cl4- - Wednesday, November 18, 1981 - North Shore News

Most North ~American visitors to Italy stay in the northern part of the country, with Sorrento the southern limit. If they get to Sicily at all, it is often. a four-hour

_port of call on a cruise ship.

Pity! One of the nicest resorts in the world is just a few hours from Palermo, on the east coast of the island. Taormina is halfway bet- ween Messina and Catania and the train service is excellent - workers decide to take the day off and call ita strike.

We arrived in Taormina late in the afternoon by train from ‘Naples. By asking the right questions, we found the fastest train and one that went straight through from Napoli to Taormina. Con-

uniess the

‘fike warm milk and a wild gorge hundreds of feet

sidering that Sicily is an

island, that’s no small feat! The crossing of the Strait of Messina is accomplished by driving the train aboard a big ferry, chugging out on the other end as if nothing had happened.

Our arrival was quite un- eventful aside from the fact that I didn’t see much besides the plumbing for the next two days. Avoid, repeat AVOID § food served from carts in train stations -

especially in southern Europe. When “Caligula’s

Revenge” finally cleared up, a worried-looking Brian and one tottering wife started climbing the hills to explore. The city is built in two parts - seacoast and mountain. Since the beaches are no roaring hell, staying “up top” is best. All the good restaurants and shops are on the mountain as well as many excellent hotels, historic buildings and fabulous gardens. It’s the place to be if you want the

best view of Mount Etna.

puffing and spluttering.

Don’t miss a visit to the Greek theatre. This open-air coloseum is a relic of the ancient Greek marauders and, although it’s mostly a pile of rubble, concerts are held there nearly every night during the summer.

by stern priests in im- maculate cassocks winds

Imagine a starry night, air mountain, over a nice rocky

below, it stopped. Dead

through the main street. All -

‘Special...

Sheila Pirani is the new owner-manager of the Professional Weight Control. Clinic, She. is

by Barbara McCreadie

group of dancers doing the traditional Sicilian stomp. One caution - small cushions can be rented at the gate. Since you sit on ancient rock seats, you'll need the padding. - During the day, you can roam freely through the theatre - no admission, no supervision. The view of the volcano, the mountain and the ocean below makes even an Instamatic work better. There are two ways to get to the high part of Taormina. The road is quite acceptable, although the cab fares aren't cheap. If you’ve got a strong stomach, try the tiny cable car that swings up from the beach! For a few lira, you can experience the thrill of a lifetime. It took me a good hour to talk Brian into trying

.it and then fate took a hand.

Halfway up the bloody

passport

photos

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silence, a brisk wind rocking the rusty old car and two thoroughly terrified Canadians. It finally croaked back to life and we clung together for the rest of the trip. We raced back to our hotel for a couple of medicinal nerve remedies. | Of all the food in Italy, I prefer the Sicilian. They do

- things with cannelone that

are indecently delicious and the spicy sauces (a bit

heavier on the garlic and

pepper) are addictive, Spaghetti done with garlic, olive oil and fresh clams in the shell. — Id better quit

the window. a

Sicily has an air of mystery. It’s a bit like the gypsy culture - a healthy dollop of superstition shadows everything. From the puppet shows to the odd symbol of Sicily - a grinning face surrounded by dis- jointed legs - you'll feel a little icy touch of the mystical.

The church, too, has a firm grip on Taormina. Every few days, a procession of angelic looking children in choir gowns accompanied

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STOP THE RECIPE Remember the recipe for Stuffed Mushrooms we ran last issue? And if you've tried it you've noticed something wrong, right? Well, it's the

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