Travel in Sicily, winter 2009

 

 

 

Day 3:

The wind blew hard all night and, surprise, he chased all the clouds!

I go Laura, it's cold! The snow is a few tens of meters above the parking,

After breakfast we will try to approach another crater, the eruption of 2001

The ascent is difficult, steep and cuts pozzolan roll under our feet, the headwind is not helping either,
But even when we reach the crest of the crater is one of many formed during an eruption, magma does not always leaving the main stack,

Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe and one of the busiest in the world, now he lets slip that the fumaroles, a sign that the "valve" is opened, the risks become more important when a plug is formed, there anger can be violent, destructive see in some of its eruptions, we see an example down in casting its last eruption,

For now the sleeping giant, good for us, and the show is great pity that the facilities and 4X4 are closed at this time, no question of reaching the summit,

We will descend and go around again in the crater Silvestri then take a coffee and buy postcards at the bar of the same name that was narrowly spared during the last eruption, the lava having touched its walls,

We leave by the southern route in the fields of black lava, destroyed a house suggests the roof of a bend,

Nicolosi delimits the end of the Natural Park of Etna, the old cast are still visible, some being lowered to Catania, on the seafront,

Catania, talk about it! Already a few kilometers from the city traffic is increasing, then it's outright closures, cars parked anyhow preventing any flow of traffic, it warned me, but I do not think they grasped this grow!
We hardly extricate these jams and rejoin the highway, clear it!

We ferrons deadlocked on the visit of this city and it was around noon that we arrived at Syracuse through a brand new highway free
Again large caps to reach the area camper Von Platen, conveniently located in town, anyway it is the only alternative to visit this city, parking docks being banned for motorhomes,

We sat and had lunch, at 13.30 we go to visit the city, it's 26 degrees in the shade, I regret not having taken a short!

The modern Cathedral of Our Lady to tears will be our first step, magnificent!
We cross the city and reach the new bridge that allows access to Ortigia, the ancient city,

We enter through the west gate and follow the longomare to the fountain of Arethusa, the resurgence of freshwater at 2 steps from the sea and which grow clumps of papyrus, Syracuse is the only place in Europe where this plant grows more customary banks of the Nile

Continuing on the ramparts overlooking the sea, we arrive at the citadel, unfortunately closed at this time, then we lose ourselves voluntarily in the streets and soon arrived on the Cathedral Square where we do a pose on the terrace of a bar facing the monument,

After a little rest, we visit the Cathedral built on an ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, we still see many columns embedded in walls both inside and outside,

Further inspection by the squares, streets and alleys to the fish market, ended at this time, it is 17H, we buy meat and sausage (delicious in Sicily) in a small Maceleria, Jeremy is dead, we go painfully camper, Laura awaits us wisely, I'm leaving him for a walk, as if I had not walked enough! And it's still over 20 ° is not a holiday!

Well deserved rest, we will spend the night here in 22H it is still 19 °, we have no problem with the autonomy of gas!

 

 

Day 4:

Early wake up, calm night, yet we are downtown!

We consider this morning to visit the ruins and the ancient theater, but everyone has "full legs, more ancient sites we've seen a lot, so it ignores,,,

We service and leave for the city of Noto, famous for its baroque monuments and World Heritage,
An hour after we arrived at the gates of the city, but he'll have to find parking! While the center is allowed to "camp", we go around and find a public place where 2 other campers are parked,
the historic center is quite close, we will have less to walk, which is well suited to Jeremy, drive holidays to 9 years!
Noto has suffered a terrible earthquake and was completely rebuilt in baroque style, the numerous palaces and churches reflect the sun as part of the visit was very pleasant,
We decided to join the beach for lunch, the Lido di Noto is very close, we're looking for a restaurant to finish the year 2009, tonight is Christmas Eve!

But the Lido, everything is closed, at least the restaurant and is near the beach that we have lunch, so I took the table and camping chairs we could eat outside so it was good!
After lunch we take a coffee on the terrace of the only cafe open, listing my website on the camper p'tit an old story, he noted on a paper,,,
We go to Ragusa, the interior is different from this side, fields and meadows are separated by a multitude of dry stone walls, much like in the Larzac
Before Ragusa, we cross a large deck overlooking the valley and then we enter the new city, but despite the GPS we are struggling to reach Ragusa Ibla, the old city, but we still find the car park at the foot of this city,

Kathy and Jeremy especially are not excited about visiting the city, so I'm going to scout my APN to see, frankly it does not really go more than that! It's pretty far from the old town on its rocky, but in the alleys, not terrible, it's true that I feel very alone, everything is "chiuso" on the eve of New Year celebration,

I turned back, he is 15H30, I program the Valley of the Temples on my GPS, announced arrival at 18H, parking is possible on site parking, great for an evening of New Year's Eve Eve, far from the busy City and overlooking the lit temples, there are going!

But it was not counting on fate! To restart a fire, I hear a "tick-tock-tock" from the back, I stopped the car park of a marble to see, verdict: 8 screws driven into the right rear tire !

Well, gonna have to change the wheel! Fortunately I have a spare!

Operation wheel change, usually easy, I have a brand new hydraulic jack, is the occasion of the christening, but, horror! having stored lying down, all the oil has buggered off!

Do not stay more than the original, although feeble to lift such a weight at the 1st attempt poor engine groaned halfway and began to writhe!
I fall back a little disaster and hold the frame with pieces of marble (the marble thank you!)
we'll still do not spend Christmas Eve on the car park!

After 3 attempts, even when I come off the wheel enough, I hold my chassis for safety and managed to change my wheel, victory!

But I must give this wheel to the right pressure (we always forget to check it,,, must say it is difficult to access under the floor), my compressor will perform this task with brio, 5.5 kgs!

Much time lost, but we do not sleep here!
It was about 20H we came in sight of the temples, these magnificent temples illuminated, we seek the input of the car when my GPS tells me you've arrived! "But entry neni! Only a hoarding, the positions often are not fair, so I keep trying until the entry of Agrigento, but no more parking,,,
Turn around and return to the point indicated by the device, I see feet, apparently it is the entrance to the parking lot behind the fence, but no way to go, bad luck continues!

But a small sign on the sidewalk opposite indicates 200 parking meters, so I'm leaving in search of this famous park, a small street with a sign saying "no way" is there left, but it seem to me very narrow, arrow box with a P is hanging on the fence, I will still praying that it is there, otherwise,,,

Wonder! A small temporary park is there, few tens of meters from the road, and is among the olive trees that we Parking for night

In front of us lit the temple in all its splendor, not bad for a Christmas Eve, right?
The menu will be "simple",,, sausage, mashed potatoes! But what purpose and how calm after the events of the evening,
We will change from year quietly, without streamers or confetti, but so good!

In the next year...