Sicily and Mount Etna

• Sicily and Mount Etna

Sicily - the largest Italian region. All of its territory consists of islands, with 98% occurring in the island of Sicily itself. Today let's talk about the customs of the Sicilians, is it really so purely in Italy, as well as get acquainted with one of the main attractions of Sicily - the highest active volcano in Europe - Etna.

"Clean" Europe. I often find myself in conversations about how we all bad, utter a phrase such as "but in Europe there is no such". And if earlier it was really a powerful argument, but now no longer always the case. Italy and especially Sicily, perhaps not the best example, but still can not understand how people resign themselves to how dirty they happen on the streets:

People sit quietly surrounded by scattered debris and go about their business:

On the lawn at the waterfront, many play football, despite the presence of boxes, everything threw garbage:

This is often due to the fact that the garbage containers are full and nobody cleans. But at least half-empty containers and soiled all around:

A street in the city of Siracusa (on the other side of the island):

In Europe, there is one curious thing, incomprehensible to the average Russian citizen. For example, a typical Sicilian street. Let's see how it looks on the cars.

This situation is typical not only for Italy but also for many European cities.

The thing is that the machine for the Europeans - it is a necessary piece of iron, the vehicle, and one of the cars do not "shake".

Bumper - a bumper, not decoration. And there is nothing to tremble over every scratch. For example, Mercedes:

Therefore, in Europe, where there is little space, parked to push and no steamed about it.

It is necessary to say that in Russia, due to the small scratches can even kill. Drinking machines totally different in Russia.

Let us turn to one of the main attractions of Sicily - the highest (3329 m), an active volcano in Europe - Etna. To get here is easy, you can use the sightseeing tour and travel out of the city of Catania, or independently by car as we did. Feeling great.

Picturesque road goes right through the hardened lava:

The hotel stands in the place of passage of lava. Probably until the next major eruption:

You can get there only to lift. Here you can buy tickets: lift (about 20 euros, if I remember correctly). Incidentally, the lava was only recently:

Top!

It is usually better to come in the morning, then often everything is tightened by clouds. First we climb to an altitude of about 2500 meters. It's very cold and windy:

Then the tickets already purchased - or on foot to the crater (long and difficult):

Or on special transport:

Let's go to one of the craters! Eruptions are here about once every three months:

The main crater of Etna:

The primary crater surrounded still about 300-400 lateral volcanic craters typically arranged in one direction. On average, every three months, then one, then from another crater spewed lava.

The most steep - rise when there is an eruption. We did not find :)

Etna - the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps, it covers an area of ​​1250 square kilometers. Thus, the Etna - the largest active volcano in Italy, surpassing its nearest "competitor" Vesuvius more than 2, 5 times.

erupted about 200 times during its existence Etna.

It is time to return. Near the lower lift also has craters:

And here is the skiing. In 1669, the city was destroyed by the lava from the eruption of Mount Etna. Now there is much more dense settlement, people settle on the slopes of the volcano, there is a very fertile soil:

Every 150 years the eruption destroys any settlement. But it does not stop the Sicilians - and they are densely populated slopes of Etna.

The islands north of Sicily:

Approximately 15-35 thousand years ago, the type of explosive eruptions of Etna was. Eruption leads to formation of giant pyroclastic flow, which left behind extensive layers lava. Ash from these eruptions are sometimes distributed to 800 km and beyond. Its traces can be found on the site of modern Rome.

Last picture of the eruption of Mount Etna in January 2012.