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tkmorris

(11,138 posts)

15. Yes I did get up to Taormina

Reply to CTyankee (Reply #7)

Tue Aug 4, 2015, 10:38 AM

Aug 2015

The Greek Amphitheater there is one of the most memorable things I saw in all of Sicily. My wife and I want to go back there very much because we both have been to Italy, but separately, before we met each other. We want to see it together, and do it properly (broke USN Petty Officers are somewhat limited in their ability to see the sights).

Some mates and I tried driving up to near the top of Etna shortly after we arrived on Sicily. Our rental car had a manual transmission of course, which no one could drive but I, so I was drafted to pilot it. For some reason Sicilians think nothing of putting stoplights right in the middle of severe inclines, which left me trying to get an unfamiliar rental car to engage gears without stalling from a dead stop on 15-20 degree sloped cobblestone streets instead of rolling backwards into the impatient Italian locals 6 inches from my rear bumper. I left a lot of tire rubber in those towns.

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Do we still have a military presence in Sicily? [View all] CTyankee Aug 2015 OP

So that we can project air power into North Africa? Freddie Stubbs Aug 2015 #1

Do we have a treaty with the government of Italy? CTyankee Aug 2015 #2

We have bilateral agreements through NATO which allow the bases Freddie Stubbs Aug 2015 #6

Ah, I shudda known it would be a NATO agreement. Just wasn't sure... CTyankee Aug 2015 #9

... pinboy3niner Aug 2015 #10

Actually, it was the final scene where Michael's daughter is shot on the steps of the CTyankee Aug 2015 #11

My Family Is Nearer Siracusa ProfessorGAC Aug 2015 #16

there is also a Caravaggio painting, The Burial of St. Lucy, there... CTyankee Aug 2015 #19

There are seven US military bases in Italy - they date back to the 1950s. nt hack89 Aug 2015 #12

It's initial purpose was to support ASW in the eastern Mediterranean. hack89 Aug 2015 #13

But we did invade Sicily in WW2. Or rather the Allies did. Fascinating... CTyankee Aug 2015 #20

North Africa (nt) Recursion Aug 2015 #3

Yes, They are there. mymomwasright Aug 2015 #4

As far as I know NAS Sigonella is still there tkmorris Aug 2015 #5

I didn't see it actually altho I was in Catania (not the nicest place in Sicily...) CTyankee Aug 2015 #7

Yes I did get up to Taormina tkmorris Aug 2015 #15

The steepest inclines I ever saw were in Anghiari, Tuscany. It is one of the hill towns CTyankee Aug 2015 #17

Yeah, Sig is still there. Adrahil Aug 2015 #8

We need to protect the invaluable resources of rectangular pizza with a doughy crust. Tommy_Carcetti Aug 2015 #14

Sicilian pizza was fabulous. I also liked their own "dish" Pasta Norma, made with CTyankee Aug 2015 #18

What part if Sicily are you going to? Javaman Aug 2015 #21

we fly into Palermo and out of Catania... CTyankee Aug 2015 #22

Siricusa is wonderful. I spent a week there. Javaman Aug 2015 #23

It's not til the spring. prolly April... CTyankee Aug 2015 #24

I had gone there in Mid March in 2010... Javaman Aug 2015 #25

we are waiting to go in April because in March we can get late a snowstorm that CTyankee Aug 2015 #26

the dreaded late season snow... Javaman Aug 2015 #27

don't worry we will. my travel buddy is a foodie and a wine lover like me...we've CTyankee Aug 2015 #28

You'll have a blast. :) Javaman Aug 2015 #29