Riposto
Didn’t have a lot of sleep last night for some reason. Actually, I do know the reason. We think the Sicilians are very loud and ‘shouty’, especially the fishermen. They love to take the silencers off their boats, get up as early as they can (usually around 4.00am) and shout at each other as loudly as they can! Makes for a great night’s sleep!
We left at 09.15 for the five-hour trip to Syracuse, which is on the south-east corner of Sicily (that’s bottom right, girls). We forgot to take a photo as we were leaving but, if we had, it would probably have had an original title along the lines of ‘Leaving Riposto’. You ain’t missing much! Not a bad photo of Etna though – and yes, that is smoke!
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| Mount Etna - it IS smoke! |
Syracuse
We were going to Syracuse on the recommendation of a friend (Hi Mike!) who knows a lot more than we do, and he says it’s one of the nicest places he’s been to. Well, in my case, I would say it was the nicest! It’s unique. A very old town with narrow streets and a fort. But there’s something about it. If you ever get the chance to visit – do it!
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| From the boat. |
So today we’re checking the weather for the last time before our 32 hour crossing to Lixouri in Kefalonia, and plan to leave at 3.00am. I have this program on my computer which predicts the sea state, which is more important than the wind. Expressed in colours, it’s pink for calm, through purple and blue, to yellow/red for a force 8/10 and seven metre waves! It makes me think that some of our conversations must sound very strange to other people.
“So how’s the weather looking, Mart?”
“Well, Mart, it’s mostly pink with a bit of purpley-blue in the middle. But that yellow’s well to the north of us, though!” ‘Wonder what they think…..?
Anyway, the weather’s not looking too bad for the crossing but it’s not brilliant. There’s a force 4 forecast for Sunday morning with 1.5 metre waves on the starboard quarter, so we’ll be 'all squirmy' again. And I’m supposed to cook a chilli in that! Life really is tough out here! And 32 hours is a long time…
PS. Jayne’s won the song competition with ‘Then I cinder face, now I’m a belava’. That’s not bad, but how’s about the Stones classic – ‘All Lava Now’! Or MV’s ‘Last Train to Sparksville’
PPS Thanks for your comment Lynsey. ‘Looking forward to meeting you all – and especially that beer!
See you all soon (famous last words?)
Well done Jayne - I knew you could do it!!! Enjoy the rest of the trip Mart(s) - F4 is not so bad is it? Looking forward to a few more pics on Monday then.
ReplyDeleteor Little Jimmy Osmond with "Long Haired Lava from Lavapool"?
ReplyDeleteOh, and don't let him put kidney beans in the chilli. It's called Chilli con Carne not Chilli con Beany for a reason!!
They have to put beans in it, so they can do that horrible smelly, noisy thing that only blokes can do and then have a jolly good school boy wheeze about it! (just getting my own back for the.... "that's bottom right girls" comment)
ReplyDeleteBon voyage.....see you there xx
Now just hold on a minute. Brom please note there was no closing date to the song competition....am i right or what? So Jayne's "win" doesn't count, and since I was in France last week(the encounter you had with the French Air Force by the way was no coincidence) having lunch with Sparkozy, I had no chance to take part.....which isn't fair obviously.
ReplyDeleteAnyway I've tried to think of a suitable song title, I can't, so you can have the prize after all Jayne. Not that there ever was one! And even if there was it's bound to be food related (as usual) Probably a slice of lava bread, or lava and onions, or Chili vol Carno. Crater Balls of Fire! What a rubbish competition this is......
John Le Non
Welcome back John. You're right about the closing date for the song but Jaynes entry was so 'good' that there was no point continuing. Now food related - that's a different matter. Fishuren Chips? You there yet Mart????
ReplyDelete