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In November 2003 I was deploying to Israel with my friend, fellow air national guard/air force member, and travel associate, Steve and a 45 member air national guard cadre. We had a mandatory layover in Sicily at N.A.S (Navy Air Station) Sigonella, Sicily. This would be my second time there and Steve’s first. I made plans to revisit Mount Etna, Messina, Cefalu , Palermo, and back to Catania via Enna, a mini road trip. The old cardinal adages or saying of  “travel with someone who share your interest and complement your weakness or strengths, know before you go, don’t try to get by on the cheap, because cheap is cheap, and don’t be penny wise and pound foolish” soon became our biggest issues, and things quickly went south for us when Steve tried to rent a car. To set the stage let me say that Steve suffers from acute car sickness, but will drive a car until it just roll over and die, all he need is a mug of coffee, and he does not know the meaning of fear. Me, riding or driving is the same, and I am very good with a map and am not directionally challenged, therefore Steve and I make a darn good travel team. After we checked into our room at the Sigonalla Inn Steve picked up a map of Sicily, and we went over to the nearest car rental. The only cars available at that time were those small, itty bitty, tee nichy, teenie weenie, five in the floor, stick or manual shift cars. The sort of car you see at the circus with all of those clowns getting out of, and real bad on the hemorrhoids. The both of us could not get into it, unless we took turns breathing, he inhale and I exhale. If someone cut the cheese, survival depended upon how long someone could hold their breath, I mean to tell you that the odor would put a whupping on a po’ body. For show and effect, Steve tried the car on for size, at 6’1” and 180 lb., when Steve got into the car; he was in the car and all over the car and did not leave room for me at 6’0′ and 230 lb . The rental agent had a good laugh and made a few calls to locate us a bigger car which would take an hour or so. Since we had to wait on a big car we decided that we would find a local cafe and have our traditional obligatory coffee, bread, and cheese. It is a tradition that wherever me and Steve deploy, the first thing we do is find a road side cafe, street vendor, coffee-house, or restaurant and have a glass of wine, coffee, or tea, and some bread and cheese or whatever that is available. While we were having our bread, pecorino cheese, and coffee everyone that were in our cadre were slamming back Birra Messinas, the local beer and hard liquor. One female cadre member who was out walking saw us sitting at a table at a street side cafe, and inquired about our plans, then asked could she join us, “No problem” we said. We shared our bread and cheese with her and ordered her a glass of wine. We went back to check on the car, it was a nice big one with five in the floor. on the way out of the parking lot, we almost hit a cadre member who had slammed three Birra Messinas too many. We stopped to let him pass, and that was the wrong thing to do, because he assumed that we were stopping for him, and he got in the car with us. He had a business card of a restaurant in Catania that serves the best food in Sicily that was given to him by someone who had been to N.A.S Sigonella a few years ago. Steve with a heart of gold, a caring and sharing nature said, “Come on.” We drove for an hour or more, looking for the restaurant, that is after we made several pit stops so that he could recycle the beer. One time we stopped in traffic at a public bathroom. Steve told him as he was getting out of the car that we were going around the block and to wait in front of the bathroom for our return. The dead ends, one way streets, and traffic turned going around the block into a forty-five minute ordeal. When we finally returned to pick him up, he was worriedly pacing back and forth and a bit upset because someone had sold him some bad or funny oranges.They were red inside and looked like mini grape fruits and he wanted to return them and get his money back. I tried to explain to him that they were blood oranges and they were that color by nature and they were very delicious, and he wanted to know who bled on them.The young lady in the back seat with him was not too happy and wanted us to just put him out. We found a family owned restaurant that appeared to be the home of the proprietor to regroup and get our bearing, and of course refill Steve’s coffee mug. Now no one spoke Sicilian and the proprietor was looking at us, like what do you want? I said, “Espresso and vino”. He went out back and brought in a jug of homemade wine and gave me a sample, when I gave the thumbs up nod, he poured three glasses, and gave Steve two cups of espresso, and put a small plate of olives on the table, and was Steve wired for sound after the espresso. Then we were off again to find the restaurant. We found the restaurant, but it was a clothing store. So we just went into the first restaurant that we saw. The young lady was very happy and willing to try something new, different, and unique and she thoroughly enjoyed her meal. Her backseat mate, whew what can I say? Everything was wrong, the pizza was not like back home, the antipasto was not Italian, the pasta was not cooked and served like back home, and the waitress did not speak fluent English. At last Steve got the message. We had to take that individual back to N.A.S. Sigonella, or be totally embarrassed. So, we found ourselves in the evening rush hour traffic. I thought New York, Los Angles, and Chicago traffic was a beast, but they are tame and sedate compared to Catania. It was getting in where and when you can, we were meeting cars in our lane. We played the game of chicken or who blink first. People on mopeds, scooters, bicycles, or motorcycles were doing the zig zag, weave and bob with the traffic, zooming pass us. Steve was sweating bullets, and I had to put the map aside and rely on memory to get us back to Sigonella, and it was butt cheeks clinching, and grit the teeth all the way back to N.A.S. Sigonella. Once we let him out at the hotel, there was a sigh of relief in unison, now we were way behind, time wise, but decided to make the best of the time that we had left. The moral of our little event is: If by chance you ever get to Sicily don’t spend your first day looking for the best restaurant in Catania that serve the best Italian food in the entire area of Sicily, or become shocked that the Italian food is not like Chef Boyardee, the canned version of Italian food, or Mama Mia’s back in Brooklyn, New York. More importantly don’t rent a small car to save on money, and spend a day at Mount Etna, and be mindful, that when in Rome do as the Romans, however with some exceptions, and what works with your moral compass, have a good time, but don’t do any time.Get out and about, see and be seen, over indulge in the food, drinks, and especially the olives, they are some of the best in the world that I have tried. It doesn’t matter what your point or port of entry into Sicily, you have to go for the gusto and do a road trip, and you haven’t been to Sicily until you visit Catania or Palermo. If you have time which we did not, Siracusa or Syracuse to the South of Catania would make a great additional day trip. Now, here is a little synopsis of, or peek at what the tour guide books say about some of the cities on my mini road trip:
NAS Sigonella is located in eastern Sicily approximately 9 miles west of the city of Catania and approximately 14 miles due south of Mount Etna, an active volcano. It occupies a tract of land at NATO Maritime Airfield Sigonella which is operated and hosted by the Italian Air Force. The U.S. has maintained a permanent presence at N.A.S Sigonella since 1959.. It also serves as an Italian base for the 41st Storm Antisom. The base comprises two sections: NAS I was the site of the original U.S. base but is now a support facility and NAS II which includes the runways, operations and most tenant commands. NAS I also contains the Navy Exchange and Commissary, the school, and some homes, mainly for the commodore of Task Force 67, the air station commanding officer, air station executive officer and commanding officers of tenant activities. NAS I also is host to other facilities, mainly for entertainment. NAS II is now only used as a service base.
The Sigonella Inn is a modern and rational hotel complex, completely surrounded by a marvelous private park including a variety of plants and palms.  The Hotel offers high standard of service to satisfy the needs of both business and leisure travellers. A spacious parking lot is reserved for Guests. Hotel Sigonella Inn is located on the SS 192, just minutes from Catania International Airport, a short distance from the shopping Etnapolis, Etnaland park and the Natural Park of the Etna volcano. The Hotel is also strategically located at the point of convergence of three major arterial roads of the island: the highway A19 Catania – Palermo highway A18 Catania – Messina and A18-SS 114 Catania – Siracusa, allowing for tourists or guests to easily reach all major and most suggestive resorts in the center side – east of Sicily. The toll for the A19 and A18 highway is about 3 US dollars to reach Messina or Palermo. To save money and go cheap, the side roads are great and scenic, but will take much longer, and could be very congested, making getting to where you want to go a slow and frustrating ordeal, but well worth the drive if time is on your side. Then, there are the buses, and they run regularly.
Mount Etna, Sicily’s greatest natural attraction is also its highest mountain. Towering above Catania, Sicily’s second largest city, Mount Etna has one of the world’s longest documented records of historical volcanism, dating back to 1500 BC. Historical lava flows of basaltic composition cover much of the surface of this massive volcano, whose edifice is the highest and most voluminous in Italy. Most of the surface of Mount Etna is covered by historic lava flows dating back to eruptions as old as 300,000 years. Scientists believe Mount Etna started as a submarine volcano that gradually grew to stand above sea level on layer upon layer of solidified lava. Since then, the volcano has erupted about 200 times and has been very active in recent decades. In particular, 2001 which was a busy year for Mount Etna, as there have been 16 eruptive episodes to date. There was an eruption that began on July 13, 2001, accompanied by earthquakes and the opening of at least five vents on the volcano that released thick lava flows and vast columns of steam and smoke. Officials were watching closely as the lava flowed to within 3 miles of the town of Nicolosi July 21. The most recent eruption was on the evening of January 11, 2011; increase in volcanic tremor was recorded, seismic activity reached a peak at 07:00 hr on January 12 when the source moved from north of NE crater to the SE crater. This corresponded to weak eruptive activity at SE crater on January 11th. About 21:00 hr, lava overflowed the eastern rim of SE crater, and fed a flow that moved toward the western wall of the Valle del Bove.To the ancient Greeks, Mount Etna was the realm of Vulcan, god of fire, and the home of the one-eyed monster known as the Cyclops and where the giant Enceladus laid, eruptions being his breath and earthquakes his motion.
CATANIA,on Sicily’s east coast is Sicily’s second largest city, after Palermo. Catania, a renowned port, a major transport hub, a thriving commercial centre, with its 350,000 inhabitants, Catania is among Italian hottest cities with a summer temperature that can exceed 40° degrees Celsius or 104 degrees Fahrenheit. It was home to such great artists as the composer Vincenzo Bellini 1801-1835 and the writer Giovanni Verga 1840-1922. A great, very longed-for celebration takes place every year from 3 to 5 February in honor of Saint Agatha, when a huge crowd of believers process through the city’s historical centre celebrating their beloved Patron Saint. The event draws thousands of visitors from all Sicily and beyond. Catania is
overshadowed or is defined by Mount Etna – even the city’s main street is named after the volcano – and the ubiquitous black-gray volcanic stone in pavements and buildings. The volcano often has betrayed the trust of the local people, sending forth great flows of lava, on one occasion down into the town itself. Reminders of its presence is the dark color of most monuments and buildings in town. Some of them is of plaster painted to look as lava. Black and white are the two dominating colors of the city that combine to produce a magnificent effect. The 17th century was particularly catastrophic for Catania. First 1669, following Etna’s eruption, a devastating lava river flowed into the city; few decades later 1693, an earthquake razed it to the ground. It followed a sumptuous reconstruction, the main protagonist being the architect Giovanni Battista Vaccarini 1702-1768 who designed the most prestigious buildings. The baroque covered nearly every ruined specimen of the past ages, that is hidden, with the exception of few remnants – below the new buildings and the city heart. There’s more openness and space than in Palermo, but far less to see. Catania has been the prize of a stream of empires over the centuries, from Greeks to Romans to Arabs to Normans to Spaniards, to name just a few. But more devastating than invaders has been the city’s geography: It lies at the foot of Mount Etna, Europe’s largest and most active volcano.
Messina is known as the door of Sicily. With its port, shaped like a sickle, it has always been a trading city. Situated close to the Peninsular, there has been busy thoroughfare between Messina and the Mainland, over the centuries. In recent years, there has been much talk of constructing a bridge to facilitate and improve communication. Though a pleasant idea, in theory, this would be almost impossible to implement in practice, due to the fragile nature of the coastline and the problems of erosion. The main mode of transport between Sicily and the motherland remains a system of ferries, as has been the tradition throughout the centuries. Messina was founded by the Greeks who named it Zancle which is connected to the word Scythe, in the ancient native tongue of the city, and was also the name of the legendary king, who built the harbour, whose name was said to be Zanclus. Following the Roman, Byzantine and Arab invasions, in the latter of which Messina was the last to submit to the Arab yoke, the Normans, Swabians and Angevins came to Sicily left their mark and were either conquered or fled the wrath of native Sicilians. Messina’s epoch of glory come with the rule of the Aragon dynasty, who made Messina the capital of the kingdom of Sicily and recognised its value and potential as a port. Today the city is growing and developing along the coast, and due to the violent earthquakes that have struck the area on several occasions and areal damage and bombardment during the second world war, it is almost completely modern. Learning from past lessons, modern Messina is constructed with safety in mind. Streets are wide and buildings relatively low. In the Regional Museum of Messina are two of the later works of one of Italy’s finest if somewhat fiery artists: Caravaggio. As history would have it, Caravaggio had a choleric disposition. On one occasion, in the year 1606, in Rome’s Piazza Navona, over a game of cards, conversation became heated: he was wounded in his forehead. In retaliation, he knifed and killed the offender. Fleeing his crime and the imminent consequences, he fled to Malta, via Messina, where he pleaded for a pardon from the Pope and painted two fine works, one of the “Shepherds’ adoration of the Christ Child”, and another of the “Resurrection of Lazarus”. Throughout the Middle Ages, Messina was the most important port of departure for European knights on their way to the Crusades, effectively a major waypoint or stopover. Such a Crusade prompted the visit of Richard the Lionheart and King Philip II of France in 1190. Generally ignored by historians is the fact that the two monarchs and their crusader knights sacked Messina on that occasion. Messina remained the second most important city of Sicily until the seventeenth century, when its position was challenged by Catania. There were fleeting periods when Messina’s economic and political power rivaled that of Palermo. Messina has often been associated with its disasters. The bubonic plague was brought to Europe on a ship that arrived in Messina, and several earthquakes have destroyed parts of the city over the centuries. The most destructive was that of 1908. The Allied bombardment of 1943 earned Messina the nickname “The City of Ghosts” because many residents sought safety in the outlying towns. In their haste to see other sights, visitors often overlook Messina, whose reconstructed Norman cathedral is its most famous sight.
Cefalù, a haven of tranquility, a refuge, and a sanctuary of religious inspiration. A city of facets, levels, and epochs. The name, which translated means “head”, probably referring to the shape of the hill and huge rock crowned with an ancient castle, rising above the town, was given to the town by the Greeks. Cefalù’s origins are surrounded in mystery. Mentioned in ancient times over the ages by Pliny, Strabo and Ptolemy as simply a pleasant Sicilian town, the aroma of this charming city hangs enigmatically in the air of ancient history. It was a battle, and the sacking of the great city of Himera that drew Cefalù out of the shadows of obscurity into the light of historical fact and gave it a role. Refugees from the Greek Himera, fleeing for their lives from the King of Carthage, found a safe place in this secluded spot surrounded by mountains, and hid. So the city came into its own as a place of protection. Cefalù grew as a commercial town at the base of this head absorbing into its makeup the characteristics of its various Roman, Byzantine and Arab rulers who Arabs brought the lemon and the orange, cane sugar, and the cultivation of mulberry trees, dates, cotton and hard wheat. They introduced innovative irrigation systems and a novel system of aqueducts to Sicily. The city developed further when Roger II extended the city further up the hill towards its “head”. In this expansion project, he respected the older Roman street map and town planning, which have remained to this day, as have parts of the old Roman walls which stretch right down to the seashore. He also constructed the awesome Norman Romanesque Cathedral in 1131, around which a myth of salvation grew up. Cefalù is a typical bathing small town and an agricultural centre and as such it has some products like olives, grapes, fruit and citrus fruit. Important are also its fish products whether fresh fish or canned-fish. A famous tourist centre in the ancient times it was called Kephaloidion that originates from the Greek word kefalè (head), referring to the rock that overlooks it. The place is on the west slopes of a splendid promontory. In 254 B.C. the small town was under Romans’ control and in 858 it was conquered by the Muslim after two long sieges. With the Norman domination about 1063 for Cefalù began a good period; in fact it had a strong economy and enjoyed artistical splendour and in 1131 it became the bishop’s residence. Cefalù has got many important monuments. The valuable Cathedral erected in 1131, inside is full of works of art among them there are precious mosaics; Piraino Palace of Cinquecento; the church of St. Maria della Catena ornate by a pretty portico; the church of Purgatory and the Monte Pietà (Mount Piety) dated back to the Baroque period.
Palermo was Founded by the Phoenicians, who named it Ziz, Palermo was settled in the eighth century BC as a port. Its development paralleled that of Solunto and Motia. Archeologists generally agree that the Phoenicians were compelled to develop these cities because they were forced out of eastern Sicily by the Greeks, but this civilization’s presence in western Sicily seemed inevitable. The Greeks called the city Panormos, meaning “all port.” The Latin name, still used in Catholic Church documents well into the nineteenth century, was Panormus. The Phoenicians’ descendants and successors, the Carthaginians, made Panormos a center of commerce, and it was their base port, in 480 BC, for the navy that was defeated in the Battle of Himera. In 276 BC, Panormos finally fell to the Greeks. The Punic Wars followed, and the city was part of the Roman Empire from 253 BC. Phoenician and Roman Palermo extended from the port area along what is now Corso Vittorio Emanuele to Corso Calatafimi in the area beyond the Royal Palace. Its ancient and medieval historical district is larger than that of any other Italian city except Rome and maybe Naples. Southern Italy’s entire historical legacy exists along a kilometer of Corso Calatafimi –a Phoenician-Carthaginian cemetery, Roman homes (in Piazza Vittoria), Norman palaces (the Cuba and Royal Palace) and Baroque churches. Perhaps no other street in Europe boasts a heritage so ancient and so varied.There’s no other Italian city quite like it. Palermo is an urban paradox. Life in this unique city can be challenging, though most Palermitans seem to have adapted well. Water is rationed; it is provided for a few hours every two or three days, just long enough to fill up the tanks in residents’ homes. Air quality leaves something to be desired; in 2000 Via Roma registered the highest level of pollutants of any main street in a large Italian city. Traffic often comes to a complete halt for hours; Via Regione Siciliana, the city’s main highway, is infamous for this, especially near the poorly designed interchange at Via Da Vinci (and McDonalds and the Holiday Inn). Protests often block central streets; these “mini-revolutions” are invariably over by lunchtime. Despite such inconveniences, Palermo remains a jewel of the Mediterranean. No visit to Sicily is ever complete without a visit to Palermo, a city that permits one not just to know this island but to begin to understand it. Palermo offers great dining as well as excellent shopping. Though there are good restaurants throughout Palermo, they’re not easy to find. In general, It is best you try the ones on side streets instead of those near the port on Via Amari and Via Cavour, which might be described as “tourist restaurants.” Throughout Palermo, there are excellent pastry shops and “bars” that serve ice creams, pastries and, during Summer months, granita (flavored ices). If you want to sample these tempting delights in a leisurely setting, The charming outdoor cafés on Via Principe di Belmonte, which runs from Via Maqueda to Via Roma near the Politeama Theatre is the ideal place. Located in the city’s best shopping district, Via Belmonte is closed to traffic, making it Palermo’s answer to Rome’s Piazza di Spagna or Via Condotti. The city doesn’t only offer great cuisine and fascinating history. Palermo also has some very good shopping, and many of the better shops are conveniently located in the city’s centre around Via Maqueda and Via Libertà, especially on the side streets, where you’ll find shops that sell everything from antiques to Sicilian-made specialty goods like ceramic items and original jewelry.
Enna was inhabited as early as the Stone Age by the Sicani, a population with non indo-European origins, who were present in Sicily since pre-history. A village, a necropolis and a temple dating back to the Neolithic era, have been discovered from these far off times.With the arrival first of the Siculi (15th Century BC) and then the Greeks (9th Century BC), the political situation changed and the City began to mint Greek currency, as far back as the 5th Century. It became a Syracuse ally against the Carthaginians, but in 397 BC, it saw a Syracuse feud under Dionysius I (Dionysius the Elder) and in 307 it was overtaken by the tyrant Agatocle. In 259 BC, it was overtaken by the Carthaginians, then liberated by the Romans a year later. In 212 BC it passed over definitively to Rome. At this point, there was the First Servile War (139-132 BC), led by the Syrian slave Eunus, who surrendered to the Romans, only after 2 years of siege. After the fall of Rome and the devastation of the Vandali, Enna was run by the Byzantines, until it once again changed hands and was overtaken by the Arabs (859). With the arrival of the Normans in Sicily (1070), Enna became the last stronghold of Arabic resistance until the end of 1087, the year it was yielded by Ruggero d’Altavilla. Under the Normans, the Swabians and the Aragonese, the city was fortified by erecting defensive fortresses and its development was continuous until the end of the 17th Century, when it saw the beginning of a slow decline.In 1860 Enna, after having actively participated in the cause for unification, became part of the Reign of Italy.It was from the Medieval period that the town-planning began, which is still present today, apart from the walls, which are unfortunately no longer there.The beautiful Lombardia (Lombardy) Castle was constructed during the Swabian period. It is astonishing for its integrity and size. Pietro III d’Aragona (Peter 3rd of Aragon) chose it as his Enna residence. The Torre di Federico II (Tower) (13th Century) is just as fascinating. It is 24 metres high with vaulted ceilings. The Palazzo Pollicarini (15th Century) is also beautiful with its Spanish influences. Amongst the religious buildings not to missed are: the Duomo, constructed in 1307 on the wishes of Queen Eleonora d’Aragona, preserving precious paintings in its interior and the Alessi Museum; as well as the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi (14th Century), the Baroque style of Saint Joseph and the ex church of Saint John the Baptist with its beautiful gothic 15th Century bell tower.
Siracusa is an ancient town on the sea, which was of immense importance as Greek Syracuse. It has a superb archaeological zone and a lovely historic centre on the island of Ortigia. Siracusa (or Syracuse, as it is still often known in English) is a pleasant town, with plenty to occupy tourists for at least a couple of days. It’s also a good base for seeing the south-eastern corner of Sicily, including the Baroque towns of Ragusa and Noto, several archaeological sites, and the lively city of Catania. Syracuse is an amazing city of culture and history ready to be explored and savored. Activities that can be organized include culture & language classes, Sicilian cooking classes & wine tasting, outdoor excursions (hiking, cycling, climbing, sailing, scuba diving), excursions all over the island, workshops (Sicilian puppet making, ceramics, photography, painting). There are also many jumping  night clubs along the Siracusa coastline on the Alfeo Promenade. Some have dance floors on the beach so that you can dance under the moonlight. Regular buses run to and from Catania, Noto, Modica, Ragusa and Gela as well as more overlooked local destinations. If you would like to drive around Sicily, here is a drive time chart, enjoy:
Mount Etna Catania to Messina 1 hour 13 minutes, 60 miles
Messina to Cefalu 1 hour,46 minutes 103 miles
Cefalu to Palermo 56 minutes 42 miles
Palermo to Catania 2 hours 16 minutes, 128 miles
Catania to Siracusa 51 minutes, 40 miles
“You may have the universe if I may have Italy.”  ~Giuseppe Verdi
A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~Lao Tzu
If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home. ~James Michener
My advice is that a true traveler get to know the locals. The richest experiences on my travels have come from the  people I’ve met as much as the landscapes I’ve seen. ~Jon Bowermaster