Etna - the active strato volcano

So, my next stop was Etna - one of the most active volcanos world wide.
I got this map and draw my way.

 My starting point.

 I walked through the ash.

And walked.

 Long way and very sunny.

 So high.

 Other people also wanted to climb to the volcano.

But I was ahead.

 I saw where the lava came out...

 Astonishing...

 I had to climb more.

 And more

 And more, it looked like another planet.

I never saw something like this before.

 Amazing, I asked ppl to lift me bit higher.

 Etna is huge.

 I liked it a lot.

I hoped that no lava will come out.

 I wont get to the very end, because I did not wore a jacket.

 But I was really really happy, for being there and had an amazing view.

Isola Bella - The Pearl of the Ionian Sea

Well, I had to take back the funivia mazzaro-taormina (cable way).

 You just buy a ticket and get on the cable car.

 I chose Number 4. Unfortunately all windows were very dirty. Really really dirty.

The view was like this:

 But ok, it lasted only 2 minutes, so it was ok.

I arrived at my aim.

 The isola bella. The pearl of the Ionian sea? Pretty stony pearl

 Unfortunately, it was very cloudy so it did not looked so amazing like a pearl.

 But still nice.

Stony.

 Bathing? Really?

 You go through the sea and reach the isola bella, no need for a boat.

It would look amazing if it was sunny. I crossed the sea with my monkey feet.

 This is the view from isola bella. And this is the sign.

Nice.

How to get from Catania to Taormina?

Once, I got up, I decided to leave unsecure Catania and travel 45 km to beautiful Taormina. But how to get to Taormina? Safest and fastest in Sicily? By a car... but you must remember it is not safe and not fast. You would get me if you have driven in Sicily...

My monkey driving license has expired, not that it would bother anyone in Sicily. They all drive without one...However, I got a driver

 The streets are really tiny. Perfect for monkey cars.

 And Vespa...I had to hold my ass tight, so scary was driving there...

I liked the car in front. After about an hour on the road through the beautiful and dangerous villages of Sicily, I got to Taormina.

 Nice. And sunny. And safe touristic.

 I had to climb a lot...To get the best view over the beautiful Taormina.

 I took the stairs-streets and headed up to the highst point of the city.

Higher and higher.

Was sweating like a pig.

 Climbed on this tree to get some rest in the shadow.

 Then walked higher and higher.

 Amazing view...So blue and peaceful.

More stairs in front of me than behind of me...And it was already so high...

 The place where I wanted to get, after more than an hour walking under the burning sun and on streets of stairs was locked.

 I thought about breaking in. But I am not a Sicilian mafia monkey.

I live in Germany (which is by the way not an excuse). So I reached only my hand out to the other side.

 But I am also not a giving-up mokey. So I sneacked inside to get the view I wanted. Very fast and then came out of the hole in the wall. A small Sicilian monkey lives there. It bited me.

 So I had to take back the streets of stairs.

 I felt so tiny.

And I loved the view.

I could stay there for hours.

 One of the most amazing things is that the Sicilians have their houses right on the hills and drive till them...Drive...

On my way I saw something. And I wanted to jump down.

It was really dangerous.

 But I really wanted to get there.

 It was so difficult.

 And painful.

You see, there...in the garden...A tiny coffee party for Sicilian monkeys.

I was not invited and I did not have a gun. So, I went my way back to Taormina.