Come away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o
Square January #24th
Sicily 2013, I’d like to go back, I’d like to go anywhere!
I’m joining Becky for her January Square Up challenge. it’s Day 24 already but even I should manage to post a couple more times.
The Moss is Uppermost – The life of B (beckybofwinchester.com)
As promised last night, my dilemma is solved, using the same image in two different ways. Paula is asking for traces of the past in nature, well despite a volcano erupting, there are traces of the past in the little cottage as well as the silver birch trees that are struggling to hold on.
Paula has rather more dramatic volcanic traces to share with us, and you can join in here.
Becky’s June square challenge continues, in Lisbon.I had a bit of a dilemma with my photo because it fits Paula’s challenge too. You’ll see what I decided to do tomorrow.
I took the photo somewhere in the region of Monti Sartorius, Sant’Alfio in the Mount Etna National Park. Etna erupted several times between 2011-2012, this was June 2013 and there was plenty of evidence of damage. No one has ever died as a result of an eruption.
Is the theme for Paula’s Thursday special, here’s my offering, early evening in Fiumefreddo, Sicily.
Ahh but Paula has blue and gold!
We each have our own perception of danger don’t we? I have no fear of heights, but having been bitten by a spider I find them dangerous. I’ve been in a huge bat cave in Borneo, but because it was a climb up inside, saw no danger.
Now, put me in a dark hole in the ground, that’s my idea of danger. Being enclosed like that is scary, really grim. But I did it anyway, some fears are meant to be conquered aren’t they?
But I won’t be going down a lava tube again!
This old farm building in Fiumefreddo, Sicily was surrounded by orange groves. I stayed there, not in the barn, but in an agriturisme hotel on the same site, a few years ago.
I wonder if the building has been renovated or has tumbled down.
Traces of the past is Paula’s Black and White Sunday post here, if you’d like to join in.
Parco Dell’Etna in the north east of Sicily is a dynamic landscape. When I visited in 2013, there were nineteen eruptions, hence climbing up to the crater was prohibited. Etna, Europe’s highest volcano is 3323 metres high and also the most active. We spent a day driving around the national park, but soon realised that the best way to see it was with a guide, so we shared a 4 wheel drive with two other travellers.
We set off from Monte Sartorius, on a 5 kilometre trail to 2000 metres. A bright sunny day but getting cooler the higher we went.
Some of the lava has very sharp edges, some gives way under your feet, concentration is necessary!
This path felt rather precarious, narrow, no grip and a steep drop.
Looking back down towards the valley
This was a two to three hour walk, steep in some places but not particularly challenging. It was a bit of a knee killer though and I could feel that I’d done something the next day, the reward outweighed the pain though!
Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and last year, just after my visit, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As recently as last month it was putting on a pyrotechnic display, closing the nearby airport at Catania. All was calm when I was there. Travelling friend and I stayed in an hotel with a distant view – if you craned your neck a little on the balcony, and ignored the buildings in the way.
We went up twice, first of all independently and we couldn’t resist a guided tour a couple of days later.
Here are some photos taken at about 2000 metres, cool and grey with mile after mile of lava from various past eruptions.
Towards the sea.
I enjoyed looking back on my time on Etna, I’ll post some photos of the guided tour soon!
Josh at the Daily Post asks that we show a picture of ‘Inside’ for this weeks challenge. I’m a bit technologically challenged today because my PC is dying and my new laptop isn’t set up yet – wish me luck with that please!
I’ve found something to post though!
Inside a Cappadochian cave.
The rope I held to scramble into a cave formed by volcanic eruptions on Mount Etna, Sicily.
Our guide deep inside the cave.
Inside Gomantong caves Borneo.
To join in visit http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/weekly-photo-challenge-inside-2/
Mount Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe and it’s been very active in the last year. When I visited in June 2013, it wasn’t possible to climb it because of the eruptions in April. I could still tour the area and the best views of Etna are possible from the 1800 metres Monti Sartorius,which I did climb.
Travelling around Etna you will see lava flow, both recent and ancient. Where there has been a flow, vegetation takes times to recover, but gradually signs of life appear through the ash.
Where there are full grown trees, they have grown through lava from way back. Christmas tree sized and the lava is not so old, and in places where there is only low growing plant life, soapworts for example, the lava is from very recent eruptions. So, the flora is beginning to re-establish itself.
Click on my photo for a closer view.
This post is for Cheri Lucas Rowlands WPC at http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/photo-challenge-beginning/
