Piazza Armerina, Mount Etna, Taormina, Catania. Just two
days and yet, thanks to our organized guide Tita and driver Carmelo, we were
able to enjoy places that are so different from each other and, only a few
weeks ago in the confined space of our Clapp classroom, so remote and exotic.
The Roman mosaics in Piazza Armerina; the beautiful, almost unreachable town of
Taormina, perched up a steep hill [thank you, Carmelo, for taking those curves
ever so slowly today]; the mysterious, dangerous but (as we learned) much
beloved Mount Etna; Catania’s Baroque churches and monasteries and a final,
unexpected, treat, Aci Castello and Aci Trezza, where we admired the ‘very’
house that inspired Verga’s Malavoglia, the set for Luchino Visconti’s La terra
trema and the ‘very’ rocks that Polyphemus threw at Ulysses.
Today, Ulrich and I took our morning jog to a new level
(literally) when we decided to run up the hill to the ruins of the Moorish
castle. The view, needless to say, was even more breathtaking than the already
amazing view from Taormina: Etna on the right and the Calabrian coast on the
left. There were no cars, no noise, no people, just us and a few birds.
In a few minutes, we’ll head downstairs to enjoy Jazzy’s
oral presentation. Yesterday it was Michaella’s turn, about Mount Etna, and we
ended up with a Geology discussion. Maybe we should do the whole semester in
Sicily…
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| Mimi in Piazza Armerina |
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| Jazzy in Piazza Armerina |
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| Alberta in Piazza Armerina |
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| Anne Gabrielle in Piazza Armerina |
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| Luckily, Michaella did not fall inside Etna, as she had an oral presentation later that day |
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| Daring photographer Briana on Etna |
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| Jaymie and Michaella in Taormina |
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| Nancy Drew is not auditioning for a Wes Anderson movie, she is just stylish... |
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| Happi in a rare moment of rest, and in between granitas |
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| not quite at the castle yet, but already declaring victory... |
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| Taormina from the castle with mainland Italy in the background |
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| Swordfish at the Catania market |
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| group picture in Catania. Left to right: Mark, Paula, Emma, Priscilla, Briana, Jazzy, Michaella, Ombretta, Anne Gabrielle, Evelyn, Tita (our guide), Jaymie, Lauren, Maddie |
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| The Malavoglia house in Aci Trezza |
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| Polyphemus' rocks |
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