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SICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023SICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023
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SICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023

May - July 2023
So we have wanted to do this trip since pre-Covid 2019. It has changed a couple of times but our main goals were to finally get to Sicily and to spend over a month in France. That and more - can't wait. Read more
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  • TravelerSICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023
    Day 5

    BELLA ROMA - Day 4a

    May 18, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Another great day in Rome - brother Tony & Linda have now joined us. We walked passed the Trevi Fountain again and after getting lost and many steps, we eventually found the Spanish steps area. Great fashion area and more. I also found an Aqua di Parma shop to buy my favourite perfume Mirto - myrtle scent 🙂 - gorgeous shop and a lovely young shop assistant who told me how good my Italian was (after the sale). This morning's art was also very much evident in shops.Read more

  • TravelerSICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023
    Day 5

    Bella Roma Day 4b

    May 18, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We had an expensive coffee on the way to Piazza di Popolo and eventually got there - once again looking for our preferred artist - Caravaggio - there were two in the main church along with some wonderful Pintoricchios - gorgeous. I was keen to find our favourite Roman restaurant L'Orsetto and it did not disappoint. I think we have been there at least 4 times and it was wonderful to be able to share it with my siblings. As I am taking most of the photos I do want to reiterate that Craig IS travelling with me and my sister Josy is with us!! There are certainly a lot of photos of the two of them! Great lunch and then we walked over the bridge to the other side of the Tiber River (the Tevere). Lovely walk going past the Palazzo of Justice and the Castel San Angelo - there were a LOT of tourists in this area.Read more

  • TravelerSICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023
    1
    Day 5

    Rome Day 4 - More photos

    May 18, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    More memorable moments from today :) Yes I did buy a Louis Vuitton bag!

  • TravelerSICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023
    1
    Day 6

    Cisterna with the cousins

    May 19, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    This morning we had our quick final walk around campo di Fiori and then met Josy and the transfer driver and after picking up Tony we were taken to Cisterna di Latina to meet with our wonderful cousin Tonino. Whilst it was quite melancholy, it was lovely to see him and we had a coffee with the transfer driver who hung around for quite awhile. Then Aldo and Vera our New York cousins came down from their parents place which was a wonderful reunion. We were driven into the town to have a delicious smorgasbord Italian style and the restaurant level of noise was very loud. Afterwards, upon Craig’s suggestion we drove up to Sermoneta. Craig and I have been there before a couple of times but it is a gorgeous hilltop protected city still very authentic. We had a lovely walk around followed by a gelati. What a wonderful reunion for us all.Read more

  • TravelerSICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023
    Day 7

    MANGIA, MANGIA, MANGIA!

    May 20, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    It is much cooler than we expected here and so Craig loaded up the blankets last night and of course, we were over hot. It didn’t help that we went to a Agriturismo ristorante for a nice evening meal (after 8 which is late for us!!). This morning we woke and sort of had breakfast, did the washing etc. Eventually, our cousin Tonino had to stop working on the farm because it was raining. Vera and Aldo, our New York cousins joined us and we decided to go to Anzio to see our nephew’s Apicoltura Rinaldi negozio (retail outlet). He is a honey harvester/ beekeeper now since Covid stuffed up his musical/Jazz careers. Everything Mirko puts his mind to he is excellent at and last year he won the competition for the best honey in Lazio and he came fifth in all of Italy. Fun to see our Rinaldi surname on many products and his partner Marina was very sweet.

    We were then going to drive to the Anzio American War Museum which we have seen before. Hoping to go via the Anzio Bay where many soldiers arrived. However, it was crazy traffic and whilst driving Tonino’s other wonderful son, Michele rang and said we were to pop in for lunch!! We did that and it was a wonderful afternoon with him, his lovely wife Irena, and their cute kids, Martina and Alessio. We ate and ate and tonight we are booked into a 1 Michelin star restaurant!! Oh dear. It certainly is convivial and fun and loud.

    BTW driving down to the honey shop Craig drove having a practice for when we arrive in Catania in a couple of days and of course, he was once again, my hero :)    Read more

  • TravelerSICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023
    1
    11
    Day 7

    GRAND RINALDI REUNION MEAL

    May 20, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    In the evening we went to the Il Piccolo Ducato, RISTORANTE in the town of Cisterna di Latina. It is a One star Michelin restaurant and the interesting part of this is that the Chef Manuel used to be the chef for Berlusconi and found that were too many parties for him. Anyway, it was a mainly seafood restaurant but the pasta, risotto, pannacotta and much more were all most delicious. Our very generous New York cousin hosted 22 of us which included 7 well-behaved Italian Rinaldi children - who managed to behave up till past 11.30 pm. Additionally, the adults comprised of the visiting cousins from Australia and the US as well as my cousin Tonino's three wonderful sons and their wives. The food was never-ending and the Brunello red wines were very much enjoyed. We even enjoyed celebrating the birthday of the Nonno at the other table of oh so many people.Read more

  • TravelerSICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023
    Day 8

    Cisterna last day

    May 21, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    After a late night of lots of eating and drinking overnight was a bit challenging as Josy felt unwell. Today has been more relaxed mainly just hanging around home and getting ready to leave tomorrow by checking in and hoping for the best with Ryanair for our flight to Catania. We did do a walk down the road to our aunt’s old place which Aldo has been doing the paperwork for potentially a future sale. The area has some nice houses but people sure do drive quickly around here. The two sons and grandchildren came round and their lovely wives helped and we had a delicious lunch again of pasta with pancetta and asparagus along with delicious meat, potatoes and salad all cooked in the wood oven. The too much eating has continued but the family get together is very much to be treasured.Read more

  • TravelerSICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023
    Day 8

    Final Cisterna stuff

    May 21, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    So Sunday turned out to be a lovely final day with our relatives although it did end with a sting. We did do a local walk down the road to our aunts old place and all the dogs in the street we are very protective of their homes. It was lovely to see the house we used to visit over and over again even with the kids. Then of course there was the final delicious lunch altogether just in case you had been underfed for a few hours. In the afternoon my cousin took us to see his gold Kiwi farm which turned out to be very interesting indeed with much infrastructure needed. We were supposed to be having a pizza supper but Craig got a message saying our Ryanair flight to Catania was cancelled. Initially thinking it was a spam proved wrong as apparently Mount Etna is spewing Ash down the runway at the Catania airport. After much stuffing around but sensible decision-making we decided we would get a flight to Palermo and drive from there to Taormina. Hopefully insurance will cover any extra cost. clearly less sleep was had.Read more

  • TravelerSICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023
    1
    Day 9

    Fiumincino-Palermo-Taormina!

    May 22, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    So we did get up very early to get to the airport in plenty of time. Checking in was easy because we had to buy an expensive business-class ticket to get to Palermo. Airport is very ritzy but there is a delay of course. Trying to remain Italian in my outlook. Much less stress that way.

    However, the day did turn out to be very long. We had a two-hour delay which stretched out. We then had to drive from Palermo to Taormina instead of from Catania which was several hours longer. Craig was excellent with his driving but the final bit up the winding, steep hill to our AirBnb was challenging to say the least. Of course, Craig was excellent. Ultimately, the place we are staying is brilliant with amazing views and it was very exciting to meet Janet & Sinclair our good friends, and have a lovely meal together up the steep hill at El Saraceno. Yay!!    Read more

  • TravelerSICILY/UK/FRANCE 2023
    1
    Day 10

    MAGNIFICO TAORMINA

    May 23, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Good morning Taormina and we can see Etna erupting from our lovely Airbnb room! We waited for Janet & Sinclair and then started our long trek for today! We walked down many steps – quite easily but we knew what that meant for later! We arrived at the archaeological amphitheater of Greek origin. It is a great ruin and is still used for shows. Apparently, my lovely nephew Mirko has played his trumpet here several times which would be inspiring. We had a good look around and after that needed refreshments and went to the recommended Bam Bar for a coffee and strawberry and raspberry granitas which were very popular with the tourists, and you had to wait to get a table. Next, we walked and walked around lovely Taormina. As time passed it became rather busy and today was certainly our warmest day so far – tee shirts and hats. We had a good look at the hotel which was used for the White Lotus. It is San Domenic da Guzman Piazza – which coincidentally is the patron saint of my old school – St Dom’s North Adelaide. It did look ritzy, but we were only allowed in the courtyard. Next, we walked to find the Botanical Gardens which had nice topiary, weird/quirky building structures, lovely cool areas, beautiful views of the Mediterranean, and plants!!

    The next trek was to lunch which was at the Malvasia Ristorante – good - probably about 8/10 but truly needed. We did sneak in a gelati - cassata flavour was pretty good. On to the supermarket for munchy food supplies and after that the ridiculously challenging climb back up to the top! Needless to say, we are all very tired.    Read more

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