“Live life as though everything is rigged in your favour.” -Rumi
With only a few weeks left before our return home we decided to spend it on the Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily. So we got on another ferry and arrived into Santa Teresa which was a cute little seaside town.
We spent a week here while Ezra worked and I did my usual of finding ways to keep busy. This included buying an electric hot water kettle and learning thru trial and error how to cook full meals in it. Hard-boiled eggs? Yes. Beans? Yes. Rice? Yes. Pasta? Yes. Was this messy and a little disgusting? Yes. Was I discouraged? No.
Ez had a few days off so we rented a car and checked out the Esmeralda coast. Glitz and glam are not usually our thing but we drove by the famous coast line and could appreciate why the rich and famous would want to soak up the sun here.
This was not a very thought-out trip and we ended up in some strange little towns but had long breakfasts and ordered pizza in little mom and pop shops and as such had some fun interactions with people whom we’d otherwise have never met. I had a great interaction in Italian with a little old grandma. No, I do not speak Italian. That much is for sure.
We happened along the beautiful Cala Brandinchi otherwise known as “Little Tahiti.” We spend a few days in the cute town of Cala Gonone and hiked one day to Gola Se Gorropu gorge.
Sardinia was beautiful and it was especially nice to be back amongst the Italians. Q: Would I ever come back to Sardinia? A: Does the Pope wear a funny hat?
We had only a few days but we left for Sicily. Ez completed his last day of work and we boarded an overnight ferry and celebrated. Well sort of celebrated. We were really tired and fell asleep, but we were happy and had a party-like attitude as we drifted off.
This was a first site to welcome us in Palermo. I love a horse in a straw hat.
Once in Palermo we immediately got a car and cruised around. We sat in an outdoor cafe sipping caffe freddo while admiring the Cattedrale di Monreale.
We then drove through the rolling countryside towards Mt. Etna.
We had thought of hiking but true to our nature we got a late start and it was pretty chilly anyway.
We we sampled some local honey and cookies and wandered around the base of Etna before heading off towards Syracuse.
Which happened to be pretty amazing. We spent a day wandering around the old streets.
We had one last Campari soda, wandered through the morning market, checked out the old archeological park, then it was time to start driving back towards Palermo and our flight home.
But last minute plans took us to Reserva Naturale Oasi Faunistica di Vendicari which is a fancy way of saying a cool park that had flamingos.
An overnight in Agrigento to see the some of the best preserved Greek temples.
And a quick swing by Scala dei Turchi which were gorgeous white rock formation jutting out into the sea. I was worried we’d miss our flight with all these quick side trips but I was also secretly hoping we would as well. There was so much to see and just not enough time. Sicily was a gem.
cultivating joy 