All along the Mediterranean Cruise - Catania

Not a good day at all, with Etna invisible in the thick cloud which, for much of the morning, covered the island.

We went on a coach tour northwards to Acireyal. There was a student demo here, which caused traffic chaos.

San Sebastiano	Inside San Sebastiano	Main Square
Cathedral	Inside the Cathedral	Town Hall

Next to Aci Trezza, which had strange lava pinnacles in the sea, allegedly thrown by Polyphemus.

& Acicastello, Aci being Acis of Acis & Galatea but pronounced Archie here.

The castle from Aci-whatever

The castle from Acicastello

Acicastello harbour

These towns were quite interesting & the tour better than I expected but I had not had high expectations. I gave a brief Vincenzo Bellini lecture on our coach. This was about the music & which was well capped by the native guide, talking about his life. We were back for a light lunch, after which we went into the town, on foot from a shuttle to the gate. Our walk was variously successful & the other thing. We were looking for traces of Bellini, who was born in the town & seen through music school by public subscription. I found, with some difficulty, the Bellini Opera House, a building of considerable ugliness.

The statue in the Piazza Stesicoro, is opposite the Roman Amphitheatre & surrounded by characters from the operas but the museum, despite the map from the Tourist Office, proved elusive & there was a funeral in the Duomo, so we could not get to the tomb.

I have picked up a stinking cold, which has been going round the ship. The Show Team did their stuff on a James Bond theme in the Neptune very excellently.