After dropping Denver off at the La Timpa Campground with Paul to do a day of sorkeling in the Ciclope Natural Reserve, we drove on north to Taormina to spend a day at Isola Bella enjoying the sun and warm Ionian Sea.

Vote for Sarah to be your Prom Queen!

OOPS! My mistake, Sarah is running for Mayor of the town of D'Agostino.

Italy in a nutshell

Lido Mazzaró

This is the beach just around the point on the right from Isola Bella.  One article I read rates it as one of Sicily's five best beaches.  We'll be back!

Isola Bella

It translates simply into Beautiful Island.  The island itself is privately owned and you can see a majestic home atop it.

Mendolia Beach Club

For 10 Euros we were now in the lap of luxury!

Refreshing Sea Water

Hey, is that Nessie on vacation?

Galatea, is that you?

Was this the sea nymph that stole Acis' heart and eventually caused the Cyclops to kill him?

The Mendolia Beach Club seen from Isola Bella

This small strip of sand is all that connects Isola Bella to Sicliy

Waves that hit Isola Bella disipate around both sides of the island and meet here again attacking the sand strip from both the left and the right.

Tranquility and Charm

Laurie is indeed a "California Girl"

Due Volta!

After a glorious day at the shore, it was back to CUS in the evening for a Junior practice.

Reviewing the practice plan while the team...

...Stretches

Letting the team know the evening's agenda

Denver working on stance and starts with his two linemen.

4-on-4 Action

We rotated four new players on both sides of the ball after every four plays to get them maximum exposure to this crazy new game.

Fast and Furious Pace

After practice, Laurie and I had dinner at

Al Tubo's in Aci Castello.

We took a post-meal passeggiata through town to enjoy the cool scented breezes of Sicily.  One of us may have even had a banana gelato, I can't be sure.

Aci Castello's Chiesa San Giuseppe

Life is still pretty darn good when you get right down to it!