Buongiorno Signores, Signoras and Signorinas,
We have made it after a plane ride, an eight seater bus journey, a ferry trip and a taxi ride to our hotel. All up around 8 hours actual travel but with connections etc just under 12 hours.
Having arrived at Catania from Paris I found my spiritual home here in Italy. No folks, it's not the art, it's not the vino, it's not even the beautiful food, it's the manner in which these people drive!!! These people drive like lunatics and blame everyone else on the road. Love it.
We arrived on the island of Salina. It has the arid landscape with its dry soil and foliage expected but where hibiscus blooms are enormous and intensity of the colours of them, and the mandevillas are incredible. Outside our hotel room is a lemon grove chock a block full of plump fruit in various stages of ripening.
The hotel is nothing short of delightful with it's white washed room and wrought iron beds, cooling tiled floors and crisp white linen. To my surprise a card was waiting for me there on our dresser. While i didnt open it until my birthday, it was sent by my Dad and his partner Margaret. I confess to being somewhat amazed and impressed at your level of pre-organization Joe but I was very touched to receive it!!!!! It also shows that you are reading at least some of the stuff I left for you.
The terrace of our hotel where you sit fashionably dressed to have an appertivo before dinner is part of the overhang of a cliff face cut away and you look out onto the Strait and see the island of Stromboli before you. The main eating area adjourned the terrace and although covered it is still open aired to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
The pool area is a horizon pool where again you watch Stromboli letting forth with some late night fireworks if you are lucky. Sadly the volcano chose not to show off whilst we were there but one can hardly complain.
The tiny townships of Salina do not leave one with much to do except eat, drink, swim and sleep and this we did in abundance. We didn't want to island hop to Lipari or others which means queues, ferries and more people so we stayed put and occasionally ventured by local bus into the main port Santa Marina, for tickets for travel. One day we headed to Lingua. A small village famous for it's cunatzos and their world famous granites- the half way point reached between gelato and ice-cream. A big mistake. This is a remote part of Sicily. Check. Genuinely catering for international travelers not high on the agenda. Check. Deciding not to run the connecting bus when either a siesta or a swim beckons. Check. We got stuck waiting at some bloody church in the middle of nowhere until this local decided to recommence work. Bastardo!
But we did get to enjoy their local specialities and for all you Optus readers, Siobhan wants me to tell you that tuna tastes and bloody smells like tuna where-ever in the world you are. We decided on a cunatzo for our late lunch. This is a thick pizza base cooked and the split in half, cooked side down, uncooked side up. Onto which is piled the most glorious fresh ingredients you can imagine, the sweetest cherry tomatoes, the sharpest red onions, the deliciously sweet as sweet red peppers, the plumpest olives, creamy buffalo mozzarella, anchovies (serious yuk) and parma ham, salami, prawns, clams - you name it. Siobhan ordered a Misto version and guess what? It came with all the above but with the added bonus of tuna which as her colleagues will know- she isn't a fan! Fast forward five minutes -all offending tuna is removed to side of plate and Siobhan is as happy as the clams she was eating, saying most profoundly, tuna stinks wherever you may be! So our trip to Lingua ended well and we made it home with no more transfer problems.
I can't say that the local services people go out of their way to help you. Unless you ask specific questions and keep asking, they only respond to the immediate question and not the possibilities behind a question. So if you ask "are there any cabins available on the overnight ferry " the answer is simply no. They do not assist you in anyway by saying "but there is a multitude of alternatives that will get you where you need to be". This we found to be a little stressful so we would recommend that anyone visiting know all available avenues and don't rely on receiving too much assistance.
The waiting staff at our Hotel were another matter all together. They were divine. Friendly, funny, chatty and boy did they know their way around an amazing wine list and an equally impressive menu. The sommelier Marcello was just wonderful and loved his job, Raphaell one of our waiters turned 30 on the same day I turned 50 , so we bonded and I was greeted each time with a kiss to both cheeks. The Cocktail barman made the world's best monitor with fresh mint pulled from the garden and hand crushed with mortar and pestle. The food was spectacular with local seafood and homemade pastas a specialty of the house. The breakfasts consisted of selections of salamis, parma hams, cheeses, cereals and fresh fruit salads as well as a selection of some of the best teacakes I have ever had tasted. They we're the same teacake base, very very moist with a hint of cinnamon and flan shape in depth and diameter. But they were different flavors of peach, apple and the very best Lemon. The lemons are so sweet and the intensity of the lemon in the cake was like nothing I have ever had. Would almost kill for the recipe.
We happened across a trio of lovely Melbournians staying at the Hotel so it was nice to hear flattened vowel sounds again other than our own. The main port of Santa Marina was very quaint and one street behind the main drag were the most beautiful villas and some serious shops with the most inflated and overpriced clothing available. Was almost tempted by a sensational handbag but at 340€ thought that was ridiculous and besides if I wanted overpriced stuff I can get plenty of that in Positano!
We used the four days for much needed relaxation and resting our very sore legs from the many miles walked thus far. We have calves of steel after all this walking! My official birthday dinner was beautiful in the candlelight on the terrace with Siobhan. I couldn't have asked for a more lovely way to spend my birthday. We are off tomorrow to head to Positano and use the train system for the first time.
Love and No Tuna
Kelly & Siobhan xxx
Sent from my iPad
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