Hike, Eat, Live

1st trip since Covid came about. It's been awhile, there's anxiety, there's nervousness. There's also vaccination, face masks and hand sanitizer. A whole new level of appreciation and taking care. Read more

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Trip start
October 9, 2021
Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Taking to the Skies Once More
October 9, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
It's been 28 months since my last trip. 28 months of being home, hunkering down as Covid spreads around the world. It's been a bit nutty not being able to go anywhere, but work's kept me busy. Things have aligned finally for a trip, if it were not for time off, being vaccinated and a majority of the people following safety protocols, I might still be at home. Nonetheless, it's nice to escape the day to day and reset, relax and find inspiration again.

Easing into the trip, I was lucky nobody sat next to him on my first 2 flights. The last one (but also the shortest one), I didn't have that luxury. Must say, I spent most of my 6 hour Lisbon layover people watching. The numbers of people looked like they could be pre-pandemic, but what stuck out to to me was the 5% or so of folks not wearing their mask properly.

Like pants about to fall half, these masks had slipped below the nose. Yes, the nose has become a body part that we should not see given the current mandates to wear masks. What surprised me is the number of older people who weren't donning these properly vs the young people. There were almost the same, if not more. And then there are a few who blatently did not wear a mask. I tell you, I've never moved over so fast when a maskless person sat down next to me.

Yes, perhaps I should say something, but I tend to avoid confrontation. Perhaps a little passive agressive, I look at them and mentally challenge "dude, put your mask on".

The journey from the airport to the city for those curious is quite simple. Just take the train from Aeropuerto to Malaga Central for 2 euro 30. Not busy at all. A nice way to ease back into travels.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Ready, Set, Explore
October 10, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
There's more to do in Malaga than one would think. As our trip planning went on, there became more places to visit (and that's outside the day trips you can do in Andalusia). Tonight, my friend and I headed out for a relaxing intro to the city. Being Sunday, there was a calm to the streets, and we were surprised it was so quiet for Madrid's 2nd most populous city.

The beach was on the agenda of course, a welcome space especially since we've been in autumn back home, but along the way, we walked through Mulle Uno, Malaga's boardwalk by the port. Restaurants, tented shops, it reminded me of the Canada Place waterfront at home combined with a market. Here we also saw more people. A good number are wearing masks and keeping good distances. Having not been to markets since the summer before Covid, it was a real treat to wander through the stalls and check out the offerings. From crafts to jewellery, it was a beautiful space to check out.

Onwards to Malagueta Beach, one of Malaga's most well known. The locals were out enjoying the sun and sea breeze. For a quieter beach, we headed further east to Playa de Caleta where I also took in my first sunset of the trip, and a reminder that it's vacation and perhaps to slow down and enjoy and relax as opposed to go go go.

Dinner was a bit of a hunt. Folks eat later here, after 8pm and by the time we made it back to the center, many places were full, especially all the tables outside. There's definitely something about dining al fresco and here in Spain, the weather is too nice to eat outside. We ended up finding our way back to Taverna La Malaguena by the Cathedral.

Our first lesson on the trip, the portions are bigger than we think. Our 2 person paella was enough for 4 people, especially since we added two appetizers as well - fried aubergine with cane sugar and ham croquettes. Yum! The paella was delicious and not too rich. Even though we didn't finish, we definitely gave it our best shot and made sure we at least finished the seafood.

Too stuffed for ice cream after so that'll have to be another night. There'll be lots of stuffing ourselves with good food, but we're pretty confident we'll be walking more than enough to burn it all off.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Settling In
October 11, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Settling in to the 1st full day of the trip, it was a bit of a sleep in. The AC stopped working last night, so that combined with a bit of jet lag made sleep a little elusive. A bit of a late start, but we sorted out our bus tickets for the next day to Granada and then headed towards the city centre.

I really enjoy the city center and just wandering around. The smooth stones of the street challenged my feet for sure, or maybe I just haven't broken in my sandals yet. I was told by Ecco they didn't need breaking in, so I'll have to give it another shot on different pavement.

1st stop - Mercado de Atarazanas. There's a beautiful stained glass at the back of the market. Make sure you go around to the outside so capture it all. A number of stalls were closed (perhaps due to the Spain's national holiday tomorrow), but there were some meats, veggies, fruit and even food stalls still open.

From there we headed further into the center to check out Malaga Catherdral. Perhaps it's been awhile since my last cathedral, not many take my breath away, but there's something about Malaga's that you can't miss. Make your away around the various chapels and check out the stained glass as well. And above all, make sure you add the roof top visit. It will be the best 4 euros you ever spent. Don't let the 200 steps intimidate you. There is a break so you're not going straight up. The views from the roof are stunning as you are led up and around, affording you 360 views of Malaga. See Castle Gibralfaro and the Alcazaba. Take in the rooftops and the view of the sea.

We attempted to go the Alcazaba today but got misled and started the trek up to Gibralfaro instead. There's a good viewpoint if you make it up there, but we decided we were good with the Cathedral climb and no need to climb higher. That said, the Alcazaba remains on our list when we're back in Malaga next week. If you're interested in visiting the Alcazaba, the entrance is just up the path right next to the tourist info centre. Do not go around per the map.

The rest of the day was spent meandering around, taking in food and shopping. Treats like cheesecake and homemade lemonade from La Tarta de la Madre de Cris. It's small cute shop not to miss, especially if you're a cheesecake lover. They've got regular, blue cheese and hard cheese. The regular is nice and fluffy and the lemonade just refreshing.

Another stop later, my friend brought me to Bodegar Antigua Casa de Guardia. This non descript wine bar has barrels of wine you can drink inexpensively and some tapas. I'd only previously read of this as something to experience on a Rick Steve's show, and it's as cool as it sounds. We had the moscatel of course, and then realized they had 4 kinds, so we'll be back to have more and some tapas ;)

Also ventured to the northern section of the centre for bubble tea at Tapio. Yes, even on my trips, we seek out bubble tea to see it fares in each country. For bubble tea fans, I'm happy to the say the pearls are chewing, the flavor is pretty good and it's a good if you have a craving. I ordered the lychee green tea over the classic, it's good, but they added slices of lemon, which changed the taste from what I'm familiar with from home. Still, if bubble tea's your thing, why not if you have time.

Shops galore fill the streets of the centre, so whether you're into shopping or not, there's something cool to check out. There's a few familiar stores like The Body Shop but there's also Spanish clothing stores like Pull & Bear.

Dinner was fried mixed seafood at El Chinitas Restaurant. We were smarter tonight and made reservations so we didn't have to wait. The food was delicious, and for you sangria lovers, you can a enjoy a glass here for just 2.75 euro. Once again we found out how big portions are. Even a half portion is enough for 2 people, that said, perhaps the warm weather is making us eat less.

One last treat for the day, ice cream! Catching a break where they had no line up, it was the best way to the end the day. Both the oreo and the kinder bueno for A-awesome. Casa Mira Helados is a good bet, and there are others we intend to try as well when we return.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Hiking Southern Spain
October 12, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
How everything feels almost familiar (minus the Covid situation), when we met our first tour group since pre-Covid. For the next 6 days, we're taking in some hikes in the Sierra Nevada. And yes, covid was a discussion that came up in pre dinner beverages. It's interesting hearing from people and their experiences in other countries.

The last time I came to Spain, I'd regrettably missed the mountains, so I'm glad to have this second chance. I'm also excited to be staying in my first cave hotel at the Cuevas la Grande Hotel. It's a cute complex here in Benelua de Guadix, complete with pool.

G Adventures, the tour company I travel with, has come out with more hiking itineraries to enable us to spend more time outdoors. This particular tour, Hiking Southern Spain, is new. I've done a few new tours and the best way to approach them is to have an open mind and be excited. So we shall see how this unfolds.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Hiking the Sierra Nevadas - Day 1
October 13, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C
Day 1 of our hikes here in the Sierra Mountains of Southern Spain. Today we're trekking in the foothills near Jerez de Marquesado. It's been a long time since being out in nature like this, or a workout like this for that matter. As we all know, travel stopped mid-March 2020, and I haven't really gone out for similar hikes near home in the time since.

Prior to our hike, we made a pit stop at Castillo de la Calahorra. It belonged to the Marquis in this area as a gift from the king and queen of Spain at the time. We weren't able to go closer though as they were filming something in the castle.

The hike itself was meant to be the easies on our trip. There's a bit of up and down, but it flat for the most part. The pinecones were huge and the trees were green and a vibrant yellow. As we climbed up, we saw more and more sweeping views of Sierra Nevada forests. Definitely felt great to be back out and about, even though it was tiring. This was probably the most exercise I've done in one go in a long time.

After the hike, we checked a cave musuem in the town of Guadix. It was cute to see it was decorated, and we were also treated to a view of the town's fairy chimneys and cave dwellings. For a moment, I felt like we had gone back to Cappadocia.

One more stop for the day, sunset at Mirador Geologicos. Another sweeping view of the landscape. This time I felt I was back in San Pedro de Atacama. Mother Nature sure is amazing for these formations to have been created, and we'll see more of that to come.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Hiking in the Sierra Nevada - Day 2
October 14, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
Day 2, a little harder, a bit more up and down in our hike, but the views were even more spectacular. We liked this trail about more, there were more trees and bushes along the path, and way less flies. Yesterday, I felt like we were brushing them off more often, and they were buzzing in our ears. Today was a lot more peaceful.

There was one steep section up to a view point where we stopped for lunch. A stunning 360 that's worth every step up and down.

Our home for the next 3 nights was a villa at Posada La Plaza in Canillas de Albaida, one of the small towns here in Southern Spain. The rooms were a pleasant unexpected surprise as we had the whole place to ourselves, complete with pool. It was like we'd stepped into another lifestyle. Feeling like vacation now as we try to relax when we're not on the trails :)Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Caminito del Rey
October 15, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Our only early start today, off to the famous Caminito del Rey. The ticket process was a bit of a concern earlier this week as our CEO had to exhaust her resources to procure our tickets. In the end we were still a little short, but were able to grab the last 2 we needed at the door.

Once dubbed the world's most dangerous hike/walkway, today's route is fairly easy for visitors to follow. The beginning and ending sections have hanging bridges and boardwalks, while a section in the middle was more traditional terrain. The most important thing here I think is simply to take in the gorge as you walk through and once again be in awe of Mother Nature.

The skies were blue and the waters were green. The first section is just a warm up of what is to come. Continuing on with places this trip has reminded me of, today gave a sense of Jurassic Park Lost World. Stunning views all around, especially as we reached the end with the waterfall and suspension bridge.

A shorter day today and much needed to relax and chill out. Back in town, it's pool time and then a pool party before live music at night. Tomorrow is our last full day together, some headed home from a lovely short holiday, and for the rest of us, onwards and upwards. Arriba!Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Final Group Hike - The Hardest of All
October 16, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Today was our final hike of the tour in the Sierra Nevada. They've gotten harder as we go, and I'm glad I managed to procure hiking poles for the day. There were steep sections where they really helped, and helped keep a rhythm. The trail was perhaps the most natural of the paths, and we were crossing streams along the bottom portion.

After our second hill, we reached a gravel road and embarked on a less steep variation of the Fabrica de la Luz trail. Didn't quite make the original summit as planned, but most of the group did get a different summit while a few of us opted to carry on without that final hill. The views were amazing, and most stunning of all our days, so while it was tough, it was definitely rewarding.

On the way down, I got a little lost at a fork in the path. One path had a trail sign while the other was roadlike. Turns out I was on the right path, until I got paranoid and ran back to the fork and called our tour leader to confirm. Thank goodness I picked up a SIM card here in Spain. I'm sure it would've turned out fine eventually, but admittedly I did have a few "oh crap" moments.

Eventually made it down the mountain into Competa where we stopped for much needed cold refreshments before a wine tasting at a local winery. Moscatel was the grape of choice, and I learned the difference between a dry moscatel, a sweet one and a very sweet rain, that I correctly tasted raisins in! Haha!

It was our last activity as a group, and we sat down to a lovely farewell dinner. Tomorrow, we're departing Canillas de Alabaida in several groups, leaving behind our lovely villas. While it was a short trip, there was some bonding as a few of us made plans to meet up in Malaga.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Back on our Own
October 17, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
A late transfer back to Malaga, it was a quick drop off of bags at our hotel before jumping on the train to Castillo de Colomares, a monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus. Located about an hour outside of Malaga (if you take public transit), it's a cool looking castle structure with the bow of a ship. It's not large by any means, but we spent about an hour or so just taking photos and exploring.

It's definitely an instagrammable spot, so just fun to visit. For a balance of time and cost, take the train to Benelmadena and then an Uber.

Tonight, we met up with most of our tour mates who are also staying in Malaga. Our attempt to tapas crawl resulted in only 2 places, El Pimpi and Cortijo de Pepe. The first is a popular wine/tapas spot also popular with locals, and then we sampled the grilled octopus at Pepe. Delicious!Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
One More Hike for Good Measure
October 18, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
This time, we're off to the Torcal de Antequerra for our final hike in Spain. Crazy, yes. Initially this was sort of a filler for our last day here, but things got a little shuffled. I'd found the tour on Viator and chosen it based on the cool geological features there. It's a rocky limestone landscape that looks a little out of this world.

Our guide explained that the park's features was attributed to the erosion of wind, rain and ice. I loved the pancake fixtures (though they don't call them that here in Spain because there's no pancakes here), and I loved the rock formations that looked like shapes. We saw chickens, camels and a turtle! Just a wee bit of imagination is needed. There was a bit more climbing among the rocks that we'd anticipated, but the past few days of hiking prepped us well for it.

Back in the city, one last afternoon/evening in Malaga. We met up with Savannah's friend Tessa and went back to El Pimpi for a scrumptious lunch. Fried seafood, patatas bravas and a ham/cheese platter. We split off after, with Tessa and I heading to explore the Alcazaba nearby. It's a small version of the Alhambra in Granada, so a little underwhelming but a nice walk about. There's actually a path around the left side of them amphitheatre that you can walk up to Mirador de Alcazabar for some great views for the city. For the adventurous, you can also check out the Castle Gibralfaro nearby too. It's a bit of a hike, so be warned =) I think there's a bus up, but can't be sure.

One last beach visit and then a final final dinner as we say bye to 2 more folks from our tour. One more night for us here as tomorrow is our Ronda day trip!Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Day Trip - Ronda
October 19, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Couple of days exploring Spain on our own. Today, we're off to Ronda and taking on our 1st set of trains in a long time. To get there from Malaga, you can either take the bus or the train.

Ronda's most known for its iconic bridge Puente Nuevo that spans the El Tajo gorge, connecting New Town and Old Town. The beauty of the day is that aside from the bridge, it's a relaxing stroll through the town, taking in what it has to offer without needing to rush.

From the train station, we walked through new town, checking out the bullfighting arena and a viewpoint overlooking the landscape, before settling into Don Miguel for lunch. This restaurant over looks the gorge and was a nice spot to be as our other choice Tragata wasn't open. I tried their sea bream and it was delicious, giving me energy to trek down part way through the gorge for our bridge photos. You can go further, but given how much we'd hiked so far, we were happy with where we stopped and came back up.

As a friend of mine headed off to do some shopping, her friend and I set off to sightsee (mostly from the outside) in the Old Town, and part way down the opposite face of the bridge as well. We wanted to see the botanical gardens, but sadly, the heat and fall weather didn't leave much to appreciate, though we did get good photos of the Moorish palace.

Shortly later, we were back at the train station, this time, our 2nd train was the slow train, and it was late. The wind picked up so we were actually quite cold.

Back in Malaga, we headed to El Tapeo de Cervantes for some tapas before leaving the city the next day. This was by far, the tastiest meal I'd had on this trip. It was a late one, but we ordered 6 items between us (half raciones) and all was amazing. Duck breast, 2 orders of Argentian steak, baby squid with crunchy black rice, meatballs, a cheese plate and grilled octopus leg! I would definitely recommend and go back =)Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Day Trip - Cordoba
October 20, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
I feel this day's been 9 years in the making. Ever since I heard my roommates talk about it back when I was in Seville, Cordoba has been on my list. Now that I'm finally back in Spain, it was nice to work this into the itinerary. This can be done as a day trip, but I'm glad we spent the night. If you have more time, maybe even 2 days, you'd get a better sense of this city.

Today's agenda included some covid testing for my friend and I. Her, a PCR to go back home to Canada, and me, an antigen that I'm not sure whether I'll need to get into Italy (spoiler - I didn't need it). Despite that, we were still able to make a full day hitting all the major spots.

First up, Viana Palace for their gardens and hanging balconies. A gorgeous place I would love to revisit when it's quieter. We happened upon the day it was free entrance, so for the 1st time in our Spanish journey, there were hordes of people. It felt like bus load after bus load of tourists were unloaded and it was a struggle to try to keep distance (even though we were outdoors) and get photos that there was nobody in.

Our lunch stop was the Mercado Victoria, a bit of a trek, but a cool spot that reminds of me Tel Aviv's Sarona Market, but smaller. It's hip and modern, with a good selection of food stalls to order from. We went a little overboard with the amount of food we ordered, but some of the portions were bigger than we thought.

After checking in at the hotel, we went our separate ways for a bit. Myself, it was off to the Mezquita to check out the mosque/cathedral's candy cane arches. It was a little underwhelming, but if you go, make sure you see the current altar space. The Alcazar is also nearby, and my second stop to join my friends. Nearing magic hour, it's great for photoshoots. I think spring would be a better time to go when the gardens are in bloom and not too hot. They were setting up for a concert as well, and the sound checks sounded great. I wish I knew who was up and that we could get tickets.

Another bridge on the agenda, this time, the Roman Bridge of Cordoba. Some might recognize it from the Game of Thrones. I didn't get a chance to walk across it til after dinner, but it was a pleasant stroll and I got to check out the Calle de Flores as well. It's a cute little alley that looks even nicer during the day =)Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
A Much Needed Lazy Day
October 21, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Our last stop in Spain, the capital Madrid. As my friend and I had both been here before, today's theme was churros, spa and do nothing, except maybe shop. It was a bit of a city shock, arriving at Puerta Atocha, Madrid's main train station. We'd gone from a chill seaside city to a cultural city to a modern metropolis. We miss the former already, but hey, we're here to transit onwards.

Our hotel was located near the palaces, and some of the sites we passed brought up memories of times past. After checking in, it was off to San Gines for churros. This chocolateria was founded in 1894 and the decor is still dated. You almost feel like you've travelled a bit back in time.

At 5pm, I set off to Hammam al Andalus for a little spa time. I'd read about this hammam before, and it's a great way to wrap up this leg of the trip, especially with all the hiking and backpack lugging. Perhaps not the best idea to hoist the backpack the next day, but I'm still glad I went.

These are contemporary Arabic style baths and the decor transports you back in time as well. Old brick walls are the feature and candle lit lanterns add a soft light to peaceful atmosphere. I wish they had a little more music though to add to the relaxing space. They have 3 pools of water to soak in before heading to your treatment. The cold water one I could only manage to dunk my legs, before returning to the warmest pool where I spent most of my time. No photos of the inside of course, but the ones on the website definitely matches.

I chose the Midra 30 package with includes 60 minutes in the baths, followed by a 15 minute purification on a hot stone bed and a 15 minute massage. The purification is a scrub using a hand mitt and you get to take it home. Most of the staff don't speak English, but we managed fine. My masseuse picked out the oil as I couldn't decide, and it was just right, not strong at all. In hindsight, I should've booked the Midra 45 instead, which would give me 45 minutes in the bath and a 30 minute massage instead. 15 isn't quite enough, and really only time to do the upper body. With all the hiking we did, I'm sure my legs could've used some work as well. Also, I'm not that good with sitting still and ended up leaving a little before my session was over, as I didn't want to get back in the baths after the treatment.

Last dinner in Spain - La Barraca for one more paella and grilled prawns.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
From Espana to Italia
October 22, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Travel day today, so that means not much done. Let's start with my arrival into Rome and then to Palermo. I'd taken an antigen test a few days ago, uncertain if I needed it to enter Italy. The IATA says passengers from Spain are exempt, but I wasn't sure if they actually meant residents. Turns out it was passengers, but I'm still glad I had the test as a peace of mind. The covid testing in Europe has been more invasive than the ones back home. Instead of swabbing the front of both nostrils, it's one swab up one nostril. Ah travel in covid times. At least they don't swirl too.

Landing in Palermo was an interesting process. Travellers to Sicily are subject to a PCR test, and I feel it's a bit of an honor system. After grabbing my bags, I exited to the arrivals zone, and read a sign about travellers from certain countries to check with the Covid info desk. No one is checking, I suppose I could've skipped it, but I didn't.

What ended up happening was a questionnaire that generated a test code that would send me on a trek with my backpack out of the airport to get tested. And it felt like a trek with 12 kg on my back and more with my day bag. The signage is almost very clear, but coupled with an evening arrival, I kept wondering how much farther I had to go, and noticing practically no one else headed that way.

On the bright side, the PCR was free, though it was another jab up the nose. The interesting thing is that results were ready in 10 minutes. Huh, go figure. Back the way I came and down to the train station for a ride to Palermo Central Station. It's a bit far, 50 minutes, and then another trek to the my hotel in the historic centre.

Suite Quaroni is beautiful small hotel (6 units in total) right off Via Maqueda. It does get noisy, but the AC drowns out the street noise that goes late into the night. Great location though for exploring the Old Town, so no complaints.

1st order of business was to find some pizza! Easy but not as I had a few places on my list. One was booked out, and another had a long line. I ended up back on the main street to randomly pick a place that looked good, oh and got some gelato as dessert. Hard to say no when you're stuffed, but it's right downstairs of where you're staying.

The streets were bustling, but it is a Friday night. I've definitely noticed less people here wearing masks, and more people. Italy has a green card system so if you want to sit down at a restaurant or go into a sight, you have to show proof of vaccination. For me, that's my vaccine card, so far so good.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Palermo Old Town
October 23, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Some people say you only need one day in Palermo. I think maybe you need 2 (or more if churches and meandering is your thing). Or you could completely Robert Langdon and spend days here church hopping. My focus for today was Old Town before moving hotels to join my group tomorrow. After settling the laundry, I met up with a walking tour to learn a bit more about the city and get myself oriented.

The Four Corners is probably where you'll want to focus on the sites. The spot itself has 4 facades representing Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter while dividing the old town into 4. You'll want to check out the Pretoria Fountain (citizens used to be ashamed of it hundreds of years ago as the statues are pretty much naked). The best view is from above, on the roof of the Santa Caterina D'Alessandria. This church used to be a convent for the nuns, and there's a confectionary on site you can get some sweets as well. I got a minne di vergine to try as it's Sicilian. The hemisphere shape is like a breast, and it's outer shell is hard, you have to "crack" it open and inside is a pastry shell covering the filling of sheep's milk ricotta and jam. It was a bit too sweet to finish, but I'm glad I tried something local.

Back to the roof, as you head upstairs, you can also get views of the church inside, similar to the Malaga Cathedral, so if you want to save a euros, just pay the roof entrance and not the entrance to the church.

Off to Chiesa Santa Maria Dell'Ammiraglio. Can't remember why this was on my list, but the inside is beautiful. A wedding was actually taking place today, so we couldn't go too far in. Next the Cathedral, the church area is free, but you'll have to pay to visit other areas like the tombs. Church hopping to Santissimo Salvatore, the dome was on my list, another good spot to get city views, but not as good as Santa Caterina. This church is in the round, and reminds me of a theatre. There's no pews, but individual chairs with a bit of theatrical flair.

A much needed nap at the hotel before venturing back out for dinner. The streets are getting busier and busier. For a moment, it almost seems like Covid did not exist. The feeling is a bit bizarre considering how careful we've been at home and trying to be careful while away from home. I'm glad my hotel is close so I can escape the crowds and when the weather gets a bit muggy, that and my feet could use a rest.

Weekend nights here are hopping. It's late, but the crowds aren't quite thinning yet. I head to Il Salumaio for dinner. My other options weren't quite panning out and I'd spotted cuttlefish ink pasta on their menu while passing by earlier. What drew me is the decor of the restaurant. Inside and upstairs is brick and a dome-ish shape so you kind of feel like it's you're in a cave on underground cavern. Bonus, it wasn't that far from the hotel, and close to Capadonia Gelato for another night of gelato. This place won best gelato in Sicily again.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Lazy Day Again
October 24, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Seem to have a few of these in the last little while. Tonight I'm off to meet my new group for the next week to explore Northern Italy. After trekking to the new hotel, I wandered off, no place in particular. Having spent much of yesterday traversing via Maqueda, I headed to the water to make my way back to old town and the neighborhood of Kalsa.

My new hotel is by the port, but there didn't really seem to be a walkway. As I got closer to the small marina, there became a road to walk and I even happened upon a small park where local families were out.

From there, I cut back on Via Emanuel to get back to the Old Town. Weaving my way around after entering for the Felice Gate, I happened upon a 2nd hand market where locals brought goods out around Garibaldi Gardens.

Lunch was a simple affair of foccacia from Antica Focacceria San Francesco. They've been around since 1834. The entire menu is in Italian, so it was a bit of a pick and point. I did manage to snag a freshly pressed orange juice which was absolutely delicious as well. I realized a little too late I could've tried the local spleen sandwich, so perhaps another time.

Wandering back up Via Roma, it was less a shopping street than I imagined. I would later find the shopping streets I was expecting is further out in the city, and we only barely scratched the surface of Palermo.

Back at the hotel and finally checked in, it was nap time til meeting the group and our first dinner.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Andiamo around Sicily!
October 25, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Another lazy morning, just grabbed some arancini for a quick lunch and pomegranate granita. I think I prefer the blood orange from the other day, but I'm open to continue trying more flavors as the time here passes. Some of the group went on an orientation walk, but I was happy to just wander and do a little pokemon go hunting at the request of my sister.

In the afternoon, we set off for the beach town of Cefalu. I'd recently read about this town, that it was one of the prettiest in Italy, so I was excited to visit. We arrived in the mid afternoon and had just enough time to climb up the citadel for views over the town, before a stop at the cathedral, the waterfront and just overall exploring.

Dinner was at a great spot overlooking the sea. I ordered bruschetta and spaghetti al cartoccio which is seafood spaghetti cooked in an aluminum pouch. It was delicious and the portion was generous and loaded with seafood, not leaving much room for dessert. Apparently Indiana Jones was scheduled to shoot here but they cancelled in the end =( Would've been very cool otherwise!Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Off to the Islands
October 26, 2021 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 17 °C
One of the challenges being the last trip of the season is weather. Our visit to the Aeolian islands was looking a little iffy, especially with a Medicane brewing over eastern Sicily and sending rain our way as well. The group 2nd prior to us actually got stuck on Lipari and had to spend an extra night on the island. Our guide didn't want to get stuck, so we only ended up spending one night here. Thursday will tell if it was the right call, as our change in plan meant we wouldn't get to do the boat tour tomorrow night that would take us to Panarea and Stromboli before holding for sunset.

Today was pretty much a travel day, by bus to Milazzo where we got a hydrofoil to Lipari, the largest of the Aeolian islands. It was a bit rainy to start, and the water was a bit choppy. Arriving in Lipari, it felt a little bit like a ghost town. Many of the shops were closed and there wasn't a lot of other people around. Because of the bad weather from the past 2 weeks, it seemed a number of shopkeepers decided to call it for the season. It would be nice to have come a few weeks earlier to feel the energy of the place.

We wandered around some of the archeological ruins and main pedestrian area before returning for a rest at the hotel. For dinner, I had the swordfish pasta, a specialty of the region, and my first cannoli. I've usually avoided cannoli at home, thinking it might be too rich, but these mini cannoli were just right.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
A Day in Lipari
October 27, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
The sun was up today when we awoke, and I was hopeful we'd be able to go on our initial itinerary, but it looked like we were still leaving the island tonight so we wouldn't get caught in the storm. Apparently, they've cancelled all the bots tomorrow, so it was the right call to leave this afternoon.

In the meantime, we were able to go on a short boat ride in the morning to see more of Lipari, as well as parts of Volcano Island. The volcano on Volcano Island is also active (like Stromboli), so we did get to see an active volcano, albeit not up close. As there were recent eruptions, we were also not allowed to hike on it. The scenery otherwise was gorgeous, everything you'd expect in the Mediterranean, and a nice relaxing morning.

Right after the boat ride, a couple of us got dropped off at a trail head to get a little hiking in before meeting the rest of the group on their van tour of the island. Definitely great to stretch the legs and get some beautiful views of Panarea and Stromboli as well. The hike itself was pretty easy, one small slope and the rest flat and downhill. It was probably the most "trail" trail I've been on this trip. The downhill section was rocky and the path literally cut through the bush as you almost had to move the vegetation apart to go forward. A fun little adventure and we got to check out the beach in Aquacalda.

Couple of nice viewpoints on the drive to wrap up our day, including a spot where you could see five of the Aeolian islands lined up in the horizon. Despite not being to visit Stromboli, we were grateful for the nice weather and having been able to see something.

Tonight, we stayed in Milazzo at Hotel La Bussola, a last minute change. Compare to the other 4 star hotel from Palermo, this was really nice. Just a simple dinner nearby, including my first tiramisu in Italy (delicious!), tomorrow, Taormina! Fingers crossed the rain stays away, especially since we also have to make it into Catania. There's been reports of flooding and deaths the past few days, so we'll just have to see.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Taormina Afternoon
October 28, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Following a scenic drive through some villages on Sicily's northeast coast, we arrived in the hilltop of town of Taormina. Overlooking the water, we saw beautiful coastlines. The part of the town we went to was very cute and touristy, and for most of us, our 1st stop was at the ancient Greek theatre. While not overwhelming large like others I've seen, this was had the ocean as the backdrop so if you sat up top, you'd have a wonderful view. After that, it was just meandering the main shopping street and checking out the public gardens.

Though I initially thought it'd be nice to stay the night in Taormina, an afternoon was really all I needed. We ended up having an evening transfer to Catania for safety reasons as parts of Catania had been flooded recently due to a Mediterranean hurricane in the area. Apollo is his name.

The hotel in Catania though through us all in a bit of a shock. Our first hint was entering through a non descript door and up old steps in an old building. The rooms were even more shocking. Some had mold in them, while one person wasn't quite sure if the look and feel was supposed to be a vibe or just a little ghetto. In the 4 people decided to move hotels, and I'll admit, I was close to it myself as well. Given what we'd paid and the level of the tour, this hotel was definitely not up to snuff. While we understand what the city was going through and our original hotel was closed, there were still better options, and the company should've had a better back up plan.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Catania Day In
October 29, 2021 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
The rains receded a little this morning, but much of the day was spent indoors and watching Netflix. Catania still had a red alert in place and we weren't able to visit Mt Etna as per the optional activities. This trip has been a little disappointing in not being able to get to the volcanoes, considering the volcanoes themselves were supposed to be the main highlights.

We ended up ordering panani's to be delivered for lunch and made plans to have our farewell dinner in the restaurant of the hotel some of our group had moved to. In the afternoon, a few of us took a short walk to see some of the sites from the outside. It was a bit eerie with the empty streets, a view many visitors don't get. It was a little reminiscent of covid lockdowns as well since people were ordered to stay home.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Southern Sicily - the last leg
October 30, 2021 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 19 °C
The end of a tour, the beginning of another. My first task of the day is to move hotels. Thankfully, they changed our starting hotel. The new one is a much better place. I think if we had to stay in the last one, one more night, I definitely would've booked my own place and just come back for the welcome meeting and dinner.

There was a break in the clouds this morning, the sun actually shining. I was hoping that maybe we could still do Etna, but alas, the red alert was still on. In the end, I found a beach nearby and went to watch some waves. After that, just meandering and watching Netflix at the hotel. I did step out once more to get bubble tea, but got thorough caught in the rain. Things are still drying in the room, including my shoes. I may have to blow dry them in the morning.

Our group on this final tour was is smaller and some members are still missing. Not sure if they got delayed somewhere or if there were late cancellations, like one of the girls from our previous leg. The rain mostly stayed away tonight as we strolled back to the center for dinner. Our tour leader is actually from this city, so it was interesting walking with him as he also showed us places only a local would know, like the underground cavern in our restaurant.

Through the cavern ran the underground river flowing through the city, and the walls were made of the lava from Etna's eruption in the 1600s. Very very cool, and definitely something we would've never found in a guidebook. A quick gelato, then more walking around before heading back for a rest at the hotel. Looks like the weather should be better the coming week, so fingers crossed things run smoothly for one last hurrah before back to work.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Exploring the Isola di Ortigia
October 31, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
This morning we set off to the island of Ortigia, it's connected to the city of Syracuse. It's fairly contained for self exploration with a pedestrian zone with shops and restaurants. You can also walk around the island and check out the waves crashing in.

Today's activities included an arancini cooking class in the home of a local family. I prefer to refer to it as an arancini making class as we were assembling more than cooking. Our host Fiona had already pre-made the risotto and ragu as they take longer than our allotted time. It's a great activity to have on the 1st day, as it not only became lunch, but was a good opportunity to continue to getting to know people, especially since part of our group weren't able to join us for dinner the prior night.

The rest of the afternoon was a bit of an orientation walk and then free time. We stopped by Apollo's Temple and Diana's Fountain, before walking along the water a bit. On our own later on, we just wandered the streets, checking out picturesque streets that caught our eye.

Rain returned for the evening as we stepped out for dinner and then drinks at a local bar. I've noticed here in the south of Sicily, they are more vigilant about checking green cards and not letting people sit more than 6 per table. A bit of a challenge for a tour group, even a small one, but we managed.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Free Day in Syracuse/Noto/Marzamemi
November 1, 2021 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 18 °C
Bit of a hodge podge on our free today. Many of chose headed to the Archaelogical Park this morning to check out the ruins in Syracuse. As with most sites, the Greek Theatre is always a draw, but there are also caves here as well, including one shaped like an ear. The necropolis section was closed to the recent weather, but thanks to our of our tourmates, we were able to walk along the road outside the park to see some of it, including a shapely 300 year old tree and what's rumoured to be Archimedes Tomb (it's not).

After that, it was off to the baroque town of Noto. We focused on a main pedestrian street in the old center, and checked out the cathedral, as well as climbed the tower of another church for 360 views. One thing you may have heard about Noto is its Caffe Siciliana, which was featured on Chef's Table. We managed to get a seat inside and get granitas. Mine was a cappuccino flavored one, which was essentially coffee on top of almond. The texture is like snow and delicious. I wish there were more flavors though.

Next stop, the fishing village of Marzamemi. There isn't much to see here, but I hear it's quite busy in the summer. We walked around, had some gelato and caught a bit of the sunset before heading back to Syracuse.

Dinner wise, we ended up sharing a tapas styled dinner at one of the local restaurants in town. They brought us several of the antipasti to share, as well as lemoncello and maybe Amaro, I can't remember aside the fact that it had a bitter orange peel after taste. It was nice to have a change from pizza and pasta, and a long time since we had a meal that we didn't order individually.Read more
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Hike, Eat, Live Rita Yee
Ragusa Ibla & Villa Romana del Casale
November 2, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Today's travel was broken into 3 drives, the first stop being a visit to Ragusa Ibla, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for more Sicilian Baroque architecture. We started in the upper town and then walked towards the old town. There's a lot of churches to see, so if that's your thing, you should be in for a treat. Otherwise, there's not too much to see otherwise, so we grabbed a simple lunch and wine flavored gelato. I was initially going to decline but saw that one of the two flavors was moscato, which incidentally is one of the few wines I do like. The first bite was an explosion of flavor and just "wow" came out. I'm not quite sure if it was a "wow, this is strong" or "wow, this is amazing", but if it started out strong, I must've gotten used to the taste as I'm sure the flavor wouldn't diminish over the course of a cup.

Stop #2 was the Villa Romana del Casale to check out some mosaics preserved in their original location, It's a good stroll around, but lacked a wow factor for me as it reminded me of what I've seen before in Cyprus.

One more drive, this time we're headed to Agrigento our stop for the night. Along the way, we were treated to a view of Mt Etna in the distance. Finally on this trip, we managed to see it. Unfortunately since we were so far away, pictures aren't great, but it gives great perspective to the height of the volcano since we could still it.

Towards the end of the drive, we were treated to a nice long sunset as we were literally driving into the sunset. It was like the entire horizon was orange, and just stayed that way. The Sicilian countryside we passed was beautiful as well, so I think my favorite part of the day was just driving along (even though I slept a good portion of it ;). )Read more
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