Joni's Jottings

Etna dominates the landscape in northeastern Sicily, looming above everything at ~ 11,000 feet, its elevation changing constantly with eruptions. Etna is an extremely active volcano – locals say they feel sad when it is not actively smoking and spewing lava. Instead of one central crater, Etna has many vents at various elevations, relieving internal … Read more

Each morning in Taormina began with this view. Taormina sits several hundred feet above the sea, buildings snuggled into crannies and crevices accessible through narrow sinuous lanes. (Not as narrow as Ragusa, thank the auto-gods.). Casa Manuel, our base, is located at just about the highest point in town, just below Chiesa Madonna della Rocca, … Read more

Perched on a rocky upcrop above Taormina is the tiny hamlet of Castelmola. We drove there for an evening stroll. A set of stairs (more stairs!) takes you to the reason people make the twisty-turvy drive up: a ruined castle with stunning panoramic views. Someone was burning agricultural waste in the valley below, so our … Read more

On Monday we bid a sad farewell to Ragusa Ibla, after being given a grand send-off from Emanuele. We drove to Taormina via a long detour in order to visit the Villa Roma del Casale. Villa Roma was a very country estate large villa (37,600 sq. ft.) built in the late 3rd century CE by … Read more

On Saturday we drove higher up into the Iblei Mountains to visit the little town from which my paternal grandparents emigrated 100 years ago, then visited Noto as we looped back to base.  It was our second drive through rolling hills mostly terraced by stacked-stone walls, many tumbling into ruins. My paternal grandfather, Salvatore Buccheri, … Read more