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Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)
-   Europe (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/)
-   -   A Sicilian Postscript (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/a-sicilian-postscript-1714344/)

thursdaysd Apr 24th, 2023 06:26 AM
Congratulations and best wishes. How exciting! I'm sure the family support will be helpful.

Just caught up with this report - interesting to see Taormina empty but not sure I need to go back. Ortigia, on the other hand...

whitehall Apr 24th, 2023 12:14 PM
Originally Posted by Jackie44 (Post 17457885)
Congratulations - what a perfect spot! Thanks for this report and the spectacular photos.
Thank you. This is not the best spot for tourists or for most of those needing a job. We actually saw two tourists on Sunday, which was a surprise. But near perfect otherwise, spring flowers, quiet, superb views, no traffic, and caring townspeople. We even talked to a man, looking strong and healthy (with a walking stick in one hand and a bucket in the other) climbing one of the steep hills. this evening. He proudly announced he turns 100 in November.

Originally Posted by thursdaysd (Post 17457910)
Congratulations and best wishes. How exciting! I'm sure the family support will be helpful.

Just caught up with this report - interesting to see Taormina empty but not sure I need to go back. Ortigia, on the other hand...
Thank you. I used to prefer Taormina because of its spectacular Greek theatre and setting, but not anymore, at least not in the busier months. Ortigia IS a better bet. Family is everything here. We get fed very well, three times a day, sometimes at a different house. Keep in mind, my Dad made personal contact with these cousins 20 years or so ago; we only met them ourselves last year. Today they helped us get some new furniture delivered, planned who might remove some of the things we don't want, and re-strung four new clotheslines for us (a must in places like this where no one has a dryer but the smell of sheets dried outside is the best!). That and more every day we are here.


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5d1ae6b06.jpg

zebec Apr 24th, 2023 01:44 PM
'...but the smell of sheets dried outside is the best!'
So very true WH. Sounds like a great start to your new chapter.
May it continue.
I am done. the island

mila0229 Apr 24th, 2023 09:12 PM
Originally Posted by whitehall (Post 17457854)
Thank you and same to you.



Thank you. I wish you the best as well.



Thank you. We have four wonderful kids and 8 grandkids, so US time continues to be important. Hoping they all come visit often. But, they are all scattered in the US: my Mom in Vermont, most of both our siblings in New England, daughter in Florida, son in North Carolina and another in New York. Our oldest son and his family are re-locating to Spain on a digital nomad visa, so we will be closer to them part of the year. We are planning to be happy vagabonds.



Thank you. The anxiety has subsided. This is the most exciting thing we have done since we moved to an island off the Maine coast in the late 1970's, with little money, gave up a really good job, bought a giant mansion for a song that also had not been lived in for many years, and turned it into one of the first so-called bed and breakfasts in New England (there were plenty of inns and guest houses then but practically no b and b's)



Thank you. As we noted, we are currently restricted to two 90 day periods a year. Right now, we are feeling we want the max.



Thank you. One life to live. And, happily you are never "done."




Thank you and keep us posted on your trip. Maybe we will bump into each other in the Fall.



BTW, our first national holiday, Liberation Day (1946) is tomorrow. Not sure if we will get our first Amazon order.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0ffaf705b.jpeg
View from our terrace on Sunday
What a view! Enjoy!! I will keep you posted on our trip.

BlueRidgeboots Apr 25th, 2023 09:30 AM
I have so thoroughly enjoyed your report with all of those fabulous pictures! And the surprise ending with your own home there on the piazza - priceless. Congratulations and Happy Anniversary, a little late.

whitehall Apr 25th, 2023 11:15 AM
Originally Posted by BlueRidgeboots (Post 17458257)
I have so thoroughly enjoyed your report with all of those fabulous pictures! And the surprise ending with your own home there on the piazza - priceless. Congratulations and Happy Anniversary, a little late.
Thank you. Kind comments like those are what makes writing trip reports and sharing photos all worth it.

margo_oz Apr 25th, 2023 11:28 PM
Wonderful report!
You have really pushed Sicily to the top of my list.

So many places; so little time

whitehall Apr 26th, 2023 10:34 AM
Originally Posted by margo_oz (Post 17458391)
Wonderful report!
You have really pushed Sicily to the top of my list.

So many places; so little time
Thank you. My Dad always said there is no Shangri-La, but this is one of the places that would top our list. New vegetables to try (bambuscitte). They say the water is good, but maybe some of the pipes not so good in these old villages, so we walk to the very cold town supply, always flowing from nearby mountains for our free fill-up. Spring flowers. And the day’s gift of a large bunch of fresh mint and olive oil.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e6e195f14c.jpg

Flwrhead Apr 26th, 2023 01:38 PM
What an amazing end to a wonderful story! Congratulations on your new home, and on achieving a dream that lives in me, as well as many others!

whitehall Apr 26th, 2023 09:46 PM
Originally Posted by Flwrhead (Post 17458568)
What an amazing end to a wonderful story! Congratulations on your new home, and on achieving a dream that lives in me, as well as many others!
Thank you. as a young adult, I once worked, with a number of really driven young people, as an assistant to a US Senator. I talked of some dreams then, like moving to an island off the Maine coast, and one of my colleagues dubbed the office, where we discussed those dreams, the “dream room.” I think it inspired several of us to follow our dreams.Two quotes from the web: “If you can dream it, you can do it. Your limits are all within yourself.” “Life without dreams is like a rainbow without colours.”

And me: “Dreams themselves can keep you going; acting on them even better.”

And as snows melt into Spring, another beautiful morning here in Sicily.


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...407309f20.jpeg

AJPeabody Apr 27th, 2023 06:19 AM
Will your new house be available to select Fodorites when you are not in residence?

whitehall Apr 27th, 2023 09:49 PM
Originally Posted by AJPeabody (Post 17458719)
Will your new house be available to select Fodorites when you are not in residence?
Since our little town has virtually zero tourist infrastructure, it's hard to find someone to manage/clean a rental property, so, for now, that is not an option, but thank you for asking..

BTW, this is a mountain town, 40 minutes drive, yet only 18 miles from the sea at Giardini Naxos. It was a delight at dawn today to get a glimpse of the Mediterranean from our terrace. It is usually too hazy to see.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b5c205c11.jpeg

rialtogrl Apr 27th, 2023 10:27 PM
Congratulation! The people on this side of Etna are so nice.. I think it will be a perfect place to base half the year while exploring the rest of the time! And you are lucky to have friends and family to watch over you while you are there and over your place when you are not.

In Randazzo there is a enoteca, Il Buongustaio that is a bit of a community center for that town, probably you already know it but if you do not, check it out. The owner is so nice and has excellent meat and cheese plates, also great sandwiches. I was there a few days ago and who walks in, someone I know from Giarre. I love that place. Also worth visiting in Randazzo is Giuseppe Severini and his house of music. https://www.liuteriaseverini.it/
But you probably already know about him, too :) enjoy your new place, there is something very spiritual about living next to an active volcano!

whitehall Apr 27th, 2023 11:52 PM
Originally Posted by rialtogrl (Post 17458925)
Congratulation! The people on this side of Etna are so nice.. I think it will be a perfect place to base half the year while exploring the rest of the time! And you are lucky to have friends and family to watch over you while you are there and over your place when you are not.

In Randazzo there is a enoteca, Il Buongustaio that is a bit of a community center for that town, probably you already know it but if you do not, check it out. The owner is so nice and has excellent meat and cheese plates, also great sandwiches. I was there a few days ago and who walks in, someone I know from Giarre. I love that place. Also worth visiting in Randazzo is Giuseppe Severini and his house of music. https://www.liuteriaseverini.it/
But you probably already know about him, too :) enjoy your new place, there is something very spiritual about living next to an active volcano!
Thank you. When you commented on our Montenegro trip report, your knowledge of the area convinced us that you lived there.

We have only been to Randazzo a few times, mostly to shop, but we couldn't miss the lava rock cathedral. We did walk around a bit last Tuesday, but it was a national holiday (Liberation Day), so a lot of places were closed. We appreciate the suggestions and will seek out Il Buongustaio. We did hear about the Severini workshop, and last May shared that same link with our granddaughter, who has dreams to go to school to learn how to make violins (Cremona is on her list for that).

Last May, we were shopping at Lidl in Randazzo and watched Etna explode behind us (attached). The drive into Randazzo is very instructive about the reality of Etna, as there are piles and piles of lava on both sides of the road from the last major eruption in that area (1981). It is clear that all construction in that area, outside of town, is more recent than that. I think we prefer living next to the extinct, and once very powerful, volcano cone that is a couple minutes walk from our new home (also attached).


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...12b1cfb76.jpeg


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...150cf0d39.jpeg

travlsolo2 May 2nd, 2023 06:00 AM
Your trip report and photos are wonderful. I enjoyed it all so much, and love the very touching house and family story. May you enjoy for many years!
My traveling days seem to be over, but I can still dream. 🥀

Adelaidean May 2nd, 2023 12:01 PM
Yes, me too, always love your reports, it all feels so real, and congratulations on this achievement.

whitehall May 4th, 2023 10:37 PM
Originally Posted by travlsolo2 (Post 17459983)
Your trip report and photos are wonderful. I enjoyed it all so much, and love the very touching house and family story. May you enjoy for many years!
My traveling days seem to be over, but I can still dream. 🥀
Thank you, and I pray that you "never say never."

Originally Posted by Adelaidean (Post 17460108)
Yes, me too, always love your reports, it all feels so real, and congratulations on this achievement.
Thank you. For once in our travel life (make that the second time since we briefly owned a Caribbean home in an island no one has heard of), we are just enjoying the simple life with zero other tourists. Walks past an abandoned convent from the 1600's, reportedly still with frescoes; a full meal delivered by distant cousins when we had a day a bit under the weather; the gift of freshly picked pink peppercorns that you hang for good luck; the regular refills of red wine and olive oil from last year's harvest; and a new harvest of fresh peas.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...290980dd38.jpg
.

mila0229 May 7th, 2023 11:52 AM
Enjoy!


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