24-26 Sept. - Sicily on the road - Around Taormina

[charlyno]

ALL PICS HERE

24/09/2010 17.30 pm you can go in the direction of Catania. Huge gray clouds do not promise anything good and the forecast rain expected. Previously put on the rain and it just past the junction of Buonfornello come down a storm! From 28 ° at the start, we cross Enna with 17 ° and the fog. We make a short stop for coffee Sacchitello area and then resume running immediately. Around 20.00 we arrived in Taormina in the deluge. Subject to expect and Loretta, who left a few hours before. We found accommodation at the B & B "Fontana Vecchia" via No.8 Lawrence tel.094224116 cell. 3398142283 www.fontana-vecchia.com highly recommended. Rooms clean and spacious, breakfast and above all the gracious welcome of Nando, the owner will make you feel at home. In addition there is the possibility to park the bikes in his garage at 500 mt from the B & B. Stowed luggage, we approach the Teatro Antico in Taormina, just 5 minutes walk, where the concert will start at 21.00 by Elton John. Continue to rain and will do so for the duration of the concert! Three hours of great music in the pouring rain. Literally down to the underwear wet but happy, back to B & B for a hot shower, hoping that tomorrow the weather improves.

25/09/2010 08.00 pm the sun peeps through the window and in fact the weather is long gone and a blue sky with clouds very promising. At 09.00 Nando us find the breakfast ready. Between a chat and the other we are ready to spend a beautiful day full of history and nature. We start in the direction of Francavilla di Sicilia. At the junction of Giardini Naxos http://www.comune.francavilladisicil...giro_virtuale/ meet friends and Antonio Pino. In the village we take a coffee together and greeted Antonio, who for reasons of work to do back we go to the ancient convent of the Capuchin Friars in 1570. Made a small donation for entry to traverse the whole tree from the cells of the friars, the church and the old kitchen. Almost a museum about daily life and history of the Capuchin Friars with original period pieces. Before you go out buy a bottle of lemon essence, a flagrant sublime. After the visit, which makes Pine salute to return home, while we we go to the center of the country from where the Natural Path of Gurn, managed by CAI Taormina http://www.caitaormina.it/sentierodellegurne/gurne.htm Parked the bikes, we are approaching the path traced by the archeological excavations of an ancient greek of the fifth century. BC Saje of channels that branch, from Arabic saqiya, to irrigate land in the area and indeed the Gurn, or small lakes formed by the continuing erosion of the river Alcantara on lava flows. The top of the mountain the ruins of the Norman castle. The path of about 1.5 km can be covered easily with beautiful views sull'Alcantara and the ability to swim in icy waters. Further along the path are visible on the ancient river crossings, in fact the name derives from the Alcantara Qantarah which means "the bridge". Along the way, nut trees, almonds, wild apples, pomegranates, persimmons allow genuine products of delicious snacks! Shooting the bikes we approach the Castle Calatabiano http://www.castellodicalatabiano.it/ On the road we decide to eat something and your first entry to the Gorges of the Alcantara in Motta Camastra, is the restaurant "by Margaret - C.da Sciara, a cell. 3398793244. A small place with a pleasant veranda, and above all a great and genuine cooking, run by its friendly Goofy. After a hearty lunch and coffee off again towards the inevitable Calatayud, where you arrive a little later. Along the way, a huge flock of sheep across the road and the thing that strikes us most is the shepherd, who keeps in a bag to collapse a newborn lamb. Joints below the castle and parked the bikes, we pay a ticket for entrance to the castle and convenient for the cable car that takes us immediately to the mountain. From here the show is extraordinary. Information panels explain the history of the castle and the various rooms. After the visit we take the bikes to return to Taormina. After a quick shower we are already around the center waiting for dinner, where we meet to say hello Antonio and his wife, but their riders. Pleasantly and happily spend the evening with the family of Pine and our Swedish friend Rebecca at the restaurant-pizzeria "Angel Terrace" Corso Umberto I ° tel.094224411 n.38.

26/09/2010 08:00 pm beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the summer. Without breakfast we leave the rooms not before a photo with the owner of Nando B & B. We meet at 11.00 am in Forza d'Agro 'with friends Anthony and Agatha and Daniel and John to visit the town. A show http://www.forzadagro.org/ the road from the main road up towards the village, with breathtaking views. Once in the plaza and parked the bikes, we head for the city tour through the beautiful Church of the Holy Trinity with the annexed convent, the beautiful cathedral and finally the Norman Castle, it unfortunately only open to the outside due to lack of guardian ! After a long walk through the old alleys of the country where we find ourselves in Piazza Cammareri comfortably seated outdoor eating the excellent bread and pizza at the Pizzeria cunzato "Ancient Walls" tel. 0942721024-3408497571 accompanied by a good cold beer. After doing overall, we take the bikes to head towards Novara of Sicily, home of cheese Maiorchino http://www.comune.novara-di-sicilia.me.it/ Leave the motorway at the Gardens we take the Naxsos Francavilla SS185 until then take on a side street that starts from the ancient convent of the Capuchin Friars. At the entrance of a small road sign ban on driving and after about 15 km understand why! A portion of the road is completely caved, luckily there is plenty of room to pass the motion. The road is beautiful, but if we had the car we would be forced to turn back. SS185 resume at the Village Schisina. The last stretch of road up to Novara is superb and goes through a wide forest area. We come to town and parked the bikes, some people decide to eat a bar who Dolcino to do a walk around the old town, however, all have come to buy the famous cheese. Unfortunately, today is Sunday and all shops are closed but I do not give up, so asked a little old place where I can buy cheese, accompanied me personally sitting in a bar where the owner of a delicatessen that is kindly disposed to us this courtesy. After stocks Maiorchino it's time to go home. Greeted Anthony, Agatha, Daniela and John who are returning to Catania, we make way for Andrew and then Mazzarà Furnari, then reach the entrance to the motorway to Palermo. The kilometers run faster and mind together in the magical moments of this exciting weekend on the road. Until next time