Taormina.
Wikipedia says? A comune and small town on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Messina about midway between Messana and Catania. Taormina has been a very popular tourist destination since the 19th Century.
I say? Beauty. A perfect picture of Europe. Classy. Breathtaking.
If Taormina was a person she'd be 6 feet tall, impossibly gorgeous and towering over you in her 4-inch leather stilletos. She'd be confident but not snobby. Approachable, attainable, and hopelessly charming.
Yes, Steve and I definitely fell for Taormina.
I had just finished my month studying abroad in Prague. This was my second study abroad experience, and I had approached it with a different attitude. I was completely taken with Eastern Europe and loudly proclaimed to anyone willing to listen that Prague was "the most beautiful city I've ever seen!" I had a week free before returning to the States and so I purchased a ticket to visit Steve in Sicily. At that time, he was one month into his six-month deployment in Catania. We had survived our separation through endless amounts of overpriced Czech phone cards and sappy letters. I was so excited to see him that I could barely sit straight on the plane.
While I was there, we decided that we needed to get out of Catania and explore Sicily. We rented a car and drove to Taormina on a balmy Friday afternoon. I had never even heard of the city but Steve had heard great things, so we decided to check it out. We rented a car (manual of course) and were almost mowed down by a tour bus on our way up the mountain to Taormina. Our nerves were so rattled by the drive that we promptly found the first parking lot in town and dropped the car off.
Getting to the city center involved taking a cable car up the mountain. That allowed me my first views of the spectacular city. Taormina is separated into two different sections - Taormina Mare (the part by the ocean - where we left the car) and Taormina Città (the city center). We arrived at the top and proceeded to look for a hostel for the evening. The first thing my eyes focused on was a small hostel on the corner where the cable car station was. The side of the building was painted with a mural of bright colors and there was a waterfall of bright pink Bougainvillea tumbling over the side of the wall next to it. Everytime I think of Taormina, this is the first picture that comes to mind. So simple and so gorgeous. We walked into that hostel and ended up staying there for the evening.
After changing we decided to take a walk down the main avenue of Taormina Città - il Corso. It was lined with adorable little shops and tons of gelato stands. It was a warm summer evening and the street was clogged with locals and tourists alike. After strolling for a while, we found a small restaurant tucked into an alleyway. Our meal was unremarkable (I think I had Chicken Marsala?) but the atmosphere was definitely memorable. The waiter was friendly and accomodating - suggesting different items on the menu and never rushing us. We took our time and savored the relaxing setting. I remember halfway through the meal we heard "In My Place" by Coldplay drifting through a window of a nearby shop.
Yes, you could say I was in heaven.
We eventually had to move inside after it started to rain lightly. We ordered a bottle of wine and sat down to enjoy the rest of the evening. For me, one of the most enjoyable things about the "European" way of dining is their complete lack of urgency. Three hours for a meal? Why not? Eating here in the United States is about getting the food in your body and getting on with your life. Eating in Italy is about enjoying the food, atmosphere, and most importantly - the company. We were surrounded by couples and families who, like us, had been there for well over three hours and were in no rush to leave.
Our dinner put us in the contemplative and talkative mood. We tried to find a club, but we weren't really in the mood for it. We settled down in a small bar and ordered a couple of beers. We continued our conversation and enjoyed the warm summer evening. We were content with simply enjoying each other's company. Being in Taormina with Steve made me realize that we just might be meant to be. I know it sounds cliche, but it is definitely something special when you feel completely at ease traveling with a person. At this early point in our relationship I was aware of the fact that Steve and I had reached a new level of connection.
The next day, Steve and I spent doing the tourist thing. We went to the ruins of an ancient Greek theatre that you can reach at the end of il Corso. It was overwhelming to think that we were standing in the midst of something so historically significant. In the pictures taken from that day, we look extremely content with ourselves. Our tanned bodies are posed in front of the handrails, the ampitheatre in the distance behind us. I have my brown travel bag slung over my shoulder and Steve has his arms wrapped around me. We look like the typical American tourists. Despite that, I like to think that there was nothing typical about what we gained from our trip to Sicily and Taormina. I think we gained something greater, deeper, and more significant from our trip. Like I've said before, the typical tourist events don't really stand out in my mind when I think about my travels. Yes, those experiences can be beautiful and interesting. But do they make a lasting impression on my soul? I truly don't think so.
That evening, we drove back to Taormina. We had a much more relaxing car ride (I think Steve had figured out how to drive manual by then). We spent the ride talking about how we would definitely be returning to Taormina. That gorgeous city. Not a few weeks has gone by since then without us referencing our time there. "Where can we go next?" Taormina is always mentioned as a possibility. Steve and I plan to spend our five year wedding anniversary falling in love with each other (and Taormina) all over again.
