First Volcano

We landed in Cantania, Sicily, near Mt. Etna. Etna is an active volcano that last erupted in 2015. Our group hiked up and around the volcano and saw the results of several past eruptions. Somehow G hiked it all barefoot. It's a beautiful site yet little did we know just how much more volcano experience we were yet to have.

We stayed in the beautiful Belmond Villa Sant’ Andrea in Taormina, Sicily. Everything about this place was stunning. Fantastic views welcomed us night and day. We were walking distance to the funicular that goes up to the city.  

G is the master of the fun group photo. He often borrows "props" from shops to stage the perfect shot. It really helped the group to jell. The viking shot in Iceland and this beauty from Sicily are great examples. 

When in Italy, one must explore the wines. We found some of the Sicilian wines to be very tasty when we visited the Gambino Winery on the side of Mt. Etna. We were hosted by a member of the family, Filadelfo, and treated to a tour, tasting, and a delicious lunch. 

Well, maybe a little. Somehow G and I decided we needed to try this mini on for size. It's pretty small but I could drive it if I had to. 

Ya. Well, what can we say? It was phenomenal. We ate really well here. The food was extraordinary and really suited our palates. Just looking through the photos deciding which one to post is making my mouth water.