In other words, Hong Kong is a thriving metropolis where modern western lifestyle is combined with ancient as well as traditional Chinese culture. Until the 19th century, Hong Kong was just a sleepy fishing village, which later saw tremendous changes when it became a colony and was under the British till it was handed over to China in 1997.

Occupying an area of about 1099 square kilometers and located on the south east coast of China, Hong Kong is now regarded as a gateway to the country, and serves as a center of international transportation, commerce, and communication. Hong Kong is made up of four sections such as Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, the Outlying Islands, and the New Territories.

When comes to attractions and things to do, Hong Kong provides endless options, which at the same are also unique. For instance, the Victoria Harbor that separates the glass towers of the island and the bustling streets of Kowloon Peninsula is one of the most magnificent waterways of the world. Perhaps the greatest of all the attractions in the city would be Victoria Peak, otherwise known as the Peak. Until the opening of the Peak Tram in 1880, the only way to reach the Peak was via walking or by taking a potholed ride in a sedan chair.

An interesting thing is that the Peak Tram is still in operational and taking a ride in it is a great way to enjoy the breathtaking vistas of Hong Kong Island as well as the Kowloon Peninsula. Attractions in the Peak also include the Peak Tower, which is a shopping center with a remarkable terrace, from where you can enjoy the magnificent views of whole of the island.

Another not to miss attraction in Hong Kong is Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront, an awesome promenade, a stroll along which would be a great way to savor the incredible beauty of the place. Must-visit attractions in the city also include Temple of Ten Thousand Buddha, where to reach you will have to climb about 400 steps; Tian Tan Buddha, which is the largest statute of seated Buddha in the world; Hong Kong Heritage Museum, which has on display an amazing selection of antique Chinese artifacts; and Sam Tung Uk Museum, which is in the center of Tsuen Wan in the New Territories.

A visit to Hong Kong would not be complete without taking a tour to destinations such as Disneyland and Ocean Park, whose facilities are an eclectic mix of entertainment and education; Repulse Bay, which is much famed for its white sandy beaches and sub-tropical backdrop; and Golden Bauhinia Square, which marks the most prominent occasion in the history of China, ie, the return of Hong Kong by the British and the establishment of the city as the Special Administrative Region on 30 June 1997.

The city has something for everyone. For instance, for culinary enthusiasts, the city boasts of a mind blowing array of restaurants serving delicacies like chicken lo mein, dim sum, Tong Cho oysters, tofu, and Peking duck.

Further, Hong Kong is a haven for shopping, with shops and stalls in such destinations as Stanley Village Market, from where a variety of branded items can be shopped at bargain prices. Likewise, if you are flower lover, then head to flower market, where a unique selection of flowers and plants can be seen. Further, a visit to the Bird Market would be an excellent option for bird lovers. Also, while your stay at Hong Kong, take a tour to the fish market in the city, which boasts of aquariums consisting of exotic fish varieties. Above all, exciting as well as lively is the nightlife of the city, which is primarily concentrated around the twin districts of Wan Chai and Lan Kwai Fong.

With these amazing varieties of attractions, it is not a wonder why tourists from across the world flock to this wonderful destination. Hence, the city has accommodation choices to cater to every type of travelers. If you are well healed, then you can go for such accommodation options that are attached with high facilities and comforts. Even these hotels provide superb facilities in the form of excellent fitness rooms and award winning spa treatments. There are also some hotels providing services of expert nutritionist which helps to develop healthy as well as sumptuous menus for guests.

The language, the dramatic landscape, the myths and legends, the sense of community and ancient traditions… all these things give the Llyn Peninsula its unique personality, a big attraction to travellers in search of the “real” Wales.

To get you started, here are ten spots on the Llyn Peninsula that you won’t want to miss.

1.  Porthdinllaen

It’s hard to believe that this tiny village, set on a sheltered, sandy, crescent-shape beach, was once one of the busiest ports in North Wales, almost chosen as the ferry crossing port to Ireland. To get to Porthdinllaen, walk along the beach or through the golf course. Soak up the amazing views and enjoy a pint at the T? Coch Inn right there on the beach.

2. Trefor

Bypassed by the main road, Trefor – at the foot of Yr Eifl – is easy to get to but often overlooked by tourists. The quarry on the mountainside – whose granite paves streets all over the world – looks down over the village, which was purpose-built in the 1800s to house quarrymen. Trefor’s sand and pebble beach offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains, and its small harbour and slipway are ideal for launching small boats.

3. Tre’r Ceiri

On the other side of Yr Eifl, on its easternmost peak, is the Iron Age hill fort Tre’r Ceiri. “The most impressive and dramatic of all British hill forts,” says archaeologist James Dyer, who’s probably seen a few. The site is surrounded by a defensive wall, three metres high in places, protecting the remains of 150 circular stone huts. The views are amazing; on a clear day you’ll see the Preseli Hills in South Wales and the Wicklow Hills in Ireland.

4. Nefyn

Ancient fishing town which hosted King Edward I’s celebrations after his 1284 conquest of Wales. According to tradition, there were so many revellers at the feast, the floor collapsed under their weight. The town predates Edward by several centuries, evidenced by remains of a motte-and-bailey castle and later tower, which overlook the town. Herring was once Nefyn’s main produce; a local saying is that Nefyn herrings have backs like farmers and bellies like publicans!

5. Morfa Nefyn

Morfa Nefyn is home to one of the UK’s most famous and picturesque golf courses, which provides access to the beach at Porthdinllaen. Morfa Nefyn’s other famous feature is The Cliffs, a cliff-top restaurant renowned far and wide for its beautiful sunset views and delicious gratin of locally-caught crab.

6. Criccieth

Criccieth is a charming seaside town with medieval roots, dominated by its castle which juts out over the sea between two sandy beaches. Excellent selection of little shops, pubs and restaurants, and home to Cadwalader’s high quality ice cream that’s been made in Criccieth from a secret recipe since 1927.

7. Pwllheli

This old market town was granted the Royal Charter by the Black Prince in 1355 in recognition of its trading importance. A former fishing port and shipbuilding centre, Pwllheli is now a popular seaside resort which boasts the biggest, most modern marina in Wales. Great for traditional seaside treats like chips, ice cream and amusements, but also for boat trips – look out for seals and dolphins, often seen in the waters off Pwllheli.

8. Abersoch

The sandy beaches of Abersoch – a popular watersports resort – are separated by a sheltering headland. Abersoch has risen from quiet fishing village to major yacht harbour, whose main focus is its yacht club. There’s also a hovercraft centre, pony trekking and an activity park with a maze, and the village is a base for six circular walks ranging from under a mile to over nine miles.

9. Aberdaron

Historic, picturesque fishing village, the last stop for medieval pilgrims en route to Bardsey. Aberdaron has its roots in the Age of Saints, the site of the original 6th century church now occupied by its 15th century successor. One of the oldest buildings in Aberdaron is a cafe – Y Gegin Fawr – which was built around 1300 for the refreshment of pilgrims. To make your own pilgrimage to Bardsey, hop on a boat at Porth Meudwy.

10. Bardsey

The whole of Bardsey Island – Ynys Enlli in Welsh – is a nature reserve. Medieval Rome decreed that three pilgrimages to Bardsey equalled one to Rome, and it’s claimed that 20,000 saints are buried there. Bardsey’s monastery was founded in 515AD by the Breton-born missionary, Cadfan. As well as its rich variety of wildlife, Bardsey is home to the rarest apple in the world – Afal Enlli – which was grown in a monastery orchard on the island a thousand years ago.

Los Santos is a curious blend of real-world cowboy country, seaside magic, folkloric charm and thousands of years of history, all of it inhabited by incredible tropical biodiversity. It’s a place where quiet pastures stretch endlessly into the horizon, bordered by miles and miles of nearly deserted sandy coastline, and occasionally broken by the dramatically rounded hills that stand guard over the southern coast.

Today, a Panama real estate frenzy is building in the quiet, rural province, in particular on the Azuero Peninsula, which takes up the lion’s share of the Los Santos territory. Surfers, travellers, international celebrities, sportfishers and real estate buyers are all making their way along the PanAmerican Highway to see what the fuss is all about.

“There’s no doubt there is a magnetic pull to Los Santos, and we find that many of our clients are those who heard about it from someone else – it’s not yet fully on the radar, but those that have been here immediately fall in love,” says Daniel Rudasevski of Andromeda Ocean Estates, a luxurious beachfront gated community under way in Pedasí,Los Santos.

Los Santos: Sea, Sun, Sand and Surf

If Panama’s more well known attractions tend to eclipse that fact that it is indeed a lush, tropical country with as much coastline as inland, a visit to Los Santos serves as an excellent reminder. An undeniably huge part of the Los Santos charm lies in the miles and miles of virtually deserted beaches that extend into the Azuero Peninsula.

“We are fortunate in having two beautiful pristine beaches framing our community,” says Mr Rudasevski of Playa El Toro and La Garita, which spill before Andromeda Ocean Estates, “but in truth there is so much to choose from here – the peninsula is ringed with great beaches.”

The Pacific waters are warm year-round, lapping onto more than 50 miles of light and dark sand beaches. At night, pregnant sea turtles lumber up sandy slopes to lay their clutches of eggs; during the daytime, they can be seen lingering in shallow waters, along with brightly coloured tropical fish, majestic rays, and vast schools of game fish.

Of note is Isla Cañas, thickly fringed with mangroves, which receives thousands of nesting turtles on its kilometers-long beaches at night.

Many of the beaches – in particular Playa Venao at the southernmost end of the peninsula in the Pedasí district – are beginning to gain notoriety in the surfing world for consistent breaks with a lot of elbow room.

A Taste of Caribbean Splendor: Isla Iguana

If miles of pristine beaches and curling waves aren’t enough to grip the imagination, then Los Santos has another trick up its sleeve: a postcard-perfect Caribbean island, set mysteriously in the Pacific Ocean.

Isla Iguana, an island nature reserve in sight of the peninsula’s southern coast is Pedasí’s sweetest calling card: blinding white sands, swaying palm trees, and a heartbreaking coral reef fanning out beneath crystal-clear waters.

Isla Iguana sits in full view of Andromeda Ocean Estates, and was a significant factor in choosing the site.  “This took our location from special to extraordinary,” says Mr Rudasevski.

Day-trippers can visit Isla Iguana easily by hiring a local panga to make the 20-minute trip from the mainland, and spend the day snorkelling in warm, shallow waters thronging with colorful marine life, or languish on the islands two power-soft beaches, while watching storms of frigate birds circle endlessly overhead.The island is a major nesting site for the frigata magnificens, and home to several species of iguanas and lizards.

Drop Me a Line: the Sport-Fisher’s Boon

The waters off Los Santos are a fisherman’s bounty, offering plenty of big game fish – sailfish and marlin, for example – and many more tasty dinner catches, such as yellowfin tuna and red snapper. The south end of the peninsula is so well-travelled by big schools of tuna migrating and spawning that it is known as the “Tuna Coast”, bringing notoriety to Pedasi fishing.

“You hardly need to leave the shore to start hauling in big game,” marvels Mr Rudasevski. “There’s no doubt this is a major attraction for our homeowners – you can catch a delicious meal in less than an hour, and be home to cook it minutes later.”

Birds to Bikes: the Wilder Side of Los Santos

Though much of the original tropical forest cover was cleared to make way for cattle pastures, there remains plenty of wildlife to fascinate the dedicated animal lover. In particular, Panama is the home to, and a stop for, nearly a thousand bird species, including some of the world’s rarest. Amateur ornithologists will find themselves well rewarded at the pond in Pocri, just north of Pedasí, where dozens of bird species alight to court, mate, raise young, or just rest their wings for a moment.

Scuba divers will find a plethora of marine life in the coastal waters, particularly around Isla Iguana and the Frailes Islands. Several species of rays, including manta rays, sharks, trumpetfish, sea turtles, seahorses, octopus and a thousand variegated fish congregate in the balmy waters.

For those who prefer more activity, the smoothly-paved hilly roads are the perfect base for long-distance cycles, with plenty of opportunity for heading off-road. For a more organic means of travel, horseback riding is possibly the preferred choice in Los Santos cowboy country – you’re unlikely not to share the road with horses and riders rounding up a herd of cattle, or making their leisurely way home at the end of a long day in the field.

Three’s a Crowd, Four’s a Party: Los Santos Fiestas

No mention of Los Santos would be complete without the colorful outbursts that punctuate every town, seemingly every weekend: the fiestas. There are no end of reasons to celebrate in Los Santos, whether religious or commemorative, or simply a matter of long-held tradition. The most riotous celebration of all is the five-day Carnival, and the town of Las Tablas is renowned for its frenzied merriment, with lavish parades presided by lovely girls in traditional hand-stitched gowns called polleras, dancing, fireworks, masks and traditional music.

Other noteworthy fiestas are the Corpus Christi, a religious festival in Ciudad la Villa de Los Santos, which blends Christian rites with dances celebration ancient pagan worship; La Mejorana in Guararé, a music festival that features the province’s traditional instruments after which the festival is named; and Easter Week, or Semana Santa, which is celebrated throughout the province and is a major national holiday. But most weekends will find some cause for festivity, and each small town will have its own distinct expression and tradition.

Those interested in even older traditions will take interest in Los Santos’ pre-colonial history, with architectural digs in the northern end of the province revealing settlements dating back thousands of years.

A Place to Hang Your Panama Hat: Buying a Home in Los Santos

All of these attractions have begun to lure real estate developers, celebrities, retirees and second-homeowners to Los Santos in search of the perfect piece of property to call their own. Celebrities such as Michael Jordan, Mel Gibson, Mick Jagger and the Prince of Liechtenstein all have properties in the Pedasí district, and many more of the rich and famous are spending time in Los Santos.

“The amount of interest this area has generated is phenomenal, but somehow it remains that quiet, out-of-the-way secret spot you’ve just discovered. It has not lost its innocence,” says Mr Rudasevski. “Andromeda Ocean Estates is intent on preserving that.”

Despite its potent charms, the Los Santos province remains true to its roots, tranquil and authentic, the perfect place to hang your hat.

A fifteen minute flight from Antigua, island trekkers can be cruising on Barbuda’s Pink Sand Beach.

Barbuda Bike Tours offers bicycle, tent & canopy rentals on the gorgeous beaches of Barbuda. They also offer guided mountain bike tours.

Twenty-eight miles north of Antigua lies Barbuda, an island of sixty-two square miles of unexplored beaches and wilderness.

The terrain is completely flat and the elevation is close to or at sea level. This makes for easy yet exciting beach exploring and bird watching throughout the island. Barbuda is host to one of the largest frigate bird sanctuaries in the world. Barbuda is known for it’s lobster its number one export. Visitors to Barbuda can enjoy the biggest, freshest & lobster in the Caribbean.

Barbuda is a very dry island and presents an entirely opposite image of Antigua. You will find a more level landscape and shrubby vegetation. The population adds up to less than a couple thousand people and Barbuda’s main attraction are the wonderful sand beaches and the colorful underwater world. Around Barbuda you will find over 150 ship wrecks under water!

The island is best known for its seemingly endless beaches. Pink Sand Beach, so named for the powdery pink sand found on the beaches, is seventeen miles of still undeveloped beach front with crystal clear water. In one of Conde Nast Traveler issues, Pink Sand Beach, was named one of the ten best beaches in the Caribbean.

There is plenty to explore on a bike excursion; from the caves of Two Foot Bay, which provide shelter while wrapping around the north side of the island to exploring the interior finding the Coco Point Well to fill water bottles during a break.

Visitors can rent a Trek bike with or without suspension. There are also guided tours that can take you anywhere on the island. When you arrive at your secluded beach destination, sleep under the stars in a large or small Eastern Mountain tent. If camping is not your style, make a reservation with one of the hotels or villas on the island.

Tents and bikes can be rented at Barbuda Bike Tours between December 1st and March 1st. All prices include campsites and tent set up. For more general information on Barbuda Bike Tours drop in on them at – http://www.barbudabiketours.com.

My first afternoon and night on a sailboat had gone surprisingly well. After our little late night excursion into the town of Lipari I had slept like a stone, only to awake this morning at about 8 am to see in daylight what the island of Lipari actually looks like. So I peeked my head out of the sailboat and I saw it was an absolutely gorgeous day! Blue, sunny skies, not a cloud to be seen. Perfect for exploring Lipari, the capital of the Eolian island of the same name.

Our skipper was up already while my three other co-travellers were still resting. Francesco and I each grabbed a little snack from our plentiful stash below deck, sat down and enjoyed the gorgeous ambience. We were surrounded by dozens of boats, mostly sailboats, some power boats, and a few of them rather imposing yachts, while towards the land we saw a number of local fishing boats tied up and fishermen straighten out their nets.

I mentioned to Francesco that the experience on this sailboat and in Sicily in general is so different from our hurried, frenetic pace in our North American urban centres. I added that it was an extremely welcome change from my usual routine. The rhythm of life is definitely slower here, and people appear to have different, simpler priorities: they focus on their friends and family, and eating good food, drinking good wine, and enjoying life, every day. Our skipper himself, authentically Sicilian, also radiated a profound sense of calm and contentedness.

Around 10 am I was ready to start exploring and started my walk towards downtown Lipari. The half-hour walk along a busy road is very scenic, with mountains on one side and the sea on the other, and the hilltop fortification of the town of Lipari beckoning in the distance. On my way into town I saw a scooter rental place, and at 15 Euros per day I was very tempted to rent one for a couple of hours. Instead I decided to get a bit of exercise and continue my walk into town.

With about 11,000 residents, Lipari is the largest and most populous island in the 7-island Eolian archipelago. It is an extremely popular tourist destination: during the summer the population swells to over 200,000 people. It is a vibrant commercial centre and active ferry boat harbour. I strolled into town on one of the main streets which was full of retail stores, vegetable and fruit stands and a variety of restaurants.

A fairly steep cobble-stoned street pointed up toward a hill, so I followed it and arrived at the fortification of the town of Lipari which has a long and convoluted history. Inhabited from at least 5000 BC, the island has been ruled by successive waves of Greeks, Carthaginians, Etruscans, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Saracens, Normans, Hohenstaufen, Angevins and Aragonese. The imposing city walls were built by the Spanish on top of an ancient Greek acropolis in the mid 1500s. Within the walls of the fortification is an imposing cathedral, an old castle, excavations of an ancient Greek settlement as well as the Museo Archeologico Eoliano.

A long set of steps leads up from the lower level of town to the Cathedral and on a small patch of grass beside the steps an old local man had set up shop to sell a variety of handcrafted doilies as well as volcanic stones such as pumice and obsidian which both occur naturally on this island.

I came up to him to see what he had for sale and he introduced himself as “Nonno Dorino” (“Grandpa Dorino”) and told me that he crochets all the doilies himself. Quite charmingly he engaged me in a conversation and I ended up purchasing two of the crocheted masterpieces from him. Along the way he showed me a picture of his granddaughter and gave me free samples of each type of volcanic stone. I always love interactions with the locals, and Nonno Dorino was a real character. He definitely knows how to charm the tourists.

I descended the steps from the cathedral and took a left turn which took me into the second harbour of Lipari, Marina Corta, which features a large square with a view up to the fortress and a variety of outdoor cafes with beautiful patios. Today there was a large group of children on bicycles, accompanied by various local police people. It looked like a special bicycling event and drew spectators among the locals and the tourists.

A small chapel is located at the southern end of the piazza and narrow streets with various retail stores lead up to different parts of town. On my stroll on this sunny day I explored some of these side streets and found tight but neatly kept living quarters, children playing in the street, cats and dogs lazing in the sun, and many older ladies sweeping the pavement in front of their houses.

On my back to the ferry boat harbour I connected with Herbert, one of my travel mates, and we walked back to the ship together. Around 2 pm we were ready to leave Lipari and we started chugging out of the harbour and our captain set the sails once we were in the open water.

We travelled next to the coast of Lipari and arrived at the next bay which featured a town that hugged the coastline and sprawled up into the hills, and looking further north a huge section of the island consisted of white stone. Francesco, our captain, explained that this stone is pumice, a white porous stone of volcanic origin.

We anchored the boat in the bay in front of the pumice quarries, some of which had been shut down several decades ago and continued to exist as industrial ruins. Claudia, Francesco and Lorenzo took a dip in the still rather frigid Mediterranean waters. The temperature could not have been much higher than 18 degrees, and as a real wuss, my policy is to only go swimming if the water temperature is above 28 degrees. So for me it was a no go, but my shipmates enjoyed the brief, yet refreshing dip. We also saw a jellyfish, aptly called “medusa” in Italian. These animals are apparently more common when the water is cooler and are seen less during the summer months.

Towards 6 pm we reached the next island called Salina, an island that used to be called “didyme” (“twins”) by the ancient Greeks, due to its two major mountains, Fossa delle Felci (altitude 962 m) and Monte dei Porri (860 m). We arrived in the main village of Santa Marina, which features a large pleasure boat harbour. Two other main villages exist on this island: Malfa and Leni, and the total population is about a couple of thousand people.

My friend Herbert and I went on a little exploration of the town on foot. Santa Marina is essentially composed of two streets that run parallel to the coastline, the Via Lungomare Giuffré right next to the waterfront and parallel to that the Via Risorgimento, further inland. The town features a larger church on Via Risorgimento, and a smaller chapel on a square right next to the harbour. Activity around the main square is quite lively, with several restaurants, ice cream and street vendors.

Since we were going to meet for dinner at 8 pm, I headed back early to actually grab a shower – on land! The sailboat harbour of Santa Marina actually features a comfort station with modern shower and washroom facilities. And since I was still squeamish about using the tiny on-board toilet/shower combination room I couldn’t wait to actually jump into a real shower. When you occasionally take yourself out of your regular comfort zone, you realize how treasured simple things like a real warm shower can become. I thoroughly enjoyed my land-based cleansing ritual and got dressed up for dinner.

Francesco took us to a local restaurant on the main street called “Nni Lausta” (http://www.isolasalina.com/default_eng.htm – Sicilian dialect for “lobster”), a highly renowned local seafood restaurant which is even listed in the Michelin Guide. Our skipper had made arrangements with Fabio, the restaurant’s owner, to produce a real multi-course Sicilian meal for our group. Fabio himself had spent some time in the United States and also owns a restaurant in the north of Italy, obviously an accomplished restaurant entrepreneur.

We settled in and our meals started to arrive. Fabio’s sister, Sabina Giuffré, owner of a local bed and breakfast, also dropped by, and she recognized Lorenzo, who had visited the island about 12 years ago and met Sabina at that time. For Lorenzo, this was a real home-coming, a back-to-his-roots kind of experience, to return to the small island that his paternal grandparents had left in 1910. He had already walked through the whole town of Santa Marina, chatted and connected or reconnected with many of the locals, and despite his limited Italian skills, he was not shy to talk to anyone.

Sabina and Lorenzo commented on the fact that almost everyone in town seemed to be named “Giuffré”, indeed a popular name that seems to date back to Catalan settlers centuries ago. Indeed a website about Sicilian surnames indicates that “Giuffré” is the most popular last name in the town of Santa Marina. It was great to see this man from Boston, a Catholic priest no less, reconnect with his family’s roots and have such a great time.

The first course of our dinner was ready to arrive: each of us received five different types of morsels of fish on an oblong plate which included tuna, mackerel and anchovies. One of the dishes was called “tartan di tonno” which meant it was raw fish. The group loved the appetizer, me not so much because I am not a fish eater in general. Unfortunately the wonderful world of seafood in Sicily is totally lost on me.

But, I said to myself, you are going to try each of these dishes. At least I gave it a shot and I decided to open my mind. So I did try all five varieties of fish and there were two that seemed semi-pleasant to my palate. The rest of the group was rather shocked to find out that I don’t eat fish, but happily obliged and cleaned up the remainder of my appetizer. Nothing will go to waste here!

The meal continued with two different types of pasta: “battarga di tonno” (with tuna), and “pasta verdure di stagione” (vegetarian), which was a very pleasant dish. The main dish was a big whole fish for the entire group: “scorfano” which I believe translates as “hogfish”. It was a big, mean yet aesthetic looking fish and definitely sufficient to feed an entire group of four people. My main dish was a pasta dish with eggplant which was followed by a lemon ice cream dessert for everyone. A glass of local “malvasia” (malmsey) wine followed and a few of my shipmates also had a grappa for good digestion. A real Sicilian meal definitely consists of many courses, always features wine and fish, and probably a glass of liquor to cap it all off.

After this extensive culinary experience we headed back to the boat and sat up chatting until 2 am. Time to rest up for a new day of adventures….

Sicily – the name alone conjures up images of an exotic island, a mysterious and fascinating past. I have wanted to explore Italy for some time now since I had not been there for a long, long time, and when I was pondering which region of Italy to explore Sicily came to mind. I figured this island would offer a combination of fascinating history, rich culture, scenic beauty, and an opportunity for a wide variety of activities. One activity I definitely wanted to pursue was to combine my journey with language studies: my earlier language study trips to Havana and Cuernavaca, Mexico, not only got me closer to the Spanish language, but these on-site language learning experiences really allowed me to explore the culture from within.

So this time I was going to focus on learning Italian, and I was able to locate two language schools in Sicily that would both provide a totally different experience and a different way of exploring the island. Armed with no prior knowledge other than having read through an Italian grammar book, I was going to see how much of this beautiful language I would pick up in my three weeks in Sicily.

My first eight days were spent in Taormina, a gorgeous mountain-top town on the eastern side of Sicily, whose main distinguishing feature is an ancient Greco-Roman Theatre that is still in use today. The town itself has to be among the most picturesque destinations anywhere, with its beautiful buildings, narrow streets and passageways and stunning views of Mount Etna and the Mediterranean.

Shortly after my arrival I got to meet the people at the Babilonia Language School where I would be learning Italian for a week and exploring the culture of Sicily. My accommodation was in a lovely 13-room privately owned hotel that has been operated by the Sciglio family for more than 50 years.

Mr. and Mrs. Sciglio are in their mid-eighties and continue to work extremely hard, without even a thought of retirement, and their son Salvatore works with them. In an interview I learned more about the hotel’s history and the family’s involvement in this business. On the second day I joined my first guided excursion with the Babilonia language school: a guided hike to the ancient village of Castelmola which was followed by a tasting of Sicilian delicacies in a local bistro.

My first weekend in Sicily promised to be great: an excursion to the ancient town of Siracusa and an exploration of the gorgeous coastline just east of Taormina, including the town of Mazzaro and Isola Bella. The following Monday was my first day of language studies: first we went through the placement test, and then we had our first lesson which included some unique yet effective teaching methods. The next day was May 1, Italian Labour Day and a national holiday: a perfect opportunity to rent a car and drive into the countryside surrounding Mount Etna, Europe’s largest volcano, which by the way, had erupted the night before.

The next day it was back to school, and Alessandro, the director of the Babilonia language school, gave me a personal history lesson about Sicily and also explained the origins of that famous Sicilian institution, the Mafia, to me in detail. That evening I joined in a cooking class in a private home offered by the language school. I was going to see first-hand how a real multi-course Italian meal was prepared, using authentic, locally grown ingredients. And of course, I would have a chance to taste the finished delicacies afterwards and partake of a nice meal with other language students and the local Ferrari family.

My language studies the next day were followed by a visit to a local pottery painting artist, as Babilonia also offers pottery decoration courses, in addition to hiking, biking, golfing and diving programs. Perched on the rooftop patio of a Taormina hotel, with a perfect view of an ancient palazzo right next to Mount Etna, I learned about Sicilian pottery painting techniques. In the late afternoon I joined another excursion to hike up the southern flanks of Mount Etna. A visit to a winery and a nice dinner followed.

Then I had reached my last day in beautiful Taormina and after my final language lessons it was time to say goodbye to the folks at Babilonia, and to my co-students, whom I had gotten quite fond of. With the exception of the occasionally grey and drizzly weather, my experience in Taormina had been great: the language learning, the interesting excursions and activities and the interaction with my international co-students had been a really great experience. I was a bit sad to leave Taormina where I had gotten so comfortable.

But a new adventure was about to begin: I took the train to Milazzo on the northeastern side of Sicily, where the next day I would embark on a seven-day sailing trip through the beautiful Eolian Islands, offered by Laboratorio Linguistico, a Milazzo-based Italian language school. After meeting some of my six shipmates, who were really cool by the way, we were off on our sailboat, the 4 cabin “Solitaire II”, to our first destination: the island of Lipari, the largest of the Eolian Islands, and an extremely scenic place.

Our expert skipper Francesco, a licensed captain, also happened to be the co-owner of the language school, and one of our two resident language teachers on this sailing trip. After Lipari we continued our sailing trip to Salina, a neighbouring island, where three of us went on a driving tour to see local villages and also the house where “Il Postino” was filmed. An Italian lesson on the backyard patio of a bar was our first introduction to Laboratorio Lingustico’s language teaching program. Of course Francesco and Franco, our second teacher and co-owner of the school, conducted all conversations during the entire sailing trip in Italian only, which allowed us to be fully immersed in the language all the time. After we had nourished our brains, a Sicilian seafood feast capped off our second day on the boat.

On the third day we set sail for the island of Stromboli, which is still an active volcano. The town of Stromboli features such narrow streets that they are impassable to regular vehicles. No wonder the local “carabinieri” (Italian police officers) have to ride in golf carts.

After a somewhat turbulent late-night voyage from Stromboli to Panarea we arrived late and anchored in a bay off the island. On a gorgeous morning the next day we first had another language lesson – where else but on the outdoor patio of a bar in Panarea, surrounded by gorgeous sunshine and beautiful flowers. Panarea is an extremely photogenic destination and offered great opportunities for hobby photographers like me.

Our voyage continued to Lipari again where we would end an eventful day with a scrumptious outdoor feast on the main square. The next day three of us went on a driving tour of this beautiful island and from the south end we already saw our next destination: the island of Vulcano, which also features an active volcano. We anchored in a bay off this island, enjoyed some Italian lessons on the boat and after a delicious on-board dinner, our shipmates Franco, a gifted guitar player, and Agnieszka, a talented singer, entertained us with soulful melodies by candlelight on the back of the boat – magical moments that I will not forget for a long time.

Then our final day on the boat arrived: we hiked up to the “Gran Cratere”, the active crater of Vulcano. Yellow rocks and thick clouds of sulphur announced that the forces of geology were indeed active right underneath our feet. And the view from the top over the six other Eolian Islands was breathtaking. After another Italian lesson on an outdoor patio overlooking the Mediterranean we had to say goodbye to the Eolian Islands and start to head back to Milazzo.

Just as I thought our 7 day sailing trip would come to an anticlimactic end, one of my shipmates announced “DOLPHINS!!!”, and indeed four of these playful sea creatures were accompanying our sailboat, jumping in and out of the water, and having fun with us. The excitement continued when we ended up catching three tunas on a fishing line we had been dragging behind our boat. The following decapitation and evisceration scene though was a bit hard on my tender vegetarian soul…

So we had reached land, and to celebrate the conclusion of a wonderful sailing trip and one of my shipmates’ birthdays we enjoyed another big Sicilian feast in Capo di Milazzo. The next day, we had a chance to relax a bit in our five-bedroom apartment conveniently located above the Laboratorio Linguistico Language School and do simple things like laundry and sit on the balcony. Franco, our language teacher took us on a guided walk of Milazzo which features a huge fortification that dates back more than 1000 years.

After saying goodbye to my roommate Claudia I spent my final Sunday in Sicily in the picturesque medieval town of Cefalu, about a two-hour train ride from Milazzo. That city’s medieval core and huge Norman cathedral together with the ruins of an ancient castle on top of the rock that towers over the town left me with many vibrant treasured memories. Now I only had two full days left in Sicily.

Following a tour of the Milazzo headquarters of Laboratorio Linguistico I went on a country excursion into the surrounding Nebrodi Mountains with my two Italian teachers Francesco and Franco. We visited the Rocks of Agrimusco, a cluster of mysterious-looking rocks on a high plateau with a gorgeous view of Mount Etna. Then we headed into the hilltop town of Montalbano Elicona, an authentic small Sicilian town, completely untouched by tourism. I finally had a chance to snap some pictures of the locals who love to congregate next to the church and discuss important issues of the day.

My final day in Sicily had arrived – I had to say goodbye to the great team at Laboratorio Linguistico and board the bus towards Messina and from there to Catania from where I would catch a plane in the early morning the next day. After my arrival in the late afternoon I had a chance to briefly explore this city, the second-largest city in Sicily, and get ready for my flight home.

On this trip I found out that Sicily is gorgeous, and a visit in the late spring around April / May is perfect since everything is in full bloom and the hoards of tourists do not really arrive until June, July and August. Sicily has remained amazingly authentic and is fortunately free of many of the signs of mass tourism that mar other Mediterranean coastlines.

Taormina and the Eolian Islands are all stunning destinations, but the Sicilian hinterland in itself holds many hidden treasures. The history, architecture, culture and scenic beauty are astounding. And seafood lovers will definitely fall in love with this destination.

I myself really enjoyed the language learning experience at Babilonia and Laboratorio Linguistico – as a matter of fact, my three weeks in Italy took me all the way up to Intermediate level and when I came back I was quite capable of communicating fairly competently in this new language.

The people were great: the staff at both language schools was very helpful and knowledgeable, and the interaction with my co-students from all different countries was a real treat. Our crew on the sailboat in particular came together really nicely and some close personal bonds had developed after this experience.

Without a doubt, language study travel is one of the best forms of travel in my opinion, giving you the chance to learn, to expand your mind, and to really discover the local culture. And without a doubt I’ll be back in Sicily – this fascinating island has so much more to explore.

This entire article including photos is located at http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/sicily_2007.htm