A Trip to the Past & Making New Memories...

Here is the next installment of photos to follow the words...
As part of our trip we had the chance to visit the towns were my grandparents were born: Granmichele & Palagonia - things have changed a little in 100+ years but it was still nice to see...
(I will show you the photos from Granmichele).
Then we made new memories visiting the majestic Mt. Etna and having lunch at a wonderful winery...Murgo!
Here are some of our photos:

So we loaded into our Smart Car...

...and headed to Granmichele!

Granmichele in the distance...

...go slow & no horn honking!

Town center...

...w/Magnificent Church

& Grand Sculpture!

Inside the church...

...fresco'd ceiling...

& turn-of-century art!

Many things were closed because it was the beginning of the summer season (so they all fled to the sea) but it was still wonderful to see! We did find a cemetery hoping to locate some distant relatives...

Cemetery from 1877...



Many Vaccaro's & Umana's
but nothing fitting our
timeline...

Making new memories...off to Mt. Etna then to Murgo Winery for lunch...


Off to Mt. Etna - it's clearest in the morning...

 

First a funicular 1/2 way up...

...then a RV-Jeep-Bus to the top!

 

We are all so small in comparison...

Tom & I on the rim of a crater!

The sheer size...

...Still Active...

...& much Fun!

After a morning in the heights it was a 'moral imperitive' that we go to a local winery for lunch...

The wonderful Murgo Winery of Sicily!

 

Tom & the white...

...the Great Rose'...

...where it all begins!

The estate & courtyard...



...& the cellar...

The vineyard to the east...



...& the vineyard to the west...

A great day, a wonderful lunch - back to the hotel for a rest and then dinner in Taormina!

Next installment will be our trip to visit - Il Padrino (The Godfather) house & some Misc... fun!

We love and miss everybody!

Ciao for now...

Abbracci a tutti!

Ron & Tom