If you’re considering a trip to northeast Sicily, it might be a good idea to postpone it for a few months. Either that or bring a motorcycle helmet.
Judging by this sequence of shots, the area is experiencing a fairly steady shower and accumulation of lava ash, pebbles and rocks. Which is not to say it’s a full-blown catastrophe. Indeed, we see a lot of rather blasé people going about their day: running errands, drinking coffee and, every once in a while, futilely sweeping the ash from their front stoops.
A decent umbrella seems to provide sufficient protection, but you should probably get a lid with your espresso just for luck.
Suffice to say if the same thing happened in Los Angeles, where a light rain recently cause traffic gridlock, this video would have been far more hilarious.
I have family in Catania and have been in Sicily during an Etna eruption and although it looks harmless this is very bad news for your lungs. Very fine lava dust can cause serious damage. Best to wear a particle mask and only remove it between sips of espresso.
I was wondering about that, but not a single person in these shots is wearing a mask. That’s because Sicilians are crazy, right?