It’s well known that Mount Etna is Europe’s most active volcano. Despite this fact, it was a bit of a surprise when we walked outside on Christmas Eve to find that she had erupted. There have been quite a few eruptions in the 10 months we have lived in Sicily. However, there have been none of this magnitude!
The Christmas Eve eruption was the first flank eruption in over 10 years from Mount Etna. A new fracture near its south-eastern crater was the source of the spectacle. Besides the eruption, over 130 earthquakes occurred throughout the day. Because of the eruption column carrying rocks and ash, the airport had to shut down and some people (on the mountainside) were told to evacuate.
We live ~22 miles away from Mount Etna, so we were able to see the eruption from afar. We did drive up to Linguaglossa for a wine tasting we had previously scheduled (which is on the north side of the volcano). During our drive, we drove under the eruption column and were met with falling rock, ash, and other debris. It was quite exciting.
Mount Etna appeared to settle down around sunset, but the earthquakes continued.
Something worth noting in the last two photos is the pileus cloud (the circular cloud on the right side of the image). A pileus cloud is often called a “scarf” or “cap” cloud. It appears when there are strong updrafts and are indicators of severe weather. These types of clouds also appear above mushroom clouds from nuclear detonations! Crazy stuff!!
Views from Sigonella
From E45 – Drive to Linguaglossa
Views from Motta Saint Anastasia
Pileus cloud in the late afternoon.
Pileus cloud at sunset.
Views from Catania
It’s our FIRST holiday season in Sicily!! For the holidays this year, Jordan and I joined our friends Rachel and AJ at Murgo Winery on Mount Etna. This was just a couple days before the latest eruptions!
After our lovely lunch and wine tasting, we all went out to explore the grounds and take a couple holiday photos. Thanks so much for AJ for snapping these for us and to Rachel for cheering us on and making us laugh!
Happy Holidays to you and yours!!
Love,
Mandalyn + Jordan
Happy Holidays!
This past weekend, Jordan and I flew up to Berlin to experience the phenomenon that is German Christmas markets! Ever since I found out Christmas markets existed, I have wanted to visit one (in Germany specifically). This year, that dream came true when we traveled to Berlin to get the full market experience.
There are many, many Christmas markets in Berlin (between 80 and 100 to be not exact at all). Since there are so many to choose from, we enlisted the help of friends to decide which to check out. Our friends Pauline and Ben, who live in Berlin, hosted us and took us to two markets: Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt and Weihnachtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg. Bless their hearts because it was Saturday night and the markets were hoppin! My photog friend, Caitlin, also recommended Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt, as well as Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei. They did not disappoint!
I am usually not a fan of crowds, but I have really sucked it up this year to attend some remarkable events (like the Christmas markets and Oktoberfest). Also, I forgot the battery for my camera (ugh, again!), so you can see some of my iPhone images from these two markets over in my “highlights” on my Instagram (and no, you don’t have to have Instagram to view them). All of the photos in this post are from Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei.
Three Berlin Christmas Markets
Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei
Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt
The first market we visited was Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt. It was beautiful and very classic and traditional. All of the markets we visited offered a large range of handmade goods crafted by artisans and Christmas food (ahhhhmazing!!!), but this one offered entertainment as well. We really loved this one, but it was probably the most crowded. There was also a 1€ entrance fee, but don’t let that stop you. We also experienced snow while we were there! See my iPhone photos from this market here.
Weihnachtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg
The second market, Weihnachtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg was literally in the very front of Charlottenburg Palace!! What a picturesque setting!! This market had over 250 vendors (it seemed bigger than Gendarmenmarkt) and beautiful illuminations of the market itself and the palace. Like Gendarmenmarkt, you could purchase many handmade items and traditional Christmas foods and sweets such as: stollen, spritz biscuits, marzipan, gingerbread, mulled wine, and freshly-baked bread. The mulled wine (aka Glühwein) was our favorite of the night. We tried to collect as many Glühwein mugs as we could! See my iPhone photos from this market here.
Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei
Before we headed back to Sicily, we made another stop at Lucia weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei (Lucia Christmas Market). This market was recommended by a photographer friend who lives in Berlin, Caitlin (check out her work here). This Christmas market was much different than the other two, as it is dedicated to the Scandinavian countries. You might be wondering why it’s called “Lucia,” this is because Lucia is the light-bringer of the dark winter in Sweden and other Nordic countries. This market was particularly cool because there are a variety of Scandinavian delicacies available to taste, including over 20 variations of mulled wine (we tried three)! Lucia market is also unique in that it has unique “open-air mantle heating,” places where people can slip into hanging warmed fur coats, and a mobile sauna (without wheels or undressing). You could also buy exotic meats to eat.
Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei
It’s been a little while since our trip to Berlin and my last update. Since then, we haven’t traveled much because I have been sick and it has been a Sicilian summer (aka hot AF). I have been working quite a bit and picked up some volunteer opportunities which have kept me pretty busy! However, we recently got back on the road for a midsummer trip to Ireland! *If you’re looking for a simplified planning itinerary with additional options, click here.
I have to say, I wasn’t as excited about Ireland as some other places we have traveled. As it turns out, Ireland is my most favorite place yet.
Here is our itinerary for our five-day venture, along with lots of photos of course!
Day 1 – Dublin and Cliffs of Moher
On our very first day in Ireland, we awoke in Dublin and decided to spend the first half of the day checking out what it had to offer before we jaunted off to the Cliffs of Moher for sunset. We had already pre-purchased tickets (I highly recommend doing this) to Kilmainham Gaol and The Book of Kells at Trinity College. So, as I kept saying during the trip, our first stop in Ireland was… prison 🙂
Kilmainham Goal is a former prison that held many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. The tour was a bit somber, but enlightening, as we learned about and visited areas where many were imprisoned and executed by the British.
After the tour, we walked around Dublin a bit before our reserved time to see the Book of Kells and the Old Library at Trinity College. The Book of Kells is Ireland’s national treasure – a book created in a monastery c. 800 AD! The book is very ornately illustrated and contains a manuscript of the four Gospels of the New Testament in Latin, along with other passages. Of course, photos of the book are not allowed, but I was able to take a few photographs of the impressive Old Library.
After our visit to the prison and the library, we stopped in at an Irish bar for a pint. After the pint, we did some walking and shopping before heading to the opposite side of the island to the Cliffs!
Unfortunately, by the time we arrived at the Cliffs, there was no visibility. So, we headed to Shannon for our second night.
Day 2 – Cliffs of Moher and Killarney
Since the Cliffs were rained out on the first day, we decided to try again on Day 2. We arrived just in time to get a decent view before the rain came in and clouds covered. It was an amazing to see in person. We also got to pet some super cute cows, so that was a bonus!
The Cliffs of Moher are ~700 feet at their highest point and range for over five miles. Photos don’t do it justice at all – even seeing it in the fog and rain was just so breathtaking. If you look closely at the left side of the photo, you can see tiny little people on top. That can give you an idea of just how overwhelming the cliff faces are.
After the Cliffs, we drove to Killarney and checked into our “hotel,” Cahernane House, which was actually a manor house that was constructed in 1877. It was absolutely gorgeous and definitely one of the most luxurious places I’ve ever stayed. We spent the remainder of the day relaxing around the grounds.
Day 3 – Dingle
After a much needed day of relaxation, we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at our hotel before before heading out to Dingle for the day.
The drive to Dingle was stunning! Our first stop was at Inch Beach.
After Inch Beach, we proceeded to Slea Head Drive, where we drove around the peninsula and stopped in various locations to explore and enjoy the views!
Famine Cottages
This famine cottage museum is dedicated as a memorial of the Great Famine in Ireland (+2 million deaths). They also have a small animal park located there, in which we got to pet a variety of cute animals.
Scenic Views
Slead Head Drive is a MUST SEE while in Ireland.
Dún Chaoin
Ceann Sibéal – Star Wars Film Location for ‘The Last Jedi’
This dry rubble masonry building is ~1,300 years old (and it’s completely waterproof, how?!). It was built by early christians in the area and is definitely worth the 3€ entrance fee!
After exploring the peninsula, we headed back to Dingle for dinner before returning to Killarney for the night.
Day 4 – Killarney
We originally intended to visit Dingle on Day 2 and Killarney on Day 3, but alas, rain. It definitely would have been nice to have more time to explore the Ring of Kerry/Killarney National Park, but it would have taken us much more time than we had available. We started the day off at Ross Castle and then moved on the visit Muckross House (which was coincidentally once owned by the brother of the former owner of the Cahernane House). The grounds surrounding the house were massive, so we explore them a bit before continuing on the drive around the Ring. We stopped at random stop offs before visiting Ladies View, which was absolutely remarkable. Since we needed to drive back to Dublin that night, we had to end our exploration of Killarney there and hit the road.
Ross Castle
Muckross House
Built in 1843, the house is now managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Trustees of Muckross House. The Queen of England once stayed here as a guest and you can see her quarters if you elect the tour. We had the tour (no photographs allowed), and it was very informative. But, the grounds themselves are massive and gorgeous, so you don’t really need the tour to fill your time.
Torc Waterfall
Ladies View
Scenic Stop-Off
About half-way to Dublin, we stopped in Cashel to see the Rock of Cashel and have dinner. According to local folklore, the Rock of Cashel originated in a mountain 20 miles outside of Cashel but landed in Cashel when St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave. It was also the traditional seat of the kings of Munster for several hundred years prior to the Norman Invasion.
After our visit, we had a nice, leisurely dinner and then hopped back in the car to Dublin.
Day 5 – Dublin and home
On the last day, we spent most of our time packing to go before walking around Dublin one last time and heading to the airport to catch our flight. We briefly checked out Dublin Castle.
We honestly wish we had more time to spend exploring Ireland. So, you know what that means… we will be back! 🙂
Germany! One of my favorite places to visit in Europe. It was the destination of my very first international trip and will always hold a special place in my heart. Don’t get me wrong – Lyon and Malta are gems!
I first visited Berlin five or six years ago. I loved it so much, I knew I had to go back and take Jordan. We went over a long weekend and met up with my sweet friend, Pauline, whom I haven’t seen in years!
Here are some of my favorite things I’ve done while visiting Berlin:
Berliner Dom
This 15th century cathedral is worth the few dollar fee to visit. I think we may have spent two hours here between hanging out on the lawn outside, walking down the isle to Wagner’s “here comes the bride,” (seriously, I felt just like Meghan Markle), and exploring the narrow passageways and path on top of the dome. The view of the city from the top was pretty remarkable!
Gendarmenmarkt
This well-known square not far from the Berliner Dom is known as the square with the two identical churches. One church is the German Church and the other, the French Church. In the middle of the square sits the Konzerthaus (the concert hall of Berlin). While we were there, there was a group of people with a huge bubble pool and we got to pop a few before we walked on!
Reichstag Building
The national parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany sits in the Reichstag Building in Berlin. I honestly can’t believe they let people sign up and tour this incredibly important building, but I am so glad they do! This was my second visit to see this well-engineered structure and I would highly recommend it to anyone who happens to visit. It’s completely free and you even get a short audio guide that helps you to understand the history of the building and the surrounding area as you walk up to the top.
East Side Gallery
Most of the Berlin Wall was dismantled when the wall fell in 1989, but on Mühlenstrasse, a 1.3km stretch still remains. This stretch became the world’s largest open-air mural collection, known as the East Side Gallery (you can also walk around the wall to the “west side,” which has some graffiti (see below).
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Seeing and experiencing this memorial was a very somber and thought-provoking experience. What looks flat and parallel from the top, turns deep and vertical as you walk though it.
Brandenburger Tor & Checkpoint Charlie
Two iconic sites that are very symbolic for Berlin. I somehow surprised Jordan with Checkpoint Charlie (I just didn’t tell him where we were walking). And, Berlin surprised us with a World Cup viewing party at the Brandenburger Tor!
German Food – duh!
This topic deserves it’s own post, but alas, we only at at ONE restaurant while visiting (with Pauline). I figured I had to mention the food because Berlin had SO MANY amazing restaurants. You really just can’t go wrong!
Shortly after we returned from Malta a few weeks ago, Jordan and I spent a long weekend in Lyon, France. We had debated for awhile if we should visit Lyon, or just go to Paris, affectionally known as the city of love. We chose Lyon, and as we found out, Lyon and “the city of love” might be one and the same.
Jordan and I had planned to just explore the city by foot, but eventually caved and decided to take a car to Parc de la Tête d’or, a 19th century park, which was supposed to be lovely and was a bit too far to walk from our airbnb.
It turned out to be very hot that day, but we enjoyed our time there anyway. The park was beautiful with a few rose gardens, statues, a lake in the middle, and luckily, tons of trees. We spent a few hours there, mostly on the side of the park near where we entered, but I decided that we needed to walk around the WHOLE thing. So, we did.
I’m so glad we did because we just happened to run into Natalie and Rob… the cutest couple, who had just gotten engaged!!!
I honestly have no idea HOW it happened. All I know is that Jordan saw a “really cool” weeping willow that formed a cave right by the water and had to go in to check it out. Once we entered the cave, we overheard Rob telling Natalie how nervous he was trying to hide the ring while packing for the trip. And that’s when we knew… he had JUST popped the question!!
So, of course I asked them if I could snap a couple of photos to mark the occasion. And, then we left them to enjoy their engagement day!!
Natalie and Rob, congratulations again!! It was such a pleasure running in to you and we hope you are having tons of fun planning for the big day!
P.S. Check out Natalie’s ring!! (It’s was Rob’s grandmother’s – what an honor!)
We have called Sicily home for T W O whole months now! Our first month flew by. Month two has felt so much longer and so much shorter all at the same time.
We have:
- Received our household goods!!! I finally have clothes, towels, pots, pans, and a couch!! Thanks to the kitchen supplies, I was able to finally bake again and I celebrated by making fresh lemon cupcakes with some amazing Sicilian lemons.
- Traveled to the west (but not the west coast) and visited towns on the north coast (Palermo & Monreale) and south coast (Agrigento, Realmonte, & Centuripe). Posts coming soon… I hope 🙂
- Traveled off the island to mainland Italy. While on the mainland, we visited Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano.
- Gotten hair cuts (but only mine is on the blog).
We still want to:
- Visit the west side of the island
- Learn more Italian!
- Travel to a different country
- Create a “bucket list” of countries/cities/towns to visit
- Spring clean our home and get rid of some “extra stuff”
- Blog travel excursions faster…. We’ve visited almost 10 places I haven’t blogged about!
Backstory
I try to get a hair cut every six to eight weeks, but it had been more like six to eight months since my last chop when I impulsively decided to make an appointment at an Italian salon. I wanted a long bob since the fall, but my hair was the longest it had ever been, so I was nervous to go for it. My hair is also super fine and you can see the lines of every cut, so it’s also really important to me to find the right stylist.
About a week ago, I threw caution to the wind and decided to just go for it. Considering I don’t speak Italian and I’m new to the area, I decided to put my faith and trust in none other than Google. And it didn’t let me down.
I searched hair salons in Catania and looked for the highest rated one with online booking. I found Michela Fareri Hair Spa and it looked amazing. I booked my appointment over Facebook messenger using Google translate. Perfection. I was set.
When Jordan came home from work that day, I told him I needed the car to get a hair cut tomorrow. He laughed at me and asked why I didn’t make it for a day when he could drive me (driving is seriously crazy here)! But, I was feeling wild and free (more like scared to death) and decided YOLO I’m getting a hair cut and imma drive myself.
To a place I’ve never been before.
And throw myself in front of someone with scissors who doesn’t speak the same language.
OK.
He was also skeptical that I failed to mention in my reservation that I don’t speak Italian, but like I said YOLO. What would be, would be.
The Michela Fareri Experience
So, I dropped him off at work the next day and set out on my own, for better or for worse.
The drive to the salon was all highway, so super easy. It was in an area of Catania I have never been before, that was very residential and luckily not even as close as crazy and hectic. I arrived early as I know parking would be a bitch. It was. Because it was a residential section, there was no paid parking, and because I couldn’t read the signs…. need to work on that. So, I parked somewhere with no lines along with a bunch of other Italian cars and crossed my fingers I wouldn’t get towed.
When I arrived at the salon, Michela was there to greet me, by name, along with several other members of her staff. It was a welcoming I have never had before! The owner of the salon was here to greet me. Whhhhat? After shaking my hand, I admitted that I didn’t speak Italian and I think everyone was a bit surprised, but since I was fine with it, they were too. Michela guided me over to her luxurious styling chair, and asked me if I was there for a hair cut. How did I know that? She said some words in Italian and one of them was “taglio.” Cut. Yes, I want a cut. I showed her two photos on my phone and she discussed the process with her staff that were all looking on. I just sat there, fully trusting I would look fab afterwards!
After they discussed the cut, one of her staff members took me back and washed my hair. I thought, okay, this must be my stylist. I was wrong.
Once I got back in the chair, Michela herself came back and started cutting my hair! I assumed since I made an impromptu hair cut and did not request the “type” of stylist I wanted (e.g. master stylist, etc.), that I was going to get someone who did not have 30+ years of experience. I was so wrong. Her staff again looked on as she cut.
They also brought me a cafe (espresso), in which I freaked out and took like a shot while steaming hot because I was trying to hurry to get back to the hair. I should have known it’s Italy. They ain’t in a hurry. But alas, I digress.
While getting the cut, I brought out my translator app which was fun because we could now communicate! “Talking” to everyone was exciting and they were all so nice and friendly.
After the cut was finished, Michela had another member of her team complete the dry and style. The style I wanted was a wave, and instead of using a curling iron, they whipped out a small circular brush, and curled my hair via brush and hairdryer. It was really cool and the style lasted all day, which NEVER happens when I use an iron.
Once everything was over, they gave me some adorable little product samples and thanked me for coming in. I was there for almost and hour and a half, so I had no idea what the whole process might cost. I was surprised to find that it was only 35 euro! I paid more than $70 (plus tip) for way less customer service and experience in the US. I mean, I had an entire team and expert stylist helping me, for goodness sakes!
Final Review
My hair is now 8″+ shorter and the entire experience made my day. Everyone there was still so kind and accommodating. I got the best service and honestly, probably the best haircut I’ve ever had. Well, I think so. But you can be the judge!
I’ll definitely return because it was the BEST experience I’ve had at a salon!
Oh, and I didn’t get towed. So, bonus!
It’s been a minute since I’ve posted, but that is because we have been super busy!
Last weekend we flew up to Naples for our first trip to mainland Europe. It was very fast paced, as I had a whole list of things I wanted to see and places I wanted to go, and we only had three days. After we returned from that trip, Jordan started working nights. If you or a family member have never worked nights before, the best way I can describe it is… confusing. Ha. He doesn’t work every night, and when he does work, he sleeps before he goes to work and then when he gets home. So, we are always confused about what day it is, and when he is supposed to work, and when we should sleep, and what we need to eat, and when. Bleh. It’s just exhausting to type out.
So, other than our trip to Naples and Jordan’s new schedule, we also got our household goods!! This means I now have a couch and clothes and alllll the other things I have missed so much. However, after living out of a few suitcases for the last few months, I now feel quite overwhelmed with all of our “stuff.” It literally just feels like a lot of “stuff” and not things we need. So, I’ve decided to purge a bunch of things just to clear out our home and feel like I can breathe again. As we are putting things away, we are tossing things we don’t use frequently into the “goodbye” box(es), and they will go on craigslist ASAP.
So, that has been us for the last two weeks.
As for our trip to Naples (and surrounding area)….. it was a blast!! We had three main stops we wanted to make while in the area:
1. Pompeii – Who doesn’t want to see Pompeii?!
2. The Amalfi Coast – Probably one of the most popular places on Instagram (if I were to guess)
3. Naples – Duh!
Thanks to our amazing friends (from Virginia that now live in Naples), Amber and Jon, we were able to see everything we wanted to see and more! We can’t thank them enough for hosting us. They really went out of their way while we were there and we can’t wait to host them in Sicily!
When I uploaded photos from our trip, I had 900+!! So, that means each of the three main stops get’s it’s own post.
First up, Pompeii!
Beautiful right?!
There’s a lot I can say about Pompeii, just as there is a lot to see in Pompeii. Pompeii is around 25km (15ish miles) from Naples, so Jon and Amber drove us there early on Friday morning. You could definitely spend the entire day there, walking around and exploring the city. But, because I also really wanted to see the Amalfi Coast, and there was supposed to be only one solid day of our trip without any rain (Friday), we decided to conquer BOTH in one day, What a task.
Like many of the places we have previously visited, Pompeii has a couple large amphitheaters. The weather was perfect that day, so Pompeii was slammed with tourists (like myself, obvi). Here is the first one:
Pompeii is famous because the massive volcano in which the town sits at the foot of, Mt. Vesuvius, erupted in 79 AD, destroying the city (along with Herculaneum and other nearby towns) by submerging them under volcanic debris, and killing t-h-o-u-s-a-n-d-s. It really is a site to behold considering the eruption wiped such a big city off the map.
We got to walk around and explore some of the homes that had been unearthed, along with shops and streets and squares.
Don’t worry – he didn’t actually drink from this “street” fountain.
Apparently these holes were for “fast food”: terra-cotta bowls went into the holes and contained snacks for the locals.
We got to tour the inside of homes – some still had original frescos and mosaics!!! Some were also quite large.
During our exploration, we got to check out the city center which was overwhelmingly impressive.
Mt. Vesuvius in the background.
There were also casts of people (and animals – also seen here is a dog in the elevated clear box. Sad.) that were taken from their bodies of those unearthed there. We were told that the volcanic eruption was so hot, it sucked the moisture out of the bodies of the people there before the volcanic debris ever reached them.
Incredibly tragic.
I did tell Jordan, that based on the number of terra-cotta pots that survived, they look like a rather safe place to crawl into…
Here is some actual bread (charred, ofc) from 79 AD. Wow! Still actually looks kinda good.
They also had some lovely gardens, in which I got to capture Jordan and Jon twinning it up. Just observe.
I am also incredibly bad at selfies. Oh well.
The second amphitheater was HUGE, but missing most stairs, and unlike most of the others we have visited, you could not enter (or climb to) the top.
We did not get to see the Villa of the Mysteries or Herculaneum (which is apparently better preserved), but I was satisfied with what we did see.
Just standing on the streets and thinking of all of those who walked there before me…. It was quite surreal.
After Pompeii, we journeyed to Sorrento and then Positano…. Which is a post for another day! 😉
We have called Sicily home for O N E whole month now!!! Reflecting back, it’s been quite a whirlwind.
We have:
- Said goodbye to Virginia Beach and Ciao to Sicily in less than 24 hours
- Moved into a beautiful little Sicilian home.
- Traveled up and down the east side of the island to remarkably beautiful towns including Catania, Tenuta San Michele, Taorimina, Siracusa (coming soon!) and Motta (coming soon!).
- Picked up our car!!!
- Ventured out on the town with our friends and then on our own.
We still want to:
- Visit the west side of the island
- Learn more Italian!
- Travel off of the island
- Travel to a different country
- Receive our household goods (including our furniture and my closet!!)
- Create a “bucket list” of countries/cities/towns to visit
What are the places you think we must visit while we are living in Europe?? Leave us a comment and let us know!!
