, with a bar, YEAHHHH, but we were the only ones there. After our first drink they too decided to close up! Wow not what we were expecting from a week in Sicily at the end of September. So walked back to our digs, (20 minutes away), and to our surprise again, we found we were the only people staying at this prestigious place. Not a sole anywhere! This resort is HUGE, there must be 500+ rooms in our building, and it has 2 neighbouring buildings. Our building has 5 floors, we’re on the 3rd floor, and overlooking the sea. The corridors are massive, very dark, echoing when you talk or take a footstep, and the lights are controlled by switches at the end of each corridor and timed to go off quite quickly. I’m sure in the summer this place is thriving (T – I doubt it), but end of September it’s deadly. It almost conjures up a scene from a horror movie I one saw. It was about a couple who ended up in an old derelict asylum! There are 500 doors along cold corridors and you better be careful opening them up, finding what’s behind them. Creepy.
The following day we went to the beach and was able to get some sun tan going on, before the rain set in. It rained the whole day, so we just stayed in watching movies.
On awaking the next day, the rain was still falling, but we opted to go for a walk in the other direction in search of life. Where we came across a small village, (after an hours walk), and low and behold all shops were closed. Continuing thinking something has to be opened we spotted a cafe, so stopped there for coffee. We then spotted a sign saying “hop on hop off bus”, and when we got to it there inside a booth was a lady selling tickets. Great and after talking with her we bought a week pass for €30 pp. Luck would have it that a bus was due within 5 minutes. We were also informed by this lady that our tickets included trip on any blue buses. We had a great afternoon in the town of Taormina, which is set half way up a mountain. From where we got on it took around 45 minutes to get there. Taormina was packed, YEAH for us lots of people walking around, many tourists, and English being the most used language. It’s very similar to that of Cinque Terra and the Amalfi Coast, ie very hilly, but with magnificent views. Again we thought it to be a tiny wee village, until we wondered further. Taking a corner, following the crowds of people, we came across a great piazza running around 1km long, full of very good unique shops. Mostly selling local arts and craft fare, from cottons, linens, lace, leather goods and pottery. Again a lovely decorative town, full of narrow cobbled streets, with churches practically on every corner. Half way along its main street there’s a beautiful square which overlooks the seaside towns way below it, with views out to sea as far as the eye can see. Stunning and beautiful even on a day like today which is dark and cloudy. There’s was even a wedding in one of the churches, crowds gathered to watch the bride turn up in a horse drawn carriage, a beautiful Victorian wooden carriage all in white adorned with white flowers – lilies, carnations and roses, being pulled along by a magnificent huge black horse with it long flowing main. Stunning. The ride back down was really impressive, a road not to unsimilar to the road along the Amalfi Coast, lots of twists and turns, narrow only having brief areas where 2 vehicles can pass each other, and mostly with the greatest cliff hanging scenery ever, overlooking the sea below.
That evening we walked the 40 minutes back (seeing no-one) into the main town of Giardini – Naxos for a night on the town. The bars, the lights all great and we then realized just how isolating our digs are. So we then decided to book another apartment closer to this area, and thanks to Booking.com we managed to find a last minute deal, a 2 bedroomed apartment with all mod cons right in the center of the promenade at Giardini – Naxos.
So the following morning we contacted our hosts to say we were checking out 4 days early, during to the time it took to get into town, and that we felt isolated. Keys handed in and we were soon in our new digs. Great less than 1 minute and we were on the promenade looking around. What a lovely place this is, yes it’s obvious we are out of season, but there are still a huge selection of bars, restaurants, shops and cafes still open. Even better there’s a lot of folk around.
Next day we set off on the Hop on hop off bus again to the town of Castlemona, which is set high upon the top of the mountain. It’s beautiful and well worth the time and effort to get there. It’s a tiny town that circumnavigates the whole of the mountain top. It’s so far up that the mist is plentiful with of course great views when the mist has cleared slightly. If you visit here make sure to bring something with sleeves as the air is crisp. Streets are narrow and you have to negotiate lots of steps in between them. As with all towns we’ve visited in Italy, it’s central piece of architecture is its church. Towering above the rest of the buildings around it, sleek and small but ever so impressive with its carved stone and marble work. It’s main doors overlook the magnificent views of the sea way, way below. What a great day.
Oh did I mention it has been raining solidly for the past 5 days!!!! However today the clouds disappeared albeit for 6 hours, so togs on we hit the beach. A great beach at that, quite large with many deck chair sections still in operation. €12 for the day for 2 beach beds and parasol, bargain. And yes we actually had a couple of dips in the sea, it’s not very warm but also no too cold, (when you get used to it). That evening we headed out for a night on the town, well we lasted until 11pm. Still plenty of bars open and some until 1am!!! And it’s a school night.
The following day we went in search for the bus to Mount Etna, still haven’t seen head nor height of it as its been in the flipping clouds all week. We were initially told to take the Hop on hop off bus, but when we got to the bus station we were informed that bus doesn’t go that fat but we could go so far and change. Then we were told our tickets were the wrong ones for Etna. In the end we decided not to go as it appeared there was a hurdle on every corner we took. We then decided to go to Gole Alcantara, (Sicilys’ only Gorge), but again we were told our tickets were good by one driver, and the timetable stated there was a direct bus, but another driver stated they had stopped that bus as it was “out of season”. So wondering around the area of Recanati, we spotted the Hilton, and outside there was a sign which informed us it had a Spa. Once inside we were told it didn’t open til 3.30pm but it was open to non hotel guests at a costs. At 3.40 we were at reception again, who directed us down the stairs and stated we would pay in the Spa. €30 pp for a maximum of 3 ½ hours, (as this was all it was open for today), and included in that was the indoor pool, jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and showers. It was soooo relaxing in there, other than 2 other people we were the only ones in. The pool, wow full size Olympic pool filled with heated salt water, and at one end there were the Jacuzzis, 4 single chairs and 4 lie back beds, luxurious or what. After an hour or so in the pool we were guided to the “Spa” area. Wow, wow and mega wow, a huge steam room – with multi coloured ceiling lights that changed randomly, a sauna big enough to get 2 dozen people in, and the “emotional showers”, what an apt name. The shower area is shared between the men and women, and there are 8 in a tunnel. So what you do is start off at number 1 and work your way around. It’s good that only Tina and I were the only ones using the showers as each one we passed, there were screams and tantrums galore along with the ohhhh and arhhhhs (a perfect name for the shower area). Each shower is slightly different to the next, the first is what would be classed as a normal overhead shower, with its own temperature gauge. The second, you can’t really see however what you do see is a half wooden barrel high above your head with a long chain attached. Yep you guessed it, you pull the chain and a ton of freezing cold water cascades over your head. The third can only be described as a hose pipe. I switched it on and warm water came gushing out of the end. It has a flexible hose and could be manhandled – no guessing what this cleans!!!! The next was a very large impressive power shower, a full size rain shower high above you, this was really nice until a few seconds into it and 8 tiny jets come out of the wall, at very high speed, it felt like red hot needles all over your legs. The fifth a very large circle of a shower head, probably about 1m round. You press a button at waist height and a red light appears above you, then the downpour, it looked like the scene from the film Fame when the girl was dancing on stage, half way through the lights changed to a blue then a green. This one was very impressive. Number 6, we could see it at first but we saw the tap, once switched on, a high pressured beam came gusting out of the wall. It was flat and approx 3 inches long. Now this shower really hurt it had an amazing amount of pressure. The next one had 3 large jets coming out of the wall at each side, this one you could altar the pressure but the water whizzed from left to right and vice versa, very refreshing. Lastly number 8, this shower was similar to number 1 as in a normal looking shower, a temperature Guage, a pressure Guage, and a lovely cascading fountain. The whole experience was fantastic I would have paid the €30 just for the showers. Afterwards we felt wonderful, cleaned – on every inch of our bodies – and fully relaxed. En route back to our digs we stayed at a lovely restaurant had grilled sea bass, steak and salad, all washed down with a really good rose wine. A perfect ending to a perfect day.
Tomorrow were trotting off again, this time to Naples, our last stop in Italy for an overnight stay before flying to the UK to catch up with family and friends as Mr & Mrs Myers. I think there’s a few parties being organised by both sets of families.