It took me a good part of the day to hop from Paris to Lyon, then Lyon to Rome ,
and finally from Rome to Palermo , but at last here I am. All the
flights were in small planes with Air France and Alitalia (Really? There are no
big planes between Paris and Rome ?), and short enough that neither airline
had a chance to impress them with their service. But besides the multiple
opportunities for something going amiss both me and my luggage arrived on the
same place and at the same time.
Gustav was already waiting for me at the airport, and just
across the street was the Alfa Romeo he had rented (oh boy, a fast Italian car
in the hands of my very impatient friend). This island is of course much larger
than I had thought, so we had a trip of a good 250 km ahead of us, into Catania . As we started on
our way I couldn’t help but notice that the towering cliffs around the city
were made out of limestone, and not volcanic rock as I had imagined. What is
Etna volcano doing on top of a limestone island?
The drive through Palermo
was pleasant enough. It is a big city that in many respect reminds me of the
cities of northern Mexico .
We just went through it, catching up with the news of family and friends, and
in no time whatsoever were out in the countryside, which is hot and dry. Most of
the mountains are covered by sparse golden grasses, but the valleys have enough
moisture in them to support ripening fields of wheat (that delicious Italian
pasta has to come from somewhere) and small orchards of olive trees.
As we approached the pass between the west (Palermo )
and east (Catania )
sides of the island we started looking for Etna. Where was it? We puzzled this
question over a celebratory beer half in a small mountain village near the
pass. Once we crossed to the east side of the island, green started dominating
over yellow, and orange orchards became more abundant. It was hot and hazy and
so it was not until we were just 40 km from Catania
that we were able to see the dark mass of Mount Etna
in the distance, like a vague monster looming over the city.
Gustav pointed to a tiny yellow speck high on the shoulders
of Etna and said “That is where we are going.” What a crazy idea! So we
bypassed the city and started climbing through narrow streets chocked with
traffic, which were like a red cloth in front of an enraged bull to my
impatient friend. He had choice words for all the slowpokes that insisted
getting on our way until, with a satisfied growl he saw empty road ahead, and
started road testing his Alfa Romeo in a winding mountain road, with me
petrified at his side.
Eventually we made it to the lonely hotel high in the
mountain, where the air was fresh and the view spectacular. I have to give it
to Gustav: This time he chose a fantastic location! But first we had to do
something about our parched throats, so we went to the bar where a few minutes
later were joined by the other members of our party: my beloved Christine, and
our long time friends Andrea and Frank. It was a happy reunion and the setting
was spectacular. I went to the lower terrace, searching for a better view, when
the father of a family that was approaching said in Italian: “Ah, but I know
this gentleman!” Oh dear, who was he? Medium build, probably in his late 50’s,
white spiky hair. “Sorry, but I don’t remember”, I said with some
embarrassment. “I even have the same haircut I had then”. What? Did I know any
Italian punks? “I am Boris”, and with that name came a flood of memories from
1987, when I was in Germany ,
and had met Boris as an undergraduate. Boy, what a surprise! (It was a
carefully crafted surprised planned by Gustav, who when I suggested Sicily as a meeting
point, had remembered that Boris lived here).
So, Boris was one of those young Geology students who seemed
to know the details of every eruption that had happened in the last 100 years,
and his driving ambition was to become a volcanologist. Common story, isn’t it?
I would have recommended to him to forget about it, because nobody hires
volcanologists, but he persisted and moved to Sicily after his undergraduate, volunteered
at the Etna Volcano Observatory, eventually got his PhD at the University of
Catania, and is know gainfully employed as a volcanologist in the Institute of
Volcanology and Geophysics of Sicily. Talk about grit and determination!
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