Our
first excursion out of Ortigia was to visit Taormina, also known as the “Jewel
of the Mediterranean.” The day started early, the sun already shone bright in
the sky as it continued to rise; the ocean air greeted us as we departed our
hotel. We walked about thirty minutes to the bus station; there we hopped on a
comfortable bus beginning the day’s adventure. The diversity of the scenery
made the bus ride feel long. We drove through many tunnels, and up curved and
winding roads. Every now and then the bus would round a corner and the Mediterranean
would greet us, inciting butterflies of excitement in all of our stomachs. When
we arrived in Taormina our bus pulled into a loading station. We all got off
and waited for the shuttle that would bring us a bit further up the mountain to
visit the town.
Stepping
off the bus, I looked around and did my best to take it all in. It was
beautiful, every façade different from the next; the colors and architecture
complemented everything around them. As we began walking up the street an elderly gentleman and
his wife turned to me and asked in English where we were from. It turned out he
was a New Yorker as well and moved to Italy shortly after entering retirement.
All throughout the trip people would come up to our group or one of us
individually and in English ask where we were from. It was such a magnificent
way to learn not only of Italian culture, but also what draws people to Italy
as a country. For most people the
beauty gripped their heart and never let them leave.
In
Taormina there is an ancient Greek amphitheater known as the "teatro antico di Taormina" in Italian. This was the first stop in our
short visit and it was incredible! It was the first time I ever laid eyes on an
original Greek theater. I felt dwarfed by the size of the structure. The
ingenuity and planning was intriguing and brilliant. To top it off, the history
was fascinating as well; we were able to see the Roman alterations and influence.
The beauty of the amphitheater and its surrounding
was mesmerizing. Time whizzed by and hours felt like seconds. Before we could
explore any further we had to go, to save time we briskly walked down the hill
through the town and out the front gate. Everyone would have loved to spend the
entire day -if not the rest of the week- exploring the place. Despite the wish
to stay longer in Taormina our trip continued up
the foot of Mount Etna. Our next stop was a vineyard known as Barone di
Villagrande.
By midafternoon
clouds had rolled in and rain began to coat the mountain top in a glistening
blanket of silver and green. The rain finally lessened as we pulled up to
the vineyard. A kind gentleman greeted us and introduced himself as
Giovanni, and began to give us a tour of the vineyard. Giovanni was so
knowledgeable about the land, wine, tectonics and so much more! No doubt he had
given the tour at least a thousand times but his excitement and passion never
ceased. The vineyard and the
surrounding land is very unique due to its location on the foot of mount Etna,
an active volcano. Over the past few centuries the volcano has erupted countless
times. Once the lava has cooled and the ash has settled the minerals soak into
the ground producing some of the most fertile land.
After visiting the
wine cellar and a terrace that overlooks most of the vineyard, we went indoors
for wine tasting and lunch! The food was light and delicious, but the wine was
spectacular. It was “ruby red with a perfume of berry fruits, dry taste, it is
harmonious and persist,” that is the Etna
Rosso wine as it was described to us. To everyone in the room the wine was just
delicious! Shortly after lunch it was time for a hike. At first no one was
thrilled, but as the food digested and sleepiness began to fade, the hike
became an exciting prospect.
Our bus took us
roughly twenty-five minutes up the mountain, the entrance to the trail was
inconspicuous, it was off the side of the road tucked behind bushes and trees. The
hike was originally supposed to be two hours. The intention was to get close
enough to see the lava but due to an avalanche warning sign we could not
proceed, Giovanni kept on apologizing, he wanted to show us the volcano so
badly. Although our group was slightly disappointed we were still able to see other
parts of the mountain. On our way back to the bus the clouds began to break and
the low sun peaked through. The water in the distance glistened and I remember
feeling simply overjoyed.
Prior
to visiting Sicily I did not know exactly what to expect. At every point my
appetite for knowledge and discovery grew. Around each corner there was
something or someone who taught my classmates and I a cherished lesson. This
trip was an invaluable learning experience that helped me
grow and understand the world on a new and different level.
~ Rosa Loveszy
~ Rosa Loveszy
