Posted by socrates on Saturday, May 13, 2017 in 2017 Blog post.

On Thursday, three of us decided to rent scooters and explore the coastline. We traveled eastward on A-20 along the northern coast of the island. This was quite an experience, although a dangerous adventure. It started with renting the scooters, as a nice man in Cefalu, Daniella, rented the three of us scooters with little to no attention to our identification. As opposed to in the United States, where there are infinite rules and regulations, this Italian moped shop placed the responsibility in our hands. We quickly learned that riding these scooters is not nearly as easy as it seems. As we started on the highway, we found ourselves immediately navigating overpassing busses and the strong winds from Africa. This was definitely a dangerous endeavor, but we decided to keep going. Eventually, we stopped for lunch at a pizzeria in a small town called Finale. The owners of this restaurant welcomed us in for lunch even though the store was supposed to be opened only for a small party. They fed us well and kept us very entertained.

After lunch, we proceeded eastwards. Eventually, we discovered a small beach where we could finally take a break from the exhausting moped adventure. Right around this time, the sun started to come out, and the winds took a break. We relaxed on the beach for a while and later I went in the water to explore. Opening my eyes under water, I navigated through the rocky shore and eventually out past the waves. Through the clear Mediterranean waters I could see underwater life and small fish swimming around. This calm area of the coast was unlike anything I have experienced in the United States. No boats or cars polluting the air, no loud beachgoers, just pure nature. Sicily as a whole seems much less polluted than the U.S. The cars are much smaller, the water clearer, the air cleaner and the country as a whole much more natural.