| Sicily - the name alone conjures up
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| | second day on the boat. On the third day
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| images of an exotic island, a mysterious
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| | we set sail for the island of Stromboli,
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| and fascinating past. I have wanted to
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| | which is still an active volcano. The
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| explore Italy for some time now since I
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| | town of Stromboli features such narrow
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| had not been there for a long, long time,
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| | streets that they are impassable to
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| and when I was pondering which region of
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| | regular vehicles. No wonder the local
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| Italy to explore Sicily came to mind. I
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| | "carabinieri" (Italian police officers)
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| figured this island would offer a
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| | have to ride in golf carts. After a
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| combination of fascinating history, rich
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| | somewhat turbulent late-night voyage from
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| culture, scenic beauty, and an
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| | Stromboli to Panarea we arrived late and
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| opportunity for a wide variety of
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| | anchored in a bay off the island. On a
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| activities. One activity I definitely
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| | gorgeous morning the next day we first
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| wanted to pursue was to combine my
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| | had another language lesson - where else
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| journey with language studies: my earlier
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| | but on the outdoor patio of a bar in
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| language study trips to Havana and
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| | Panarea, surrounded by gorgeous sunshine
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| Cuernavaca, Mexico, not only got me
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| | and beautiful flowers. Panarea is an
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| closer to the Spanish language, but these
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| | extremely photogenic destination and
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| on-site language learning experiences
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| | offered great opportunities for hobby
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| really allowed me to explore the culture
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| | photographers like me. Our voyage
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| from within. So this time I was going to
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| | continued to Lipari again where we would
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| focus on learning Italian, and I was able
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| | end an eventful day with a scrumptious
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| to locate two language schools in Sicily
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| | outdoor feast on the main square. The
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| that would both provide a totally
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| | next day three of us went on a driving
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| different experience and a different way
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| | tour of this beautiful island and from
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| of exploring the island. Armed with no
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| | the south end we already saw our next
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| prior knowledge other than having read
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| | destination: the island of Vulcano, which
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| through an Italian grammar book, I was
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| | also features an active volcano. We
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| going to see how much of this beautiful
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| | anchored in a bay off this island,
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| language I would pick up in my three
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| | enjoyed some Italian lessons on the boat
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| weeks in Sicily. My first eight days were
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| | and after a delicious on-board dinner,
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| spent in Taormina, a gorgeous
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| | our shipmates Franco, a gifted guitar
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| mountain-top town on the eastern side of
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| | player, and Agnieszka, a talented singer,
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| Sicily, whose main distinguishing feature
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| | entertained us with soulful melodies by
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| is an ancient Greco-Roman Theatre that is
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| | candlelight on the back of the boat -
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| still in use today. The town itself has
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| | magical moments that I will not forget
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| to be among the most picturesque
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| | for a long time. Then our final day on
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| destinations anywhere, with its beautiful
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| | the boat arrived: we hiked up to the
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| buildings, narrow streets and passageways
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| | "Gran Cratere", the active crater of
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| and stunning views of Mount Etna and the
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| | Vulcano. Yellow rocks and thick clouds of
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| Mediterranean. Shortly after my arrival I
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| | sulphur announced that the forces of
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| got to meet the people at the Babilonia
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| | geology were indeed active right
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| Language School where I would be learning
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| | underneath our feet. And the view from
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| Italian for a week and exploring the
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| | the top over the six other Eolian Islands
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| culture of Sicily. My accommodation was
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| | was breathtaking. After another Italian
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| in a lovely 13-room privately owned hotel
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| | lesson on an outdoor patio overlooking
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| that has been operated by the Sciglio
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| | the Mediterranean we had to say goodbye
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| family for more than 50 years. Mr. and
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| | to the Eolian Islands and start to head
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| Mrs. Sciglio are in their mid-eighties
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| | back to Milazzo. Just as I thought our 7
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| and continue to work extremely hard,
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| | day sailing trip would come to an
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| without even a thought of retirement, and
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| | anticlimactic end, one of my shipmates
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| their son Salvatore works with them. In
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| | announced "DOLPHINS!!!", and indeed four
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| an interview I learned more about the
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| | of these playful sea creatures were
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| hotel's history and the family's
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| | accompanying our sailboat, jumping in and
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| involvement in this business. On the
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| | out of the water, and having fun with us.
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| second day I joined my first guided
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| | The excitement continued when we ended up
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| excursion with the Babilonia language
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| | catching three tunas on a fishing line we
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| school: a guided hike to the ancient
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| | had been dragging behind our boat. The
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| village of Castelmola which was followed
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| | following decapitation and evisceration
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| by a tasting of Sicilian delicacies in a
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| | scene though was a bit hard on my tender
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| local bistro. My first weekend in Sicily
| |
| | vegetarian soul... So we had reached
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| promised to be great: an excursion to the
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| | land, and to celebrate the conclusion of
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| ancient town of Siracusa and an
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| | a wonderful sailing trip and one of my
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| exploration of the gorgeous coastline
| |
| | shipmates' birthdays we enjoyed another
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| just east of Taormina, including the town
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| | big Sicilian feast in Capo di Milazzo.
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| of Mazzaro and Isola Bella. The following
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| | The next day, we had a chance to relax a
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| Monday was my first day of language
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| | bit in our five-bedroom apartment
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| studies: first we went through the
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| | conveniently located above the
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| placement test, and then we had our first
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| | Laboratorio Linguistico Language School
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| lesson which included some unique yet
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| | and do simple things like laundry and sit
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| effective teaching methods. The next day
| |
| | on the balcony. Franco, our language
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| was May 1, Italian Labour Day and a
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| | teacher took us on a guided walk of
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| national holiday: a perfect opportunity
| |
| | Milazzo which features a huge
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| to rent a car and drive into the
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| | fortification that dates back more than
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| countryside surrounding Mount Etna,
| |
| | 1000 years. After saying goodbye to my
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| Europe's largest volcano, which by the
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| | roommate Claudia I spent my final Sunday
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| way, had erupted the night before. The
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| | in Sicily in the picturesque medieval
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| next day it was back to school, and
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| | town of Cefalu, about a two-hour train
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| Alessandro, the director of the Babilonia
| |
| | ride from Milazzo. That city's medieval
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| language school, gave me a personal
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| | core and huge Norman cathedral together
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| history lesson about Sicily and also
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| | with the ruins of an ancient castle on
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| explained the origins of that famous
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| | top of the rock that towers over the town
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| Sicilian institution, the Mafia, to me in
| |
| | left me with many vibrant treasured
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| detail. That evening I joined in a
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| | memories. Now I only had two full days
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| cooking class in a private home offered
| |
| | left in Sicily. Following a tour of the
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| by the language school. I was going to
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| | Milazzo headquarters of Laboratorio
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| see first-hand how a real multi-course
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| | Linguistico I went on a country excursion
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| Italian meal was prepared, using
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| | into the surrounding Nebrodi Mountains
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| authentic, locally grown ingredients. And
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| | with my two Italian teachers Francesco
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| of course, I would have a chance to taste
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| | and Franco. We visited the Rocks of
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| the finished delicacies afterwards and
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| | Agrimusco, a cluster of
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| partake of a nice meal with other
| |
| | mysterious-looking rocks on a high
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| language students and the local Ferrari
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| | plateau with a gorgeous view of Mount
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| family. My language studies the next day
| |
| | Etna. Then we headed into the hilltop
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| were followed by a visit to a local
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| | town of Montalbano Elicona, an authentic
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| pottery painting artist, as Babilonia
| |
| | small Sicilian town, completely untouched
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| also offers pottery decoration courses,
| |
| | by tourism. I finally had a chance to
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| in addition to hiking, biking, golfing
| |
| | snap some pictures of the locals who love
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| and diving programs. Perched on the
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| | to congregate next to the church and
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| rooftop patio of a Taormina hotel, with a
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| | discuss important issues of the day. My
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| perfect view of an ancient palazzo right
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| | final day in Sicily had arrived - I had
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| next to Mount Etna, I learned about
| |
| | to say goodbye to the great team at
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| Sicilian pottery painting techniques. In
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| | Laboratorio Linguistico and board the bus
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| the late afternoon I joined another
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| | towards Messina and from there to Catania
|
| excursion to hike up the southern flanks
| |
| | from where I would catch a plane in the
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| of Mount Etna. A visit to a winery and a
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| | early morning the next day. After my
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| nice dinner followed. Then I had reached
| |
| | arrival in the late afternoon I had a
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| my last day in beautiful Taormina and
| |
| | chance to briefly explore this city, the
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| after my final language lessons it was
| |
| | second-largest city in Sicily, and get
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| time to say goodbye to the folks at
| |
| | ready for my flight home. On this trip I
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| Babilonia, and to my co-students, whom I
| |
| | found out that Sicily is gorgeous, and a
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| had gotten quite fond of. With the
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| | visit in the late spring around April /
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| exception of the occasionally grey and
| |
| | May is perfect since everything is in
|
| drizzly weather, my experience in
| |
| | full bloom and the hoards of tourists do
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| Taormina had been great: the language
| |
| | not really arrive until June, July and
|
| learning, the interesting excursions and
| |
| | August. Sicily has remained amazingly
|
| activities and the interaction with my
| |
| | authentic and is fortunately free of many
|
| international co-students had been a
| |
| | of the signs of mass tourism that mar
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| really great experience. I was a bit sad
| |
| | other Mediterranean coastlines. Taormina
|
| to leave Taormina where I had gotten so
| |
| | and the Eolian Islands are all stunning
|
| comfortable. But a new adventure was
| |
| | destinations, but the Sicilian hinterland
|
| about to begin: I took the train to
| |
| | in itself holds many hidden treasures.
|
| Milazzo on the northeastern side of
| |
| | The history, architecture, culture and
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| Sicily, where the next day I would embark
| |
| | scenic beauty are astounding. And seafood
|
| on a seven-day sailing trip through the
| |
| | lovers will definitely fall in love with
|
| beautiful Eolian Islands, offered by
| |
| | this destination. I myself really enjoyed
|
| Laboratorio Linguistico, a Milazzo-based
| |
| | the language learning experience at
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| Italian language school. After meeting
| |
| | Babilonia and Laboratorio Linguistico -
|
| some of my six shipmates, who were really
| |
| | as a matter of fact, my three weeks in
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| cool by the way, we were off on our
| |
| | Italy took me all the way up to
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| sailboat, the 4 cabin "Solitaire II", to
| |
| | Intermediate level and when I came back I
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| our first destination: the island of
| |
| | was quite capable of communicating fairly
|
| Lipari, the largest of the Eolian
| |
| | competently in this new language. The
|
| Islands, and an extremely scenic place.
| |
| | people were great: the staff at both
|
| Our expert skipper Francesco, a licensed
| |
| | language schools was very helpful and
|
| captain, also happened to be the co-owner
| |
| | knowledgeable, and the interaction with
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| of the language school, and one of our
| |
| | my co-students from all different
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| two resident language teachers on this
| |
| | countries was a real treat. Our crew on
|
| sailing trip. After Lipari we continued
| |
| | the sailboat in particular came together
|
| our sailing trip to Salina, a
| |
| | really nicely and some close personal
|
| neighbouring island, where three of us
| |
| | bonds had developed after this
|
| went on a driving tour to see local
| |
| | experience. Without a doubt, language
|
| villages and also the house where "Il
| |
| | study travel is one of the best forms of
|
| Postino" was filmed. An Italian lesson on
| |
| | travel in my opinion, giving you the
|
| the backyard patio of a bar was our first
| |
| | chance to learn, to expand your mind, and
|
| introduction to Laboratorio Lingustico's
| |
| | to really discover the local culture. And
|
| language teaching program. Of course
| |
| | without a doubt I'll be back in Sicily -
|
| Francesco and Franco, our second teacher
| |
| | this fascinating island has so much more
|
| and co-owner of the school, conducted all
| |
| | to explore. This entire article including
|
| conversations during the entire sailing
| |
| | photos is located at
|
| trip in Italian only, which allowed us to
| |
| | Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a web
|
| be fully immersed in the language all the
| |
| | portal for unconventional travel &
|
| time. After we had nourished our brains,
| |
| | cross-cultural connections. Check out our
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| a Sicilian seafood feast capped off our
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