After monsoon showers and crazy winds we finally made it out of Piedimonte, partially by luck and partially by the good graces of our hosts who decided to drive us to the nearest train station last minute. Our last two days in Piedimonte were spent cooped up our cold room playing Scopa (an Italian card game I learned in Sicignano) and eating Nutella as the rain dumped in buckets and the wind blew so hard it completely pulled off one of our bedroom windows. Thunder and lightening were also present. With spirits low we were able to pull through with the help of happy thoughts of returning to Sicignano, food and visiting the ever beautiful land of Taormina.
On our way back north we stopped in Taormina for two nights which is about 20 km from Piedimonte. Taormina is terraced along the Ionian coast high up on and outlying hill. It is packed with a maze of hilly streets and alleyways that are filled with an assortment of shops, beautiful tropical flora, and old architecture that is full of life, culture and story. We learned that the city was originaly formed by the Greeks and later taken over and reconstructed by the Romans, both of which can still be seen and felt. Maggie and I spent the greater part of one day self touring the Greek Theater via an audio recorder and climbing high to a castle overlooking the city. With the nice weather we were sad to leave but knowing that we were returing to Sicignano made all OK.
One thing we have become all too familiar with in Italy is the annoyingly, inconsistant transportation system, that even seems difficult for native Italians to figure out. Buses do not appear when the schedule indicates, train stations randomly close for a day here and there, and taxis are way to expensive to even consider. Trying to find alternative ways of transportation, or even when or if the next bus is coming, without speaking much Italian at times seems impossible. For this reason travel days are not only dreaded, but feared! We arrived at the local train station outside Toarmina only to find that the station is closed for the day (for some reason we did not understand). Our next option was to bus to Mesina where we would then catch a ferry to the mainland, take another train to Salerno and finally find a ride to Sicigano. Seems manigable, right? Haha...buses were late, ferries went wrong directions, and trains were cancled...but alas after a very LONG day of travel, magically we made it to Sicignano (even Maggie and I are not really sure how).
Oh, sweet sweet Sicignano how it feels good to be back! It did not take long to feel at home again...
Today we learned how to prune grape plants, which is much more difficult and scientific than olive trees. After getting a tutorial in complete Italian we were asked if we had any questions. Haha. Yes. Can you repeat that all in English, please? Prunning grapes is dependent on how old branches are, cutting old ones, which no longer produce fruit, and training the new ones to grow. Tomorrow we get to put our new found knowledge to practice....
Well that is all for now. More from Mags later.
Ci vediamo dopo,
Car
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