"On the Trail"

The Journals from the Road

Friday, July 6, 2001: Hot Stuff - Catania and Mt. Etna, Sicilia, Italia

Frank here...

Wow, I saw it, I finally saw lava. Real live, hot, molten lava. It was from afar, though that did not matter. I saw it! I was greatful to Grabriel for trying so hard to help me find some lava which seemed to be on the east side of the mountain. We drove to the south refuge then towards the north where I was finally able to see the hot rocks from probably 10 km away.

I was so glad especially because earlier that day I spent more than four hours on a train circumnavitaging the mountain and did not really see too much. On our drive up the hill in the dark, we also saw an Etna Fox which is grey and only found in this area and some small rabbits.

There is nothing much else to say other than cousin Rosa and her son Gabriel and Zia Angela and Zio Vitale continue to be great hosts. Angela even sewed my two pair of pants back into working order. I decided to stay around for two more days in order to meet Rosa's other son and to accompany the family on their regular Sunday visit to the beach. Also, my elbow is sore, probably from cycling, so a rest could help a recovery.

-I think that the feeling of gratefulness is a blessing

-Frank Pollari

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