Master this Technology.

So Tuesday the 30th we arrived in the eastern Sicilian town of Taormina. It’s right on the coast and quite lovely. However, on our way in the rental car to Taormina we made a day stop at Mount Etna. Etna is a sprawling, smoky mass that tops out at about 3300m. You drive up on switchbacks from the south for about 30 minutes to a place called Rifugio Sapienza. Don’t be fooled though, it’s not a little hut - it’s basically a basecamp for tourists. We parked there (1 euro) and then took the ancient gondola (25 euros) to 2500m. From here (for an additional 25 euros) you can take a 4x4 up another 500m or so to the Italian Alpine Club’s guide hut where you can hire a guide for another undisclosed sum of euros to reach the summit craters. I hiked from the top of the gondola to the guide’s hut. I strayed off the 4x4 path to cut off a bunch of switchbacks as we were in a tight spot for time. I almost passed out once from either over exertion or getting stuck in a gas pocket, I’m not sure and it was kind of scary. Anyway, I made it up to almost 3000m (just past the guide’s hut) and decided to turn around – it was getting late, I was the only one up there, and I was afraid of hitting more gas pockets. However, I did take some great photos of the smoky summit cones. I then came down and we made our way to Taormina.

Some photos of Etna and my time so far in Taormina:


Etna from far away during our driving approach.


Hiking to the guide’s hut. It was a total dusty volcanic wasteland. Now I know what Mount Doom was like.


This was shortly before hitting the gas pocket. Me with Etna in the background.


The wind picked up once I got up there and became quite chilly. You can see how much steam this thing produces.


A house buried in volcanic crap on the drive down.


A view of the Ionian from my hotel porch in Taormina.


Looking down on Taormina from the castle summit above. You can just make out the Greek/Roman theater on the far right.


Lots of trash washes up on the beaches – this was a particularly interesting piece.


It’s hard to see but there were probably 10 bolted sport routes on these overhanging rocks right on the beach. I wish I had my climbing stuff. They even had (French/Italian) ratings painted below each route. I did a little bouldering, but I wasn’t very successful in bare feet.