Why is it that the second half of a vacation seems to fly by? Our time in Taormina is almost at an end, and it feels like we just got here. All of our compadres from the tour have departed, so it’s just us left to enjoy the view.

Today we visited Mt. Etna. People who know me well would be surprised that I would actually pay to drive up a winding, nausea-inducing road to visit a destination that was markedly colder than where I started. But when in Sicily…what the heck, we had to see the volcano. We walked around one of the craters that was active in 1970. It’s pretty eerie, including the drive up amid huge lava stones and fog. If we were better equipped (ie, warmer clothing and sturdier shoes) we could have climbed more. But I suppose we were being wimps – we saw a woman in a skirt and heels climbing the crater. Mama mia, how do they get the nerve?

After the volcano tour, it was back to our hotel and a bit of resting in the sun. The hotel and views are beautiful, but just a bit chilly this time of year. September is probably perfect – most of the crowds are gone, but it would be warm enough to enjoy the pool and the terraces. That said, who can complain? It’s still a lovely place.

We plan to have dinner tonight in a restaurant called Settimo Cielo – the same name as our favorite restaurant in Trenton. We’ll see how it compares.