4/21: Transfer to Lipari, the Largest of the Aeolian Islands

The group of seven islands is named for Aeoleus, the Greek god of the winds. The name is quite appropriate as it is often quite windy, which impacts transportation to a great degree. The only hospital is on Lipari, the largest island where we are staying. All locations that supported maternity wards were shut down when the central Italian government decreed that anything with fewer that 80 beds was toast. Now moms have to go to Sicily to give birth and if the weather is bad, a helicopter takes them. Many other types of care were impacted in the island group too. The good news is that the national health system pays for the helicopter, but it comes out of the region's funding, which is already challenged.

To get there, we were up a little earlier than normal to drive to the north coast of Sicily to catch a hydrofoil ferry to Lipari. It is the largest (6 miles by 3.5 miles) and the most populated (10,000 of the 15,000) of the 7 islands. The second largest, Salina, has a population of about 3,000, and the other 5 split the remaining 2,000, ranging from 150 to 500. They all have a volcanic history and fumaroles can be seen on several of the islands, but only Stromboli is still active.

When we disembarked, we talked to a fisherman at the harbor and then walked down the main street. We encountered Pina, an older woman who runs kind of a bodega. She gave us samples of caper-stuffed olives and a sun-dried tomato from her daily Sicilian style salad. I am very tempted to have that for lunch tomorrow! 

Minnow-sized fish swarming around a piece of bread
in the stunningly clear water.

The fisherman told us it was a bad day. It looks like these
were the only 3 fish he caught.

The outdoor section of Pina's shop

The upper rocky area is called the castle, which houses
the Archeology Museum we will visit tomorrow. This
is a smaller harbor where we had lunch today.

 

 

We had a leisurely lunch at the smaller harbor and walked uphill to our hotel. I had planned to catch up with  my blogging, but couldn't say no when Annunziata suggested a side trip to the neighboring island of Vulcano, population 800.

We got a boat tour of some of the interesting seastacks and a view of all 7 islands at once.

Stromboli

Hydrofoil like the one we took.

When we landed, the smell of sulfur was very clear. Annunziata treated us to 'dinner' - a double scoop cone of gelato! We  noshed as we walked to a bubbling greenish mud pond that was closed several years ago. An enterprising guy assumed control of the pond and made it into his own private business. Eventually, the city clued in and stopped it, but they haven't seriously tried to block access as demonstrated by the woman using it when we walked by.

The two little holes in the middle were puffing occasionally.

In the middle of the picture at the right edge of the pond
you can see a figure wearing a red shawl, standing in
the pond. She later took the shawl off and bared it all.

 We walked to the beach and several folks tested the water, which was not warm. Away from the shore a bit, there was a buoy line like the kind that divides swimming areas. It was there to keep you from getting boiled during your swim.

This photo shows all seven islands.

We walked around for about an hour total and then headed back to our hotel and a less early start tomorrow.