The continued adventures of Alice in Wonderland…

The next days were a whirlwind of food, drink, food, drink, food, some hiking, more food, and a volcano. First port of call: Sorrento, Italy. Jon and I pushed through the crowds to get the speed ferry to the Island of the Rich and Famous, Capri! Surviving the seas better than some of the high school kids that joined us on the boat, we took the cable car up the mountain to start our attempt at working off some of the chocolate and wine of the night before. We took a gorgeous hike accompanied by hundreds of green and black lizards to the natural arches and to the some viewpoints of the smaller jagged outcrops that make Capri’s scenery recognizable. We stopped in a stunning café that was carved out of the mountain (one of the first of many times Jon bought espresso to gain me entrance into a bathroom – thanks, again, Jon!). The most amusing story from the day came from Jon’s desire to see the Blue Grotto – a place highlighted in the books as a natural wonder. The wonder for me was why we paid $30 for a 3 minute ride in a dingy into a cave with blue water, but Jon will disagree. We do agree that we had a lovely walk back through town to the ferry ride back to the Mother Ship.

We sailed next to Taromina on Sicily to take a Biogen trip up Mt. Etna – smoldering and steaming away in honor of our visit. It was a gorgeous drive up through fields of blooming pink, orange, white, and yellow flowers flourishing in the black volcanic soil. We took a cable car and then a 4x4 up to the highest access point where we were nearly blown off the mountain while gaping at its glory. The wind was ridiculous – and we were the best prepared in pants and jackets. Some of the group did not get the memo and were in shorts and flip flops (and did not get out of the car for long)! We survived an hour in the cold blasts taking photos with numb fingers. Although we did not get to hike up or around much (a slight drag), it was a definite highlight! Then, we headed back to the boat where our butler had supplied us (okay: me) with a huge plate of veggies with hummus. After another 4-course meal, Jon managed to waste only $50 at the casino where he tried, but failed, to explain craps to me.

Next day: Crete. We spent 4 hours on a bus for an hour of being pelted by a sandstorm at some ruins of the Palace of Nossos. A nice local bus trip through some nice scenery, but the ruins were slightly ruined (sorry about the pun) from being largely recreated/reconstructed. For me, the actual highlight was a sweet, black fuzzy puppy at the bus station shop for lunch. I shared my toast and cheese with her, and she gave me wormy kisses. It was lovely regardless of the hygienic concerns. I think that Jon liked the ruins, but I know that he loved this giro place where we stopped on the way back. We had a chance to explore the cute town where our boat was docked, but as you can see, the best view was obscured by our ride…

More again tomorrow.