Valley of the Temples
The area just outside Agrigento known as the Valley of the Temples. Actually the temples are built along a ridge to act as beacons for homecoming sailors.
The Temple of Juno (Hera)
An atmospheric photo!
The Temple of Concordia
A modern bronze of Icarus as he fell to earth.
The Temple of Concordia was used as a model for Unesco's logo.
It is thought to have survived so well because, beneath the hard rock on which it stands, is a layer of soft clay that acts as a sort of shock absorber, protecting it from earthquake tremors.
The Temple of Hercules
This is the oldest of the temples dating from the end of the 6th century BC - amazing.
Time for lunch at the beach cafe....
.....then a walk along the beach around the headland to Scala dei Turchi.
The very smooth, white rock.
It has been weathered into giant steps with a hundred foot drop to the turquoise sea.
Mount Etna
On the way to taking Katy back to the airport, we had an incredible afternoon on Mount Etna.
The highest point is at 3329m and you can see the smoke drifting amongst the clouds. Mount Etna last erupted in May this year.
We drove part way up, then took the cable car, then took an off-road bus up to 2500m
There are four main craters and several smaller ones on the flanks of the mountain
We were so lucky with the weather and, although we were actually above the clouds, we had amazing views through the breaks.
A panorama showing the highest crater in the background, the largest crater next to that and in the foreground is the crater we walked around. On the ground the red is iron, the yellow is sulphur and the green is copper.
The Button craters - so named because they are in a row like buttonholes.
An incredible landscape!
Looking across to another crater.
Action picture!
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