Hello From Sicily - Exploring Stromboli

Due to bad weather yesterday we spent theincredibly narrow, a regular car would definitely
entire day docked at Santa Marina di Salina butnot fit on the roads, so all the vehicles are either
we had nevertheless a great experience duringmotor scooters, tiny three-wheeled mini transport
our driving tour of the island, with expert guidancetrucks with a cargo platform, or even golf carts. I
provided by two locals. Our first Italian lesson hadsnapped a few pictures of the various vehicles,
also progressed smoothly and a quiet dinnerand was rather amused when I saw the two local
capped off an occasionally drizzly and grey day.policemen - carabinieri - ride through town on a
Well, today was another day, and when I peekedgolf cart.
out of the sailboat bright and early I saw rightThe village of Stromboli is located on a hill
away that we had clear skies today. This meantoverlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the main
that we would be leaving Salina and sailing on tosquare features a viewing platform that provides
the next island in our linguistic sailing tripa beautiful look over the sea. The Church of San
experience: Stromboli!Vincenzo overlooks the square, and on the left
When I saw Franco, one of our Italian languagehand side is a restaurant with a large terrace
teachers from Laboratorio Linguistico, come outoffering a great view. A local politician was starting
of the on-board shower room wrapped in ato make announcements for the upcoming
towel, it crossed my mind that an Italian languagemayoral elections and at 6 pm one of the main
learning trip aboard a sailboat is definitely a verycandidates would be making an appearance. Not
unique experience. As a matter of fact, boat lifemany people listened to his speech since most of
really brings you close together, and notions ofthe people on the square were actually foreign
personal space and barriers of shyness seem totourists that had come off the ferries to stay for
be decreasing the more time you spend on boardjust a few hours. But he steadfastly continued on
with your shipmates.with his political message...
It's just that kind of environment, and it's actuallyI stopped into a local outfitters shop that provided
very refreshing to move outside one's comfortshoes and clothing for hikers, equipment
zone and allow oneself to experience somethingappropriate for hiking up to the top of this active
completely different. This has been one of thevolcano. Various local operators provide guided
beauties of this unique trip all along - the uniquehiking tours to visit the top of Stromboli which is
tight environment on the sailboat, six great shipin continuous eruption. This retail store also had
mates (thank God!), and the beautiful experienceInternet access, offering one rather antiquated
of gliding through the Mediterranean waters frommachine tucked into the corner, but the owner
one beautiful island to another.explained that unfortunately the Internet had
Our departure was planned for 10 am, so I tookbeen down all day, so I was out of luck. I
a quick walk through Santa Marina, indeed a verycontinued my explorations of the town instead
picturesque little place, particularly when lit up bywhich offered numerous restaurants and various
the morning sun. I had a quick on-board breakfastretail and artists shops, all closed of course, due
before Herbert, one of my shipmates, departed.to the siesta.
He had been feeling a bit sick for a while and wasSo I bought myself an ice cream and relaxed for
going to take one of the fast ferry boats, one ofa bit on a bench by the waterfront. He added
the "aliscafi" or hydrofoils to one of the otherthat the medical treatment had actually been free
islands to visit a doctor and get some medicationof charge. Rested again I hiked back up into the
for his flu-like symptoms.village and turned left at the big church and
So the remaining six of us got ready to sail andheaded up past the village on the narrow road
we were out on the open waters by 11 am.that provides the ascent to the volcano. By this
Leaving Salina behind, we sailed past the island oftime, about 6 pm, the sun had already
Panarea which features a gently sloping mountaindisappeared behind the volcano, and it was getting
on the eastern side and a steep precipitous cliffpretty cool so I decided to come back into the
on the western side. The weather could not havevillage. There I bumped into Herbert who had
been any better. The sun was so bright I closedarrived on the island in mid-afternoon after
my eyes and started to fall asleep. All of aaccidentally taking a wrong ferry to the island of
sudden this intense feeling of tiredness overcamePanarea to visit a doctor about his flu-like
me, it was as if all the accumulated stress fromsymptoms.
my life in Toronto was trying to unravel itself, soFortunately he had found a medical specialist and
I retreated and lay down in my cabin.got a prescription for his flu. The medical
When I woke up again we had actually reachedtreatment had actually been free of charge. We
our destination: Stromboli, another Eolian island, thissat and chatted for a bit until it was time to get
one distinguished by an active volcano. Weback on the beach where our skipper would pick
anchored our sailboat off shore since the islandus up with the dingy. By 7:30 pm all of us were
has no harbour, and Francesco, our skipper, got aon the boat and we were ready to start our
little dingy ready that would carry us from thenight time navigation to Panarea, our next
sailboat on shore. The dingy was barely bigdestination.
enough to hold three, definitely no more than fourA big cruise ship was approaching from the south,
people, so in the first trip Francesco scooped upand the setting sun bathed it in its golden glow.
Claudia, Lorenzo and me while he steered theWe were just turning the corner near
vessel.Strombolicchio when we saw a gorgeous beautiful
I was of course planning to do lots ofpink and purple-coloured sunset. I thanked our
photography on the island, and I thought I justskipper Francesco for timing our departure so
hope to God that we won't tip over in this tinyperfectly. We rounded the island of Stromboli and
inflatable vessel, since my camera and myalso got to see the lava fields on the western
memory cards would certainly be gone. But Iside of the island.
should not have mistrusted the expertise andThe sea was rough today and we were now
prudence of our captain: Francesco transported allsailing in complete darkness. A cool wind was
six passengers safely to land without incident.blowing and after sitting at the back of the boat
In my quest for photos I embarked on a solofor about an hour I got chilled to the bone. I
discovery of Stromboli on foot, while Claudia anddecided to lie down in the cabin and covered
Lorenzo headed off into town as well. I walked bymyself with two blankets to try to get warm. In
the waterfront, past a variety of shrubs, someaddition, the choppy waters had made me feel a
industrial buildings and the lone electricitybit queasy and I felt better lying down.
generating plant on the island to a promontoryAround 10:30 finally we had reached Panarea, not
that looks out on a rock just off the coastline:that we could see it because it was totally dark,
Stromboliccio (little "Stromboli"), of course also ofbut our captain had dropped anchor and we were
volcanic origin, is uninhabited but features agoing to sleep offshore for the night. A nice
lighthouse.on-board dinner of gnocchi and salad capped off
From here I turned left and made my ascent intoan eventful day and I was already wondering
the town of Stromboli which stretches up alongwhat this new island of Panarea would look like
the foothills of the volcano. The roads aretomorrow morning.