I was expecting Italy to be beautiful, but I was not expecting it to be tropical. So when the palm fronds were waving in the warm ocean breeze, at us, welcoming us to Sicily, I had to pinch myself.
Life could not get better. Or could it? As we rolled into Cefalu, our taxi driver informed us we'd arrived just in time to celebrate the annual Gelato Festival. We all know how I feel about gelato. I pinched myself again.
I enjoyed the Rick Steves' Tour. Our schedule was packed, as it should have been. A person's got to get her money's worth. But being in Cefalu, with no agenda, blue skies, bluer water, and painted pink sunsets had this part of the trip feeling like a vacation.
Strolling along Cefalu's beach, sifting sand through my toes and Mediterranean waves lapping against my legs, was yet another trip highlight.
From Cefalu, the train carried us east toward Taormina. Taormina was even better than Cefalu. I might have to say that Taormina was my favorite stop of the entire trip. The hotel we stayed in, Hotel Villa Belvedere, has graced the cover of many travel magazines, I'm sure.
The maze of streets were lined with bakeries, bakeries, and more bakeries. Had I known Sicily farms almonds, I would have visited Taormina first, second, and last. Almonds are important because almonds make almond paste, and I've been known to eat almond paste straight from the can. Bakery upon bakery and successful almond harvests mean more pastries with almond paste than I could ever dream of. Heaven. I actually bought my dad a package of pastries, and he is so lucky that his gift made it back across the Atlantic without a certain mouse getting into it.
Any place that treats tourists with unhealthy amounts of almond paste, is a favorite in my book, but Taormina offered us more than just bakeries. We shopped, we toured a Greek Amphitheater, we wandered through botanical gardens, and we gawked at the Mediterranean.
And Taormina had thunderstorms. The first day, my mom and I meandered along the main shopping street, when an ominous black cloud covered the Sicilian sky. Giant raindrops pummeled to the earth. No umbrella, no coats, we sloshed through the gutters to the Belvedere. We took refuge on our patio as the Mediterranean amplified the booming thunder, and the hillside trembled, almost as though Mt. Etna had awakened. The storm raged on for hours. The following day, we were in town, and like clock-work, another storm rolled in at 2:00 o'clock.
Taormina is one place I'd like to see again.
be beautiful
About Me
- Nicole
- Life is not meant to be safe. It's only in our mistakes, our errors, and our faults that we grow and truly live.
I love reading your blog. You are such a captivating writer! Your pictures are gorgeous...makes me jealous. :) Looks like you had an amazing trip.