It's been a great afternoon island- and volcano-watching. Needless to say, Strombolli didn't disappoint. I think I would go as far as to say it was awesome!

From about 4 o'clock until 7, we approached and circled this, one of only three active volcanoes in Italy. Apparently, Strombolli's last major eruption was in April this year; it is constantly active, billowing smoke into the air aroound its peak, with occasional bursts of ash and lava being quite common. there is a small town at it's base, housing about 700 people.

The thing is; it LOOKS like a volcano; it's volcano-shaped, just like you see in the books, and I found I just simply couldn't stop looking at it; one of nature's most destructive, yet amazing things...

We were promised that when it got dark, we would see the orange glow of activity around its crater on the North-West side; we were told that this would be visible at somewhere around 7:30 - 8pm. Now, I've spent probably best part of two hours just standing and gazing out at it, and tried to time having an early dinner so as not to miss the glow-action. I wasn't alone in this plan of action, since, people have been pouring out onto deck to catch a glimpse of said glow since 7:30, and yet it seems we are now sailing away from it, heading for the Menai Straits. A few folks claim to have seen the glow much earlier, soon after sunset, but this could just be over-active imaginations. Whatever; the timing and announcements issue wasn't going down too well with the disgruntled passengers who had arranged their early evening to see the spectacle.

Ah well.... it's Country and Western evening... Yeeeee Haaaaah!!!!

Tomorrow we arrive in Sicily (Ah... Luca Brasi sleeps weeth the feeshes.....)