Lipari Island off the Coast of Sicily

One of several charming islands just off the coast of Sicily we stopped this morning in Lipari and anchored off shore to be tendered in for our shore excursion that consisted of walking and boating, NO buses thank you! We have been on many really nice buses the best which hands down was Cambodia of all places but one becomes bus weary after riding for thousands of miles over countless days on a bus. We could be considered bus experts at this point able to recognize a two door bus from a one door and a bus with a bathroom at a glance even though I only used the potty once and it was pretty nice because the bus was parked. Only use the bathroom on a moving bus at your own risk! We traveled from Lipari to the island of Volcano just a few miles away by private boat seeing many unique sights along the way. Volcano is a volcanic island with a pronounced crater that had gases steaming up from the top. Our local guide said it was not active but it erupted every few minutes? She said last week they had to evacuate Volcano Island because the experts said it would blow. No blow but now they say it could blow next tomorrow or next week. We got off the island before it did. The highlight was the warm mud baths but it was too cold at 64 degrees for us to go mudding. There was a warning not to wear anything but a suit as the mud would etch it off. Several went and had to pay a few Euro for a shower after but the shower was cold water at 64 out so yes they were cold. Looked around town and sat and had a Calazonni and some cappuccino in the town of about 400 people. Back to Lipari and walked the very small town and shops before having a bruchetta that was HUGE with tomatoes, olives, capers and things. Oh, we had a special dinner last night. The World Cruisers have been going by small group down to the crew quarters for dinner in the officers mess. It was our turn last night and was it ever fun. We had the best group yet hosted by Captain and our friend the Captains wife Victoria and Norman the hotel director and Fernando the cruise director, we had the New Orleans sisters, Leslie and Jaimie and Joan and Mario and his benefactor and while Fernando told story after story we laughed and laughed. I got to go to the crew bar twice to have a cig but had to be escorted by Julia each time which was a plus. It had been a goal of mine to make it to the crew bar! Everybody had a good time and opened up about their lives. Heard about Jaimie and Leslie and their house on an alligator infested lake in Thailand and Joan the matriarch of a pearl dynasty with thousands of employees in the UK. After dinner we had to rush up to deck 10 for a surprise birthday party for Randir the wife of Barry the Dentist from the UK. We gave a birthday card promising cheese. Barry commented that "do we know that the UK has some of the best cheese in the world"? I told Barry that the cheese we would send would blow his ever loving Brit socks off! I'm thinking very old cheddar and some Ghost pepper cheese. Tonight we have the World Cruise farewell dinner in La Terrazza at seven and the crew show at ten. I'm usually in bed by ten but Rommel says we MUST be there and bring our video equipment as there may be something special for us. Maybe even a skit about a black lab and an alligator! On to Sorrento and the Island of Capri tomorrow by tender of course.