MONDAY 11TH – TAORMINA – MT ETNA

Today was another volcanic day, except more so in that Mt. Etna is continuously belching volcanic material. Because it is continuously erupting in a minor way out of its four craters, it is not regarded as being likely to have a major eruption any time soon.

 

 

We anchored offshore at Taormina and went ashore by tender.

The morning was spent on a bus trip to the publicly accessible area of the volcano approximately 6,000 feet above sea level. The volcano is approximately 12,000 feet high but there is a large parking area, cafes, hotels etc at the 6,000 feet level where the power of the erupting volcano is evident.

 

 

The entire area is covered in hardened lava from the last major eruption in the 1980's. The present car park is approximately 50 feet above the level of the former car park which was completely covered in the last eruption when all but one building was destroyed. The buildings have been replaced and await their fate next time the volcano decides to send molten lava spewing down the mountain.

 

 

It is difficult to understand how the one building that survived did so. It has solidified lava right up to the guttering on one side.

 

 

There is a cable car going further up the mountain which we would have loved to go up but we didn't have the time. It's hard to believe that, in winter, the whole area is covered in snow and becomes a skifield.

After returning from the volcano, we hopped on a local bus and went from harbour level up a very exciting road to the old town of Taormina perched on the edge of the mountain overlooking the sea. There is very little flat land between the mountains and the sea but, with the assistance of bridges and tunnels, there is a coastal road and railway system, not unlike Cinque Terre.

Some of the photos aren't as clear as they could be because they were taken from the bus but you get the idea.

 

 

On the way in this morning, we were met by a school of dolphins who had great fun playing in the ship's bow wave. I suspect that they don't see too many waves around here.

Tomorrow we spend the day “at sea”before getting to our next destination of Corfu on Wednesday morning. Hopefully I will find some material for a blog tomorrow.