Salutamu , Friends, From Catania, Sicily...

Salutamu , friends, from Catania, Sicily...

It's our third day in Italy; this is the view we have from the apartment where we're staying. Needless to say, I couldn't ask for a much better view of Mt. Etna....


It's been about 2 1/2 years since my buddy Salvatore visited Black Squirrel Run.

While it took longer than I would have preferred, I'm happy to have finally made it to visit Sal, here in Catania, as well as my extended family, in Militello Rosmarino.

The weather's been a mixed bag since we arrived and it was less than optimum the day we went to Militello Rosmarino....


My family immigrated to America from Militello Rosmarino, Sicily in the early 1920s; this is the first time I've had an opportunity to meet members of my family who remained in Italy.

We'll definitely be returning to visit with them again before returning to the United States and I'm hoping the weather will be better.

In addition to Militello Rosmarino, in the Province of Messina, we also visited Cifalù, in the Province of Palermo....


An interesting, and unexpected, aspect of this trip, given my fondness for the movie Patton, has been visiting locations where the United States triumphed in World War II battles.

Another notable thing, at least to me, is that I'm making real progress on a post which will finally wrap up the Final Road Trip series; just short of five months, at this point, since returning from the trip. For the first time, I truly believe I'll be able to complete it.

We're planning to be in Italy for a week-and-a-half; our itinerary, at least as close as we come to having one, includes visiting Rome, Naples and Florence.

TheSpecialOne would like to visit Milan, given it's status as a fashion capital, but neither of us wants to deal with winter weather when we have the opportunity to enjoy what would pass for a comfortable summer day...in December.

That will have to be all for now, I'm off to lunch. Ciao

Photographs by Kilroy_60