Cleared for Departure

Author: L.K.D.

  • Mt. Etna

    Mt. Etna

    Mt Etna dominates life here.  The locals refer to the volcano as a she.  I find it odd assigning a gender to a volcano.  Furthermore, a volcano in my opinion has more masculine characteristics.  Most women in my life don’t spew fiery gases and viciously erupt, killing scores of people.  That said, I don’t know…

  • The Valley of the Temples

    After surviving the Sicilian roads, we arrived at The Valley of the Temples, located beneath Agrigento.  

  • Driving Is Dangerous

    Driving Is Dangerous

    I rarely drive, since I live in Manhattan.  So when I do get into a car, the absurd danger of this activity shifts fully into focus for a few minutes.  Like, seriously, how do we let humans do this?

  • Taormina

    Welcome to Taormina, population around 10,000.  Roughly 5 million call Sicily home, almost all of them are Italians.  The only minorities I’ve seen here are fellow tourists.  Mt. Etna and farms dominate the landscape, while cities adorn steep and uninviting cliffs not suitable for growing anything.    Farming here has been a thing forever.  I…

  • The City So Nice

    Before our flight, we tripped out into NYC as tourists.  We planned to run around town before flying in hopes of tiring ourselves out.

  • Away We Go

    Away We Go

    Tonight we fly to Rome, transfer planes, fly to Catania, and then drive to Taormina, arriving sometime in the afternoon of the 23rd. Maybe.

  • The Last Hurrah

    The Last Hurrah

    I’ve read essays suggesting the British are a country of old souls.

  • Westminster

    Westminster

    When I was 14 my parents took me to Italy. We visited St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Oddly, it had the unintended effect of turning me off to religion for life. Westminster reinforced that early lesson.

  • Pubs and Pics

    Pubs and Pics

    RBD and I have decided to open a pub here and brainstormed names on the way home from dinner.

  • You, Me, and the BBC

    You, Me, and the BBC

    Wednesday I spent the afternoon with Robert, the Head of Lighting at the BBC’s HQ here in London.