Laundry DayWe are still at the campsite and have only moved around with the motorhome briefly on the pitch. We have ventured from the back to the front row. And of course, not because of the proximity to the showers or other amenities, no, all of this for the beloved internet. Well, now we can comfortably download our bad weather program from our trusted internet provider. Tuesday is cozy and the highlight of the day is a hike to the next village to do a small mini shopping. Wednesday is big laundry day. We put three loads through the washing program and hang them up in series. We love washing. Hundi doesn't think it's so cool and responds with little unauthorized explorations to the neighbors. A couple from Germany who have just come from Crete and also have a dog with them. The two get along great and Mathennsi also gets along great with the owner. Everything is fine, so to speak, and Wednesday is over.ADDITION from last WEEK !!!!: Mathennsi finds a magazine of a pistol on the beach! We imagine the most adventurous stories...
Thursday 02.03.
Brucoli during the evening walkLet's see if we can manage to leave today. For days we have been planning to continue our journey, and every time we find another reason to stay at this beautiful spot on earth. But today, really. We pack up and store all our stuff. When we want to go to the checkout, there is a tiny problem. The owner is not here right now. From 20 minutes until he returns to 1 hour, and in the end, it is 1:30 p.m. when he finally arrives. Sicilian lifestyle at its best :-) We have no stress and take it easy. After 3 hours of waiting, departure and onward journey to Brucoli.Brucoli is located on a fjord and is a tiny village. Here we have a cool spot with a few other motorhomers. An idyllic place that invites you to dream. We walk through the 3 small alleys and fall in love a little with this Brucoli.
Friday 03.03.
Castle with Etna in the background once againRain, rain, thunder, lightning, rainBut really really pouringIt doesn't want to stop. None of it helps. Put on rain pants and throw on a rain cape. Let's go, along the fjord, to explore the caves. Everything is slippery and muddy. Not the best weather for such a little Indiana Jones tour. But as the saying goes, you can't choose the weather. Hundi loves it very much, so turning back is out of the question. 3 hours later, soaked to the bone, back in the motorhome, it's time to dry off and get out of wet clothes. The day ends with blue skies and sun. We take a little tour to the old campsite in Brucoli. It has been abandoned for years and you can only faintly recognize that there used to be a campsite life here.
Saturday 04.03.
Exploration of SyracuseWe tear ourselves away from this beautiful place and head to Syracuse via a cash&carry detour. An adventure begins when entering the city center. Of course, we want to park in the heart of the city. But so does everyone else. Let's take a moment to assess the situation and think about the smartest and easiest way. We haven't even finished our thoughts when, luckily, a parking space becomes available. We rush to the parking space at full speed. Now, it's time for culture and city programs, narrow streets, crowds, a thousand smells, colors, laughter, wine, delicacies...... We love it. The sea and the sun make everything even more beautiful and allow us to truly enjoy the day. In the late afternoon, Ani is getting colder and going back to the motorhome doesn't make sense, so we go into the next shop to warm up, and from warming up it becomes a purchase of long pants and a hat. Warmly wrapped up, we continue to the best patisserie in town according to Google, and we indulge ourselves. That was really good!In the evening, after countless steps, we fall into the motorhome and nothing more happens except watching movies.
Sunday 05.03.
Hike along the coastAni chooses a beautiful coastal trail and we set off in the morning. The weather is great and everyone is in a good mood. FOR NOW!The route is lined with small highlights and incredibly beautiful views. The way back through the city is supposed to pass by the Greek Theater, which is in the middle of the city. So far so good, but nobody said that we are still not at the Greek Theater after 15km. Eventually, we arrive and, as it should be, it has already been closed for 2 hours. Short break and take a deep breath. Ani makes the biggest mistake and takes off her shoes and socks. Bam, all limbs swell up about 5 times. Ani is a little, just a little, in a bad mood and visibly annoyed by the remaining 5km to the motorhome. Luckily, there is a small cafe with sweet treats that lifts the mood considerably, and we all can cover the remaining kilometers with a smile.In the evening, we take another mini-mini tour of the old town. In the motorhome, we have the first Limoncello, and Mathennsi has to share it with Ani because the drink is so delicious :-)Game night, with Ani winning, rounds off the day.So far, Syracuse has been the highlight of Sicily. Being already focused on tourism, it has not neglected its own life. In the beautiful old town, alongside many stores with gadgets, you will find many stores with genuine Sicilian handicrafts. Everyone here will find something they like, regardless of whether it's history, shopping, or vibrant nightlife - Syracuse offers plenty of opportunities for all.
Monday 06.03.
The best Calloni from Syracuse to say goodbyeMuscle soreness wakes us up yet again. Before we continue our journey, we decide to go to the city's best café again and indulge in another delicious Calloni with ricotta. After this indulgence, we pack up and continue to Arenella. A tiny village consisting of holiday homes and hotels. At the moment, there is basically no one here, except for a few couples in love in the evening. We have a mega spot right by the sea, and the beach is all ours. Layla dances with joy and enjoys the beach. The day goes by very relaxed, and we don't do much except walk along the beach and recover from the exciting past days.In the ignorance that the next few days will be really exciting.....
Tuesday 07.03.
Riserva Naturale CavagrandeWe set off for Avalo around noon. When we arrive at the chosen parking lot, we continue without turning off the engine because it is so uncomfortable here. We quickly stop by the Lidl to stock up on supplies for the upcoming mountain village. In the late afternoon, we arrive in Montagna and find a great parking space right at the entrance to the canyon. But we won't be exploring the canyon today. We decide to take a tour above the canyon and Layla immediately takes her new friend with her on the walk. It is noticeably cooler up here than on the coast. But everything is already blooming, and we are in the middle of Sicilian spring. It's incredibly beautiful, and we enjoy the peace and quiet up here to the fullest.Peace and quiet are suddenly over..... Suddenly we hear a woman sobbing and crying, and shortly after, she stands in front of our motorhome. Ani goes out to see what's going on and if we can help. It turns out to be a couple from Ireland who just arrived in Sicily today. They picked up a rental car at the airport and drove straight up to the canyon. They had only been gone for 2 hours when their car was broken into, and all their belongings were stolen. Passports, important medication, clothes.....everything. Poor things, what a terrible start to their vacation. We try to help and support them as best as we can. Mathennsi remembers a white car with conspicuous occupants in the early evening and tries to describe it and remember as much as possible. They are probably long gone....We are left with an uneasy feeling and concerns for the two Irish people.
Wednesday 08.03.
Relaxing hereA cold night, that was very cool, and our dreams were filled with burglars. Layla, on the other hand, has a completely different opinion and lives up to her breed. No one comes closer than 2 meters to the motorhome. A true guard dog. So, as long as Hundi is on board, there is zero danger for us in every way :-)We go down into the canyon, which is still closed. This means that we have to sportily overcome a fence first in order to be able to plunge into the adventure of the canyon. The path goes steeply downhill for 1 hour. We are accompanied by Layla's friend (a young German Shepherd). It's a beautiful hike, and the steep way down is worth it. It's so beautiful. The sun is shining, and we wade through the cold canyon and meet a family from the Czech Republic. We spend the next few hours with them, and the ascent is mastered by the four of us + 2 dogs. It's always nice to meet such nice and relaxed people and exchange experiences.Now it's getting really exciting! We haven't forgotten about last night, and it's still present today. The white car that Mathennsi noticed the day before is now being analyzed more intensively. Just as we finish thinking this, a white Renault with 3 suspicious characters zooms by. The car drives up, reverses into a parking space, sees us observing them, drives away again, and turns back after 100 meters. They come back, all while being carefully observed by us. Very conspicuous behavior from this gang. So they drive up again, stop, observe us, talk to each other, and drive off again. If we haven't just prevented another theft, then I don't know. Nevertheless, no feeling of joy arises; rather, a queasy feeling because we have just spoiled their daily business. So let's pack up and leave. Shortly before departure, we meet a local, who confirms our suspicion. Apparently, it wasn't the first time that this gang was active here.In any case, we are now gone and hope not to meet them again so soon.The next planned stop is Noto. City with the best ice cream parlors. Unfortunately, this ice cream-eating event will not take place. Instead of the ice cream parlor, we end up in a hardware store. While driving towards Noto, the kitchen in the motorhome has taken on a life of its own. So, the repair project takes precedence over the ice cream project. Luckily, the hardware store is very well equipped, and we find everything we need, even if it comes with Italian instructions.Marina de Ragusa is chosen as the location for the repair. An Italian camper family provides us with 2 pitches with electricity and water on their private property. They are a super lovely family who are so warm and friendly. Just great.We come up with a construction plan and the day comes to an end.
Thursday 09.03.
Marina di RagusaBuilding daySawing, gluing, screwing, sawing, measuring, gluing, sawing, measuring......Four hours, a few discussions, and brain activities later, it is done for now. Kitchen repair project, completed. Whether it will hold as we envision it, will be shown during the next 300 km.It's early afternoon now, and the sun is shining, let's go to the beach. The way there leads us over a beautiful field path, and we have the first encounter with a huge long black snake. That was a shock on both sides.When we arrive, we find ourselves in a holiday resort that was built to accommodate tourists who want to get into windsurfing and kiting. Not really our thing. But still very nice here with small cafes, a really beautiful beach, and ice cream parlors.The day is somehow almost over, and we play a few rounds of Rummikub to end the day. Mathennsi is getting better, and Ani has to practice losing.
Friday 10.03.
Duomo di San GiorgioWhat a night. We are actually very well protected here with our hosts, CasaCaughta if someone is looking for a great B&B, and yet there was such a storm that the motorhome was shaking. The hostess serves us a delicious coffee in the morning, and we take care of our blog so you can hear from us again. In doing so, we decide to stay here today and look for a café with wifi. So, the text is prewritten and then we march to the marina. And here we are now at the next café :-) and upload everything. We thank you very much for reading and say see you soon
