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| Pen, watercolour and coloured pencil |
This is a view of Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano. (Yes that is smoke coming out the top!) It took us a long time to drive there as we took the 'scenic' route and got lost a few times....the sign posts and maps here leave a lot to be desired! We headed for the North/West side of Etna to avoid the coaches and tourists going up the popular routes, and climbed slowly up through the foothills to start our walk at Bronte, a lovely little town famous for it's pistachio nuts.
We drove higher and higher through a lava flow from 1843 to reach our starting point, stopping for a picnic on the way.
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| Pen, water soluble graphite and coloured pencil |
The crater landscape and lava give the whole area a strange eerie feel, like a moonscape. All around us were old volcanic cones that have been wooded for centuries and Etna (known as the 'old lady') looming up in front of us. There was hardly anyone else around, the silence was incredible and the views were amazing, well worth the long drive.
You can see the lava flow and the path we took in the photo, although Etna's peak is hidden by cloud.
It was impossible to explore the whole area in just one day, but now I know the way I'll be going back!
11 comments:
Thanks for the tour of a very interesting place. I had no idea that the volcano was still active!
Lovely Cathy...hope the pistachio nuts were good!
I guess I can't leave comments---wish I could..I love the sketches, photos and narration!
very interesting - thanks for sharing this. looks like quite a strange, slightly eerie place to me.
Yet another place I'd love to see! Thanks for sharing your journey with us.
Fascinating and great work Cathy =) Although they are dangerous, but they are so majestic and beautiful
Today all your wonderful paintings downloaded. I so admire your work and am delighted to see your pieces!
Yet another place to put on my list to visit! The hills around us are from long-extinct volcanoes .... not quite so exciting as yours!
Very nice watercolors, and the place looks fantastic! Last year my family did the tour up to the top of Haleakala, in Maui. It was very eerie. A moonscape, and so high up, with little wisps coming from the crater...
Interesting spot! Thanks for taking us along. Wonderful sketches!
Thanks for sharing your trip. I love the colours of your work.
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