Sep 4 - off Sicily, into the mountains

More ups and downs !

Ok, this was my idea.  I wanted to find a place off Sicily and in the mountains.  We found one and we're here -- an Agriturismo three bedroom spot in the woods.  I know that we're in the woods because I got a bunch of bug bites.  This reminds me of home !  It's lovely but, like home, deserted except for us.  Home north, that is.  They've got a pool, a vegetable garden, they'll serve dinner to us at 8pm and breakfast at 8am -- kind of like a B&B in a remote location. 

Getting here was something else.  Yikes, these narrow off-the-beaten-path mountain roads are something else.  The driveway, at about a 45 degree angle, is slightly wider than the car.  You couldn't open the door and get out on either side without falling off on the one side or hitting the rock wall on the other, which I was hugging.  Luckily there is room to turn around up here; I wouldn't want to back down the hill !

The drive went like clockwork to Messina, fast on the Autostrade.  We wandered a bit finding the ferry but eventually did and basically drove right on - only time to purchase a ticket.  This ferry was smaller than the one over the other day -- they probably use different boats depending on the expected traffic.  It's a great service though. As stood on deck, we came to the conclusion that it's a tough life, but someone has to do it :).

From the mainland side of the ferry to our B&B is only 34 kms.  It took us about 2 hours.  Of course that included lunch in a perfect little spot that we were lucky to find as it was after 2pm and everything is usually closed.  They still had a couple finishing their lunch and so the family hung around for us; what a deal.  I had a huge appetizer spread and Sandy had pasta.  Dinner tonight is a fixed menu; we don't know what we'll be having so it will be another adventure.  If we don't like it, too bad.  It's like eating at home.  The only trouble is that we have no snacks if we're still hungry (that would be me, not Sandy).

Tomorrow we're heading to someplace that Sandy has book south of Bari.  That would be Bari Italy, not Barrie ON.  To get there we have to retrace our "steps" back to the A3 on the coast and then head northeast.  It doesn't make sense to continue through the mountains to the east coast here as there are no main roads heading north.

It's not a tough life and we're lucky to be able to do this and will continue while we're able, physically and financially. 

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Dinner was served at the Agriturismo, of course.  It was a fixed menu; Sandy told them earlier that she'd already had pasta for lunch, so they served a pork chop and some stewed melanzana (aubergine / eggplant).  I see some hanging from the garden by our room, so they're definitely local !  So are the tomatoes, hanging from plants nearby.  Weeds everywhere, so it's definitely organic too :).

Onward !