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Race Point Beach is a three-mile stretch at the very outer tip of Cape Cod. Following our hike and screening of the shark safety film at Cape Cod National Sea Shore and time spent eating and shopping in Provincetown, we arrived just as the sun was beginning to set, at around 6:00. The lifeguard was just lowering the shark warning flag and closing the guard station for the day. Swimmers were frolicking in the surf in beautiful silhouette. The golden sun kissed everything as it danced across the undulating waves.

Having just seen the shark safety movie three hours earlier, I noted the flag color that day. There are multiple colored flags with different meanings : green signifies good spotting conditions and no shark seen. Black means poor spotting conditions but no sharks seen. Red means a shark has been sighted but bathers are not at immediate risk. When you see the black and white flag, cue the Jaws music and run for the hills. A shark has been sighted close by and bathers should run for the hills. Today’s flag was purple, which means harmful marine life such as jellyfish, stingray, and sharks are present and bathers should exercise caution.

What better way to spend your time on Cape Cod than relaxing on these soft, sandy shores, spot seals sunbathing on the sandbars, and watching the golden sun set behind the 200-year-old Race Point Lighthouse? You’ll need to hike through beach grass and dunes to make the nearly two-mile trek from the beach to the historic lighthouse, built in 1816. If you’re lucky you can stay overnight from May to November. The lighthouse tower is open for tours during the season.

Don’t forget your binoculars. You have a good chance of catching whales breaching in the distance as they make their spring migration to colder north Atlantic waters. When we arrived, late in the day, there was plenty of space to spread out on the sand. There’s ample parking nearby (though a bit pricey at $25) and also restaurants and cafes in the area.

MT. ETNA, SICILY, ITALY

It was a beautiful June day in Italy. We were standing atop Crateri Sylvestri at Mt. Etna waiting in a line to take in the epic vista of Catania and the Mediterranean below. The guy in front of us was getting a little greedy with the view. The bus was leaving in 15 minutes and we still had a walk along the crater’s edge to get back. Growing a bit weary and frustrated, I turned to the family behind us and make eye contact with the man, the dad of three elementary-aged children. We both roll our eyes as if to say, “Come on, buddy.”

“Where are you guys from?” the man asked.
“The States.”
“Where in the States?”
“Outside of Detroit.”
“Really? Where exactly?”
“Farmington Hills.”
“Are you kidding? I grew up in Farmington Hills.”

We soon learned we grew up less than a mile away from each other, graduated the same high school two years apart, know a handful of the same people, and I actually photographed his brother’s kids five years before. He says he knows exactly which wall the portrait sits on in their house.

Of course, we both exclaimed . . . “What a small world.”

Isn’t it crazy? I mean, what are the chances of meeting a friend from home 5,000 miles away? On an island. On a mountain top. At the edge of a volcanic crater edge?

While it makes for a great story and as serendipitous it is, the chances of meeting this way are . . . actually . . . pretty good. While still unlikely, specific circumstances greatly increase the likelihood of running into someone you know. This is due to something called the “Small World” effect.

First, let’s consider where we were. A well-traveled tourist destination in Italy. Even though we felt isolated and on another planet that day, Italy is probably one of THE most visited tourists destinations in the world. Mount Etna — Crateri Silvestri specifically — is among the most-visited attractions on Sicily, easily accessible by car and frequented by virtually every tour company. We arrived via coach bus at peak tourist season. We booked the tour from the U.S. months in advance. I’m sure everyone else on the excursion did the same. The company caters to foreigners, Americans to be sure.

Second, this was a family-friendly event. We both had young elementary school aged children in tow. We may not have crossed paths if even one of us chose the full foot trek up the mountain, off road 4x4s, or decided to drive on our own.

Finally, this kind of travel attracts a certain demographic. Daylong all-inclusive excursions like this aren’t cheap, but they’re not exactly private concierge luxury level either. They’re somewhere in the middle. And that was both of us.

Even still, it was fun to create a connection so far from home. We bumped into each other in other popular destinations along the trip. Our kids played together a few times. We sat together during a show. We still keep in touch and exchange Christmas cards each year.

As Disney says, “Though the mountains divide, and the oceans are wide, it’s a small world after all.”

From sea level, Etna towers over the entire island is Sicily, spanning 600 square miles with a base of 93 miles.  On a clear day, its regal blue and white soft-sloped peak casts a shadow over Catania and the eastern Sicilian shore.  You can ascend the mountain within a half-day by way of a drive, cable car, 4×4, bus, and then finally on foot.

A World Heritage site and Europe’s most active volcano, the name “Etna” comes from the word Aitne (aithō), which means “I burn.”  As we drove up the steep slopes, the landscape changed from the fertile Mediterranean orchards and vineyards to a stark, barren otherworldly ash-covered terrain. Upon arriving at Crateri Silvestri, the earth was Martian red with fiery bursts of yellow, green, and lava black. The basaltic lava begins pure black but the iron in it oxidizes red over time.

Crateri Silvestri sits almost 2000 meters (~ 6500 feet) above sea level. The formation consists of two two volcanic cones facing the southeastern slope. Named for the Silvestri family who owned the land at the time, the craters formed during the 1892 eruption.

Even on a warm day, as it was for us in June, it can be cool and SUPER WINDY on the mountain. Be sure to wear a few loose layers and a windbreaker and loose scarf. You’ll also want sturdy shoes as the soil can be loose and uneven on the crater. The crater is easily reached from the roadside parking. There’s a small ristorante with water, sundries, a restroom, and small souvenirs nearby.

We came upon this guy on the crater selling small ladybugs glued to lava rocks and posing for photos with his goat. Of course, I bought a ladybug for the privilege of a photo. At first glance, he looks like a provincial goat herder — his very intent, of course. Just his very presence heightens the romance and sense of provincial nostalgia to this place. We joked that he probably makes six figures sitting here all day, changes into his Prada suit and shoes, and drives his Ferrari home to his ultra modern condo. Incidentally, I saw a video of a travel blogger at Crateri Silvestri 10 years later and he was still there. Other than a little white hair around the temples and undoubtedly a different goat, he looked exactly the same.

Etna erupts almost every year. The typical eruption, called a Plinian eruption, is the most violent kind, spewing lava upwards into the sky. This is the kind that buried Mount Vesuvius just off the coast of Naples. Etna erupts in what is known as the Icelandic form, where molten basaltic lava flows down long parallel fissures and grooves on the mountain. Such outpourings are slow and creates plateaus and ridges. They are usually not immediately threatening to people below. Once the lava cools and hardens, it plugs the opening so no two eruptions occur are ever the same. It also forms the craters on Mount Etna such as the one at Silvestri.

The best way to visit Crateri Silvestri is to begin at Rifugio Sapienza, followed by a 4×4 jeep tour or a guided hike to explore the volcanic area, or even a self-guided hike with a bus to 2900 meters. Buses and private cars run from Catania to Rifugio Sapienza. A private transfer from Catania to Rifugio Sapienza on Mount Etna costs around €160 for up to three people. The panoramic bus is also an option for around €40 and offers a six-hour tour.