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DOUG’S RETIREMENT TRAVEL BLOG
65: time to hit the road
I retired. Twice. The first time in 2022, without Leslie; the second time in 2024, with her. Maybe this time it’ll stick.
Several discreet trips; each is a category. You can select one below to see it specifically, or just walk through. They're in reverse chronological order.
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2025 April 5,6: last Catania w/e
Leaving Sicily Monday AM. Saturday 5th: This is the original facade of the Catania Cathedral, built in the 11th century. The cathedral...
dougbergh
Apr 91 min read
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2025 April 4: Catania
Bought clams and garlic from these guys at the fish market in the AM, more on that later.. Toured Teatro Massimo Bellini, said to have...
dougbergh
Apr 61 min read
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2025 April 3: Taormina
We returned to Taormina today. Taormina has a main section up on the mountain, and a smaller section at sea-level. From Catania, the bus...
dougbergh
Apr 61 min read
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2025 April 1,2: Catania
Stayed in town for 2 days. It was a turning point: having been unimpressed the first day, then feeling better, then spending some time...
dougbergh
Apr 51 min read
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2025 March 31: Siracusa
Took the bus to Siracusa. Just over an hour to get there. The city is in 2 parts: the mainland and the island of Ortigia: On Ortigia....
dougbergh
Apr 11 min read
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2025 March 29,30: Catania
Weekend in town. We’re keeping up our 5+ miles/day walking pace. We went into an immense church on the Piazza Dante (btw Catania wins the...
dougbergh
Apr 12 min read
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2025 March 28: Mt Etna
Up Mt Etna (active volcano 1 hour bus ride from Catania) today. On the way up: First indication of trouble: The bus dropped us at the...
dougbergh
Apr 11 min read
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2025 March 27: Taormina
OK brace yourselves. Today was the most beautiful day of the trip. Trips? We took a bus to Taormina. Mid-day the heavens opened & we had...
dougbergh
Mar 291 min read
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2025 March 25, 26: Catania
Tuesday 25th, set out toward the west from our apartment, found this: Mercato Di piazza Carlo Alberto: Lunch of arancini and Barkette con...
dougbergh
Mar 281 min read
7 views
1 comment
2025 March 24: Catania!
We moved (from Palermo) to Catania, on the east coast of Sicily; staying for 2 weeks. 3 hour bus ride got us there mid day. The idea is...
dougbergh
Mar 251 min read
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2024 March 22, 23: last weekend in Palermo
Saturday March 22: The ladies in the windows are on Via del 4 April, by Giardino Garibaldi, an older area near the harbor with many...
dougbergh
Mar 251 min read
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2025 March 21: Cefalù
Returned to Cefalù & climbed the neighboring Massif: Took a nap on the beach: Stopped into the cathedral: And just before sunset… …took...
dougbergh
Mar 221 min read
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2025 March 20: Faust at Teatro Massimo
A favorite spot for a macchiato: kiosk on a no-name piazza. You can find it next to Santa Maria Gesù al Capo: It (and our AirBnB) are...
dougbergh
Mar 221 min read
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2025 March 19: Palermo
After morning yoga (we’ve been pretty religious about exercise & yoga before venturing out each day)… …we set out on a long walk through...
dougbergh
Mar 221 min read
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2025 March 18: Agrigento
Outside of Agrigento, near the southern coast of Sicily, a 2-hour train from Palermo, is the ‘valley of the temples’. Greek temples,...
dougbergh
Mar 221 min read
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2024 March 17: Palermo
Les & Marie arrived from Cefalù, we met them in the early afternoon for a walkabout. Here’s a piazza at one end of Vucceria Market, one...
dougbergh
Mar 221 min read
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2025 March 16: Cefalù
Sun Mar 16: went to Cefalù, a very picturesque town on the north coast of Sicily. It’s a 1 hour train from Palermo: Met fellow travelers...
dougbergh
Mar 211 min read
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2025 March 14,15: Palermo
Breakfast at Radici di Sicilia, which we like a lot. Then many other things: …including Mercato di Ballarò: Leslie bought a belt from...
dougbergh
Mar 161 min read
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2025 March 12, 13: Palermo
Left Herceg Novi. Bus to Podgorica: Flew through Belgrade & Rome to Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Arrived midnight, checked into our AirBNB in...
dougbergh
Mar 141 min read
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