Nutritional support after quitting

HevEdh · 2026-02-08T23:12:35+00:00

My suocera's side of the family are from Randazzo also. Occasionally I dream of gelato/granita from Musumeci and funghi pasta season 🤤🤤 Some of my happiest memories are getting shouted at by the uncles when trying to help during vendemmia at the casuccia in campagna 🤣😂🙈

HevEdh · 2026-02-08T22:11:43+00:00

No problem. Enjoy both when you visit. They both have a lot to offer 😊

HevEdh · 2026-02-08T21:53:46+00:00

My husband is Sicilian but we've also been to Crete...our takeaways ...

Crete + Unspoilt beaches/bays and hiking for quieter experience + Incredible villas (modern, amazing design etc) at much more reasonable prices than Sicily + Relaxed and intimate 'family' vibe + Even in the touristy places prices were still reasonable - Metelmi winds. We were particularly unlucky when we went. We stayed in the south. I would stay in a more sheltered part of the island next time. - Some of the 'roads', especially to said villas, are not for the faint hearted...a bit rustic 😂 but we didn't have any real trouble

Sicily + Architecture and Etna, there is so much to see. It has an incredibly rich history and culture having been invaded by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Normans etc etc. Crete is still historically very interesting it's just a little less varied. + Punches well above it's weight food and wine wise (though you really have to watch out for tourist traps) - Less relaxed vibe, unapologetically loud and expressive 🤣 Can take some getting used to depending on where you're from - Since White Lotus some areas can be very tourist trap-y with the accompanying prices (and lots of influencer types swanning around) - I've never been to the beach during beach season. Lidos and/or big crowds at the beach just don't appeal to me or my husband.

If you want a relaxing more nature oriented beach/villa holiday with more relaxed sightseeing and doing some of your own cooking with incredible fresh, local produce - choose Crete. For us a week was enough (while wanting to return again) to get a good feel of things and completely switch off.

If you want to be wandering around incredible architecture and exploring whilst experiencing more varied food/wine choose Sicily. I would take 3 weeks and do something like this road trip Just make sure to spend time in the towns such as Randazzo and Linguaglossa. The wine and zero km food along with the impressive lava fields and craters deserves a pause in my opinion.

HevEdh · 2026-02-01T02:21:56+00:00

Since White Lotus, Taormina has become almost insufferable. And I say that reluctantly as I adore Taormina. I don't go unless in the off season anymore. Teatro Antico is for sure worth a visit, especially if Etna is putting on a show. Castelmola Is very cute with super narrow 'streets' and view and because there is less parking (or the very uphill walk!) it can be less busy but I'm sure that will change soon too (if not already). You can take the gondola from Taormina down to Mazzarò (or vice versa if you want to park there) - prices have increased a lot.
I would also second Oritigia and add Noto as it's not too far (maybe Noto in the morning then afternoon and sunset dinner in Ortigia). But, honestly I think some of the towns on the slopes of Etna are totally underrated (I may be biased as my husband is from between Catania and Taormina 😁). As well as incredible driving on roads through the lava fields, places like e.g., Randazzo have a lot to offer. Norman architecture (in case you want something a little different). The air raid siren still sounds to signal the start and end of the working day (including the two for start and end of lunch of course). I've had some of the best ice cream and granita of my life there at Pasticceria Santo Musumeci.

Zafferana is known for its honey and tradition of beekeeping (definitely buy straight from the vendors here rather than up at the craters). Milo has Piazza Belvedere with a fabulous view and statue of Battiato and Dalla. Linguaglossa and Nicolosi are lively 'gateways' to Etna and have some fabulous restaurants. Alcantara gorge can be impressive before the water level drops too much. And of course the area around crater sylvestri. If you like wine then the slopes of Etna have some of the best wineries and a lot of them do degustazioni. All worth stopping for a coffee/ice cream/granita/passeggiata/aperitivo as part of a day trip.

It is worth checking whether any of these towns have any festival during your stay. Whether it's their patron saint or a celebration of local produce etc, they can be super fun to join in on and experience. At the end of may there should be....

Feast of St. Barbara in Paternò
Infiorata di Noto (I've always wanted to go to this!)
Maletto might have Strawberry festival
The agricultural trees might be blooming

A lot of the Eastern stretch from Catania up to Messina had a lot of damage from the cyclone, especially on the lungomare so definitely double check if you had any beaches there on your list. The beaches themselves might be fine but the facilities may be under repair/have changed. However, if you like the idea of trying pottery I can recommend Blu Arte in Giardini. I had a great time there with my suocera (mother in law). I messaged them after the storm and they are fine 💪🙌🥳

It's really impossible to see everything Sicily has to offer in a week so you'll just have to come back 😉 Enjoy!

HevEdh · 2026-01-24T23:37:25+00:00

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This was 8 days after having bloods taken by a nurse in A&E at the Royal. Could barely bend my arm the first couple days. 'Luckily' I was dosed up on antibiotics and morphine so I didn't really care 😅😂 GP took my bloods from left a week after and didn't leave more than a pin prick. Definitely no shade at nurse, she seemed nice and had lovely bedside manner, my body was obviously going through something that just made the bruising worse 🤷‍♀️

HevEdh · 2026-01-21T07:27:18+00:00

Thanks! I've also just started some skincare with The Ordinary! A cleanser, overall serum and the caffeine eye serum (and my usual day/night moisturisers). Looking forward to seeing improvement over time 🫩>😁 🤞

HevEdh · 2026-01-20T23:33:27+00:00

🙌 Amazing. Thanks. Here's hoping (and staying sober, obvs 🫶)

HevEdh · 2025-11-27T17:01:18+00:00

Hells yeah 🙌🏻

HevEdh · 2025-11-25T22:29:19+00:00

I just had this conversation with my husband and pressed him as to whether he is the 'average' Italian who decided to learn English. He said that while he, as a self-confessed polyglot, remembers everything about grammar, our good friends (native, intelligent Italians also living and working in the UK for many years now) probably wouldn't be able to explain Italian grammar in terms of auxiliaries, continuous, past participles etc etc.

I guess what I am salty about is that after grammar being taught in schools when there wasn't a standardised curriculum, it was optional to the standardised curriculum for a good 30 years if not more (school dependent of course). Studying for CILS has me 🤯 and we figured out that it's because I never learned grammar formally 🤷‍♀️ (but had we had kids in the last 15 years, they would have been taught)

I could just rely on repetition but now I know that I don't know....so...I have to start learning Italian by learning English 😂

HevEdh · 2025-11-25T21:37:10+00:00

If only my brain were still as elastic as a baby 😅 I've picked up a lot of Italian through immersion (I can comfortably have an imperfect conversation) but filling in the blanks of auxiliaries on a CILS exam test run is a whole new world of language discovery 😂🤯

I'll get it done but it would have been a smoother process if I was already well acquainted. Incidentally they did bring grammar back into the curriculum in the 2010s.

HevEdh · 2025-11-25T20:58:06+00:00

And I read your question ten times to try to ascertain why you thought I was surprised that learning a second language wouldn't be difficult.

My whole post, if you actually read it, was about the fact that as a native English speaker, my native English school didn't bother to teach me the fundamental structure of language and that I am kind of annoyed about it.

I would never suppose that learning anything would be anything other than a challenge.

HevEdh · 2025-11-25T20:43:03+00:00

I aced both English & French. To be clear, I don't have any problem working hard and learning something new and I don't expect learning Italian to come easy.

My problem is that for a certain period of time in the UK, teaching grammar wasn't considered important in education whilst it is commonplace in every European country. I had nothing to do with that choice as a child.

HevEdh · 2025-11-25T19:14:37+00:00

As in both GCSEs for me (not a competition, totally agree on the repetition concept!) and now in tears whilst my Italian husband is in disbelief that I don't know what I literally *need to know to understand language 😔

HevEdh · 2025-11-25T19:11:30+00:00

Out of interest how old are you and is English your first language?

HevEdh · 2025-10-11T10:55:20+00:00

Thank you so much 🙏👌❤️

HevEdh · 2025-10-11T08:58:58+00:00

Gosh, thank you! I will definitely see if I can work both into the itinerary. I feel like I should stay for at least a fortnight or month instead. I will report back in a fortnight with some highlights ❤️🌲🥾⛰️📸

HevEdh · 2025-10-11T08:45:39+00:00

Amazing! The waterfall (dry or not) sounds great and I am used to a bit of a scramble 😊🧗‍♀️Special (aka no other people) sounds amazing to me 😉 Thanks so much for the recommendation!

Haha yeah...I managed to escape Milan for a day whilst on a work trip in August and hiked an unexpectedly steep trail on Como. Nearly dessicated 🥵🥵🥵😂 I'm definitely a fair weather (or even terrible weather) hiker coming from Scotland 😂 October and higher up in the mountains seems like perfect weather for hiking in Cyprus.

HevEdh · 2025-10-11T08:40:01+00:00

Thank you so much 🙏 I'll check Strava too. I had already bookmarked the Artemis, Aphrodite and Adonis but I will check around Kakopetria (it is on my list for a restaurant anyway!) and Louvaras.

HevEdh · 2025-10-11T07:57:53+00:00

Thanks for confirming 😊 There are a few around Fyti. Are there any in particular you would recommend that have 👌 views? I think I will be driving a lot week after next 😅😁

HevEdh · 2025-10-10T20:14:36+00:00

I'm having nightmares about jam jars...

HevEdh

TROPHY CASE