14-15 April 2017
One more shot of Taormina, Sicily, of our breakfast before departing. Where Tim looks, and just around the bend, 50 Km (31 miles) drive, is where we will cross the Strait of Messina over to the Italian mainland.
At Messina, Sicily, waiting for the ferry, looking at the fishing fleet.
And now driving aboard, and riding the ferry boat across. A smooth sailing day, but no Orcas, as we saw sailing from Vancouver to Victoria last November.
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And then 125 Km later we arrived in Tropea - with the ferry proceedings, a long travel day today. It seemed we went through 100 tunnels along the coast and even a bit inland.
Santuario di Santa Maria dell'Isola - sitting on a hilltop/clifftop/island - below the bluffs of the town. Centuries of silt and sand have connected it with the mainland however. The engraving below, hanging on a wall inside the church, shows the church as "7".
Tropea is known for its version of the red onion. We enjoyed red onion pasta for our meal the first evening - it was delicious.
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We spent two nights in Tropea, with our later arrival, and also enjoyed the modern little boutique hotel. Then drove 316 Km (180 miles) to Matera, Italy, stopping along the way at Tavole Palatine, Roman temple ruins. Per Wikipedia, "The Tavole Palatine ("Palatine Tables") are the remains of a hexastyle peripteral Greek temple of the sixth century BC, dedicated to the goddess Hera. The temple, located near the Bradano river in the south of Italy, was part of a countryside sanctuary and remains of the wall of the temenos and of a very ancient altar are visible."
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