this is stromboli.

no, that's not a 300 reference. it's not meant to be screamed from behind a helmet. quite the opposite, in fact. it was repeated quite a few times as renato explained life on the island to me in the tone of relaxation and calm reverence that the island instills in all who arrive. i don't know if it's the awareness of the volcano's power, the overall beauty of the island, the strength of the sun overhead, or some combination of the three;  but as soon as you step off the boat and onto stromboli, you really can't shake the feeling that you are witnessing something truly special. i won't bore you with a day-by-day play-by-play of everything i did- if you're really interested in that sort of thing you're welcome to e-mail me- i just thought i'd share some general thoughts about my time there. and for links to all of my pictures from stromboli, as well as my other adventures here in italy, you can visit my photo links page.

the town is very interesting. nearly every building is white concrete with bright, cerulean blue accents in the true mediterranean style. the streets are extremely narrow (most only barely wide enough for a golf cart) so there are no cars on the island. most people get where they're going by foot (and the locals by bare foot) because nothing is really too far. however there are also quite a few mopeds, and apes are used for transporting goods and materials. there is no electricity in the streets, so if you plan on going out after dark you might want to bring a flash light. also, every house has a name, not a number.

*that little bit in the middle of the sea in the first picture is called strombolicchio. it is over a mile high and shot up in TWO DAYS

one thing that i absolutely relished during my long weekend in stromboli was how quiet it was. here in messina you can always here cars honking, sirens howling, and just the general loudness of a city. in stromboli the only interruptions to be heard are the small waves, the volcano (if the wind is blowing the right way), and the occasional call of "pesce fresco" from the local fishmonger. i'll gladly take the sea over the sirens any day. 

another thing that really just made me head over heels excited was the beach. i definitely get a little homesick for folly at times, but nothing can compare to laying out on a black sand beach, staring out at the crystal clear blue sea. i honestly never thought i'd get to see my turquoise toe nail polish against a black sand beach. and for the most part, unless you go right over by the harbor, you are on a small stretch of sand between two rocks, making it always seem like you're on a little private beach.

ciao stromboli. until we meet again, stay true. 

all my love,

lindsay