Sicily 2023

 And back, day hike with Gina, Karen, John the Australians and Salvatore the Italian. There are a surprising amount of Italians doing the trail.  Down the hill from Cammarata. Cracking fresh almonds on the trail. It was super fun hiking with these folks. We talked about family traditions, how Halloween snuck into Australian culture, how birthdays are bigger than any holiday and the comparison between venomous snakes in Australia and California.   The stream of course is our low point which John astutely points out, it’s all up from there.  The train bars came down and we waved our hiking sticks as the train gave us some creative horn licks in return as it sped by.  Little things like that seem so fun on the trail.   It was then a long 90 minute slog up to Aquaviva, where I will be dropped tomorrow via taxi to continue the hike that my friends have completed today. Cute town, friendly bar dude.  He showed us his restaurant next door which was decorated with US states license plates. Coo

 And back to Camaratta. Just a couple loose ends: So I was a bit out of my comfort level staying in Nicholetta’s house in Pizzi, but what I didn’t mention is that when I got back from dinner, there was another guy in the room I was in.  I was pretty shocked, having not been told that. (But I guess that’s what a boarding house is, huh?) It all worked out of course. I was really perplexed how my lens cap broke off the string holding it to my camera on the way to Prizzi, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. I spent 15 minutes looking for it.  I was so bummed.  Then when I pulled my hydration bladder out of my pack yesterday, it fell on the floor. I was supper happy. Today: Down, down, down I went into the Sicilian countryside, knowing I would have to go up again, but I would have three others to talk to on the way back. Another little morsel of wisdom I was formulating as I walked.  Our assumptions block our ability to actually perceive things the way they really are. My first assumption was

 By car-  I did walk 4 Km up the trail to Castronova and back to Prizzi, just to see what some of the trail may have been like. I had coffee with Karen and the rest of the Australian group. ( sorry I didn’t get everyone’s name). I saw them on the way back.  The first valley head toward Castronova.  I was kind of sad I wasn’t doing the whole hike but the choice to be in Camaratta was right for me. People are super friendly and they have a lot to tell you about the Camino.  On the way back I met a whole herd of sheep and their hearder. Nicholetta took me to Camaratta, a 30 Km trip for €50. Well worth it. Another guest of hers went along for the ride. Turns out all three of us were teachers.  I have the image of cities being flat.  They are not that way here in Sicily. They are on steep hillsides.  I went for an afternoon walk but it was 50 minutes of steep uphill streets to get out of town, So I almost wanted to quit I was so spent after the last two days of long hikes. But I got a ride