5 April, 2016
On the road to Messina
Today we bid farewell to the island of Sicilia and Isabella, our lovely guide of the past two weeks. From our group of sixteen, nine of us are continuing on a smaller bus across the strait of Messina to the mainland and eight days tour of Calabria and the south-west of Italy.
This journey so far has been very educational and informative, as well as being a good time with my traveling companions. Previous to this, I have never been a part of a group tour, and I am finding my experience very pleasant. Overseas Adventure Travel has a good philosophy of touring, with small groups staying in places off of the typical touristic path. Our “discoveries” every day or two are all about things and places of local interest chosen by the guide as something that they think suit the group. These have been some of the most interesting parts of the visit – the puppet theatre in Palermo, learning the process of molding and decorating marzipan in Erice, a visit to a refugee center for African boys in Ragusa. Along with the regular ininerary we have been shown pieces of the real life in Sicilia beyond the touristic attractions.
The group itself has been an enjoyable experience as well. I am by far the youngest, but I am with people from all over the US who are all well seasoned travellers. I have most enjoyed the meals together talking about more than who we are, but where we have been and our impressions and experiences of different places around the world. Despite our varied backgrounds in life, we are truly a group of world citizens.
I came to Sicilia not having studied or researched anything other than the expected weather. The main thing that I brought with me was an open mind and desire to learn about another new place. As I am headed towards the ferry to Italia, I take with me many things. I have been surprised at not only how mountainour this island is, but also how steem the mountains are. Most of all I am very surprised about how varied the people are from one side of this small island to the other. This is a result of the different civilizations that have conquered and settled here. Earthquakes and war have destroyed many of the cities at various times in the past, so the architectural history is mostly that of the Baroque period from the 18th century. It is the cultural heritage here that I find the most important part of Sicilia. Much like the Scots in Britain, these are a people proud of their heritage and identity. They are Sicilian first, and Italian second.
Nearing the port now in the city of Messina, we will make the two miles crossing in around 30 minutes according to our new Leader, Cesare. I say grazie Sicilia, One day I may return to the slopes of Etna, but one never knows what the future will hold. I will give you one secret as I leave – if you come to find the beautiful Sicilian women, the best are in Catania!
Arrivederci!