we, Tweety and I, left the home base Partinico (38° 3′ N, 13° 7′ O) at 07:00h heading to Catania (37° 30′ N, 15° 5′ O) reaching the meeting point at the filling station "Gelso Bianco" on time at 09:30h where we met our "Marshal" Carlo (Ciclopi4x4) and his irresistible shadow "Ciccio03" , a perfectly synchronized team of sweep 'n lead. After a short briefing about the schedule of the day we took of into the unique landscape of the vulcano Etna (37° 43′ 46″ N, 15° 0′ 17″ O). Yes, as a good leader Carlo is having a great vehicle, of course a Nissan Patrol Sahara LWB. During the day we witnessed the capability of this vehicle (and his superb driver) rolling through the foothills passing the eruption scenes and craters of hundreds of years of geological history. Carlo, who is an expert and great source of the landscape and its stories, brought us to the entrance of a number of lava tubes (i.e. caves in lava fields where the hot lava moved downhill).
After an extensive lunch in the "Refugio Sapienza" at 2000m, we continued our adventure visiting ice-caves (lava tubes where in old times the people gathered the snow in winter for having ice for cooling in summer. This was done til the early 50s). The highlight was the unbelieveable view on the erruption remains of the 2004 lava stream (OST: porca puttana!!! ... I will not translate
)). The end of the lava stream of, stopping right at the garden wall of the first house of the city Zaferano was also very impressive.As a good tour guide Carlo stopped by at a "honey shop" where we got some excellent local honey.
The end of a perfect day was celebrated at a typical italian gelateria with the icecream specialities of sicily.
We left Catania at 22:00h, leaving friends behind (Carlo, Ciccio & their families) having the impression knowing all for years......
A big thank you to Carlo and Ciccio. It was a great day out with you. I hope I can pay it back when you come to the Emirates.
See you in the sand.....
Jo
