Tuesday, October 20, 2009

I've been away...


... in case you hadn't noticed! Happy to be back... with apologies to all my lovely blogisphere friends for my lengthy disappearance! A lot has been happening; I won't subject you to the full saga but I have to tell you about my lovely trip to Sicily. Davvero bellissima!

My first real holiday in two-and-a-half years (no violin required); well worth waiting for and, perhaps, all the better after such a long time without a break that lasted more than a mere couple of days.

In late September, I flew into capital Palermo; it all started in friendly-style when the curly-headed, bronzed policeman at Passport Control welcomed me, asking where I was staying and for how long, the purpose of my visit and... "do you have a boyfriend?" (in italiano). It made me smile, especially as I didn't feel at my most beautiful-best after a scant one-and-a-half hours sleep, prior to a ridiculously early flight.

The beautiful drive to the hotel broadened my smile and kept me wide-awake as I took-in and admired the gorgeous panoramic scenery: verdant hills, a backdrop of mountains, views down to a calm azure sea, pretty pale-ochre villages and dramatic hill-top ruins.

The photo above shows one of the most dramatic and unmissable sights: the mediaevel, stone-built elevated town of Erice.

I'll be back to regale you with some more, very soon... promise!

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