We are up early and take our helicopter flight over Mt. Etna. It is dramatic as this volcano is very active and continues to spew lava and smoke. One recent eruption completely wiped out the ski village here. Etna has snow most of the year, but not today. It is 3000 meters high with lots of ski fields, popular in the winter months.
We leave the golf club after our fabulous flight and arrive at our favorite Italian seaside city Siracusa, to drop off the hire car. We are booked into our hotel 'Albergo Domus Maria', which is an old monastery renovated and run by the nuns. We have a room with a large window and balcony overlooking the sea and 100 meters from MB'S favorite rock beach, which still has the summer swimming platforms in place, for easy sea access.
Friday, we meet Lucia and Alessia at the market for the start of our third cooking class. There are new fish in season one of which is garfish, so we have to buy some, plus some small red mullet for our cooking class.
We also visit our favorite deli where Carmansita and Flo are working, to say hello.
Back at Alessia's apartment the menu for the day is: Arancini con sugo, e mozzarella, (Saffron rice balls with meat and cheese). Fried garfish and red mullet with tomato and basil salad.
During the day Anne arrives to assist us in talking to the real estate agents about the apartment we are interested in in Via Vittorio Veneto.
We make contact with Baron Peter Beneventano, who is keen to catch up but is suffering with a bad knee. The next morning he turns up at breakfast on crutches, and stays for coffee and a talk. We arrange to have dinner with him and his lovely wife Rosanna, at a local restaurant outside his Palazzo. We end up back at the palace for after dinner drinks. Peter invites us for lunch and boat trip with him the next day along the Siracusa harbor in his 'Gozzo'.
Peter tells us a very interesting story about the 300 ships they believe are still in the Siracusa harbor following many sea battles in antiquity. Many of these battles the Siracusan's won including the battle where Archimedes used various new technologies he invented, to wage war on the enemies.
Peter is very knowledgeable about the local history, and great company. We have a most enjoyable day together.
The next day Phillipa arrives and we all head off to take a ferry to Malta to meet up with BP.
JB and Mick