Sat Feb 1. [1 February 1902] Lovely day. Got up early and washed
my hair. Left at 10.25 and went all round the lovely coast to Catania.
Etna [Etna, Mte] floating, a white ghost, above the clouds. Exquisite
view from the little creek[?] of Santa Panagia. Passed Megara, the
country here a forest of orange lemon and olive trees. Augusta a
most delicious place on a spit of land something like Syracuse
[Siracusa]. Then over the hill and into the Lentini plain, very marshy
but fertile. Lunched at Catania and drove about the town - rather
horrid. Lava everywhere in unwashed[?] up streams in the streets. All
round Fred. II's castle, a nice square fort with round corner towers.
Went to the duomo which is practically modern - it was all destroyed
1693. Some good tombs and an altar to Santa Agata. Went up to the
theatre, much built over and choked with lava, but a few of the seats
remain. Here it was that Alcibiades persuaded the Catanians to throw
in their lot with Athens. Climbed to the top of San Nicolo tower and
had a fine view of the bay and the slopes of Etna. Drove past Santa
Cercere[?] where there is a fine Saracenic Norman door. Our train left
about 4 for Taormina - entrancing journey between Etna and the sea.
A mist of almond flowers and groves of lemons and oranges.
Exquisite light as we drove up to Taormina from Giardini
[Giardini-Naxos]. Isola Bella quite divine in the dark. Got rooms in the
Metropole with balconies overlooking the bay and full of the sound of
the sea. Such stars!