Good thing our driver was a good one

We went from Messina up up up to the tip top of a mountain that looked across to Mt. Etna...or I presume so as that is what we were told. Unfortunately, the top of Mt. Etna was covered with fog and clouds. The road (to use the term loosely) up this mountain to Castelmola was a series of twist backs on a narrow two lane road with oncoming tourist buses at every curve. If we were not believers before this, we sure were quickly. And, it was raining!

The view was well worth the white knuckles. And did this tiny town so high up in the mountains pass our litmus test...OH YES! but someone would have to drop us off for the week and pick us up when it was over. There is no way we would ever attempt this drive by ourselves.





Our driver dropped us off at a central spot and we had a couple of hours to roam. Most of the shops were not open yet so we focused on staying dry and salving our tummies. Our first stop was a delight: Terrazza vista Etna owned by Ricardo, his sister and his mother. And we were promised the best cannolis we would ever have in our lives...and Ricardo was right. OMG! and I am not a person who is wild about sweets but these melted in your mouth in an orgy of chocolate, pure creme and sugar.
Oh, and Ricardo is wife hunting as he informed us. He says he needs a strong woman to help with the restaurant and the baking and who is preferably deaf so she won't hear a word his beloved Mama says. I thought immediately of Clare but she is still besotted with Enriquo, the Cuban cigar roller, down on the Sponge Docks...anyone interested?



From Castlemola, we headed back down the mountain to Taormina, Sicily. And this was another passer of our test...tune in tomorrow for the next exciting (or not) episode of Travels with Jules and E.

And dear readers who have persevered so far, Bless you. and I promise the end is in sight!