Mount Etna

Mt. Etna is the tallest active volcano in all of Europe standing almost 11,000 feet (3,330 meters) high and is in an almost constant state of activity. It has already erupted seven times in 2012!

Taken from world-and-local-news.com from April 23, 2012

Taken from wordlesstech.com from March 4, 2012

Taken from topnews.net.nz from July 30, 2011

Taken from photoblog.msnbc.msn.com from Jan. 13, 2011

Naturally, Jon and I decided to check out this beast for ourselves. The recent eruptions have been limited to the Summit craters on the north side of the volcano. Since the volcano has a base circumference of 140km (~87 miles) there are many different hiking paths that individuals can take that are out of harms way if Etna were to erupt. It is illegal to go past a certain point on the volcano, even with a guide, so we were pretty confident that all would be okay. We enlisted the help of Etna Experience to take us on a hike through some parts of the volcano, give us some history and information about Etna, and show us other Etna related things such as lava caves and rivers.

Jon took this picture of Etna in December.

We started with a nice two hour hike from the viewpoint of Bove Valley. It was almost as if we were hiking on sand with the ash under our feet. Our guide told us about the different plant life that exists because of the volcanic soil on Etna, different rocks and boulders that have been spit out by Etna, and the difference between the many types of ash and pumice that have fallen like rain onto the mountain and towns.

Next, we were taken to a cave that has been grooved out by flowing lava. We fastened our helmets and held tightly onto our flashlights as we descended down the steep entrance to the cave.

The entrance.

Tight squeeze!

Emerging from the depths of the Earth... mwahaha.

Lunch was next and we were in for a treat! We had no idea that lunch would be at Gambino winery, a winery that we visited in December and just last week on our own. Needless to say, we were more than thrilled to hear we would be sampling their delicious tomatoes, mushrooms, cheeses, meats, and of course wine. It was great to get to know the other members that were on our excursion (one couple from Germany, one from Holland, and one from France) as we talked about our lives over delicious cuisine.

View from lunch.

The last stop of our program included a visit to the Alcantara Gorges. Several thousand years ago the high walls on either side of the river were created once the lava flow that flooded the frozen river cooled down. It then crystallized in the form of columns. An earthquake caused a gash in the lava which allowed the river to form in the gorge.

After some fresh squeezed orange juice it was time for our trip to end. We're glad that we were able to visit this monster of a volcano and were thankful that it didn't erupt on our watch!

Sabato, siamo andati sul m. Etna per un'escursione. Dovevamo andare domenica scorsa, ma il traghetto era in ritardo e il gruppo e' uscito senza noi. Per due ore abbiamo fatto il hike intorno al lato nord dell'Etna. Abbiamo visti tanti crateri piccoli, piante, cenere, e rocce laviche. Dopo il hike siamo andati a una cava di pietra lavica. Era buia e fredda con neve ancora sul pavimento! Poi ci hanno portato alla cantina e abbiamo assaggiato quattro vini e abbiamo mangiato il pranzo. Dopo siamo andati a un fiume tra mura di lava. L'acqua era molto fredda, ma abbiamo dovuto andare nell'acqua! E' stato un giorno divertente!

Valle delle Ferriere: A hike on the Amalfi Coast

We were determined to try this hike again after not being able to complete it in December (see Ravello hike post). We knew there were spectacular views to be seen, but we had missed seeing all of the other beauty that this hike boasts. This time it was going to happen!

After spending the night in Ravello on Friday night, we awoke to a wonderful weather day filled with sunshine, clear skies, and low humidity. Jon and I, along with our friends Charlie and Ayessa, packed our bags full of granola bars, apples, and a bunch of water, and headed to the start of the Valle delle Ferriere (Valley of the Mills) trail in Pontone. The trail gets its name from an ancient ironworks factory that lies in the middle. The area is now a natural reserve that sadly, few tourists make it to. The trail started and continued with us going up, up, up, and then up some more. Just when we would think that we just possibly couldn't go up anymore, there was a whole new set of rock steps waiting for us.

At the very beginning, making our way to the trail.

UP!

 Soon into the hike we saw what we had come for. The mountains were spectacularly framed by the clear blue sky and the city of Amalfi in the far distance was calling out to us. The trail wrapped around high mountains and cliffs and while gazing out onto the magnificence of it all we felt just a little small in front of such grandeur.

Amalfi is down below.

Camera timers are great!

Way out there!

Ayessa and Charlie

Another grand view.

The path eventually took us into a cool and dense forest and we heard the sound of water in the short distance. Beautiful waterfalls were pouring down the mountainsides into small rivers and pools of water. We stopped for a rest, took off our shoes, and let the COLD water flow through our feet. While enjoying the serenity of it all, we snacked and replenished ourselves, poured water on our heads to cool off, and did some exploring of the area to see which direction to take.

Dipping our feet.

Exploring the area.

Our snack spot.

Onward!

We ended up (accidentally) taking the road less traveled and found ourselves hiking a route where the trail was barely visible and barely marked. We had to climb over and under trees that had fallen over the path and thorn plants waiting to stick us with their points. I was a little bit miserable thinking about what kind of critters were waiting for us in the greenery, but alas, we made it out without any bites or stings. We ended up passing the "easier" trail as it met up with ours, but where would the fun be if we actually knew where we were going?

Passing some goats.

After 4 hours from our start in Pontone we were able to make out some cars in Amalfi and knew that we were close. We just didn't know that the hike ended with more than 1000 steps to the town! Down, down, down, we went, wondering at every turn when the steps would end. Some people also start this hike going from Amalfi to Pontone and we couldn't imagine starting this long hike with more than 1000 steps.

The end... almost!

We saw a lot of these.

We finally made it to the bottom and felt ourselves gravitating towards food! We sat down at a restaurant and proceeded to order caprese, bruschetta, gnocchi, ravioli, spaghetti, tagliatelle, and a pizza. Yes, we were hungry and we finished it all! A stop for gelato afterwards put us into a food coma.

Charlie's shoes took a beating!

There are parts of this hike that we did not see (another big waterfall and the iron mill and paper mill), perhaps because we took the path that we had to bushwhack our way through? Either way, we enjoyed this fantastic hike in the company of good friends, on the beautiful Amalfi Coast.

Sabato abbiamo fatto hiking sulla costa di Amalfi. Il hike e' chiamato "Valle delle Ferriere" e inizia da Pontone e finisce a Amalfi. Abbiamo fatto hking su molto rocce e costoni. Dopo un'ora e mezzo siamo arrivati alle cascate. Erano belle! Abbiamo riposato qui cosi' abbiamo mangiato uno snack e abbiamo messo i nostri piedi e mani nell'acqua. L'acqua era rinfrescante perche' era fuori caldo! Tre ore dopo, alla fine, siamo andati giu' per piu' di 1000 scale a Amalfi! Eravamo molto stanchi!

La settimana scorsa, siamo andati alla costiera amalfitana a fare un hike. Il hike che si trova in un parco naturale si chiama Valle dei Ferriere e incomincia da Pontone, vicino a Ravello, e finisce alla citta' di Amalfi. Abbiamo dormito a Ravello e la mattina seguente ci siamo svegliati presto per incominciare un hike di cinque ore. Le prime due ore, il hike e’ stato di salire la montagna con molte scale. Dopo due ore, abbiamo visto alcune cascate e camminato nell’acqua fredda. E’ stato molto buono sentirla sopra I nostri piedi stanchi. Quando siamo tornati, abbiamo dovuto camminare in basso per piu’ di un mille scale a Amalfi! Quando siamo entrati in citta’, eravamo molto sporchi, stanchi e affamati. Ci siamo seduti al ristorante e mangiato un grande pranzo. In seguito, abbiamo
mangiato il gelato come premio. E’ stato un grande giorno!

Isle of Ischia: Take Two

Our first trip to Ischia in August was somewhat of a disaster (see previous Ischia post) with us taking the ferry into the wrong port, walking around aimlessly without a plan, and bearing temperatures in the high 90s with very high humidity. This time around we were determined to research a little bit more about this spectacular island and all it has to offer.

Pulling into the port.

Castello Aragonese from the ferry.

This weekend Jon surprised me with a night on Ischia for my birthday. We took an early ferry, and arrived at our amazing hotel which sits on the harbor, has it's own thermal spas and massage/beauty treatment options, and rooms with large balconies overlooking the port. After we checked in we set off on a walk down Corso Vittoria Colonna, a street which has many ceramic and limoncello shops. We ended up spending a lot of time at one ceramic shop throughout the weekend, making friends with the owner who invited us back for espresso the next morning (which we accepted) and gave us a discount on a set of plates.

Just a few of our purchases.

We ate lunch and continued to walk towards Castello Aragonese. This castle sits on a volcanic rocky inlet connected by a stone bridge about 700 feet long. The first fortress was built in 474 BC and after a long time of abandonment, the castle was rebuilt in 1441 and was connected to the main island with the stone bridge. It reached it's peak in the 16th century when it housed 1892 families with 13 churches. The castle walls enclose courtyards, gardens, churches, antique archways, and terraces with outstanding views of the sea, the harbor, and the peninsula.

View from the Terrace of the Immacolata.

Hello out there!

The Cathedral of the Assunta.

A crypt underneath the cathedral.

A garden area.

Church of the Madonna della Libera.

Within the castle walls.

After our trip to the castle we walked back to the hotel and checked out the thermal bath they have. Ischia is known for its thermal pools and health spas. The water is from the natural hot springs, is heated by volcanic action, and is said to be good for a variety of health treatments. We also took advantage of their massage services.

Taking in some sun... kind of.

Smoking a cigar

Celebrating a great birthday!

The port at night from our balcony.

We had a wonderful and relaxing time in Ischia. Next time we go we will visit more of the island and visit the towns of Forio, Sant'Angelo, Lacco Ameno, and others.

Per il mio compleanno Jon mi ha fatto una sorpresa con una notte a Ischia. Siamo arrivati a Ischia presto la mattina di sabato. Dopo siamo andati all’albergo, abbiamo camminato una strada trafficata con molti negozi. Abbiamo mangiato il pranzo e poi abbiamo continuato in direzione del Castello Aragonese. Il castello e grande e include giardini, terrazze, chiese, e archi belli. Le viste sono bellissime!

La vista dalla terrazza.

Dopo la visita al castello abbiamo camminato al nostro albergo mentre ci fermavamo ai negozi. All’albergo siamo andati alle terme. E stato molto rinfrescante. Quella notte, abbiamo cenato nel ristorante bello vicino al mare. Abbiamo mangiato calamari, tagliatelle con cozze, coniglio, e caprese per dolce. Il cibo e stato molto buono. Quando siamo tornati all’albergo ci siamo seduti fuori sulla terrazza. Era una notte bella.

Al ristorante.

Il prossimo giorno abbiamo avuto massaggi. Dopo, che abbiamo comprato piatti ceramica, una ciotola grande, e tazzone di caffe. Abbiamo parlato con il proprietario per tanto tempo. Ci ha fato un sconto e espresso perche siamo stati amichevoli e abbiamo parlato un poco italiano. Insomma, abbiamo avuto un tempo fantastico!!!