Sicily

Sicily is a land of both extremes and subtleties. The steep cliffs and mountains are intimidating, the ruins as beautiful as they are ancient, each castle is more impressive than the next, and Mount Etna stands as a pillar of both wonder and fear. It’s Wednesday now that I begin my introduction to this place. I actually wrote a little bit of the second post (which Mar finished) before beginning this one. Now that I have some time – I have fallen victim, as many before me, to a Sicilian danger (in the form of explosive diarrhea rather than attack from a mythic beast like the hydra or charybdis). As I sit in the hotel on our penultimate day I do not feel sad or upset for missing out on the amazing Valley of Temples. Rather the opposite, I feel content and fulfilled. How many people in the world get an opportunity like this? I never would have imagined myself here under these circumstances – not growing up, not even last year when I broke from my Pennsylvanian bubble and travelled to Puerto Rico. Thinking about this is all I need to do to bring a smile to my face even while laid up in the hotel room with a Herculean discharge coming from my ass. Welcome to Sicily!

-Greg